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HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Magazines/Periodicals

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission which magazines and periodicals have been delisted from the Library in each month in the last two years; and for what reason. [45875]

Nick Harvey: In 2003–04 the Library carried out a review of periodicals. Such reviews are carried out at regular intervals with the aim of ensuring that the Library's holdings continue to reflect Members' needs in the most cost-effective way.

During the review use of periodicals was recorded over a 12-month period. As a result many periodicals that were no longer being used widely were cancelled, titles taken in duplicate were reduced where practicable, with copies held in the place of greatest use, and a number of closed runs were disposed of. £29,000 of savings have been redeployed to meet new needs, including subscriptions to electronic sources. Out of 1,400 titles 419 current subscriptions were cancelled and a further 319 closed runs of older titles agreed for disposal. Some cancellations were made during the summer of 2004, and the majority came into effect in January 2005, when existing annual subscriptions ended. The large majority of cancelled titles were not kept on display in the Members Library as they were of marginal interest and not in demand. The Library has subsequently received a small number of queries from Members with regard to specific titles, as a result of which two titles have been relocated to the Members Library and five titles reinstated. Single articles from titles not held in the Library can be obtained for Members through Inter Library Loan.

A full list of titles agreed for cancellation and disposal has been placed in the Library.

CABINET OFFICE

Government Communications

Mr. Gale: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much was spent on Government public relations and information services in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [46040]

 
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Mr. Jim Murphy: Records of expenditure on public relations and information services across government are not held centrally.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Professional Football (Governance)

9. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had with football authorities on the governance of the professional game. [46098]

Mr. Caborn: In my ongoing discussions with the football authorities about the governance of football I continue to urge the Football Association to implement the Burns Review recommendations.

The FA must use this Review to ensure they are fit for purpose in the 21st Century and make the necessary changes without delay.

Digital Radio Stations

10. Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with Ofcom on the range of musical genres offered by specialist digital radio stations. [46099]

Mr. Lammy: None. Licensing of independent radio is a matter for Ofcom.

Gaming Act

11. Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the trend has been in applications for new casino licences under the

Mr. Caborn: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Gainsborough (Mr. Leigh).

Television Licence Concessions

12. Michael Jabez Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will introduce proposals to extend the provisions relating to television licence concessions to residents in sheltered accommodation. [46101]

Tessa Jowell: As indicated in the BBC Charter Review Green Paper published in March last year, we believe the current scope of licence fee concessions is about right. However, we undertook to re-examine any anomalies in the existing concessions policy, particularly the accommodation for residential care scheme. Our conclusions, which will take into account the responses to the Green Paper consultation, will be set out in the White Paper which we intend to publish shortly.

World Heritage Sites

13. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what process governs applications for World Heritage Site UK nominee status. [46102]

 
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Mr. Lammy: For a site in the UK to be considered for inscription under the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, it must first be included on the national Tentative List of Sites. The UK Tentative List, first published in 1999, is due to be reviewed and I shall be making an announcement about this later this year.

Selection of a site from the Tentative List for nomination is made by Government following a rigorous assessment process including consultation with the devolved Administrations. Final decisions on inscription are made by the World Heritage Committee at its annual meeting.

Tourism Deficit

14. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the UK tourism deficit. [46103]

Mr. Lammy: The UK tourism deficit was £17.3 billion in 2004. Although we have a strong domestic tourism industry, a number of factors including increasing prosperity and cheaper air travel are encouraging more British people to holiday overseas. The UK is not alone in this—Germany's deficit stands at £27 billion.

Community and Amateur Sports Clubs (West Midlands)

15. Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department has taken to promote community and amateur sports clubs in Coventry, South and the West Midlands. [46104]

Mr. Caborn: The Community Amateur Sports Club Scheme is open to eligible community and amateur sports clubs across the country, including those situated in Coventry, South and the West Midlands. So far over 3,500 clubs have registered for the Scheme in total, the benefits of which include mandatory rate relief as well as exemptions from Corporation Tax and which have totalled some £8 million to date.

In addition, in the financial year ending 31 March 2005 Sport England allocated over £1.75 million from lottery and exchequer funding to grass roots sport, including community and amateur sports clubs, in Coventry, and over £6 million to the West Midlands as a whole.

Licensing Act

16. Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent assessment she has made of the impact of the Licensing Act 2003 on sports clubs. [46105]

Mr. Caborn: While we believe that the Act will benefit sports clubs in the long term by removing the need to obtain a number of different permissions for different activities, I recognise that some concerns have been expressed about how sports clubs will adapt to the new licensing regime.

I have therefore asked the Central Council for Physical Recreation to provide any information about how sports clubs are adapting to the new licensing
 
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regime and, in particular, to feed in any evidence about the impact of the fees into the Independent Fees Review Panel.

In addition, I recently met representatives of the National Golf Clubs' Advisory Association, who confirmed that the transition period had gone well, without any major problems.

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the impact of the Licensing Act 2003 on sports clubs. [45856]

James Purnell: While we believe that the Act will benefit sports clubs in the long term by removing the need to obtain a number of different permissions for different activities, I recognise that some concerns have been expressed about how sports clubs will adapt to the new licensing regime.

I have therefore asked the Central Council for Physical Recreation to provide any information about how sports clubs are adapting to the new licensing regime and, in particular, to feed in any evidence about the impact of the fees into the Independent Fees Review Panel.

In addition, I recently met representatives of the National Golf Clubs' Advisory Association, who confirmed that the transition period had gone well, without any major problems.

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