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Vietnam
Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visa applicants in each of the last three years were turned away by the British consulate in Ho Chi Minh City on the grounds that they required interviews in Hanoi. [56600]
Dr. Howells: The British Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City accepts only certain categories of visa applications. These are detailed on the post website at http://www.britishembassy.gov.uk/servlet/Front? pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c= Page&cid=1064573168221 All applicants not meeting the criteria for acceptance must lodge their application at the British embassy in Hanoi. These applications are not separately recorded for statistical purposes.
Since March 2005, approximately 600 applications made in Ho Chi Minh City under the agreed criteria were referred to Hanoi for interview. No statistics for visa referrals were collected before 2005.
Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visa applications have been received from citizens of Vietnam during the last 12 months; how many required interview; and how many of those requiring interview came from Southern Vietnam. [56602]
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Dr. Howells: The British Embassy in Hanoi and Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City received 5,647 visa applications between 1 March 2005 and 6 March 2006, of which 5,344 were from Vietnamese nationals. In this same period, 2,058 entry clearance interviews were conducted in Hanoi with Vietnamese nationals. Statistics on how many applicants requiring interview came from specific locations are not collected. However, we estimate that about 600 applicants who applied for visas in Ho Chi Minh City were interviewed in Hanoi.
The complexity of UKvisas' global business means that 100 per cent. accuracy of statistics is not guaranteed.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Archaeological Finds
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many archaeological finds by members of the public have been reported from (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland on a (i) mandatory and (ii) voluntary basis since 2003; and if she will make a statement. [57732]
Mr. Lammy: Since 2003, 109,579 archaeological objects have been reported on a voluntary basis in England and 10,443 in Wales.
Since 2003, 1,473 archaeological objects have been reported on a mandatory basis through the Treasure Act in England and 61 in Wales.
The voluntary and mandatory reporting of finds in Northern Ireland and Scotland is a devolved matter. However, the Treasure Act is administered in Northern Ireland by my Department and there have been three treasure finds reported under this Act since 2003.
BBC
Mr. Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the report of the Content Advisory Board on the BBC Digital Curriculum; and if she will make a statement. [56010]
James Purnell: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills has considered the report and indicated her support for the recommendations, with the exception of that relating to a review of the BBC jam service. The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport's role is in relation to the conditions she attached in granting approval for the Digital Curriculum in 2003, which included a commitment that the service would be reviewed within two years of its launch. She expects the BBC to continue to comply with all the conditions applying to the service.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessments she has made of potential overruns in the BBC Broadcasting House building project's (a) timetable and (b) budget. [57095]
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James Purnell: No assessment has been made. Day to day decisions about expenditure are the responsibility of the BBC. The BBC's Board of Governors have ultimate responsibility for the Corporation's actions and decisions. They must satisfy themselves that the activities of the Corporation are carried out to the highest standards of probity, propriety and value for money. The Government have no authority to intervene in such matters.
Councillors' Conduct (Licensing Applications)
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister regarding the application of the councillors' code of conduct in cases where councillors make representations on licensing applications and attend licensing committees; and if she will make a statement. [56024]
James Purnell [holding answer 6 March 2006]: In my answer of 19 December 2005, Official Report, columns 2532–33W to the hon. Member, I referred to the Government's intention to amend the code of conduct for local authority members following a review of the code by the Standards Board for England.
One of the stated aims of the review is for a clearer, simpler, more proportionate code of conduct for members, including supporting members' advocacy roles through some relaxation of rules relating to the ability of dual-hatted members with a prejudicial interest to express their views.
Officials from my Department and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have been in touch about the operation of the code of conduct when licensing applications are being considered, and these discussions will continue in the context of the review of the code of conduct.
Digital Television
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of (a) the amount which will be raised from and (b) the maximum commercial value of the resale of licences for the frequencies on the electromagnetic spectrum that will be freed once analogue television is turned off; and if she will make a statement. [57104]
James Purnell: It is not possible to estimate with any reliability the direct income to the exchequer from any auction of the spectrum-this would depend on the parameters of any auction and the market conditions at the time.
In November last year, Ofcom announced the beginning of the Digital Dividend Review (DDR), the project which will examine the options arising from the release of spectrum afforded by the digital switchover programme, further information can be found by visiting:
Drugs in Sport
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the potential effect on sport of the UNESCO International Convention Against Doping. [58192]
Mr. Caborn: The Government believe the Convention will complement the UK's National Anti-Doping Policy by placing it within an international legal framework that clearly sets out the Government's responsibilities in the fight against doping in sport.
In particular, the Convention will support the activities of the UK's national anti-doping organisation, UK Sport, in helping British sport to become compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code.
We took receipt of the authenticated text of the Convention in January. The Convention was published as a Command Paper with its associated Explanatory Memorandum on 3 February. The Convention is currently before Parliament. We hope to have completed the ratification process in the spring.
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many drug tests were carried out by UK Sport in each of the past three years; what the unit cost was; and what the results of the tests were. [58193]
Mr. Caborn: In 2003–04 there were 5,972 samples collected for doping analysis, of which 87 or 1.5 per cent. resulted in an adverse finding.
In 2004–05 there were 6,484 samples collected for doping analysis, of which 62 or 1 per cent. resulted in an adverse finding.
In 2005–06 there has so far been 7,173 samples collected for doping analysis, of which 46 samples or 0.6 per cent. have resulted in an adverse finding.
The unit cost per sample for 2005–06 is £295. The information requested for the previous two years could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, an estimated unit cost for 2003–04 and 2004–05 is approximately £295, subject to the prevailing inflation indices.
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the Government plans to sign the UNESCO Convention on Anti-Doping. [58479]
Mr. Caborn: The Government have shown their full support for the UNESCO International Convention against in Doping in Sport, which resulted in its adoption at the 33rd UNESCO General Conference in October 2005.
Conventions adopted by the UNESCO General Conference are not submitted for signature by UNESCO state parties. Instead, UNESCO conventions are authenticated by the signatures of the President of the General Conference and the UNESCO Director General.
Following receipt of the authenticated text of this Convention in January, the Convention was published as a Command Paper with its associated Explanatory Memorandum on 3 February. The Convention is currently before Parliament. We hope to have completed the ratification process in the spring.
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