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Libraries
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what percentage of public libraries were classed as of (a) good and (b) excellent standard in each year since 1997; [87016]
(2) what criteria are used to determine the quality of public libraries. [87017]
Mr. Lammy: Different aspects of the performance of the 149 public library authorities in England have been assessed, on different basis, for DCMS since 1998. There was no formal assessment by the Department before then.
Though the terms “excellent” and “good” have been part of the assessments of public library authority performance carried out for DCMS, there is no direct comparison between these different types of assessments.
Annual Library Plans were introduced in 1998 to improve the planning processes of library authorities. The scoring methodology was refined over time until they were discontinued in 2002-03 by which time 64 per cent. of authorities were producing plans that were assessed as good or excellent.
Library position statements were introduced in 2003-04 to assess the extent to which authorities were engaging with key messages that emerged from the Framework for the Future national public library strategy document. Authorities that were assessed as “excellent” in overall Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) terms; or “excellent” in CPA “Leisure and Libraries” terms and “good” overall were exempted from having to provide position statements. Additionally, authorities assessed as having provided an excellent position statement in 2003-04 were exempted from having to produce one in 2004-05. Therefore, there is no straight read across for the two years. However, of those authorities making submissions by the end of 2004-05, 87 per cent. were assessed as having presented good or excellent position statements.
The Public Library Standards originated in 2001-02 to introduce performance measurement for library authorities in England. They now form part of the Comprehensive Performance Assessment Culture Block. The basis of assessment for authorities’ performance against the standards has evolved across the period so it is not possible to make straight comparisons. In 2004-05, authorities were assessed on the number of standards they had passed. Details of each of the 149 authorities’ performance appear in the Public Library Statistics 2005-06 Estimates and 2004-05 Actuals published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. Copies are held in the House Library.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how many (a) books, (b) audio books, (c) videos, (d) computer games and (e) DVDs were stocked in public libraries in each London borough in each year since 1997; [87252]
(2) how many (a) books, (b) audio books, (c) videos, (d) DVDs and (e) computer games have been lent by libraries in each London borough since 1997. [87255]
Mr. Lammy: This information is not held centrally. However, the Public Library Statistics, published annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, contain similar data to that being sought. The House of Commons Library holds copies for the period in question.
Licensing Act
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many licences for public houses in (a) rural and (b) urban areas were not renewed in each year from 1997. [86712]
Mr. Woodward: Information on the renewal of licences held by public houses in the years prior to the implementation of the Licensing Act 2003 (the 2003 Act) is not held centrally. There is no renewal process for licences issued under the 2003 Act.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment her Department has made of the likely impact of a change in the fee structure for premises licences under the Licensing Act 2003 on businesses which have already paid their renewal fees for their premises licence; and if she will make a statement. [87119]
Mr. Woodward: The Independent Fees Review Panel, chaired by Sir Les Elton, is considering the fee levels and structure and their impact on fee payers andlocal authorities. We will consider carefully any recommendations that the Panel makes when it reports to Ministers in the autumn.
We have no existing plans to change the fee structure, although we have agreed in principle that there should be a single date for the annual fee. However, before we can set a single date, we will need to consider and consult on transitional arrangements and the options for which date to adopt. Licence holders will be given notice before new arrangements are brought in and should, in the meantime, continue to pay their annual fee on the anniversary of the grant of the licence.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate her Department has made of the number of premises licensed under the Licensing Act 2003 which have paid their renewal fees for their premises licence since February; and if she will make a statement. [87120]
Mr. Woodward: There is no renewal process for licences issued under the Licensing Act 2003, although an annual fee is paid on the anniversary of the grant of the licence. We have not made any estimate about the number of licence holders who have paid annual fees. However, as most applications to convert licences to the new regime were made near the end of the period for converting licences in July and August last year, it is likely that the majority of annual fees will not be due until the autumn.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism last met representatives of (a) the licensed trade, (b) local authorities, (c) residents’ groups, (d) magistrates, (e) police officers, (f) village hall associations, (g) sports clubs, (h) performing arts, (i) the tourism industry, (j) fire services and (k) the retail sector to discuss the Licensing Act 2003 and related legislation; and if she will make a statement. [87121]
Mr. Woodward: Since May 2006, I have held several internal meetings on the Licensing Act and have met with the Chair of the Independent Fees review panel. I have met, along with Home Office colleagues, representatives of the licensed trade on 15 May and representatives from local authorities and the police on 24 May.
I am planning to hold a series of stakeholder meetings in the autumn.
London Olympics
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the monthly peak construction costs for the building of the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games sites. [87814]
Mr. Caborn: The Olympic Delivery Authority is currently procuring the delivery partner that will help it to deliver the Olympic and legacy construction. One element of the delivery partner’s role will be to examine the construction costs of the Olympic infrastructure. We expect this assessment to be completed within six to nine months of the appointment.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment of contamination in the Olympic Park and surrounding Lea Valley area has been undertaken; what the findings were; and what remedial action is being taken. [87815]
Mr. Caborn: Initial site investigation and desk-top research work, undertaken in support of the Olympic and Legacy Planning Applications, identified some contamination within the footprint of the Olympic Park area. Much of the contaminated land is former Brownfield or derelict land that has been used for a variety of industrial activities.
Site investigations are currently being carried out to characterise the nature of the ground conditions and the level of contamination. These investigations will be carried out in accordance with current industry best practice to identify the exact type and concentrations. The investigations are following the principles set out in the Intrusive Investigation Method Statement approved by the London boroughs of Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest, the Environment Agency and British Waterways. Copies of the Statement have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
The boroughs have been consulted throughout the preparation of the Environmental Impact Assessment, during the site investigation phase and will continue to be consulted throughout the development of the remediation and validation works.
In addition, generic site specific soil target values have been generated and are detailed in a Global Remediation Strategy which has been reviewed and approved by the same regulators noted above. Once the site investigation is complete, detailed remediation strategies, including generation of site specific clean up targets, will be prepared and agreed with the regulators as appropriate prior to implementation and validation. All of the sites to be remediated will be subject to detailed planning applications.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent estimate she has made of the cost of (a) security during construction of the Olympic Park in each year to 2012 and (b) security during the Olympic Games. [87816]
Tessa Jowell: I refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave him on 24 May 2006, Official Report,column 1788W. Work continues on the evaluation of the security requirements for the various phases of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games and their cost.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether she has set up a specialist unit within the Department to oversee the Olympic Games. [87824]
Tessa Jowell: The Government Olympic Executive (GOE) has been set up within DCMS under a Chief Executive, who has also been appointed as an additional Accounting Officer, to co-ordinate Government input into the 2012 Games. The Executive acts as a link between Government Departments on the one hand and LOCOG (the London Organising Committee) and the ODA (Olympic Delivery Authority) on the other. GOE works closely with all Departments to ensure a joined up approach to delivering the benefits and legacy of the 2012 Games.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what (a) arrangements have been made and (b) mode of transportation will be used to deliver raw materials to the Olympic Park. [87828]
Mr. Caborn: The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) are reviewing all modes of transport for raw materials, including river and rail usage, and will work with their Delivery Partner—to be appointed later this summer—to develop proposals for an effective, affordable and sustainable approach.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with other Government Departments on co-ordinating other large construction projects during the construction of the Olympic Park; and if she will make a statement. [87829]
Mr. Caborn: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has been a key participant in an initiative being led by the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) to improve the public sector’s demand management in construction procurement and to enhance the UK construction industry’s long term capacity planning so as to meet public sector demand and provide a healthy level of competition.
DCMS has been working with OGC and the Public Sector Construction Clients Forum (PSCCF) in taking forward a number of strands in this initiative including a study, The 2005-15 Construction Demand/Capacity Study, to examine the industry’s capacity to deliver public sector construction programmes including those for the Olympics to time, budget and the required quality, and their likely effect on other capital development programmes throughout the country.
The study is due to be published shortly.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans there are for the use of (a) the Olympic Stadium and (b) other Olympic facilities after the Olympic Games have finished; and when she expects formal agreements on this to be finalised. [87830]
Tessa Jowell: Plans for the Olympic venues were set out in Theme 8 of the London 2012 Candidature File, which can be accessed on the website of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, www.london2012.com at:
http://www.london2012.com
Since London was awarded the Games, these plans have been under development. The timing of final decisions on legacy use will vary from venue to venue because, among other things, of differences in the construction profile but key stakeholders will be consulted as part of the planning process for the Olympic Park, before any formal agreements are finalised.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans her Department has to involve women in the delivery of the 2012 Olympics. [88202]
Tessa Jowell: The Olympic Delivery Authority and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympics Games (LOCOG) are committed to diversity in the way they operate and engage with communities and groups. LOCOG, for instance, work with the Women's Resource Centre and the Women's Sports Foundation through their London 2012 Forum. My Department is working with the Department for Communities and Local Government (which has policy responsibility in Government for women's issues) to ensure that all sections of society have opportunities for involvement in the games. The Women and Equality Unit and the Equal Opportunities Commission have been involved in the development of this work and will help shape the final delivery plan. This work complements similar planning activity by the Greater London Authority to engage with a wide variety of London's diverse communities, including women.
Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made against the objective of providing an ethical Olympic games in 2012; and if she will make a statement. [88209]
Mr. Caborn: The Olympic stakeholders are committed to an ethical Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in 2012 and a sustainable legacy for London and the UK. We are determined to ensure that local communities receive tangible benefit from the Games, particularly in the areas of local employment, affordable housing, training initiatives and education.
Initiatives are already under way to realise these objectives. For example, the Olympic Delivery Authority have recently published their draft Procurement Policy, which confirms their commitment to sustainability, health and safety and partnership working.
In addition, the London 2012 Employment and Skills Task Force (LEST), established by the Greater London Authority and the London Skills Commission, will deliver a collaborative business plan to identify and co-ordinate measures to support people in accessing direct and indirect employment opportunities arising from the hosting of the Games in 2012.
Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what mechanisms are being put in place in the procurement process for the Olympics to ensure private companies comply with good employment practices. [88211]
Mr. Caborn: The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), which is responsible for delivering the infrastructure for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, places high importance on ensuring its ethical values are shared by potential contractors. Through the tendering process the ODA and its Delivery Partner will assess the commitment of bidders to these values, including their approach to good employment practices, training, recruitment, equalities and diversity. The ODA’s draft Procurement Policy, which was published on 19 July, states that it would like all employees of contractors and subcontractors working on ODA contracts to be on fair employment terms and conditions, such as the good practice guidance promulgated by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the project to bury the underground power lines atthe Olympic Park; what lessons have been learned from the project; and if she will make a statement. [88222]
Mr. Caborn: During the Bid period the Government and the Mayor recognised that the timescale for undergrounding the powerlines was such that serious work needed to start in November 2005 if the project was to be completed within an acceptable timescale. Work was set in hand and the London Development Agency was ready to award the contract for undergrounding after we had won the Games. They will shortly transfer the project to the Olympic Delivery Authority. The initial contracts are working well and they expect the project to be completed in line with original targets.
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport by what (a) process and (b) criteria the Government and Sport England will allocate funds for improving Great Britain’s and Northern Ireland's potential medal performance in the 2012 Olympics between clubs and associations. [88247]
Mr. Caborn: All investment in medal potential for London 2012 is channelled through UK Sport, the Government's lead agency on high performance sport. UK Sport allocates Exchequer and Lottery funding solely through its World Class Pathway programme to the National Governing Bodies for Olympic and Paralympic sport, based on a range of factors including regular assessment of athlete performance at major international competitions. It is for those Governing Bodies to determine whether funding should then be provided for high performance sport through their clubs and associations.
Ministerial Meetings
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many properties (a) owned and (b) managed by the National Trust (i) she, (ii) the Minister for Sport, (iii) the Minister for Culture and (iv) the Minister for Media and Tourism has visited in an official capacity in the last five years. [87825]
Mr. Lammy: I have visited the new National Trust offices in Swindon as well as Tyntesfield, the Victorian House and estate near Bristol. My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, the Minister for Sport and my hon. Friend the Minister for Media and Tourism have not yet had the opportunity to make official visits to properties owned or managed by the National Trust.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she last met her Scottish counterpart; and what subjects were discussed. [88774]
Mr. Lammy: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State last met Patricia Ferguson on 2 November 2005 at Sports Cabinet. They discussed the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Glasgow’s bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games; Sport and Physical Activity; the Terms of Reference of the Sports Cabinet; our approach to hosting mega events; practical arrangements for future Sports Cabinet meetings; and the British Council’s ‘Dreams and Teams’ initiative.
Ministerial Office
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many times her ministerial office has been decorated in each of the last five years. [87653]
Mr. Lammy: In the last five years the ministerial office of the Secretary of State has been decorated twice—in 2002 and 2005. It will be redecorated again in the coming months as part of the refurbishment of the Department’s Cockspur Street headquarters building.
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