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10 Jan 2006 : Column 477W—continued
Technology Programme
Kitty Ussher: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many projects have been funded through his Department's technology programme and its nearest equivalent predecessors in (a) small and medium-sized enterprises, (b) other businesses, (c) universities and (d) other organisations in each year since 1997; what the total sums awarded were in each case; and what the total value was of contributions to funded projects required from participants in each case. [35497]
Alun Michael:
Substantive information addressing sizes and type of organisation offered support, sums involved and contributions from recipient organisations is contained in Annex A to the annual report of the Technology Strategy Board which is in the Libraries of
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the House. Work is progressing on a catalogue of support for applications to the first three competitions are due to be published in March 2006.
Kitty Ussher: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much funding was provided for each individual project that has been awarded funds under his Department's technology programme; over how many years this funding is provided for the project; what the name is of each participant in the project; what category of organisation each falls into; how much funding was provided to each participant; and what the value was of each contribution required to be made by a participant in each case. [35498]
Alun Michael: The restricted commercial nature of support offered by the technology programme to consortia and the stage reached by them accepting and confirming their intra-project collaborations, prevents the release of detailed information on individual projects. However, substantive information addressing sizes and types of organisations offered support, sums involved and contributions from recipient organisations is contained in Annex A to the annual report of the Technology Strategy Board which is in the Libraries of the House. Work is progressing on a catalogue of support for applications to the first three competitions are due to be published in March 2006.
Temporary Migration
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to encourage temporary migration by workers from abroad. [33418]
Mr. Sutcliffe: While the Home Office has lead responsibility for migration policy, my officials are working closely with their Home Office colleagues to ensure that the needs of business for migrant workers are taken into account.
The UK needs migration—tourists, students and migrant workers make a vital contribution to the UK economy. We need to ensure, however, that while we let in migrants with the skills and talents to benefit Britain we stop those who are trying to abuse our hospitality and place a burden on our society.
The aim is to ensure that those who can contribute most to the UK are selected for entry and that the country takes in only as many people as our economy needs at any one time.
The 5-year strategy on Immigration and asylum published in February 2005 set out the next stage of the Government's comprehensive reform of the UK's immigration and asylum system of which the points-based selective migration system was a part. It puts the interests of Britain first with strict controls that work.
The main aims of the new points-based system will be, to:
improve public confidence in the system;
fill skills gaps;
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attract highly productive and highly skilled workers and students;
attract investment and increase productivity and flexibility in the labour market; and
ensure people leave at the end of their stay.
The new system will be clearer and more transparent and easier for applicants and employers to understand and use and there will be more objective and easily verifiable criteria.
The consultation period on the consultation document Making Migration Work for Britain" closed on 7 November. The Home Office are now analysing all the responses received. We anticipate the Government response to the consultation exercise will be published in the new year, together with a clearer timetable for the next steps. We will continue to consult with key stakeholders on specific issues as we formulate our response and during future stages of the process.
We are also aware that migrant workers may face difficulties in understanding and asserting their rights. We have offered to work with the Governments of all the new member states, to prepare bi-lingual know before you go" leaflets, giving advice on questions to ask before leaving the country and on legal protections offered to workers including agency workers. It is particularly important to reach workers in the host country before they leave as it is often much harder to help workers, who may not speak English and have no accommodation arranged, once they arrive.
To date we have produced leaflets in partnership with the Polish and Lithuanian Governments. These followed a similar leaflet we produced in partnership with the Portuguese Government, and benefited from input from the TUC, the CBI and other stakeholders. These have been distributed widely in both the workers' home country and the UK. In Poland, for example, they have been publicised on television and our embassy and the Polish authorities have worked hard to distribute them via job centres, recruitment fairs and other channels. The text of the leaflets is also available on the DTI website—ttp://www.dti.gov.uk/er/agency/migrant_workers.htm
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
2012 Olympics
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what provision she is making for access for disabled and elderly spectators at the Olympics in 2012. [40603]
Tessa Jowell:
Provisions for disabled people and the elderly are based on the successful 'Games Mobility' model used at the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002. This will operate throughout both the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and covers
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every spectator service from disability awareness training for staff, inclusive ticketing processes, special transport and drop-off systems. Among other things, the service will include pre-booking of various forms of wheelchair; bookable access to individual electric buggies for transfers to competition venues; provision of personalised travel plans at the point of event ticket purchase; provision of wide access at airport-style security screening; appropriate signposting; audio-visual information provision; and induction loops at stations.
Transport plans for the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games will provide excellent access for all spectators and all competition venues will be served by fully accessible transport options. Mobility impaired spectators travelling by car will either be able to park close to venues or at spectator transport malls, and use Games Mobility facilities to transfer to public transport.
The interim Olympic Delivery Authority is developing its approach to the design of the Olympic Park and venues to ensure they are accessible environments, the principles for which will be contained in the 'Access for All1 strategy which is currently being prepared as part of the planning process. This strategy is expected to be ready later this year.
Libraries
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) books, (b) DVDs, (c) video cassettes, (d) computer games and (e) audio books have been available in library service stock in (i) Brent and (ii) London in each year since 1997. [40679]
Mr. Lammy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 1 November 2005, Official Report, column 899W, on the total book stock held by libraries across inner and outer London and my answer to her of 21 November 2005, Official Report, column 1612W, on audio-visual materials held by Brent Libraries and by other libraries across Greater London. The numbers of books held by Brent from 1997–98 is shown in the table. Information about the number of computer games is not held centrally. However, the number of multi-media, open learning and language packs and, separately, CD-Roms and Software items held by Brent Libraries and those in the rest of Greater London (including Brent) is shown in the table.
| Total bookstock held by Brent libraries | |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 579,669 |
| 1998–99 | 644,330 |
| 1999–00 | 532,094 |
| 2000–01 | 483,798 |
| 2001–02 | 466,792 |
| 2002–03 | 451,221 |
| 2003–04 | 443,185 |
(7) No return entered to CIPFA in this category for this year
Source:
Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) Public Library Statistics
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