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13 Feb 2006 : Column 1516W—continued
Departmental Entertainment
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent on entertainment by her Department in 2004–05, broken down by (a) food, (b) alcohol, (c) staff and (d) accommodation. [50890]
Mr. Lammy: Departmental expenditure, including associated staff costs, on entertainment, including working breakfasts or lunches, refreshment at meetings and official entertainment during 2004–05 was £97,803.39.
The Department's accounting system does not record information by the categories requested and it can be obtained only as disproportional cost.
All expenditure on official entertainment is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on principles set out in Government Accounting.
Departmental Works of Art
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether works of art other than those stolen in August 2001 from the temporary residence of the ambassador in Buenos Aires have been stolen from departmental buildings since 1997. [50567]
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Mr. Lammy: The Government Art Collection has not found or been advised of any theft of its works of art from 1997 to 2006 other than the loss from Buenos Aires in 2001.
The Government Art Collection makes regular physical and postal inventory checks of its works of art on loan to several hundred major Government buildings in the UK and around the world, in order to ensure that the works are accounted for and that any incidents resulting in loss or damage are reported. This necessarily relies upon the advice of the members of staff in these buildings.
Digital Broadcasting
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether it is her Department's policy to provide for the reception of a digital signal via a second set where an individual qualifies for Government support in the process of digital switchover. [50536]
James Purnell: Assistance will be available to households where someone is aged 75 or over and to households with people with severe disabilities. This will consist of providing the necessary equipment to convert one TV set and the relevant support to install and use such equipment. More details will be announced later.
Film Production
Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) when she will announce the co-production guidelines for UK-qualifying films; [48498]
(2) whether the new co-production guidelines for UK-qualifying films will supersede existing bilateral national treaties; and if she will make a statement. [48505]
James Purnell: Following a comprehensive review of the UK's film co-production treaties my Department, with the UK Film Council, is in the process of renegotiating its co-production treaties with Australia, New Zealand, Canada and France and establishing new co-production treaties with South Africa, India, China, Jamaica and Morocco.
Each treaty will need to be negotiated, agreed, signed and ratified by both governments before it can enter into force. Guidelines will be produced in time for a new treaty coming into force.
It is envisaged that each of the treaties we have with our existing bi-lateral partners will continue in force until it is replaced with a renegotiated treaty.
Negotiations are progressing well with all our partners, we have signed the main body of the Indian co-production treaty and are now working on the Annex to the agreement and Statements of Intent to progress our new treaties have been signed with South Africa, China, India and Morocco.
Gymnasiums (Disabled Access)
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will commission research on funding by local authorities to provide disabled user access to council-run gymnasia. [50828]
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Mr. Caborn: DCMS will not be commissioning research but local authorities have contributed funding to the Inclusive Fitness Initiative (IFI), which has also benefited from significant lottery funding. The IFI aims to improve opportunities for disabled people to access fitness gyms and 180 public sector, not-for-profit sites will be operational by spring 2006. In addition to this, the culture block of the Comprehensive Performance Assessment should challenge local authorities to provide decent sport and leisure facilities for all their residents, disabled and non-disabled alike.
Leisure Centres
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment her Department has made of the implications for capital investment in community sports facilities of the transfer of ownership of leisure centres from local authorities to newly-formed charitable trusts. [50120]
Mr. Caborn: Specific information on the transfer of ownership of leisure centres from local authorities to newly-formed charitable trusts is not centrally collated. However, information from the Leisure Database Company suggests that approximately one-fifth of public leisure facilities in England are provided through trusts.
My Department recognise the importance of this issue in ensuring the continued sustainability of publicly provided sports facilities. The Audit Commission is currently undertaking a study into the different types of management arrangements available to local authorities for running these services and how they approach the task of choosing the option best suited to local needs. This is expected to include a consideration of the potential implications of each of these options, including for charitable trusts.
I will ensure a copy of the study is placed in the House Libraries once it is published.
Licensing
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects to publish her review of the guidance on the Licensing Act 2003 which was given to local authorities and the police. [50472]
James Purnell: Our review of the guidance issued under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003 commenced on 1 December 2005 and will be in two stages. An initial review focussing on issues where there is a high degree of consensus among stakeholders will be completed and supplementary guidance laid before Parliament in early spring 2006.
A comprehensive formal review of the guidance including a full public consultation will be completed by summer 2006 and a revised version will be laid before Parliament by the end of 2006. This comprehensive review will include consideration of matters that cannot be easily resolved during the initial review.
Edward Miliband: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many applications have been granted for 24-hour sale of alcohol licences in (a) South Yorkshire and (b) Doncaster North constituency. [50595]
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James Purnell: This information is not held centrally, but should be available from local licensing authorities.
The Department has collected survey material concerning 24-hour licences in England and Wales generally, but does not hold specific information about the majority of licensing authorities.
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the organisations that responded to the Gambling Commission consultation paper Statement of Principles on Licensing and Regulation. [50922]
Mr. Caborn: The Gambling Commission received 69 responses from organisations to its Statement of Principles on Licensing and Regulation consultation document as listed. There were a further eight responses from individuals. The Commission are planning to publish a revised Statement of Principles in April 2006 and to publish a summary of responses received in due course.
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance she has issued on whether businesses which are in the vicinity of a licensed premises may be classed as interested parties and object to a licensing application. [51101]
James Purnell: Under paragraph 5.32 of the guidance issued under Section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003, a person involved in a business in the vicinity of the premises in question, or a body representing persons involved in such businesses, is entitled to make representations to licensing authorities as an 'interested party'. It is for a licensing authority to determine whether or not a representation has been made by an 'interested party'. We are considering as part of our review of the guidance whether we can improve the guidance in this area.
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether she has received (a) complaints and (b) representations from (i) local authorities and (ii) sports and leisure bodies about the level of licence fees under the Licensing Act 2003. [49374]
James Purnell: We have received differing views from local authorities and sports and leisure bodies about the level of licensing fees under the Licensing Act 2003.
In order to consider these and other representations, I have put in place an Independent Licensing Fees Review Panel whose remit is to assess how well the existing arrangements are working. Sir Les Elton chairs the Panel, which includes representatives from local government. The Panel's interim findings were published on 5 December. Among other matters, the
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Panel found that there was insufficient information available to conclude whether or not fees had been set at the right level.
The Panel's final report will be delivered in the autumn, although Sir Les has been asked to focus as a priority on local authority licensing fee income and costs, and if possible report back earlier. I have given an undertaking that the fees regime will meet the full costs of local authorities in carrying out their legitimate responsibilities efficiently under the 2003 Licensing Act, within a national system.
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