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24 Apr 2006 : Column 897W—continued
Departmental Televisions
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many television sets are in operation in the Department (a) in total, (b) in Minister's private offices and (c) in each office building in the Department; and how many television licences are held by the Department. [62799]
Mr. Lammy: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has television sets in operation as follows;
(b) Eight in Ministerial Private Offices at Cockspur Street, including three parliamentary annunciators;
Each building holds a television licence that covers one or more sets.
Digital Television (Dundee)
Mr. McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects digital television to be available to every household in Dundee. [64577]
James Purnell: The vast majority of households can, with the appropriate equipment, receive digital TV services via either digital satellite, digital terrestrial or cable.
Currently around three quarters of households in my hon. Friend's constituency are thought to be able to receive Freeview. Digital switchover in Dundee will happen in 2010, which will enable digital terrestrial coverage to match the current 98.5 per cent. analogue level.
Gambling
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the impact on problem gambling of new casinos established under the Gambling Act 2005. [64613]
Mr. Caborn: No premises licences for the three categories of new casino permitted by the Gambling Act 2005 have yet been issued, and we do not expect the competitions for these premises licences to begin until mid-2007 at the earliest. Our intention is to ask the Gambling Commission to make an assessment of the impact of the introduction of these categories of new casino no earlier than three years after the award of the first premises licence. As part of this work, the Commission will assess the impact of the new types of casino on problem gambling.
Licensing
Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many new licences have been granted in (a) Richmond upon-Thames and (b) Kingston-upon-Thames under the Licensing Act 2003; and what percentage were 24 hour licences. [65069]
James Purnell: This information is not held centrally.
Millennium Dome
John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost has been of the Millennium Dome to public funds in each year since its inception. [64942]
Mr. Caborn: The information is as follows.
(1) Grants from National Lottery funds were made by the Millennium Commission to the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) as follows.
24 Apr 2006 : Column 899W
| Grant (£) | |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 449 |
| 1998–99 | nil |
| 1999–2000 | 60 |
| 2000–01 | 119 |
| 2001–02 | nil |
| 2002–03 | nil |
| 2003–04 | nil |
| 2004–05 | (23)nil |
| 2005–06 | (24)nil |
(23)£24 million (unrequired funds decommitted from NMEC by the Millennium Commission for use on other projects)
(24)£1 million (unrequired funds decommitted from NMEC by the Millennium Commission for use on other projects)
(2) In addition, English Partnerships has been meeting management, maintenance, security and other costs at the site from 1 July 2001, and will continue to do so until the redevelopment of the arena by the Anschutz Entertainment Group is completed, expected in summer 2007, at which time Anschutz takes on full responsibility for the Dome structure and its immediate surroundings.
All of English Partnerships' costs (gross total of around £32 million to date) from July 2001 to the completion of the arena's construction, and including the costs of the entire sale process, are expected to be recovered from sale proceeds, forecast at £550 million over the period of the deal, which lasts for around another 19 years.
The year by year English Partnerships' maintenance and other costs to date have been as follows:
| Maintenance and other costs (£) | |
|---|---|
| 2001–02: | 2.299 |
| 2002–03: | 2.952 |
| 2003–04: | 2.586 |
| 2004–05: | 1.726 |
| 2005–06: | (25)0.364 |
| Total | 9.927 |
(25)To end February 2006.
In addition, English Partnerships spent £6.7 million on decommissioning some of the Dome's contents, £0.558 million on a one off payment for insurance and £14.5 million on the sale process between March 1999 and June 2004.
Music Industry
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what definition her Department uses of the music industry; under what legislation the music industry is regulated; and if she will make a statement. [64663]
James Purnell:
The Department works with all businesses and activities which regard themselves part of the music industry. This includes recording, composition and publishing, instrument manufacture, production services, managers, agents and promoters and artists and performers. This work feeds into our support for music as part of our cultural objectives. We do not use an exclusive definition of this industry and there is no specific legislation under which the industry is regulated.
24 Apr 2006 : Column 900W
Queen's Birthday
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department is taking abroad to encourage foreign tourism for the Queen's 80th birthday celebration. [63027]
James Purnell: My Department funds the work of VisitBritain in promoting tourism, to both the domestic and international markets, which includes Royal Events.
The events marking the 80th birthday of the Queen have been promoted to the international media by VisitBritain and direct by their press officers overseas. This activity is aimed to encourage more foreign tourists to visit the UK during the Queen's 80th birthday celebrations.
Royal Ballet
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what direct funding the Royal Ballet received from (a) central Government and (b) Government agencies in 2005–06; and how much such funding is planned for 2006–07. [64646]
Mr. Lammy: The Royal Ballet does not receive funding from central Government. DCMS sponsors Arts Council England to promote and invest in the arts, including dance.
The Royal Ballet is part of the Royal Opera House (ROH) and therefore receives funding through the Arts Council's subsidy to the ROH which is as follows:
| Subsidy (£) | |
|---|---|
| 2005–06 | 24,866,154 |
| 2006–07 | 25,550,000 |
| 2007–08 | 26,252,600 |
The Arts Council does not direct the ROH management as to how they should allocate their funding across the Royal Ballet and the Royal Opera as well as the additional strands of work the ROH undertakes. Therefore a specific figure for the amount of Arts Council funding to the Royal Ballet Company is not available.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding the Royal Ballet has received from (a) central Government and (b) Government agencies to take the company abroad on tour in each of the last eight years. [64647]
Mr. Lammy: The Arts Council does not direct the ROH management as to how they should allocate their funding across the Royal Ballet and the Royal Opera, as well as the additional strands of work the ROH undertakes. Therefore, a specific figure for the Royal Ballet Company's funding for their touring is not available.
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