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12 Oct 2006 : Column 813W—continued
Inquests
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs under what circumstances an inquest which has been closed may be reopened; and who has the authority to require an inquest to be reopened. [93239]
Ms Harman: There is no provision for an inquest which has been closed to be reopened. Under Section 13 of the Coroners Act 1988, however, any inquest whether by reason of fraud, rejection of evidence, irregularity of proceedings, insufficiency of inquiry, the discovery of new facts or evidence or otherwise may be quashed and a fresh inquest ordered by the High Court. In such cases which need permission from the Attorney General, the court will decide whether it is necessary or desirable in the interests of justice that another inquest be held. Any decision by a coroner may also be subject to judicial review proceedings.
Jury Service
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what estimate
she has made of the number of people who have served on a jury more than four times in the same area; and if she will make a statement. [92994]
Ms Harman: Since electronic records were created in 1999-2000, the Jury Central Summoning Bureau's (JCSB) database shows that one person has served on a jury on four occasions in the same area.
However, the database can only match names and addresses and does not allocate a unique identifying number for each juror. Therefore when electoral registers are downloaded each year new juror numbers are allocated and voters do not retain the same juror number. As a result the database can only match between name, address and date of birth. If a voter has moved address since records began and has been summoned more than once it will not show as a match. Also it will not give details of jurors summoned to attend for service in a coroners court as coroners officers summon jurors locally and not through a central system.
Online 1911 Census
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the monthly timetable is for the selection of the successful applicant for work on the Online 1911 Census Project; and whether the timetable facilitates the release of at least one section of the Online 1911 Census before January 2007. [92744]
Bridget Prentice: The National Archives is currently in dialogue with short listed suppliers. It is now anticipated that a contract will be awarded in March 2007. Release of the 1911 census is scheduled for the first working day of 2012 in line with Government policy.
Public Defender Service
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs when the final research report into the Public Defender Service will be published. [92017]
Vera Baird: The Legal Services Commission are still considering the findings of the research report and will publish the report in the near future.
Sentencing Guidelines
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what guidance she has issued to (a) magistrates and (b) judges in Northern Ireland on sentences for those convicted of (i) violent and (ii) abusive behaviour towards NHS staff. [93327]
Bridget Prentice: Guidance on sentencing in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, the Court of Appeal (in giving guidelines in particular cases) and the Judicial Studies Board.
Translators' Fees
Ian Lucas: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much was spent on translators’ fees in the North Wales magistrates courts area in each of the last five years. [93212]
Ms Harman: The information requested is not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Her Majesty’s Courts Service is giving consideration to the routine collection of data relating to interpreting and translation services used in court.
Culture, Media and Sport
2012 Olympics
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what benefits she expects the 2012 Olympic Games to bring to Northamptonshire. [92999]
Mr. Caborn: The Government are determined that the whole of the UK, including Northamptonshire, can contribute to and benefit from the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. A Nations and Regions Group (NRG), comprising representatives from every region and nation, has been established to provide leadership and strategic direction. The East Midlands is represented by Jeff Moore, the Chief Executive Officer of the East Midlands Development Agency.
Areas of potential benefit include business opportunities, hosting pre games training camps, tourism, culture and volunteering opportunities. The 2012 Games will also be a boost in our drive to create a healthier and more active Nation. The East Midlands, through the NRG, is developing a delivery plan to ensure that these opportunities are maximised.
Arts Funding
Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the possible effect of funding for the 2012 Olympics on the resources allocated to (a) theatre and (b) the arts. [92723]
Mr. Lammy: It is too early to say with any certainty what effect funding the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will have on the arts, including theatre.
The overwhelming majority of funding for theatre in England comes from Exchequer funding. It is not anticipated that this will be materially affected by staging the Games.
In terms of Lottery, Non-Olympic distributors such as Arts Council England may lose an average of 5 per cent. of their income because of sales diversion to Olympic Lottery games over the period 2005-06—2012-13. In addition, we have already announced that £410 million will be taken from non-Olympic Lottery proceeds between 2009 and 2012. No decision has been made about how that amount will be shared between the various non-Olympic good causes.
Cultural Olympiad
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what range of events is planned for the cultural Olympiad in the run-up to 2012; and if she will make a statement. [92980]
Mr. Caborn: There are a range of cultural activities already planned to accompany the 2012 Games. These fall into three categories:
1. The International Olympic Committee’s mandatory ceremonies that LOCOG will host, ranging from the handover ceremony in Beijing, and the Olympic and Paralympic opening and closing ceremonies, to the Olympic Youth Camps and the torch relay;
2. The projects outlined as part of the UK’s bid, for example the Film and Video Nation, an International Shakespeare Festival, a World Youth Festival and a Proms programme;
3. We also envisage a third category—a cultural festival in the run up to the Games showcasing a wide range of cultural and creative sectors across the UK.
We are currently working closely with LOCOG and other stakeholders to develop a framework to enable delivery of the whole cultural programme.
Databases (Security Breaches)
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many confirmed security breaches of databases controlled by her Department occurred in each of the last five years; whether the breach resulted from internal or external sources in each case; how many records were compromised on each occasion; and what estimate was made of the total number of records accessible to the individuals concerned. [92835]
Mr. Lammy: No databases have been breached in the last five years.
Departmental Carbon Emissions
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the total carbon emission from her Department’s buildings in each year since 1997. [89542]
Mr. Lammy: The Department’s total carbon emission, calculated in kilograms of carbon (kgc) are shown as follows. The figures are verified by the British Research Establishment.
Data on carbon emissions for the years prior to 2004-05 are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
| Kgc | |
Departmental Expenditure
Grant Shapps:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent by (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies in respect of hotel and other similar privately-provided accommodation (i) in
the UK and (ii) abroad for (A) Ministers, (B) staff and (C) other persons in each year since 2001-02. [91919]
Mr. Lammy: Expenditure on hotel and other privately provided accommodation is not held separately or by the categories requested in the Department’s, or its agency the Royal Parks’, accounting systems. It could only be obtained by retrieving and manually analysing a large number of travel and incidental expense claims at disproportionate cost.
Similar expenditure for the Department’s public bodies is not held centrally and can be obtained only at substantial cost.
Information relating to overseas travel by Ministers is published on an annual basis. Information for the period 1 May 1997 to 31 March 2006 is available in the Library of the House. Information for the financial year 2006-07 will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the current financial year.
All travel is conducted in accordance with the requirements of the ministerial code, travel by Ministers and the civil service management code.
Hampton Review
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what input (a) her Department and (b) its (i) agencies and (ii) non-departmental public bodies had into the Hampton review and its report, “Reducing administrative burdens: effective inspection and enforcement”. [89540]
Tessa Jowell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 9 October 2006, Official Report, column 280W.
Horse Racing
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the Horse Racing Totalisator board will be (a) privatised as one single entity and (b) split for sale into more than one entity. [93125]
Mr. Caborn: In 1999 the Tote Review recommended that the Horserace Totalisator Board (the Tote) should be sold as a single entity. This remains the Government’s intention.
However, the Horserace Betting and Olympic Lottery Act 2004 provides the Government with the flexibility to adopt an alternative approach, should that be determined to better achieve our objectives for the sale.
Television Without Frontiers Directive
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to protect UK businesses from any potential adverse economic effects arising from the new rules contained in the EU Television Without Frontiers Directive. [91302]
Mr. Woodward: The Government believe the European Commission’s proposals to amend this directive would have considerable implications for UK and other EU businesses in the new media sector. I have expressed these concerns in the Council of Ministers and in bilateral meetings with Commissioner Reding and Government Departments in other member states.
Our objective is to ensure new rules are both necessary and proportionate. My Department is working with UK industry to promote amendments in the Council and in the European Parliament.
Theatre Museum
Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will request that the Victoria and Albert Museum publish the responses to its recent consultation on the Theatre Museum. [93306]
Mr. Lammy: The Victoria and Albert Museum has confirmed that it will shortly be publishing a digest of the responses to its recent consultation on the Theatre Museum, on the Theatre Museum website.
Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding requests her Department has received in relation to the Theatre Museum in each of the last five years. [93307]
Mr. Lammy: We have not received any requests for funding in relation to the Theatre Museum in the last five years. We provide grant in aid funding to the Victoria and Albert Museum, of which the Theatre Museum is a branch.
Theatres
Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the cultural and social contribution of local and regional theatres to communities; and if she will make a statement. [92720]
Mr. Lammy: Theatre plays a key role in the cultural life of the UK and within local communities. Theatres and other arts organisations can have a positive impact on agendas such as disability, health, crime, neighbourhood renewal and cultural diversity.
In 2006-07, Government funding to Arts Council England will be £412 million, an overall increase in real terms by 73 per cent. since 1998. This has enabled the Arts Council to increase its support for regularly funded theatre from £71.7 million in 2002-03 to an estimated £95.7 million in 2006-07.
Research shows that this increased investment has produced benefits across theatres in England including improvements in the quality of work and increased employment opportunities.
Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with local theatre organisations within the parliamentary constituency of Richmond Park in the last 12 months. [92721]
Mr. Lammy: No discussions involving Ministers have taken place with theatre organisations in the parliamentary constituency of Richmond Park in the last 12 months.
Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on funding for local theatre within the context of the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review. [92722]
Mr. Lammy: There have been no specific discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on funding for local theatre within the context of the Comprehensive Spending Review.
The Secretary of State has met with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to discuss the Comprehensive Spending Review more broadly and DCMS officials are working closely with Arts Council England to put forward the best possible case for building on previous arts investment.
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