19 Dec 2005 : Column 2538Wcontinued
Television Licensing
Mr. Evans:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects to make an announcement on the future level of the television licence fee. [38139]
James Purnell:
In line with the commitment made in the Green Paper published in March of this year, the Government are currently conducting a funding review to determine the level of the licence fee to apply from April 2007. Work is continuing and we will make an announcement in due course.
Mr. Kemp:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how many calls in 2005 initially received by the computerised voice recognition system used by the TV Licensing Authority for address transfers were then transferred to human operators for completion because the software could not understand regional and national accents and dialects, broken down by region of call origin; [38731]
(2) if she will undertake research to establish whether the computerised voice recognition system used by the TV Licensing Authority for address transfers could be adapted to deal with a higher proportion of calls from people with north eastern English accents; [38737]
(3) which regional and national dialects and accents of the United Kingdom were most frequently not recognised in 2005 by the computerised voice recognition system for address transfers used by the TV Licensing Authority; [38738]
(4) whether the computerised voice recognition system used by the TV Licensing Authority for address transfers was designed to recognise English spoken with regional accents. [38739]
James Purnell:
The BBC has responsibility for the administration and enforcement of the television licensing system and TV Licensing carries out the day to day administration and enforcement under contract to the corporation. I have therefore asked the BBC's head of revenue management to consider the questions raised by my hon. Friend and to write to him direct. Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Tourism
Andrew Rosindell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been spent in each of the last five years in promoting tourism to the UK in China; and what assessment she has made of the effects of the promotion campaigns. [37960]
James Purnell:
My Department works actively to promote both domestic and inbound tourism. At a national level, marketing and other work to promote the sector is the responsibility of VisitBritain.
DCMS funding to promote tourism to the UK in China is via VisitBritain and in 200405 a budget of £200,000 was agreed.
It is too early to give an assessment of the effects of the promotion campaign. However, VisitBritain's strategy to increase the value of inbound tourism and visitor numbers includes focusing its efforts on China as one of the markets with the greatest potential for growth.
19 Dec 2005 : Column 2539W
Winter Olympic Sports
Hugh Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much public funding has been allocated to winter Olympics sports in each of the last five years. [38356]
Mr. Caborn:
The total amount of exchequer and lottery funding provided to winter Olympic sports in the current winter Olympic cycle, October 2002 to September 2006 is shown in the following table:
| Lottery funding provided (£)
|
October 2002 to September 2003 | 931,973
|
October 2003 to September 2004 | 1,023,411
|
October 2004 to September 2005 | 1,372,817
|
October 2005 to September 2006 | 1,166,630
|
Hugh Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the Government have been involved in setting (a) formal and (b) informal targets for performance at the (i) 2006 and (ii) 2010 winter Olympic games; and if she will make a statement. [38357]
Mr. Caborn:
Following a review of athlete performances with the six winter sports that are currently funded through UK Sport's World Class Performance programme, UK Sport, the Government's lead agency for elite sport, estimates that we will win up to three medals at the Turin winter Olympic games.
UK Sport will agree medal targets for 2010 with their funded sports following the Turin games.
World Cup 2006
Mr. Bone:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the ticket allocation for England fans at the 2006 Football World Cup. [38430]
Mr. Caborn:
While the Government and the FA have requested a greater allocation of tickets for England fans for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, this is the responsibility of FIFA.
I wrote to the President of FIFA in October about this issue and received an assurance that it will do everything in its power to ensure that England fans will receive as many tickets as possible.
19 Dec 2005 : Column 2540W
CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS
Advisory Non-departmental Public Bodies
Mr. Amess:
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will list her Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies (a) which the Government is required to consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) whose advice the Government is required to publish. [29759]
Ms Harman:
(a) Prior to legislative proposals, the Government is required to consult the following advisory non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) sponsored by the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA):
(b) The Government is required to publish the advice of the following advisory NDPBs sponsored by the DCA:
Mr. Amess:
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by her Department (a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and whether this is under a statutory requirement in each case. [29760]
Ms Harman:
The information can be found in the following table.
Name of advisory non-departmental public
body (NDPB) | (a) Hold public
meetings | If so, whether
under a
statutory
requirement | (b) Conduct
public
consultation
exercises | If so, whether
under a
statutory
requirement | (c) Conduct
consultation
exercises with
outside
commercial
interests | If so, whether
under a
statutory
requirement
|
Advisory Committees on General Commissioners of Income Tax | No | No | No | No | No | No
|
Advisory Committees on Justices of the Peace in England and Wales | No | No | No | No | No | No
|
Advisory Council on National Records
and Archives | No | No | No | No | No | No
|
Boundary Commission for England | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No
|
Boundary Commission for Scotland | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No
|
Boundary Commission for Wales | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No
|
Civil Justice Council | Yes(50) | No | Yes | No | Yes | No
|
Civil Procedure Rule Committee | Yes (proposed)(51) | No | Yes(52) | Yes(53) | No | No
|
Council on Tribunals | No | No | Yes(54) | No | Yes(55) | No
|
Courts Boards | Yes | No | No | No | No | No
|
Criminal Procedure Rule Committee | No | No | Yes(56) | No | No | No
|
Crown Court Rule Committee | No | No | No | No | No | No
|
Family Justice Council | No | No | No | No | No | No
|
Family Procedure Rule Committee | Yes (proposed)(57) | No | Yes(58) | Yes | No | No
|
Insolvency Rules Committee | No | No | No | No | No | No
|
Land Registration Rule Committee | No | No | Yes(50) 0 | No | Yes(50)(5508560051) | No
|
Law Commission | No(50)(5508560051) | No | Yes(50)(5508560051) | No | Yes(50)(5508560051) | No
|
Legal Services Consultative Panel | No | No | No | No | No | No
|
Strategic Investment Board | No | No | No | No | No | No
|
(50)Civil Justice Council: has held public meetings in the past but not currently.
(51)Civil Procedure Rule Committee: agreed in July 2005 to start holding public meetings in 2006.
(52)Civil Procedure Rule Committee: public consultation means that any interested body or individual, whether commercial or not, has the opportunity to respond.
(53)Civil Procedure Rule Committee: consultation is statutory under the Civil Procedure Act 1997.
(54)Council on Tribunals: consults with a range of Tribunal users, practitioners and other stakeholders through various consultation methods.
(55)Council on Tribunals: consults representative professional bodies e.g. the Law Society, Bar Council, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Other commercial interests have responded to consultations.
(56)Criminal Procedure Rule Committee: conducts consultations before making rules; the views of commercial interests may be captured.
(57)Family Procedure Rule Committee: agreed in December 2005 to hold public meetings in 2006.
(58)Family Procedure Rule Committee: consults as appropriate and in accordance with statutory requirements.
(59)Land Registration Rule Committee: where appropriate, consultation will be conducted by Land Registry before the Committee considers proposed rules.
(60)Land Registration Rule Committee: see previous footnote.
(61)Law Commission: from time to time holds public meetings under consultation process.
(62)Law Commission: all the projects it undertakes involve wide public consultation exercises with anyone affected by the law. This can include outside commercial interests.
19 Dec 2005 : Column 2541W
Name of advisory non-departmental public
body (NDPB) | (d) Publish a
register of
members'
interests | If so, whether
under a
statutory
requirement | (e) Publish
agendas for
meetings | If so, whether
under a
statutory
requirement | (f) Publish
the minutes of
meetings | If so, whether
under a
statutory
requirement
|
Advisory Committees on General Commissioners of Income Tax | No | No | No | No | No | No
|
Advisory Committees on Justices of the Peace in England and Wales | No | No | No | No | No | No
|
Advisory Council on National Records and Archives | Yes | No | No | No | Yes(64) | No
|
Boundary Commission for England | No | No | No | No | No(65) | No
|
Boundary Commission for Scotland | No | No | No | No | No | No
|
Boundary Commission for Wales | No | No | No | No | No | No
|
Civil Justice Council | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No
|
Civil Procedure Rule Committee | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No
|
Council on Tribunals | Yes(66) | No | Yes | No | Yes(67) | No
|
Courts Boards | Yes(68) | No | Yes | No | Yes(69) | No
|
Criminal Procedure Rule Committee | No(70) | No | Yes | No | Yes(71) | No
|
Crown Court Rule Committee | Yes(72) | No | No | No | No | No
|
Family Justice Council | No | No | Yes | No | Yes(64) 0 | No
|
Family Procedure Rule Committee | Yes | No | No | No | Yes(64)(5508560065) | No
|
Insolvency Rules Committee | No | No | No | No | No | No
|
Land Registration Rule Committee | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No
|
Law Commission | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes(64)(5508560065) | No
|
Legal Services Consultative Panel | Yes(64)(5508560065) | No | Yes | No | Yes | No
|
Strategic Investment Board | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes(64)(5508560065) | No
|
(64)Advisory Committee on National Records and Archives: publish summaries of minutes of meetings.
(65)Boundary Commissions for England, Scotland and Wales: publish the minutes of public inquiries only.
(66)Council on Tribunals: the DCA maintains a register of members' interests. This is available on request.
(67)Council on Tribunals: meeting agendas and minutes are available on request under Freedom of Information Act 2000 publication scheme.
(68)Courts Boards: registers of members' interests available on request in accordance with publication schemes under Freedom of Information Act 2000.
(69)Courts Boards: meeting agendas and summaries of minutes may be available on request in accordance with their publication schemes under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
(70)Criminal Procedure Rule Committee: plans to make a register of interests available.
(71)Criminal Procedure Rule Committee: will make meeting agendas and minutes available on request.
(72)Crown Court Rule Committee: register of members' interests available on request.
(73)Family Justice Council: publishes summaries of minutes on website.
(74)Family Procedure Rule Committee: register of members' interests and meeting minutes available on request under Freedom of Information Act 2000 publication scheme.
(75)Law Commission: register of members' interests available on request.
(76)Legal Services Consultative Panel: register of members' interests available on DCA website; minutes and agendas available on request.
(77)Legal Services Consultative Panel: register of members' interests available on DCA website; minutes and agendas available on request.
19 Dec 2005 : Column 2543W
Mr. Amess:
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by her Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish
19 Dec 2005 : Column 2544W
a register of members' interest, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether this is under a statutory requirement in each case. [29761]
Ms Harman:
The information can be found in the following table.
Name of advisory non-
departmental public body
(NDPB) | (a) Statutory
base | (b) Publish
their advice to
Government | If so, whether
under a
statutory
requirement | (c) Publish
an annual
report | If so, whether
under a
statutory
requirement | (d) Lay an
annual report
before
Parliament | If so, whether
under a
statutory
requirement
|
Advisory Committees on General Commissioners of Income Tax | No | No | No | No(79) | No | No | No
|
Advisory Committees on Justices of the Peace in England and Wales | No | No | No | No | No | No | No
|
Advisory Council on National Records and Archives | Yes(80) | No | No | No(81) | No | Yes | Yes(82)
|
Boundary Com mission for England | Yes(83) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No
|
Boundary Commission for Scotland | Yes(84) | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No
|
Boundary Commission for Wales | Yes(85) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No
|
Civil Justice Council | Yes(86) | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No
|
Civil Procedure Rule Committee | Yes(87) | No | No | Yes | No | No | No
|
Council on Tribunals | Yes(79) 0 | No | No | Yes | Yes(79)(5508560080) | Yes | Yes(79)(5508560080)
|
Courts Boards | Yes(79)(5508560080) | No | No | No | No | No | No
|
Criminal Procedure Rule Committee | Yes(79)(5508560080) | No | No | Yes(79)(5508560080) | No | No | No
|
Crown Court Rule Committee | Yes(79)(5508560080) | No | No | Yes | No | No | No
|
Family Justice Council | No | No | No | Yes (proposed)(79)(5508560080) | No | No | No
|
Family Procedure Rule Committee | Yes(79)(5508560080) | No | No | Yes (proposed)(79)(5508560080) | No | No | No
|
Insolvency Rules Committee | Yes(80) 0 | No | No | No(80)(5508560081) | No | No | No
|
Land Registration Rule Committee | Yes(80)(5508560081) | No | No | No | No | No | No
|
Law Commission | Yes(80)(5508560081) | Yes | Yes(80)(5508560081) | Yes | Yes(80)(5508560081) | Yes | Yes(80)(5508560081)
|
Legal Services Consultative Panel | Yes(80)(5508560081) | No | No | No | No | No | No
|
Strategic Investment Board | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No
|
(79)Advisory Committees on General Commissioners of Income Tax: an annual report is submitted to the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA).
(80)Advisory Council on National Records and Archives: established in 2003 following the merger of the Public Records Office and the Historical Manuscripts Commission, The Advisory Council on Public Records was first created under s1(2) of the Public Records Act 1958.
(81)Advisory Council on National Records and Archives: it is optional for an annual report to be made.
(82)Advisory Council on National Records and Archives: if an annual report is made, there is a statutory requirement to lay it before Parliament under s1(3) of the Public Records Act 1958.
(83)Boundary Commission for England: Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986, as amended by the Boundary Commissions Act 1992, refers.
(84)Boundary Commission for Scotland: Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986, as amended by the Scotland Act 1988 and the Boundary Commissions Act 1992, refers.
(85)Boundary Commission for Wales: Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986, as amended by the Boundary Commissions Act 1992, the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 and the Government of Wales Act 1998, refers.
(86)Civil Justice Council: Civil Procedure Act 1997 refers (and the Access to Justice Act 1999 and the Courts Act 2003).
(87)Civil Procedure Rule Committee: Civil Procedure Act 1997 refers.
(88)Council on Tribunals: Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1992 refers.
(89)Council on Tribunals: required by section 4(7) of the Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1992 to make an annual report.
(90)Council on Tribunals: Lord Chancellor required to lay the annual report before Parliament under section 4(7) of the Tribunal and Inquiries Act 1992.
(91)Courts Boards: the Courts Act 2003 refers.
(92)Criminal Procedure Rule Committee: S70 of the Courts Act 2003 refers.
(93)The work of the Criminal Procedure Rule Committee is reported within the DCA's Departmental Annual Report.
(94)Crown Court Rule Committee: s86 of the Supreme Court Act 1981 refers.
(95)Family Justice council: aims to publish first annual report in late summer/early autumn 2006.
(96)Family Procedure Rule Committee: s75 of the Courts Act 2003 refers.
(97)Family Procedure Rule Committee: annual report to be submitted in December 2005 for publication.
(98)Insolvency Rules Committee: S413 of the Insolvency Act 1986 refers.
(99)Insolvency Rules Committee: submits contribution for DCA annual report.
(100)Land Registration Rule Committee: s127 of the Land Registration Act 2002 refers.
(101)Law Commission: s1 of the Law Commissions Act 1965 refers.
(102)Law Commission: the Lord Chancellor is required under s3(2) of the Law Commissions Act 1965 to lay Law Commission programmes of work before Parliament.
(103)Law Commission: under s3(3) of the Law Commissions Act 1965 it makes an annual report to the Lord Chancellor.
(104)Law Commission: its annual report is laid before Parliament under s3(3) of the Law Commissions act 1965.
(105)Legal Services Consultative Panel: s35 of the Access to Justice Act 1999 refers.
19 Dec 2005 : Column 2545W