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5 Dec 2005 : Column 1021W—continued
London Olympics
Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the opportunities for businesses in Gravesham arising from the 2012 London Olympic Games. [33637]
Mr. Caborn: There has been no specific assessment made of the benefits to Gravesham from hosting the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. However, we expect the Games to offer significant opportunities for business across the whole of the UK with contracts on offer ranging from construction and land remediation through to the design and manufacture of staff uniforms and catering for visitors, athletes and officials.
We have established a Nations and Regions Group on which each region of England—including the South East of England—plus Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are represented. We are asking each region to develop a plan for their area to maximise the benefits of hosting the Games in sporting, social and economic terms.
Private Finance Projects
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 8 June 2005, Official Report, column 583W, to the hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr. Hammond), on private finance projects, what the (a) capital value and (b) total value is of the Royal Parks Agency's private finance initiative contract for Inn on the Park at St. James'; and what percentage of the contract is attributable to capital value. [27133]
Mr. Lammy: The Royal Parks Agency's contract withthe catering concessionaire who runs the Inn the Park restaurant at St. James's Park is, according to HMTreasury guidelines, more properly classified as a public-private partnership than a private finance initiative.
The capital value of the investment made by the concessionaire to fit out the restaurant was £718,755. The Royal Parks invested £3,146,231 in the project. The total value of the agency's contract with the concessionaire includes an annual licence fee to the agency, which is set at a percentage of the restaurant's annual turnover.
The value of the licence fee and the percentage rate at which it is set are both matters of commercial confidentiality.
Tourism
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost has been of VisitBritain's Britain Welcomes China initiative. [25884]
Tessa Jowell:
The cost to VisitBritain of the Britain Welcomes China" campaign was £49,500. A further £16,500 was raised from VisitBritain's private sector partners. The campaign is part of broader work to ensure that Britain's tourism industry makes the most of this emerging market, which is increasingly important to the whole of the British economy. In 2004, UK exports of goods and services to China amounted to £3.4 billion, a rise of 55 per cent. over the figure for 2002.
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Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding she makes available to local authorities to establish tourism officers. [34247]
James Purnell: The Government value the importance of local authorities in developing tourism, and believe that the appointment of dedicated tourism officers is one way of adding value by co-ordinating local marketing, infrastructure development, and other functions.
However, my Department is not responsible for the funding of local authorities, which are themselves best placed to make decisions on tourism funding from their general resources. In making such decisions on the basis of local need, the Government expect local authorities to work closely with the regional development agencies where appropriate, and with others including the private sector.
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which 10 tourist attractions in Lancashire received the highest visitor numbers in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [34066]
James Purnell: My Department does not keep a central record of the tourist attractions throughout the United Kingdom. VisitBritain who promote tourism in England and overseas, and England's Northwest Research Service produce Attractions Surveys, and it's from these source, that the visitor numbers to the top 10 tourist attractions in Lancashire in 2002 and 2004 have been collated and set out in the table.
(37)No data held.
(38)Estimate
Wembley Project
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on progress of the Wembley project. [34246]
Mr. Caborn: We have been given assurances that the new Wembley Stadium will be completed in the spring of 2006.
The aim of both the Football Association and Wembley National Stadium Ltd. is to hold the 2006 Cup Final at Wembley.
This is an extremely complex project that will ensurethat Wembley remains one of the world's great sporting venues and a fitting stadium for football in the 21stcentury.
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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Airspace (Extraordinary Rendition)
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether under the (a) US/UK bilateral Air Services Agreement and (b) Chicago Convention the US authorities would need to seek permission for the use of (i) UK airspace and (ii) UK overseas territories for the purpose of the extraordinary rendition of those accused of terrorist activities; and if he will make a statement. [33706]
Ian Pearson: Under the UK/USA Air Services Agreement and the Chicago Convention, the permission of the United Kingdom is required to operate scheduled and non-scheduled services between the United States and the United Kingdom or United Kingdom Overseas Territories. Under the Chicago Convention, permission is not needed for non-scheduled, non-commercial civil aircraft overflying or landing at civilian airports in the UK or its Overseas Territories.
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 19 October 2005, Official Report, columns 1093–4W, on UK airspace, if he will list those countries (a) where there are substantial grounds to believe that a person deported would be subject to torture and (b) where there is a risk that the death penalty will be applied; and if he will make a statement. [33711]
Dr. Howells: It is not possible to list countries in the way suggested. The specific circumstances of an individual's case would determine whether there would be substantial grounds for believing that he or she would be subject to torture or face a real risk of the death penalty if deported.
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether UK Government officials have discussed with the US Administration the use of EU airspace for the purpose of the extraordinary rendition of those accused of terrorist activities since 11 September 2001; and if he will make a statement. [33818]
Ian Pearson: We raise a range of issues with the United States Administration on a regular basis. The Government are aware of media allegations about extraordinary rendition" operations allegedly conducted by the US authorities, and my right hon. Friend, the Foreign Secretary, has written to the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, on behalf of EU Partners.
Albania
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on the possible accession of Albania to the EU. [33591]
Mr. Douglas Alexander:
The Thessaloniki summit of June 2003 reaffirmed the EU's commitment to the eventual integration of the Western Balkans countries, including Albania, into the Union. In return for this commitment, the countries undertook to meet the political and economic requirements, including regional co-operation, that are set for all aspirants. The
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Government fully support the commitment made at Thessaloniki towards Albania, and hopes that Albania will take steps to meet the necessary conditions.
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