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London Olympics
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what assessment she made of the likely effects of the European Court of Justice ruling on database rights on the governance of betting at the London 2012 Olympics; [48537]
(2) how the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games plans to implement the commitments given to the International Olympic Committee on betting in the Host City Contract for the 2012 Olympics. [48538]
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Mr. Caborn: The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling on database rights will not affect the Government's plans for the governance of betting on the London 2012 Olympics.
The London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games is aware of its commitments under the Host City Contract and has discussed this with Government. We have stated that we do not intend to legislate on this issue. The onus must remain on governing bodies and the organisers of sporting events to protect the integrity of their own events. From September 2007, all betting operators in Great Britain will be regulated by the Gambling Commission, a powerful new regulator with robust powers of investigation and prosecution. The Commission will work closely with sporting and Olympic authorities to minimise potential threats to the integrity of Olympic events.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will place in the Library a copy of the Olympic Tourism Charter announced by the Prime Minister on 15 November 2005; and if she will make a statement. [48586]
James Purnell: I am arranging for copies of the Tourism 2012 Charter to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The Charter outlines the challenges and opportunities of hosting the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games for the tourism sector across Britain, and sets out some of the key areas in which the Government and its partners bodies will work to prepare for the Games and ensure that they leave a lasting legacy for the visitor economy. My Department will, in partnership with VisitBritain and Visit London, shortly begin a wide consultation of the tourism sector, which will inform the Tourism 2012 Strategy before the end of 2006.
Lyons Inquiry
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether her Department has sent a written submission to the Lyons Inquiry on local government finance. [47890]
Mr. Lammy: The Lyons Inquiry is independent of the Government. Sir Michael Lyons will decide what to publish when he makes available his final report.
National Lottery
Mr. Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which (a) village halls and (b) community centres in the Uxbridge constituency have received lottery funding since 1997. [48515]
Mr. Caborn: There is no definition on the lottery awards database of village halls or community centres. Buildings with shared community use have benefited thanks to lottery money awarded to the following recipients:
London Borough of Hillingdon (which went to Bishop Ramsey Secondary School; Douay Martyrs School) and
Punch and Judy Shows
Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received from professors of Punch and Judy shows on the impact of the Licensing Act 2003 on such shows. [47822]
James Purnell [holding answer 2 February 2006]: We have recently received a number of representations about the impact of the Licensing Act 2003 on Punch and Judy shows, including those from the hon. Member, and we have previously considered representations from Equity on this issue.
School Sport (Funding)
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much of the £750 million pledged for school sport at the 2000 Labour Party Conference has been (a) committed, (b) spent and (c) allocated to the Football Foundation. [48534]
Mr. Caborn: The New Opportunities for PE and Sport (NOPES) funding is now fully committed to over 2000 projects.
The Football Foundation's NOPES allocation totalled £30 million.
£250.7 million has been drawn down by local education authorities to date.
Smoking (Public Places)
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what contribution her Department has made to the development of policy on smoking in public places to represent the interests of the (a) licensed trade and (b) tourism industry; [49372]
(2) what representations she has received from the tourism and hospitality industries regarding policy on smoking in public places. [49373]
James Purnell: My Department has remained in close touch with the tourism and hospitality industries on this issue, before and following the publication of the Department of Health's White Paper, Choosing Health", in November 2004. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met representatives of the hospitality industry twice in 2004 to discuss the industry's response to the Government's proposals for restricting smoking in public places. I have, since May 2005, discussed the issue on a number of occasions with representatives of the tourism and hospitality industries. These included the British Hospitality Association, the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, and the Tourism Alliance.
Officials in my Department have worked closely with the Department of Health throughout to inform the Government's proposals, and to ensure that the interests of the tourism and hospitality industries have been fully considered. This has included the provision of factual information on these industries, and of advice on definitional issues arising from the Licensing Act 2003.
Swimming Pools
Mr. Randall:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many public swimming
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pools there were in each London borough in (a) 1997 and (b) 2005; and if she will list those that have facilities for the disabled. [48502]
Mr. Caborn: The total number of swimming pools in each of the London boroughs, in 1997 and 2005 together with the numbers with disabled access is as follows.
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) requires that all service providers must take reasonable measures to remove, alter or provide a reasonable means of avoiding physical barriers to accessing and using their premises. In August 2005 I wrote to all local authorities reminding them of their responsibilities under the DDA in the context of leisure and tourism facilities.
Television Licence
Mr. McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will offer a television licence discount for those people unable to receive digital television through their terrestrial aerial. [47512]
James Purnell [holding answer 31 January 2006]: No. The great majority of households who cannot currently receive digital terrestrial television services can, with the appropriate receiving equipment, receive digital services, including all the BBC's licence fee funded services, via satellite, with or without a subscription.
The Government is committed to ensuring that at digital switchover everyone in the UK who can currently get the main public service broadcasting channels in analogue form can receive them on digital without needing to pay a subscription.
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