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20 Feb 2007 : Column 569Wcontinued
Royal Household: amount of cash grant in aid | ||
£ million | ||
Financial year | Property services | Marlborough House |
Historical Royal Palaces: grant in aid and HLF Funding since 1998-99 | |||
£ million | |||
Financial year | Grant in aid | Tower Environment scheme | Kew Palace |
Amounts shown are cash received in the accounting year |
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many staff worked in dedicated complaints units in her Department and its executive agencies in (a) 1997-98, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2005-06; and how many have done so in 2006-07 to date. [121688]
Mr. Lammy: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport and its agency the Royal Parks have had no staff working in dedicated complaints units in (a) 1997-98, (b) 2001-02, (c) 2005-06 and (d) 2006 to date.
Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department has taken to implement the Race Equality Duty since 2000. [120636]
Mr. Lammy: Following the introduction of the race duties the Department produced a race equality scheme in 2002 which we updated in July 2006. In December 2006 the Department published a combined equality scheme covering race, disability and gender.
Our equality scheme lays out in detail how we have implemented the Race Equality Duty. This includes information on how we:
assess, and consult on, the likely impact proposed policies will have on promoting race equality;
monitor policies for any adverse impact on promoting race equality;
publish the results of assessments, consultation, and monitoring;
make sure the public have access to information and services; and
train staff to carry out the general duty and the specific duties.
A copy of our combined equality scheme is available on the DCMS website at:
www.culture.gov.uk.
The Department has a specific PSA target for increasing the uptake of cultural and sporting opportunities by adults and young people aged 16 and above from priority groups, including those from black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds. Our Taking Part survey has provided robust baseline data for measuring our performance.
The Department provides specific training for staff on diversity and equality impact assessment; promotes participation in schemes designed to support the development of those from black and ethnic minority backgrounds; and has an active staff diversity network and BME network.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many complaints were made to Ofcom on Big Brother by (a) email, (b) telephone and (c) letter; and what the estimated cost was of dealing with these complaints. [121629]
Mr. Woodward: The matters raised are the responsibility of the Office of Communications as independent regulator. Accordingly, my officials have asked the chief executive of Ofcom to respond directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the chief executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House in due course.
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 29 January 2007, Official Report, column 104W, on Olympics 2012, if she will provide indicative figures for the amount set aside to cover (a) CLM's fee, (b) site mobilisation and (c) the cost of additional staff. [118414]
Tessa Jowell [holding answer 2 February 2007]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 5 February 2007, Official Report, column 713W.
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Greater London Assembly on the Olympic levy. [120235]
Tessa Jowell: I have had no discussions with the Greater London Assembly about the contribution to the public sector funding package for the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games funded by the London council tax precept. However, I have had a number of discussions with the Mayor of London, who is a member of the Olympic Board, which have included references to the budget of the 2012 Games.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received on the use of unsolicited mobile telephone text messages for which people are charged; and if she will make a statement. [114648]
Margaret Hodge: I have been asked to reply.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has received no representations relating to unsolicited mobile telephone text messages. However, the Department of Trade and Industry does receive occasional written correspondence on this issue. It is the Governments aim to have controls that safeguard the consumer but do not hamper the development of the telecommunications market.
Unsolicited text (SMS) messages are illegal under statutory controls that were introduced as part of the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003. Enforcement is undertaken by the Information Commissioner whose office is a wholly independent body, answerable to Parliament directly rather than to Ministers. The Office will investigate complaints and take formal action against those who have wilfully or negligently continued to breach the regulations.
Industry safeguards require that consumers must be clearly informed by text about what they have subscribed to, the cost, and how to stop the service (a consumer must be able to switch off the service with the universal stop command). All the UK mobile operators have signed up to these safeguards and require content providers using their networks to comply with them. If they do not comply, then the networks will suspend the providers service for breaching the safeguards thereby blocking the service.
The body that governs premium rate services is the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS). ICSTIS can investigate and fine companies, barring access to services where there is found to be a breach of the regulations. ICSTIS can be contacted at ICSTIS, Freepost WC 5468, London SE1 2BR www.icstis.org.uk. Telephone: 0800 500 212 (free call; office hours).
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what total Government spending was on the UK Film Council in the latest period for which figures are available. [121628]
Mr. Woodward: Since the establishment of the UK Film Council in 2000, it has received grant in aid funding as set out in the following table.
£ million | |
(1) Includes modernisation award for the BFI (2) £24.11 million core + £0.8 million modernisation award for BFI (3) £24.11 million core + £1 million modernisation award for BFI £1 million of core deferred to 2006-07 (4) £24.11 million core + £1.5 million for BFI capital funding + £1 million deferred from 2005-06 (5) Predicted. £24.11 million core + £1 million for BFI capital funding (6) To end 2006-07 Note: The increase in grant in aid from 2001-02 to 2002-03 reflects a transfer of funding from Arts Council England to UK Film Council to cover regional activity and followed a transfer of responsibility. |
Mr. Laws: To ask the Leader of the House whether (a) he and (b) officials from his office have been consulted by hon. Members on the drafting of the Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill. [120251]
Mr. Straw: My office was not involved in the drafting of the Bill. However, I and my officials have discussed the Bill and its progress with the right. hon. Member for Penrith and the Border (David Maclean) on a number of occasions.
Norman Baker: To ask the Leader of the House how many hon. Members claimed over £10,000 in motor mileage allowance in the last year for which figures are available; what the total amount claimed by all hon. Members was in that year; and at what rate the allowance was calculated in each of the last five years. [120543]
Mr. Straw: In 2005-06 two Members claimed over £10,000 in motor mileage. Including Members who left at the last election, £1.95 million was claimed in motor mileage for 2005-06. The allowance was calculated as follows in each of the last five years.
Pence per mile | ||
Up to 20,000 miles per year | Over 20,000 miles per year | |
Since 2004-05 there has also been a motor cycle mileage rate of 24p per mile.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 17 January 2007, Official Report, column 1148W, on the British Transport Police, whether the Department collected this information in the past; and if he will make a statement. [120951]
Mr. Tom Harris: The Department has never itself collected this information.
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