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25 July 2006 : Column 1629W—continued
Digital Switchover
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance she has issued on digital switchover for landlords and local authorities; and if she will include information on integrated reception systems in future guidance to landlords. [87822]
Mr. Woodward: We wrote to all local authorities, registered social landlords and a number of representative bodies, including those representing private sector landlords and house builders in June 2004 alerting them to Digital Switchover. We wrote again to local authorities in January 2006. An electronic version of both letters is available on www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk, a copy of each has been placed in the Library.
In 2005 we published "Digital Switchover; A Good Practice Briefing Special" in association with the Chartered Institute of Housing replacing an earlier booklet published by DCMS in December 2001. The Good Practice Briefing describes the implications of digital switchover for private and social sector landlords giving clear, objective advice on the various options available including integrated reception systems. It has been circulated widely to housing sector professionals by DCMS and the Chartered Institute of Housing, by other housing representative bodies and by Digital UK. An electronic version is available on www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk. I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Disabled Staff
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was paid to her Department from the Access to Work Scheme for adjustments for disabled staff in the last year for which figures are available; from what budget she plans to meet the costs of reasonable adjustments for disabled staff following withdrawal of Access to Work funding for central Government departments; and if she will make a statement. [89008]
Mr. Lammy: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport was paid £7,603.90 from the Access to Work scheme in the 05-06 financial year. Following withdrawal of Access to Work funding for central Government departments, the cost of reasonable adjustments for disabled staff will be met centrally by the Department.
Fishing Licences
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many fishing licences were granted in (a) London and (b) each London borough in each year since 1997. [87253]
Mr. Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
Rod fishing licences are issued by the Environment Agency.
Historically, the agency has not analysed sales of these licences by Government Office Region or by borough. However, there were 41,584 rod licence holders resident in London in 2005. Some of these will have purchased more than one licence.
London Olympics
Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what training is being provided to enable local people to gain access to construction jobs created by the Olympic developments; what steps she has taken to encourage contractors to provide (a) jobs and (b) apprenticeships for local people; and if she will make a statement. [88210]
Mr. Caborn: ConstructionSkills, the Sector Skills Council for the construction industry, has established a special team—Constructing London 2012—to deliver locally available construction skills to build the Olympic and Paralympic infrastructure. It will work with partners to recruit and train local people, ensuring that building the infrastructure provides sustainable skills and job opportunities for people resident in east London through a range of newly targeted initiatives. A detailed Plan is currently being developed.
The Construction National Skills Academy, due to be launched during the last quarter of 2006 will have a significant impact on developing construction skills for the Olympic infrastructure, and other London-based construction projects. One of its first on-site centres is likely to be in the Thames Gateway/Olympics area.
The London 2012 Employment and Skills Taskforce (LEST) was commissioned by the Mayor
and Government to produce an action plan aimed at helping Londoners benefit from the jobs and skills opportunities created by the London Games. This will be finalised in the autumn but Jobcentre Plus has already placed 15 people into jobs at the Olympic site and are discussing a further 200 vacancies with the two contractors so far engaged. These should arise over the next 12 to 18 months.
The Olympic Delivery Authority's draft Procurement Policy sets out the overall framework and values guiding the ODA and its Delivery Partner's approach to procurement The draft Policy states the ODA's commitment to requiring its contractors and subcontractors to operate with a commitment to a competent workforce, and its desire to work with the appropriate sector skills councils to provide a legacy of a trained and motivated workforce for the future.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps are being taken to redirect sewerage services at the site of the Olympic Park and the Lea Valley area during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. [88510]
Mr. Caborn: DEFRA are currently leading work to consider options for intercepting intermittent sewage discharges into the Thames, including developing a package of measures to protect the Olympic Park when the Olympic and Paralympic Games take place in 2012.
Online Gambling
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what action the Government can take against online gambling companies permitted by the whitelist to advertise in the UK who breach the licensing objectives of the Gambling Act 2005; and if she will make a statement; [89130]
(2) what criteria will be used to establish the whitelist of countries overseas from which online gambling establishments based in their jurisdiction may advertise in the UK; and if she will make a statement. [89131]
Mr. Caborn: Section 331 of the Gambling Act prohibits any gambling operator based outside the European Economic Area or Gibraltar from advertising in the UK unless a specific exemption has been made for that jurisdiction under sub-section 331(4). My Department will begin consulting on the criteria for making an exemption shortly.
Should it become apparent that gambling regulation by a jurisdiction which has been specified under sub-section 331(4) of the Act is failing to meet the standards set by the Gambling Act, the Secretary of the State has the power to remove this exemption.
Swimming Pools
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many chlorinated public swimming pools there were in each (a) London borough and (b) constituency in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement. [87330]
Mr. Caborn: We do not hold specific information on numbers of chlorinated public swimming pools. However, the numbers of public swimming pools by London borough in each of the last five years is shown in the following table. The ISRM advise that all pools must provide some form of residual disinfection in the pool water to protect bathers against the risk of cross-infection. The UK is not alone in using chlorine for this purpose. It is probably the most effective disinfectant in water and this is the reason it is used throughout the world, not only in swimming pools, but also in drinking water supplies. However, many swimming pools do use supplementary forms of treatment to enhance the disinfection process, such as ozone and UV.
| Of which “x” built in | ||||||
| London borough | Total number of pools | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
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