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5 Feb 2007 : Column 710W—continued
English Heritage
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made on the appointment of a new chairperson of English Heritage; and when she expects the process to be completed. [112624]
Tessa Jowell: We are about to launch a further open competition to identify a new chair of English Heritage. I expect the process to be completed by the summer.
Executive Agencies
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent by each of her Department’s executive agencies in each of the Government Office regions in the most recent year for which figures are available. [116665]
Mr. Lammy: The Royal Parks Agency (RPA) is the only Executive Agency within this Department. In the financial year 2005-06 a gross total of £39 million was spent in the London region. Visitor surveys however show that all regions of the UK received the benefit of the spend. Further information on visitor numbers and RPA spend can be found using the following internet link:
http://www.royalparks.org.uk/about/publications/index.cfm
Film: West Midlands
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department has taken to promote the West Midlands as a venue for the UK film industry. [117903]
Mr. Woodward: The UK Film Council, the Government’s strategic organisation for film, promotes the UK as a filming destination by providing information to international filmmakers who have projects for the UK about the range and diversity of locations in the UK.
The UK Film Council has created nine Regional Screen Agencies for England, each of which promotes their individual region as a film location both nationally and internationally. Screen West Midlands (SWM) is the regional screen agency for the West Midlands.
In 2005-06, Screen West Midlands invested £2,209,573 in the film and media industry in the region. Working in close co-operation with FILM Birmingham—run by Birmingham city council—Screen West Midlands offers a complete service for filming needs in the region.
Gaming Clubs: Torbay
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the number of jobs to be created as a result of the casino licence issued for Torbay; and what proportion of those jobs will be (a) full-time, (b) part-time, (c) short-term and (d) seasonal. [118608]
Mr. Caborn: The Casino Advisory Panel recommended that Torbay council be allowed to issue one of the eight small casino licences permitted by the Gambling Act 2005. The council's proposal to the panel estimated that a new casino would result directly in between 200 and 400 full-time equivalent jobs. No seasonal figures were submitted with the proposal, though it was anticipated that a new casino would support the objective of increasing year round employment in Torbay.
Licensing Fees
Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what response she has made to the recommendations of the Elton Review of Licensing Fees; and when she plans to implement them. [118195]
Mr. Woodward [holding answer 2 February 2007]: The final report of the Independent Licensing Fees Review Panel was placed in the Library of the House on 25 January. We are currently assessing the implications of all the Panel’s detailed conclusions and recommendations and will provide a response shortly. Before reaching a final decision about implementing any changes to the fees regime and related issues, we will undertake a full public consultation so that licence payers, local authorities and the public can help to inform future policy.
London Olympics
Mr. Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether any National Lottery funds previously earmarked for the voluntary sector are planned to be diverted to supporting the funding of the London Olympics 2012; what representations (a) she and (b) her Department has received on this matter from representatives of the voluntary sector; and if she will make a statement. [111056]
Tessa Jowell: No decision has yet been made about any additional contribution to the costs of the 2012 Olympic Games. Exactly how we meet further funding liabilities are currently subject to discussions within Government.
My Department has received a range of correspondence from the voluntary sector on this issue and we are giving their comments careful consideration.
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she has taken to ensure that lottery funding for the 2012 London Olympic games will not reduce resources available for community projects in other areas of the UK. [111400]
Tessa Jowell: It has been the case from the start that lottery proceeds would contribute a significant proportion of the public funding package for the 2012 London Olympics. Some £750 million will be raised via new lottery products, whose sales have been up to expectations since the first were launched almost 18 months ago. The Government have always been clear that non-Olympic lottery proceeds would also have to contribute, but that we would strive to minimise, in relation to all parts of the UK, the impact on non-Olympic good causes.
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she first became aware that the inclusion of VAT would affect the Olympic budget. [105225]
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she was first informed that the inclusion of VAT would affect the Olympic budget; by whom she was so informed; and on what date this occurred. [108992]
Tessa Jowell: The basis on which VAT was dealt with in the Candidature File prepared in 2004, and the action I took to initiate a review of costs and funding following the success of the bid in autumn 2005, was set out in my response to the hon. Member for Faversham and Mid-Kent (Hugh Robertson) on 6 November 2006, Official Report, column 565W and in my evidence to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee on 21 November 2006. This is summarised in paragraphs 48 to 50 of the Committee’s report published on 24 January.
The Government are considering tax costs as part of their wider consideration of the overall Olympic budget and I will let the House have further information in due course.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will place in the Library a copy of the memorandum of understanding for Olympic overspending agreed between her Department, the Mayor of London and other stakeholders. [112494]
Tessa Jowell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 29 January 2007, Official Report, column 103W.
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what progress has been made in establishing the London Olympic Institute; and if she will make a statement; [118821]
(2) what discussions her Department has had with prospective key tenants for the London Olympic Institute. [118822]
Mr. Caborn: The British Olympic Association (BOA) is taking the lead in developing proposals for a viable London Olympic Institute (LOI). To date the BOA has held discussions with a wide range of sporting and Government organisations including my Department, the Olympic sports' governing bodies, the British Paralympic Association, the Greater London Authority and the NHS.
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her answer of 23 January 2007, Official Report, columns 1621-22W, on the Olympic Games, if she will break down the £400 million funding for the delivery partner into (a) fees for CLM, (b) accommodation, (c) site mobilisation, (d) Olympic Delivery Authority staff costs and (e) other costs. [111902]
Tessa Jowell [holding answer 26 January 2007]: As the hon. Member will be aware I gave an undertaking to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee on 21 November 2006 that I would report to them on a time scale that matches the work on reviewing costs that we have under way. He will also be aware that the Select Committee’s report published on 24 January 2007 (HC 69-1) is also seeking this information. For these reasons I will address this question in my formal response to the Select Committee in due course.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will place in the Library a copy of the games reports prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers on the costs of the 2012 Olympics in 2004. [111931]
Dr. Howells: I am arranging for copies of the PricewaterhouseCoopers report entitled “Olympics and Lower Lea Valley Costing Validation Review, July 2004”, to be placed in the Libraries of the House. Some detailed figures in the report have been redacted as their disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the commercial interests of the Department and/or other third parties.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what advice PricewaterhouseCoopers provided on the costs of security and policing in their Olympics Cost Review in 2004. [111933]
Tessa Jowell: PricewaterhouseCoopers suggested a figure of £160 million (equivalent to £190 million at outturn prices), excluding the costs of security within the venues. However, they advised that there was considerable uncertainty about the security costs. Their advice was received before the terrorist attacks in London on 7 July 2005.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether a steering group was set up to consider the advice provided by PricewaterhouseCoopers on Olympic costs in 2004. [111957]
Tessa Jowell: Yes. The Department set up and chaired the “Budget and Revenues Sub-Group”. Its membership included London 2012, the British Olympic Association, HM Treasury, the Government office for London, the Greater London Authority and the London Development Agency.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the security costs for the Olympics site in (a) 2007, (b) 2008 and (c) 2009. [117760]
Tessa Jowell [holding answer 31 January 2007]: The budget for the Olympic Delivery Authority for the next financial year will be finalised in March. The overall budget, which will include site security, is under discussion in Government and with other stakeholders, and will be published in due course.
The Home Office intends to provide the Metropolitan Police Service and other forces for areas where the games are to be held with some additional funding of up to £4.6 million in 2007-08 for Olympic security planning.
Television Licences
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether she has made an assessment of the (a) merits of and (b) effect on public finances of TV Licence payments being made via PayPoint. [118864]
Mr. Woodward: No. Last year’s decision to award the contract for over-the-counter TV licence sales to PayPoint was a commercial matter for the BBC as television licensing authority. The BBC has indicated that it expects to save in excess of £100 million over the term of the contract.
Constitutional Affairs
Census
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the completeness of archived census records. [118001]
Vera Baird: Until recently, no empirical research had been carried out to establish the precise extent of any missing sections from census records held at The National Archives.
A project is currently under way to analyse the 1861 census returns in detail and to establish the exact percentage of the returns that are missing.
Compensation
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs who the members of the Ministerial Steering Group on Compensation Culture are. [118824]
Vera Baird: The members of the Ministerial Steering Group on Compensation Culture are myself (Chair); the Minister of State for Health, the Lord Hunt of Kings Heath; the Economic Secretary to the Treasury; the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster, North (Edward Miliband); the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon (Angela E. Smith); the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, my hon. Friend the Member for Tottenham (Mr. Lammy); the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Skills, the Lord Adonis; the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, my hon. Friend the Member for Poplar and Canning Town (Jim Fitzpatrick); and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the Lord McKenzie of Luton.
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what action her Department is taking (a) to improve the system for those with a valid claim for compensation and (b) to find ways to discourage and resist fraudulent claims. [118825]
Vera Baird: The Government have been considering ways to improve the claims process for personal injury claims and intend to publish a consultation paper in the near future.
The Department is introducing the regulation of claims management services under the Compensation Act. This will tackle certain practices carried out by some previously unregulated claims farmers, such as encouraging and bringing bad claims. We are also working with stakeholders to encourage organisations to resist bad claims.
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment her Department has undertaken of other countries’ personal injury compensation systems; what conclusions have been drawn; and if she will make a statement. [118826]
Vera Baird: The Department does not routinely collect information on other countries’ personal injury compensation systems. However, information is sought as appropriate to assist in policy development.
For example, information was sought from other European countries prior to consultation in 2002 on proposals to allow the courts to order that personal injury damages be paid in the form of periodical payments (which subsequently formed part of the Courts Act 2003). In addition, research was commissioned on the funding of personal injury litigation which included a survey of approaches in several European jurisdictions. This was published in February 2006.
Court of Appeal
John Hemming: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many appeals were filed with the Court of Appeal in relation to family law cases where the local authority was a party to the case in each year since 1990; and how many of the appellants were (a) the local authority, (b) the guardian, (c) the mother, (d) the father and (e) another party in each year. [112006]
Vera Baird: The number of family law cases filed annually since 2000 is set out in the following table. Information before 2000 is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
To break this information down into the requested format would also incur disproportionate cost.
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