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15 Dec 2005 : Column 2187W—continued
Sports Funding
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what financial assistance has been given to junior (a) Rugby League, (b) Rugby Union, (c) cricket and (d) football in (i) the North West, (ii) Lancashire and (iii) Chorley in each of the last five years. [37124]
Mr. Caborn:
It is not possible to split the funding that went to juniors as Sport England does not specifically capture this information. However, benefiting young people is a key priority for all of their community investment and the potential for projects to benefit junior sport is integral to every funding decision made.
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The Exchequer funding made available to the governing bodies of the sports over the last five years is as follows:
As the funding is awarded to the governing body we are not able to provide information on figures to a specific area or region.
I can, however state what lottery money Sport England have invested in the North West, Lancashire and Chorley. This is detailed in the following table:
Swimming Pools
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many public access 50metre swimming pools there are in (a) England, (b) London and (c) Havering; and how many are planned prior to the Olympics in 2012. [37957]
Mr. Caborn: There are sixteen 50 metre swimming pools with public access in England, of which two are in London. There are no 50 metre swimming pools in Havering. A further six pools are currently being developed and this includes two for the new Aquatic Centre in Stratford.
An additional three 50 metre pools and two water polo pools are planned for the Olympic games and these
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will be redistributed following the games against an agreed legacy strategy.
Sport England is working with the Amateur Swimming Association to consider swimming pool provision in London, including the impact of the Olympic games pool provision.
UK Film Industry
Mrs. James: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if she will make a statement on Government support for the UK film industry; [34803]
(2) what financial assistance is available to film makers from the UK Government to fund film production. [34804]
James Purnell: The Government are committed to supporting a sustainable, stable and successful film industry. The UK Film Council, our strategic body for film, allocates lottery money for filmmaking, and works with the Government and other funding bodies to promote the widest possible enjoyment and understanding of cinema throughout the UK. The Government themselves continue to make available effective and appropriately-targeted tax relief for filmmakers.
DEFENCE
Afghanistan
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last had discussions with his Dutch counterpart about the possible deployment of Dutch troops to southern Afghanistan; and what the outcome was of such discussions. [37127]
John Reid: I have regular discussions with allies including the Dutch about NATO operations in Afghanistan.
Departmental Costs
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) salary bill was and (b) administrative costs were for his Department in (i)each (A) nation and (B) region of the UK and (ii)London in 2004–05. [35868]
Mr. Touhig: The Ministry of Defence publishes pay costs by region in the HMT Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis (PESA). The data for 2003–04 is contained in Table 8.20 of the Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2005 (Cm 6521) which was published in April 2005 (see page 131). We are currently undertaking work on the analysis of the 2004–05 data, and this will be published in the PESA tables in April 2006.
MOD does not currently collect data on administrative budgets.
Departmental Staff (Relocation)
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the potential (a) to reduce and (b) to relocate departmental posts in the main London building. [36998]
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Mr. Touhig: An assessment was made at the end of 2004, as part of work on the SR04 efficiency programme, that identified the potential for a reduction of around 300 posts in the MOD's main London building. In addition, some individual posts may be relocated but there are no plans for major relocations. Future staffing levels and requirements will be reviewed regularly.
Early Retirement
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's employees have taken early retirement in each year since 1997. [34047]
Mr. Touhig: The following table gives details of the number of Ministry of Defence civilian employees that took early retirement in each of the financial years 1997–1998 to 2004–2005.
| Financial Year | Headcount |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 1,420 |
| 1998–99 | 920 |
| 1999–2000 | 1,060 |
| 2000–01 | 990 |
| 2001–02 | 830 |
| 2002–03 | 700 |
| 2003–04l | 1,200 |
| 2004–05 | 790 |
(1)The streamlining of Head Office prior to the reoccupation of Main Building in London led to 540 personnel taking early retirement on Compulsory early retirement on structural grounds.
Note:
This table used the revised definition of civilian personnel (www.dasa.mod.uk), but excludes Royal Fleet Auxiliary and Locally Engaged Civilian staff for whom no information on civilian early retirements is available.
Far East POWs
Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from non-qualifying claimants for the ex-gratia payment scheme for Far East prisoners of war in response to his offer of compensation for distress caused by his Department's failure to set out the eligibility criteria clearly. [32335]
Mr. Touhig: A number of those who claimed under the scheme but did not qualify, and who may be entitled to the £500 compensation payment, have written to the Department criticising its level. Of some 175 payments that have so far been made, one has been returned.
Media Monitoring
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the Department has spent on media monitoring activities in each of the last eight financial years. [35627]
Mr. Touhig:
The following table sets out MOD's expenditure on media monitoring activities for the last two completed financial years. Information relating to the costs of media monitoring for the preceding six financial years in the format requested is not heldcentrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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| Financial year | Expenditure (£ million)(2) |
|---|---|
| 2004–05 | 0.350 |
| 2003–04 | 0.421 |
(2)This figure is made up of expenditure for daily press cutting services and a subscription to the Cabinet Office Media Monitoring Unit. The total is rounded to the nearest £1,000.
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