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Small Businesses
Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many small businesses that began trading since 1997 have subsequently ceased trading in (a) Bury St. Edmunds constituency, (b) Suffolk, (c) the east of England and (d) England. [79366]
Margaret Hodge: Value added tax (VAT) registrations and de-registrations are the best official guide to the pattern of business starts and closures. Latest VAT data on the total number of registrations since 1997 and the number of these registrations that subsequently de-registered, covering up to 2004, are shown in the following table for (a) Bury St. Edmunds constituency, (b) Suffolk, (c) the East of England and (d) England.
| VAT registrations and subsequent de-registrations, 1997 to 2004( 1) | |
| Number of registrations and de-registrations | |
| (1)
VAT registration and de-registration data are not available by size of
business. However, 98 per cent. of the total stock of VAT registered
businesses are small (0-49 employees). Source: Office for National
Statistics, UK Business: Activity, Size and Location—2005,
available from http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product..asp?
.vlnk=933. Source: New analysis of VAT
Survival Rates data 1994-2003, Small Business Service, available at
http://www.sbs.gov.uk/survival; SBS analysis of ONS Inter Departmental
Business Register
data. | |
VAT registration and de-registration data do not capture all business activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if their turnover falls below the compulsory VAT threshold, which has risen in each year since 1997. Similarly, businesses that de-register may not have closed. Only 1.8 million out of the4.3 million businesses in the UK (42 per cent.) were registered for VAT at the start of 2004.
John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which Minister has responsibility for small firms. [80506]
Margaret Hodge: I have overall responsibility for small firms.
Social Enterprises
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what publicly-funded sources of assistance are available to social enterprises that are approaching bankruptcy. [76725]
Edward Miliband: I have been asked to reply.
A social enterprise approaching bankruptcy has access to all publicly-funded sources of assistance that any traditional business can expect to draw upon. This includes their local business link, which as well as offering advice to start-up companies, also helps businesses to deal with problems and challenges they may encounter. Guidance is also available on the businesslink.gov website which offers advice on avoiding insolvency, recovering debt through the courts, and alternatives to bankruptcy.
Supermarkets
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Competition Commission inquiry into supermarkets will include the implications of the international business practices of the largest chains. [78903]
Mr. McCartney: Although the OFT have been specific in the issues they feel could be a problem within the market, the Competition Commission (CC) investigation is not limited to considering only those issues identified in the reference document. It is for the CC to make that decision.
In its statement of issues published on 15 June, the CC has indicated that it has received evidence on a range of issues of public concern associated with grocery retailing which they have no power to investigate or resolve. These issues, and public concern about them, may interact with competition issues and provide background and context for the investigation but the CC has stated that its focus must be on the competition issues. The full statement of issues can be found at:
http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/inquiries/ref2006/grocery/pdf/issues_statement.pdf.
Trade Control Licences
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what (a) standard individual trade control licences and (b) open individual trade control licences have been issued to UK-based companies for the transfer of small arms from Bosnia to (i) Iraq and (ii) other destination countries since June 2003. [79958]
Malcolm Wicks: The Government publishes details of trade control licences issued, in its annual and quarterly reports on strategic export controls. The Government's annual reports are available from the Libraries of the House and the DTI export control organisation website at http://www.dti.gov.uk/europeantrade/strategic-export-control/index.html.
Working Time Directive
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) whether it is the Government's policy to preserve the UK's opt-out from the working time directive in its entirety; and if he will make a statement; [77668]
(2) what restrictions in (a) scope and (b) permanence relating to the UK's opt-out from the working time directive are under consideration; and if he will make a statement. [77669]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The UK Government, in common with the Governments of several other European member states, has made it clear that it would oppose any proposal for a revised directive that phases out the opt out, or that prevents individuals from choosing to work longer than 48 hours if they wish to do so.
Zimbabwe
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many export licences were granted for military equipment to Zimbabwe in each quarter of the last three years. [80822]
Malcolm Wicks: The Government publish detailed information on their export licensing decisions, by destination, in their annual and quarterly reports on strategic export controls. The Government’s annual reports are available from the Libraries of the House and the DTI Export Control Organisation website at http://www.dti.gov.uk/europeandtrade/strategic-export-control/index.html.
Culture, Media and Sport
Departmental Websites
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many websites there are within her responsibilities; and what the total cost of maintaining such websites was in the last year for which figures are available. [79060]
Mr. Lammy: My Department is responsible for 18 websites. The total maintenance costs of these sites for the year 2005-06 was £50,020.
This figure does not include those sites developed through the Culture Online programme.
Digital Radio Multiplex
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects to lay orders relating to the amount of data which can be carried on a digital radio multiplex and to change the definition of a digital programme service. [80065]
Tessa Jowell: The Television Licensable Content Services Order 2006 and the Radio Multiplex Services (Required Percentage of Digital Capacity) Order 2006 were laid on 21 June 2006.
Digital Television
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will take steps to ensure an increase to 100 per cent. of the coverage of digital services following digital switchover; and if she will make a statement. [79114]
Mr. Woodward: Currently digital terrestrial television is available to three quarters of the population, and the vast majority of households can receive digital TV services via digital satellite, terrestrial or cable. 70 per cent. of households in the UK have already chosen to take up digital TV.
After switchover, which takes place between 2008 and 2012, UK digital terrestrial television coverage will match the current analogue coverage of 98.5 per cent.
Disability Access
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether any buildings in her Department fall short of disability access regulations. [73014]
Mr. Lammy: As an employer, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is subject to duties under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 which requires us to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people. These may include adjustments to physical features of premises.
The principle of "reasonable adjustment" is fundamental to the Act and factors such as the practicability of making an adjustment and the extent to which it overcomes the difficulties faced by the disabled person may be taken into account in determining what is reasonable. As the Disability Discrimination Act requires adjustments that are reasonable in the individual circumstances, it is not prescriptive about the level of access to buildings which must be provided for disabled people, and there are no disability access regulations made under the Act.
However, Part M of the building regulations aims to ensure that people, regardless of disability, age or gender, should be able to gain access to, and within buildings, and use their facilities, both as visitors and as people who live or work in them. The provisions of Part M apply only to new buildings and those non-domestic buildings undergoing alteration, change of use or which are being extended. Crown-owned or occupied buildings are exempt from the building regulations but it is the Government's policy for their buildings to comply with the regulations where there is no reason not to.
DCMS is currently
undertaking a major refurbishment of our main Cockspur Street offices.
We have given careful consideration to the needs of staff and visitors
and are making many improvements to the building aimed at improving
access for all. For
example, all workstations will be fully adjustable; primary and
secondary circulation routes are being widened and all will exceed the
standards set by British Standard BS8300; there will be accessible
signage, toilets and meeting rooms with induction loops on all
floors.
Flags
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what criteria the Government used in deciding not to display the flag of (a) Norfolk Island, (b) the British Antarctic Territory, (c) South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, (d) the Turks and Caicos Islands, (e) Montserrat, (f) Bermuda, (g) Anguilla, (h) the Cayman Islands and (i) the British Virgin Islands at this year’s Trooping the Colour. [79962]
Mr. Lammy: Only the flags of the Commonwealth countries are flown at Trooping of the Colour. The countries listed above are Overseas Territories which are not member states of the Commonwealth.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what criteria the Government used in deciding not to display the flag of (a) the Isle of Man and (b) Guernsey at this year’s Trooping the Colour. [79965]
Mr. Lammy: Only the flags of the Commonwealth Countries are flown at Trooping of the Colour. The Bailiwick of Guernsey, and the Isle of Man are Crown dependencies and are not member states of the Commonwealth.
Gaming Machines (Stakes and Prizes)
Mr. Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recommendations have been made by the Gaming Board of Great Britain on machine stakes and prize levels since 1976. [79519]
Mr. Caborn: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
I would also refer my hon. Friend to my answer given today to his question number 79594.
Mr. Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when gaming machine stake and prize levels were last increased. [79594]
Mr. Caborn: Stakes and prizes were last increased for the various categories of gaming machines, under the provisions of the Gaming Act 1968, on the following basis:
In casinos, stakes and prizes were increased to £2 and to £4,000, respectively, in October 2005.
From October 2005, casinos were also able to offer a new style of machine with a maximum stake of £100 and a maximum prize of £500.
In bingo halls stakes and prizes were increased to 50p and £500, respectively, in October 1998.
In registered clubs stakes and prizes were increased to 50p and £250, respectively, in October 1998.
Amusement with Prizes Machines (AWPs)
The stake on both all cash and coin or token AWPs was increased to 30p in October 1997.
The prize on all cash AWPs was increased to £25 in January 2002.
The prize on coin or token AWPs, where the prize is all cash, was increased to £5 in October 1997.
The prize on coin and token AWPs, where the prize is non-cash, was increased to £8 in October 1995.
Licensing Act
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how her Department is monitoring the extent to which council licensing departments are applying the Licensing Act 2003 consistently and appropriately in respect of charity fund raising functions. [79522]
Mr. Woodward: Under the Scrutiny Council initiative, 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, we are conducting a review of the guidance issued under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003 (the 2003 Act). A comprehensive formal review of the guidance including a full public consultation will be completed by summer 2006 and a revised version of the guidance will be laid before Parliament by the end of 2006.
However, in the first instance, it is for licensing authorities to interpret the law on the basis of their own legal advice. An appeal mechanism has been built into the 2003 Act to ensure that licensing authority interpretations can be challenged in the courts to ensure that they are reasonable and fair.
Lottery Funding
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many applications for lottery funding were received from organisations and groups in Bexleyheath and Crayford in each of the last five years. [79957]
Mr. Caborn: This Department has never collected comprehensive information on either the number or value of applications for lottery grants received by the distributing bodies. The information requested could be collected and provided only at disproportionate cost.
Public Libraries
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people visited a public library in each year since 1997. [79900]
Mr. Lammy: The number of visits to public libraries in England from 1997-98 to 2004-05 (the latest available figure) are as follows:
| Visits | |
| Source: Public Library Statistics, published by the Chartered Institute for Finance and Accountancy | |
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how many public libraries there were in each local authority in each year since 1997; [79901]
(2) for what average number of hours per week public libraries were open in each local authority in each year since 1997. [79903]
Mr. Lammy: The table shows the number of public libraries in England, by opening hours band, for 1997-98 to 2004-05 (the latest available) and, for context, the comparable figures for 1978-79. This data is drawn from the public library statistics report published for those years by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA). The reports do not contain averaged hours.
The figures for each of the 149 library authorities in England may be found in the CIPFA reports. Copies are held by the House Library.
| Static libraries in England (by hours open per week) | |||||
| 60+ | 45-59 | 30-44 | 10-29 | <10 | |
| Note: This covers a reply for parliamentary questions 799901 and 79903. | |||||
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which public libraries are proposed for closure, broken down by local authority. [79902]
Mr. Lammy: The following list details proposals where individual libraries have been named by the parent authorities. These proposals are either still subject to public consultation, possible deferral or to ratification following a trial period of extended opening hours.
Devon County Council
12 closures proposed at:
Appledore,
Colyton Geneva,
Bideford,
Heavitree,
Exeter Ipplepen,
Kingskerswell,
Kingsteignton Kingswear,
Pinhoe,
Primley,
Sidmouth,
Stoke Fleming,
Shaldon
Dorset County Council
13 proposed closures at:
Burton Bradstock,
Charmouth,
Chickerell,
Colehill,
Corfe Castle,
Corfe Mullen,
Crossways
Lytchett Matravers,
Portland Underbill,
Puddletown,
Stalbridge,
Wool,
Wyke Regis
Hertfordshire County Council
4 Proposed closures
2 in the St Albans area.
We are looking into the status of some other reported closure proposals with the authorities concerned. There have been a number of figures for such proposals in the press and media. However, we believe that some of those figures have not taken account of proposals that have been dropped or scaled down.
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in how many local authorities the future of public libraries is open to public consultation; and how long each consultation is expected to last. [79904]
Mr. Lammy: Information regarding public consultations on library services within the 149 library authorities in England is not held centrally. However, we are aware that a number of consultations are planned or in progress in areas such as Devon and Dorset where library closures are being considered.
We want to see public library services that are responsive to the needs of local people. Individual library authorities are best placed to judge those needs but they should ensure that their judgements are based on soundings from the communities that they serve.
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of public library stock was made up of (a) books, (b) tapes, (c) CDs, (d) videos and (e) DVDs in each year since 1997. [79906]
Mr. Lammy: Percentage figures are not held centrally, nor are actual items figure held precisely in the form requested. However, the table shows the number of books, sound recordings (encompassing music and talking books), and videos/DVDs from 1997-98 to 2004-05 (the latest year available).
| Million | |||
| Books( 1) | Sound recordings( 1) | Video/DVD( 1) | |
| (1)
Lending stock
only. Source: Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy | |||
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