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17 July 2007 : Column 224W—continued

Digital Switchover Help Scheme

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what account has been taken of the continuing development of the (a) technology and (b) options available in relation to digital switchover in decisions over the form of assistance on offer. [149753]

James Purnell: In order to take into account the continuing development of the technology, an emerging technologies group will be established. This group will consider such developments and, where appropriate, will make recommendations to the BBC and DCMS to amend the help scheme’s core receiver requirements accordingly.

The scheme will be platform-neutral and will therefore allow those eligible to choose from the range of options where they are available. Those opting for cable, satellite or digital TV via a phone line, will have to pay any difference in cost.

Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on Government support for pensioners and vulnerable groups preparing for digital switchover. [150004]

James Purnell: The digital switchover help scheme will be available to households where at least one person is 75 years or over, severely disabled or is registered as blind or partially sighted during the eligibility period, which starts eight months before switchover in their region. The scheme will provide equipment to convert one TV set to the most cost-effective digital platform in the relevant area. Where necessary, there will also be an in-home service to help with the installation and use of equipment, or the upgrading of an aerial. Those eligible for the scheme will also be able to opt for an integrated digital television or personal video recorder. It will also be possible to opt for a different digital platform (broadband, cable, satellite or terrestrial) from the one proposed by the scheme. The scheme will make a financial contribution towards these alternative options, but the eligible household would need to meet the cost of any shortfall or continuing subscription.


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Where the eligible household opts for the digital terrestrial platform, the scheme will provide a set top converter box which meets the scheme’s core receiver requirement. This incorporates a number of features, such as audio description, which are intended to be beneficial to the targeted groups.

There will be a £40 charge for the help scheme, but where the qualifying person is also in receipt of certain benefits, the assistance will be provided free of charge. Eligibility for the scheme will be based on Department for Work and Pensions data, which enables the scheme to target communications thus avoiding complex application forms and the need for complex and costly verification procedures.

Listed Buildings

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on which occasions Ministers have not followed the advice of English Heritage in relation to the listing of buildings in each of the last five years. [150431]

Margaret Hodge: No central record is maintained, either by the Department or English Heritage, to show the number of occasions on which advice provided by English Heritage on listing applications is overruled. The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Olympic Games: Greater London

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if he will list his Department's responsibilities with regard to the 2012 Olympics; [147850]

(2) which Minister is responsible for elite athlete training for the London 2012 Olympics; which Minister will have responsibility for the sports legacy of 2012; and which Minister will have responsibility for the National Lottery statutory instrument due to be laid before the House after the summer adjournment. [148082]

James Purnell: The Minister for the Olympics is responsible for the Government's overall Olympic Programme and legacy plans, to which a number of Departments will contribute. As such, she will co-chair (with the Mayor of London) the Olympic Board and exercise statutory and other functions with respect to the London Organising Committee, the Olympic Delivery Authority and the Olympic lottery distributor.

The Government Olympic Executive, which remains part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, will report to the Minister for the Olympics through the Permanent Secretary of the Department.

As part of his wider responsibilities, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport is responsible for:

To ensure close co-ordination, the Minister for Sport will continue, as previously, to attend the Olympic Board.


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The Secretary of State and the Minister for the Olympics have joint responsibility for the Cultural Olympiad. This recognises the importance of the cultural programme to London 2012, and of seeing the Olympiad as a key opportunity for the cultural sectors, with a lasting legacy.

The Secretary of State will continue to exercise statutory and other functions in respect of the various established sporting, cultural and other bodies including UK Sport and Sport England.

Playing Fields: Planning

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) when his Department plans to consult on the proposals in the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order 1995 on playing fields of 0.2 hectares and above; [148823]

(2) when his Department plans to bring forward the changes recommended in the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order 1995 announced in his Department’s press release “Planning to Safeguard Open Spaces and Playing Fields” of July 2002. [148824]

Mr. Iain Wright: I have been asked to reply.

We are strongly committed to reducing the threshold for statutory consultation on the sale of playing fields from 0.4 ha to 0.2 ha and this will be reflected in the consultation paper on the review of statutory consultees due later this year.

Public Buildings: Plymouth

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on what date, and at what stage of the process, the (a) Secretary of State and (b) other Ministers were informed of the advice from English Heritage on the listing of the civil centre in Plymouth. [150427]

Margaret Hodge: English Heritage provides advice to the Secretary of State on listing applications once they have consulted owners and local planning authorities and completed a full assessment of the building. English Heritage provided their advice on the listing of the civic centre in Plymouth to the then Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Member for Dulwich and West Norwood (Tessa Jowell) on 12 June 2007.

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations were received by the Department objecting to the listing of the civic centre in Plymouth; and what advice he received from officials within his Department on the listing of the civic centre. [150428]

Margaret Hodge: Between receipt by English Heritage of the application to list the building in April 2006 and the decision to list being taken in June 2007, the Department received two representations objecting to the possible listing. These representations were made by my hon. Friends the Members for Plymouth, Sutton (Linda Gilroy) and for Plymouth, Devonport (Alison Seabeck). The then Minister for Culture, my hon.
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Friend the Member for Tottenham (David Lammy) was advised that objections to the possible listing had been received, but that the application to list was with English Heritage pending the completion of an adviser’s report.

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what account was taken of representations objecting to the listing of the civic centre in Plymouth received by his Department. [150429]

Margaret Hodge: All relevant evidence is taken into account in determining listing applications. For evidence to be relevant it must relate to the statutory criteria of special architectural or historic interest set out in planning policy guidance note 15. These are the only factors that the Secretary of State may take into account in making listing decisions. State of repair, cost of maintenance and unsuitability for modern needs are matters which are not relevant to the assessment of a building’s qualifications for listing—but they are all things which can be taken into account by the planning authority in considering any application to demolish or alter a listed building.

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what role Ministers in his Department played in the approval of the listing of the civic centre in Plymouth; and on what date the listing of the civic centre in Plymouth was approved by Ministers. [150430]

Margaret Hodge: English Heritage administers the listing system on behalf of the Secretary of State, but it is the Secretary of State who decides whether a building should be added to the statutory list. The decision to list the civic centre in Plymouth was made on 21 June 2007.

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what extra revenue his Department will make available to Plymouth council in respect of the financial implications of the listing of Plymouth civic centre by English Heritage. [150487]

Margaret Hodge: Government funding for the historic environment in England is channelled through English Heritage. Grants are available for structural repairs to listed buildings that English Heritage considers to be of outstanding historical or architectural interest. Grants are usually restricted to buildings listed Grade I or Grade II*—rather than Grade II listed—but all applications are dealt with on their individual merits. There are a number of charitable trusts that make grants towards the preservation and upkeep of historic buildings. In addition, the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) has powers to provide financial assistance towards the repair and maintenance of buildings of importance to the national heritage, through the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). Decisions on applications are made by the NHMF trustees, who seek advice from English Heritage and other professional bodies.

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with the chief executive of English Heritage on its decision to list Plymouth civic centre; and if he will make a statement. [150488]


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Margaret Hodge: There have been no discussions between my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and the chief executive of English Heritage on the decision to list Plymouth civic centre.

Radio Frequencies

Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the Government’s policy is on the continued use of the FM and AM bands for radio broadcasts. [150124]

James Purnell: Spectrum planning is primarily a matter for Ofcom as the regulator. However, the Government note the proposals made in Ofcom’s ‘Future of Radio Review—Phase 3’ about alternative uses for the FM and AM bands, on which they have recently consulted.

Radio: Digital Broadcasting

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the impact on (a) low income households and (b) those in areas of poor digital radio reception of the switch-off of FM and AM analogue radio for digital radio. [150069]

James Purnell: None. The Government have no current plans to switch-off either the FM or AM analogue radio signals, but will keep this under review as required by section 67 of the Broadcasting Act 1996.

Tourism: Income

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total value of the tourism industry was to the UK economy in each year since 1997. [148538]

Margaret Hodge: Estimates of the value of the tourism industry to the UK economy are shown in the table. 2005 is the latest year for which estimates have been made. Due to data quality issues relating to overnight domestic tourism, no figures are available for 2004.

These figures cover spending by domestic residents on tourism day visits and on overnight trips, spending by inbound visitors to the UK, fares paid to UK carriers by overseas residents and imputed rent from UK residents’ ownership of second homes.

From 1997 to 1999 the figures measuring the contribution to the economy are expressed as a percentage of gross domestic product. From 2000, estimates are measured in terms of gross value added and are based on the results of the ‘UK Tourism Satellite Account—First Steps Project’, which gives a more accurate statement.


17 July 2007 : Column 229W
Tourism e xpenditure
£ billion
UK tourism expenditure (at current prices) UK tourism expenditure (2005 prices) Contribution to the economy

1997(1)

65.7

80.1

(2)4.9

1998(1)

70.0

82.5

(2)4.9

1999(1)

73.3

85.1

(2)4.9

2000

74.9

84.4

(3)3.8

2001

72.9

80.8

(3)3.6

2002

73.7

80.4

(3)3.5

2003

74.2

78.6

(3)(, 4)3.3

2005

85.0

85.0

(3)(, 5)n/a

(1) Figures from 1997 to 1999 do not include imputed rent from second home ownership.
(2) Percentage of GDP.
(3) Percentage of GVA.
(4) Revised from previously published figure of 3.4 per cent. due to ONS revision of total UK GVA figure.
(5) An estimate for the percentage of GVA for 2005 is not yet available.

Tourism: Marketing

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the return on spending resulting from VisitBritain's marketing activity was in each year since 2003. [148537]

Margaret Hodge: Since 2003, VisitBritain’s marketing activity has resulted in an annual return on grant-in-aid investment as follows:


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Country marketed 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06

Britain

Ratio

30:1

47:1

54:1

Visitor spend (£ million)

1,080

1,669

1,906

England

Ratio

6:1

11:1

20:1

Visitor spend (£ million)

65.9

145.5

243.2

England Intl

Ratio

32:1

Visitor spend (£ million)

32.3

Notes: 1. Visitor spend is money spent by visitors as a result of VisitBritain's campaigns. 2. England was not marketed internationally prior to 2005-06.

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