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6 Jun 2006 : Column 517W—continued
Portland PR
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what meetings officials in his Department have had with representatives of the public relations company Portland PR; what contracts Portland PR has with his Department and agencies for which he has responsibility; and what the nature of the contract is in each case. [70048]
Mrs. McGuire: The Department does not maintain a central list of such meetings. Civil servants meet many people as part of the process of policy development and business delivery. All such meetings are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the civil service code and guidance for civil servants on contacts with lobbyists and people outside Government.
DWP holds no contract (either currently or historically) with Portland PR.
Post Office Card Account
Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people held a Post Office card account on 1 April 2006 (a) 2004, (b) 2005 and (c) 2006. [70883]
Mr. Plaskitt: Information is not available in the format requested.
There were 1,041,324 Post Office card accounts in use mid April 2004, 4,255,512 at mid April 2005 and 4,253,566 at mid April 2006.
In addition to accounts used by my Department these figures include Post Office card accounts used by the Northern Ireland Social Security Agency, the Veterans Agency (Ministry of Defence) and Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs.
Savings Credit
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were (a) eligible for and (b) receiving Savings Credit in (i) 2004-05 and (ii) 2005-06; how many he expects (A) to be eligible for and (B) to receive the credit in 2006-07; and if he will make a statement. [70329]
James Purnell [holding answer 16 May 2006]: The information requested is not available in the format requested. Information that is available is in Table 1 and contains estimates of eligibility in 2004-05 and projected estimates of eligibility in 2005-06 and 2006-07.
| Table 2: Number of pensioners receiving the Savings Credit in 2004-05 | |
| Number receiving (million) | |
| Notes: 1. Figures relate to those in receipt of the Savings Credit, with or without the Guarantee Credit. 2. The numbers receiving in 2004-05 are derived from the Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study, and relate to the average number of recipients over the financial year. They are consistent with the figures used to calculate National Statistics estimates of take-up, and so exclude cases in non-private households, and take account of any backdated awards that were paid in respect of 2004-05. Estimates presented here will therefore differ from other published sources. 3. The latest estimates of the take-up of Pension Credit can be found in the DWP report entitled “Pension Credit Estimates of Take-Up in 2004/2005”. Copies of the publication are available in the Library. 4. Projected take-up figures are indicative only and not comparable to the published Take-Up figures for 2004/2005, which include backdated awards of Savings Credit. Forecasts of future recipients are based on extrapolation of administrative data from the Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study. 5. All figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred thousand. | |
Current forecasts suggest that around 1.8 million pensioners may be in receipt of the Savings Credit in 2005-06 and around 1.9 million in 2006-07. However, these projections are indicative only and do not include adjustments for backdated awards so are not directly comparable with the take-up estimates for 2004-05.
Union Agreements
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans his Department has to renew its no redundancies agreement with the public and commercial services union beyond 30 June 2006. [72491]
Mrs. McGuire [holding answer 22 May 2006]: A ‘Seeking to avoid compulsory redundancy’ agreement was reached between the Department and all three of its unions, including the public and commercial services union in November 2004.
This agreement, which incorporates best practice across Government Departments, states that the Department ‘will take all practical and reasonable steps to avoid or, if that is not possible, minimise compulsory redundancies’, staff will only be declared redundant after full and meaningful consultation with trade unions has taken place, with a view to reaching agreement about ways to avoid, or minimise redundancy.
The agreement has no time limit and is still in place. It can be terminated by either DWP management or the unions by giving six months notice to the other party. To date no notice of termination has been given by either side.
The Department will continue to work with its trade unions to avoid compulsory redundancy wherever possible.
Culture, Media and Sport
Casinos
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what reserve powers she has under the Gambling Act 2005 to remove the licences of casinos in the event of problem gambling increasing in the surrounding area. [74866]
Mr. Caborn: The Gambling Commission will have the power to revoke operating licences under sections 119 and 120 of the Gambling Act; and licensing authorities will have the power to revoke premises licences under section 202 of the Act. In either case, the decision whether to take any action will be predicated on the manner in which the casino is being operated, rather than the effects of the operation on the local community. An increase in problem gambling in a particular area could be evidence that a casino?or indeed other gambling establishment in the area?is not operating as it should, and that investigation or action may be needed.
In addition, if problem gambling did appear to be an issue in a particular area, or around casinos generally, conditions could be imposed to address the issue:
on individual licences by the Commission and licensing authorities, and
on licences of a particular class or type by the Commission or the Secretary of State.
Digital Television
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on access to the digital signal in North Yorkshire. [75055]
Mr. Woodward: We do not have a figure for digital terrestrial coverage in North Yorkshire. Currently, digital terrestrial television is available to 98.5 per cent. of households in the Vale of York and the vast majority of households can receive digital TV services via digital satellite, terrestrial or cable.
North Yorkshire straddles two broadcasting regions: Yorkshire and Tyne Tees. 67 per cent. of households in the Yorkshire TV region and 77 per cent. of households in Tyne Tees have already chosen to take up digital TV.
After switchover, which takes place in the Yorkshire TV region in 2011 and Tyne Tees in 2012, UK digital terrestrial television coverage will match the current analogue coverage of 98.5 per cent.
And, already 70 per cent. of households in Border have taken up digital TV.
Film Industry
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on Government support for the UK film industry. [74999]
Mr. Woodward: In 2005-06, DCMS provided grant-in-aid funding of £24.11 million to the UK Film Council, its key strategic adviser on film policy. By the end of January, the Council had also received £28.1 million of lottery funding this financial year. In addition, the 2006 Finance Bill introduces a new tax relief for culturally British films, offering films costing up to £20 million a payable tax credit worth 20 per cent. of total qualifying expenditure. They will also be able to claim an enhanced deduction equal to 100 per cent. of qualifying expenditure. Other films will be entitled to a payable tax credit worth 16 per cent. of qualifying expenditure and an enhanced deduction worth 80 per cent. of UK qualifying film production expenditure.
Football Foundation
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people are employed by the Football Foundation; and what the budget of the foundation is. [75284]
Mr. Caborn: As at 31 May 2006, the Football Foundation has a staff of 42 employees and an annual budget of £45 million.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many grants were agreed by the Football Foundation to ethnic minority football clubs in the 2005-06 financial year. [75287]
Mr. Caborn: A key objective of all Football Foundation grants is the promotion of the game to under represented groups in football, in particular ethnic minority communities.
In the 2005-06 financial year 455 projects worth £46.97 million were supported. Of this, over £1.57 million was directly invested in projects with a primary aim of ethnic minority inclusion.
In addition the foundation also administered funds raised by the Stand Up Speak Up, anti-racism campaign, which resulted in 104 grants, totalling £885,000, being made towards projects designed to counter racism.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether she has held any meetings with the chief executive of the Football Foundation since his appointment. [75288]
Mr. Caborn: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not held any meetings with the chief executive of the Football Foundation. However, I met with him on 18 April 2006, for an initial introductory meeting.
Licensing Act
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the operation of the Licensing Act 2003 (Premises licences and club premises certificates) Regulations 2005; and what recent representations she has received about the operation of these regulations. [73290]
Mr. Woodward: We are broadly satisfied with the operation of the Licensing Act 2003 (the 2003 Act) and the Regulations made under it. The Department estimates that some 190,000 premises have been successfully licensed under the 2003 Act.
However, as with any large-scale reform, there is a need to ensure that the actual operation of the 2003 Act reflects the purposes for which it was introduced, and to examine and address any anomalies as far as is possible. That is why the Government established an Independent Licensing Fees Review Panel in May last year to consider whether fees had been set at the right level. Their final Report is due for publication in the autumn.
We are also currently monitoring and evaluating the impact of the Licensing Act 2003 nationally through, for example, the Scrutiny Council initiative, in which officials from my Department are working with council officers and through them with local police and other responsible authorities, residents’ groups, businesses and other stakeholders, to gather information about how the new regime is working on the ground.
In addition, our two-stage review of the Guidance issued under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003 commenced on 1 December 2005. We expect to lay a revised version of the Guidance before Parliament by the end of 2006.
In the course of these monitoring and review processes, a number of representations have been received concerning matters covered by the 2003 Act and the regulations made under it, including the Licensing Act 2003 (Premises licences and club premises certificates) Regulations 2005.
Mr. Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment has been made of the effect of the Licensing Act 2003 on the costs to sporting bodies. [73332]
Mr. Woodward: I believe that the Licensing Act 2003 will benefit sports in the long term by removing the need for clubs to obtain a number of different permissions for different activities.
However, I recognise that some concerns have been expressed about how sports clubs will adapt to the new licensing regime. An independent Licensing Fees
Review Panel was established by the Government in May 2005 to consider whether fees had been set at the right level for community groups, including sports clubs, businesses and local authorities. The Panel—which is chaired by Sir Les Elton—published its interim findings on 5 December 2005. This identified a number of areas for more detailed work. The full interim report can be accessed on my Department’s website at:
<http://www.culture.gov.uk/alcohol_and_entertainment/monitoring_and_evaluation/ifreview.htm>
The Panel is continuing to receive information from a number of stakeholder interests in order to gather the evidence that will inform their final Report, which is due to be published in the autumn.
As implementation continues, my Department is working closely with Central Council of Physical Recreation (CCPR) and other sports bodies. The Department has asked the CCPR 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.
Mr. Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) temporary event notices and (b) premises licences have been requested to enable (i) international and (ii) other indoor sporting events to take place since November 2005. [73333]
Mr. Woodward: This information is not held centrally.
Lotteries
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what legislation governs the provision of online lotteries operating in Northern Ireland; what representations he has received on online lotteries; and if he will make a statement. [74452]
Mr. Hanson: I have been asked to reply.
The law governing the promotion of lotteries in Northern Ireland (other than the national lottery) is contained in the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 and associated subordinate legislation. I have received no representations on on-line lotteries.
Obesity
Anne Moffat: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department is taking to combat obesity through sport. [74138]
Mr. Caborn: We are committed to reducing obesity, as set out in our public service agreement target to halt, by 2010, the year-on-year increase in obesity among children under 11 in the broader context of a broader strategy to tackle obesity in the population as a whole.
Given the complexity of this public health challenge, my Department shares the target with the Department of Health and the Department for Education and Skills, to make sure that action is co-ordinated across our relevant sectors.
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