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5 Dec 2006 : Column 264W—continued
The following table shows the information for capital support provided to York local authority and its schools since 1996-97. The earliest year for which the Department has this information is 1996-97.
| £ million | ||
| Cash | Real terms( 1) | |
| (1) At 2005-06 prices using GDP deflators at 27 September 2006. (2 )Includes £15.4 million PFI project. (3 )Includes £22. 2 million for targeted capital projects. | ||
Communities and Local Government
Local Government Finance
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will ensure that future local government finance settlements are corrected for actual variations from the population projections for 2007; and if she will meet hon. Members representing Newcastle upon Tyne constituencies to discuss this matter. [107336]
Mr. Woolas: The Government have a policy of providing councils with multi-year formula grant settlements to provide stability and predictability of funding. Consistent with that policy, I do not intend, except in entirely exceptional circumstances, to retrospectively amend any year’s settlement. I do intend to use the best data available at the time of setting out the multi-year plans and will treat all authorities on a consistent basis.
For the 2006-07 settlement the best available population projections were the Office for National Statistics (ONS) 2003-based sub-national population projections. Because 2007-08 is the second year of a multi-year settlement, the provisional 2007-08 settlement also uses the 2003-based sub-national population projections. The Government are currently consulting on the 2007-08 provisional settlement and will take into account all relevant representations made during the consultation period before making the final settlement.
The next multi-year settlement period calculations (for the three financial years 2008-09 to 2010-11) are due to be made in late 2007. In preparing for these calculations, the methodology will be reviewed and data used in the formulae to determine the 2008-09 to 2010-11 settlements will, consistent with the Secretary of State’s policy on multi-year settlements, be updated to the best data available at that time.
As there have been no changes made to the formulae for 2007-08, and in order to treat all authorities consistently, I am not able to meet individual local authority delegations during consultation. I will of course meet with hon. Members representing Newcastle upon Tyne.
Local Government Pension Scheme
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the (a) current and (b) proposed levels are of (i) employee’s and (ii) employer’s contribution to the Local Government Pension Scheme; what benefits will be payable to (A) scheme members and (B) their civil or unmarried partners; what support will be provided for ill-health retirement; what retirement age will apply; and whether (1) benefits already paid for will continue at the current level for current scheme members and (2) they will be recalculated in an amended scheme. [105852]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 28 November 2006]: The current contribution rate for employees in the Local Government Pension Scheme is 6 per cent. of pensionable pay, with certain members retaining rights to contribute 5 per cent.
There is no single employer contribution rate for the scheme. At the actuarial valuations for each of the 89 pension funds in England and Wales individual employer contribution rates are set for each of the employers within those funds. The average employer contribution rate in 2005-06 was some 15.2 per cent. of pensionable pay and this covers both future service accrual and meeting past service liabilities.
Draft new scheme proposals are subject to consultation. No decisions have been taken.
Non-domestic Rates
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make it her policy to exempt seaside piers from the uniform business rate. [104831]
Mr. Woolas: There are no plans to exempt seaside piers from non-domestic rating.
Planning Policy Guidance 3
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library a copy of the 1996 Welsh Planning Policy Guidance 3 guidance. [103828]
Mr. Hain: I have been asked to reply.
I have placed a copy of Planning Guidance (Wales), Technical Advice Note (Wales) 3, Simplified Planning Zones—November 1996 in the House Library.
Planning policy in Wales is, of course, devolved to the Welsh Assembly Government. “Planning Policy Wales: March 2002” sets out the land use planning policies of the Assembly Government, which is supplemented by a series of technical Advice Notes (TANs). Copies of these can be obtained from the Assembly website at:
www.wales.gov.uk.
Rural Areas: Maps
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she consulted the Rural Payments Agency before ending the National Interest Mapping Service Agreement. [107754]
Mr. Woolas: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the parent Department of the Rural Payments Agency, was consulted in reaching the decision. DEFRA held discussions with the Rural Payments Agency.
Culture, Media and Sport
2012 Olympics
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will require the Olympic procurement authorities to include requirements in their contracts for (a) the promotion of equal opportunities and (b) the use of local labour; and if she will make a statement. [106164]
Mr. Caborn: The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is currently developing its equalities and diversity strategy so that all processes used to recruit and manage employees, including employees working within the supply chain, are demonstrably fair and offer equal opportunities to all. It will consider arrangements for monitoring the recruitment process and collecting relevant information from its contract partners. The strategy is expected to be issued for consultation early in 2007. The ODA's draft Procurement Strategy makes clear that a commitment to equal opportunities and diversity will form part of assessments in the tendering for ODA contracts.
The ODA is also working with the London Development Agency and the five host boroughs to establish an employment brokerage scheme to assist ODA contractors in advertising locally to enable local people to apply for vacancies in the construction of the Olympic Park. Jobcentre Plus has already placed 32 from the local area into jobs working to put powerlines underground.
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the size is of the contingency fund for the 2012 Olympics. [101949]
Tessa Jowell: The level of programme contingency is under review. For each of the main venue construction projects there is an allowance in the bid figures for 23.5 per cent. for contingencies and preliminaries.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many responses were received by her Department for the consultation on the Tourism Strategy for the 2012 games (a) before the deadline of 17 November and (b) after that date. [104773]
Mr. Woodward: DCMS received 78 responses before the deadline and 93 after that date.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the compliance of the consultation on the Tourism Strategy for the 2012 Games with the Cabinet Office code of practice on consultations. [104774]
Mr. Woodward: DCMS officials followed the Cabinet Office’s code of practice on consultations throughout the consultation process. A summary of responses will be publicised on DCMS website (www.culture.gov.uk) in due course.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what criteria were used to determine which groups should be granted an extension to the deadline for the consultation on the Tourism Strategy for the 2012 Games. [104775]
Mr. Woodward: No groups or individuals were excluded from making a late contribution to the consultation.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport why an extension was granted to the deadline for the consultation on the Tourism Strategy for the 2012 Games; when the decision was taken; and by whom. [104776]
Mr. Woodward: An extension was granted to ensure that responses were received from all representative groups and individuals that wanted to do so. This decision was taken by the consultation project manager one week before the close of the consultation.
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on (a) VAT and (b) the allowance for project contingency in the budget for the 2012 Olympic Games (i) during the bid process and (ii) since the award of the Games to London. [104520]
Tessa Jowell [holding answer 28 November 2006]: I have had many discussions with my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer both before and after July 2005 when London was awarded the right to host the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. These meetings have covered a wide range of issues. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of such meetings.
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what account was taken of (a) VAT, (b) whole project contingency and (c) costings for the Olympic Delivery Partner in the initial London 2012 bid document. [104522]
Tessa Jowell [holding answer 28 November 2006]: The bid document did not include VAT and the candidate file pointed out that the UK Government would ensure that tax issues will not have a significant impact on the Games. The bid document included contingency and preliminaries of 23.5 per cent. in main venue costs. It also included a contingency for the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games. The bid did not include provision for an Olympic Delivery Partner. This proposal was made following the establishment of the Olympic Delivery Authority. The use of a delivery partner will help to ensure the highest levels of programme management and cost control.
Casinos
Mr. Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport by what process Parliament will consider her recommendations for the location of new casinos; and whether those recommendations will be subject to a vote in both Houses. [107300]
Mr. Caborn: The order that the Secretary of State is required to make under section 175(4) of the Gambling Act 2005, determining the geographical distribution of the one regional, eight large and eight small casinos permitted by the Act, is subject to the affirmative resolution procedure, requiring a debate and potentially a vote in both Houses.
Mr. Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects to issue guidance to local authorities which are authorities which are authorised to issue new casino licences under the terms of the Gambling Act 2005. [107301]
Mr. Caborn: The Gambling Commission published guidance for licensing authorities on the competitions for the new casino licences permitted by the Gambling Act 2005 in April 2006.
In addition, paragraph 2 of schedule 9 of the Gambling Act 2005 requires the Secretary of State to make regulations about inviting competing applications for the new casino licences. Paragraph 6 of that schedule also enables the Secretary of State to issue a code of practice that licensing authorities must comply with when determining the outcome of those competitions. The Government plan to consult on both the regulations and the code of practice in the new year.
Departmental Staff
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) marketing officers, (b) communications officers and (c) press officers are employed in her Department; and what the total expenditure on communications for her Department was on (i) Government Information and Communication Service staff and (ii) other (A) press officers, (B) special advisers and (C) staff in the last year for which figures are available. [104365]
Mr. Lammy: The number of press officers currently employed in the DCMS press office is 13. The number of marketing staff currently employed by DCMS is 5.5.
The communications expenditure for the last financial year (2005-06) was £855,000.
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many staff there were in her Department as of 30 November in each year since 1997; and what the change in the departmental complement has been since the implementation of the recommendations of the Gershon review of public sector efficiency. [106895]
Mr. Lammy: The data for 30 November in each year are not available; instead data are available for 31 March each year. In March 2006 there were 518 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff in DCMS and 119 in Royal Parks, its one agency, a total of 637.
DCMS has no complement as such but has an agreed headcount reduction of 27 over the period April 2004 to March 2008. Since then, with the agreement of HM Treasury, a new Government Olympic Executive has been created in DCMS which currently employs 32.5 (FTE) staff.
Historical information on the number of people employed by DCMS and the Royal Parks, is available in the Library and on the civil service website at: http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/reports/index.asp
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