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15 Jan 2007 : Column 790W—continued
Public Awareness Expenditure Budget
Mr. Heald: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission what the Electoral Commission’s Public Awareness Expenditure budget was in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07. [113957]
Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that it spent £7.1 million on promoting public awareness of electoral and democratic systems in 2005-06 and that the current forecast expenditure for 2006-07 is £6.4 million.
Culture, Media and Sport
Canals and Inland Waterways
Sir Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what effect she expects reductions in the British Waterways grant to have on sport, leisure, recreation and tourism associated with Britain’s canals and inland waterways. [114960]
Mr. Woodward: It is important that British Waterways has the correct resources to continue the work of maintaining and improving waterways as a focus for local communities and tourism.
DEFRA continues to consult closely with British Waterways on minimising any effect of grant reduction in 2006-07.
Departmental Targets
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has
made of the progress towards the targets set out in her Departmental Business Plan 2006-07; and if she will make a statement. [113467]
Tessa Jowell: The most up-to-date information on progress against our PSA and efficiency targets can be found in the 2006 DCMS Autumn Performance Report which was published on 19 December and is accessible via the following link to the DCMS website
http://www.culture.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/6FC98BF6-86F2-41FF-B2AC-6F7986F54593/0/APR2006PDFVersionforWeb2.pdf
Additionally, hard copies of this report were placed in the Libraries of both houses on 19 December 2006.
Digital Television
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the number of people who are eligible for the digital switchover targeted assistance programme but who may not be identified by the proposals put forward in the Digital Switchover (Disclosure of Information) Bill; and if she will make a statement. [113470]
Mr. Woodward: The Department for Work and Pensions holds information on the vast majority of people aged 75 or above and on all those who have an award of disability living allowance, attendance allowance or an equivalent benefit under the industrial injuries scheme. The Veterans Agency holds information about people who have an award of constant attendance allowance or war pensioners' mobility supplement payable under the pre-2005 war pension scheme.
We estimate that around 20 per cent. of people who are blind or partially sighted do not qualify on grounds of age or an award of a qualifying disability benefit—around 60,000 people in all. Therefore they may not be identified through the provisions of the Digital Switchover (Disclosure of Information) Bill.
We are considering whether the Bill should be extended to include information held by local authorities on people who are blind or partially sighted.
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the outcome was of her Department's disability equality impact assessment of digital switchover and the targeted help scheme. [113576]
Mr. Woodward [holding answer 8 January 2007]: A regulatory impact assessment was published in September 2005 setting out a detailed assessment of the impact of digital switchover on consumers, particularly the elderly and those with a disability. As a result, we have taken steps to address the disadvantages that these groups face as a result of switchover, primarily through the digital switchover help scheme but also through initiatives carried out by Digital UK with hard to reach groups.
A full equalities impact assessment will be carried out if further screening identifies a need.
Mr. Sanders:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made
of the number of households which will qualify for assistance in switching over to digital television in Devon and Cornwall, broken down by parliamentary constituency. [115352]
Mr. Woodward: The details are in the table
| Constituency | ( 1) Households |
| (1)Defined as eligible benefit units. Notes: 1. Rounded to the nearest thousand. 2. Eligibility for help from the Digital Switchover Help Scheme will be by benefit unit rather than the whole household definition used by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) the Scottish Executive, the Welsh Assembly Government and the Northern Ireland Office to forecast future household growth. 3. The definition of a benefit unit is a couple and any dependent children. It excludes adults deemed to be non-dependents who, if eligible, will be able to claim assistance from the Help Scheme in their own right. | |
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether there will be published maps detailing the frequencies to be used in each UK region that will broadcast digital television following the publication of the Ofcom document on Digital Dividend Review; and if she will ensure that adequate time is afforded post publication for those who wish to respond to the Ofcom consultation to be able to include reference to the map's contents in their evidence before the deadline of 13 March. [115631]
Mr. Woodward: The matter raised is the responsibility of the Office of Communications (Ofcom), as independent regulator for the communications sector. Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the chief executive’s letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Events Licences
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will assess the cost of obtaining events licences for scout and guide premises. [114873]
Mr. Woodward:
DCMS has no plans to assess the costs of obtaining licences specifically for scout and guide premises. However, the Government are keen to
ensure that community premises in general are not subject to unnecessary burdens under the new licensing regime. The Independent Licensing Fees Review Panel has been asked to look specifically at the impact of fees on village and community halls. Copies of the panel’s report will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses shortly.
Funding Applications
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many applications for funding to (a) the National Lottery, (b) the Big Lottery Fund and (c) Reaching Communities were refused in each of the last two years for which figures are available; and what percentage of applications were refused in each year. [114352]
Mr. Caborn: The Department has never collected comprehensive information about the number of Lottery applications. The number of unsuccessful applications to all Lottery distributors could be ascertained only at disproportionate cost.
According to information supplied by the Big Lottery Fund, the Reaching Communities programme was opened to applications in December 2005. Since then, there have been 987 applications. 272 awards have been made and 715 applications (about 72 per cent.) were unsuccessful.
Most Big Lottery Fund programmes other than Reaching Communities have been operating for less than two years, so it would not be meaningful to break the figures down by year. In total, 64,505 applications have gone to decision of which 45,422 were successful and 19,083 (just under 30 per cent.) unsuccessful.
Gambling
Miss Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 23 November 2006, Official Report, column 166W, on gambling, with which members of the Small Bookmakers Association the Gambling Commission discussed the consultation document on gambling operating and personal licence fees; what position each held in the Association; and what company each represented. [110456]
Mr. Caborn: My answer of 23 November 2006, Official Report, column 166W, on gambling, referred to the Gambling Commission discussing the consultation document on gambling operating and personal licence fees with the Small Bookmakers Association. This was an error, since no such organisation exists. However, the Commission did discuss the fees proposals with both small bookmakers and representatives of small bookmakers, listed as follows:
Warwick Bartlett, Global Betting and Gaming Consultants and Chairman of the Association of British Bookmakers;
Howard Chisholm of Chisholm Bookmakers;
Charles Needham of Tremayne Racing;
Will Roseff of Backhouse Racing.
The Remote Gambling Association was also incorrectly described as the British Gambling Association in the previous answer of 23 November 2006.
London Olympics
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many of the homes on the Olympic site will meet the Government energy efficiency targets. [113784]
Mr. Caborn: The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is currently developing the specifications for the accommodation to be built in the Olympic Park. The ODA’s Sustainability Strategy will be published later this month, giving detailed targets on the environmental performance, including performance of homes against energy efficiency targets, of developments on the Olympic site.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the accommodation to be built in the Olympic Park will meet the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government’s building targets for zero carbon homes. [113785]
Mr. Caborn: The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is currently developing the specifications for the accommodation to be built in the Olympic Park. The ODA’s Sustainability Strategy will be published later this month, giving detailed targets on the environmental performance, including carbon performance, of the Olympic Park.
National Heritage Memorial Fund
Mr. Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to her answer of 8 January 2007, to question 112787, on board members, which board member of the National Heritage Memorial Fund stood for election as a local councillor in 2004; and for which political party the individual was a candidate. [114910]
Mr. Lammy: Mike Emmerich, currently serving his second term of appointment as a trustee of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, stood as a Labour Party candidate in the 2004 local elections. He no longer undertakes any political activity.
Public Sector Pensions
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cash equivalent transfer value is of the public sector pensions of the 10 highest paid members of staff in her Department and its executive agencies; and if she will make a statement. [113820]
Mr. Lammy: Information on the cash equivalent transfer value of public sector pensions for senior staff is published annually in the Departmental Resource Accounts. The most recently published accounts for 2005-06 were laid before the House of Commons on:
19 July 2006—The Royal Parks Agency
24 July 2006—Department for Culture Media and Sport
and copies placed in the Libraries of the House.
Swimming Pools: Drownings
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress she has made on the research into childhood drowning in public pools promised to the Right to Swim Campaign in October 2005; and if she will make a statement. [115136]
Mr. Caborn: The action plan which my Department announced in September 2005, to address an apparent blanket application of restrictive admissions policies at swimming pools, has achieved its aim.
The Institute of Sport and Recreation Management issued revised guidance in 2005. As a consequence, we are aware of at least 15 pools that have since changed their admissions policies.
We remain keen to conclude implementation of the action plan with the publication of the research led by the National Water Safety Forum, and we expect this to happen as soon as possible. We understand the publication date has been delayed due to a need for further evidence gathering.
Wales
Correspondence
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many letters to his Department sent from hon. Members during Session 2005-06 remain unanswered, broken down by those which are (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four and (e) over six months old. [114603]
Mr. Hain: The Wales Office has no letters from right hon. and hon. Members, received during session 2005-06, that remain unanswered.
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