Previous Section Index Home Page

12 Sep 2007 : Column 2139W—continued


Since 2003 central Government has invested over £7 billion into the Gateway for major infrastructure, roads, schools, and other facilities, as well as project funding provided by the Department. The Gateway also benefits from the £1.8 billion public sector contribution to the channel tunnel rail link enabling international services via Ebbsfleet from 14 November this year, and domestic services from 2009.

Culture, Media and Sport

Casinos: Applications

Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many new applications for casinos made under the Gambling Act 1968 were made in 2006; and how many have been made in 2007. [155319]

Mr. Sutcliffe: Between 1 January 2006 and 28 April 2006, the Gambling Commission received 55 applications for certificates of consent for new casinos under the Gaming Act 1968.


12 Sep 2007 : Column 2140W

From 28 April 2006, the Gambling Commission could no longer accept applications under the Gaming Act 1968 for certificates of consent in respect of new casinos.

Where a certificate of consent is issued, operators can then apply to the local licensing authority for a casino licence. For applications made under the Gaming Act 1968 the local licensing authority in England and Wales is the Local Licensing Justices and in Scotland it is the Local Licensing Board. There is no guarantee that the grant of a certificate of consent will result in a casino licence being granted. If a local licensing authority turns down an application for a licence an operator can appeal.

Cricket: Floods

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much Sport England has given to cricket clubs affected by flood damage during the summer 2007; and if he will make a statement. [155308]

Mr. Sutcliffe: Sport England funding supports projects which provide new capacity/provision rather than like for like repair or maintenance projects. However, funding from the National Sports Foundation, managed on behalf of the Government by Sport England, may support repairs of this nature, but will take into account all proceeds from insurance cover. To date no applications of this nature have been received.

Departments: Legislation

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which Bills introduced by his Department in the last five years did not contain sunset clauses; and if he will make a statement. [152494]

Margaret Hodge: As I explained in my answer to the hon. Member for Twickenham's question 151837, the Gambling Act 2005 and the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Act 2006 contain sunset clauses: the following Acts introduced by my Department do not contain sunset clauses—the Office of Communications Act 2002, the National Heritage Act 2002, the Licensing Act 2003, the Communications Act 2003, the National Lottery (Funding of Endowments) Act 2003, the Dealing in Cultural Objects (Offences) Act 2003, the Legal Deposit Libraries Act 2003, the Horserace Betting and Olympic Lottery Act 2004, the National Lottery Act 2006 and the Digital Switchover (Disclosure of Information) Act 2007.

The appropriateness of a sunset clause for the whole or any part of proposed legislation is considered on a case by case basis. It is also addressed when a regulatory impact assessment relating to legislation is being prepared.

Gambling

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding was provided for problem gambling services in the UK by (a) the Government and (b) the gambling industry in each of the last five years; what recent assessment he
12 Sep 2007 : Column 2141W
has made of the adequacy of those services; what plans he has to use his powers under the Gambling Act 2005 to ensure that the Responsibility in Gambling Trust receives additional funding to treat adequately any increase in problem gambling in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [154900]

Mr. Sutcliffe [holding answer 10 September 2007]: Problem gambling services in Great Britain are mainly funded by the gambling industry, principally through the Responsibility in Gambling Trust (RiGT). The Government do not fund dedicated problem gambling services, but anybody with a gambling problem who seeks help from the NHS will be offered support and, if necessary, treatment. In the past five years, the industry has contributed the following amounts to RiGT:

Amount (£)

2006-07

3,032,689

2005-06

2,274,567

2004-05

2,281,527

2003-04

1,269,852

2002-03

765,659


British-licensed gambling operators are now required by the Gambling Commission to contribute to problem gambling education, prevention and treatment. I have the power under the Gambling Act 2005 to impose a statutory social responsibility levy on the gambling industry and I will not hesitate to use this if the evidence demands it.

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the proposal to include a helpline number on all gambling adverts shown in the UK; whether he plans such a service to be promoted in the future; and if he will make a statement. [154901]

Mr. Sutcliffe [holding answer 10 September 2007]: I welcome any steps the gambling industry takes to advertise in a socially responsible way. I am pleased that the British gambling industry has adopted a voluntary code for socially responsible advertising which requires the inclusion of a ‘signpost’ to the Responsibility in Gambling Trust’s (RiGT) public awareness website, www.gambleaware.co.uk. It is up to advertisers if they wish also to include an appropriate helpline number for problem gamblers. I understand that RiGT is currently assessing the effectiveness of phone helplines in raising public awareness of gambling issues and I look forward to seeing the results of their work.

Gambling Act 2005

Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans there are to review the implementation of the Gambling Act 2005 after it becomes law. [155315]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The Gambling Act 2005 came into force on 1 September 2007. The Gambling Commission’s study into the prevalence of gambling,
12 Sep 2007 : Column 2142W
due to be published shortly, is intended to provide a baseline against which the Act as a whole can be reviewed. The next prevalence study is due in 2010.

In the meantime, the Act contains wide-ranging powers to keep crime out of gambling, to keep it fair and to protect children and the vulnerable.

Gambling: Children

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he made of the aspects of the Responsibility in Gambling Trust and the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ submissions to the Gambling Commission consultation on gambling advertisements which highlight their concern at the possible impact on children of allowing the promotion of gambling-related products through sporting events and merchandise; whether his Department has commissioned any research into the likely impact on children of this policy; and if he will make a statement. [155064]

Mr. Sutcliffe [holding answer 10 September 2007]: The Responsibility in Gambling Trust and Royal College of Psychiatrists’ submissions to the Gambling Commission consultation on gambling advertisements were published on the Gambling Commission website in June 2007 along with the Commission’s own response. The Government agree with the Commission’s assessment that

The Government also agree with their view that licensees should

and that

I am pleased that the gambling industry has responded to this by adopting a voluntary code on socially responsible advertising which requires that gambling logos are not used on children’s replica sports shirts in sponsorship deals made after 1 September 2007. We have commissioned no specific research on this issue but I have strong powers to limit advertising under the Gambling Act, and if there is evidence that gambling is being advertised in a socially irresponsible way, I will not hesitate to use them.

Gambling: Internet

Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many internet gambling companies are registered in the UK. [155314]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The Department does not collect information on the total number of companies with a connection to internet gambling that may be registered in the UK for various purposes.


12 Sep 2007 : Column 2143W

However, to date the Gambling Commission has received 146 applications for operating licences that include provision for internet gambling. Of these applications, 77 have been granted, 68 are pending and one has been refused.

Horserace Totalisator Board

Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he expects to announce the privatisation of the Tote. [154971]

Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the Government expects to sell the Tote within the next three months. [155151]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The Government are currently at an advanced stage of the discussions on a possible sale of the Tote to a consortium of racing interests and the staff and management of the Tote. The Government will announce the outcome in due course.

Mass Media: Violence

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) assessed into links between the portrayal of violence in the media and instances of violence in society. [155294]

Margaret Hodge: The Government recognise concerns about these issues and keep under continuous review the available evidence on the links between portrayals of violence in the media and violence in society. Most recently we have announced a review which will look at ways that parents can protect their children from exposure to inappropriate or potentially harmful content on the internet and in computer games.

Previously we have commissioned research from the University of Stirling on whether there is a link between video games featuring violence and violent behaviour in real life (available on our website). And our sponsored bodies have also commissioned research including, most recently, Harm and Offence in Media Content which was funded by broadcasters and the relevant regulators.

National Lottery: Play

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of the money available under the Big Lottery Fund Children’s Play initiative has been (a) committed and (b) spent. [155292]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The following figures reflect the proportion of money which has been committed and spent under Big Lottery Fund’s Children’s Play initiative as of end August 2007.


12 Sep 2007 : Column 2144W
£
Programme name Current award value (committed) Total paid to date (spent)

Play Infrastructure

14,663,933

4,359,562

Playful Ideas

4,884,167

494,586

Children’s Play

46,209,437

1,644,672

Total

65,757,537

6,498,820


The total money available for the Children’s Play initiative is £155 million. 42 per cent. of it has been committed and 4.2 per cent. has been spent.

Panathlon Challenge: Sponsorship

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress he has made in finding a sponsor for the Panathlon Challenge. [155310]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has been unable to assist the Panathlon Challenge in finding an alternative source of sponsorship. Local funding is available through school sport partnerships and county sport partnerships where the Panathlon Challenge meets their requirements for competitive sport.

Play: Finance

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made towards his Department's target of providing £200 million towards Children's Play; and if he will make a statement. [155293]

Mr. Sutcliffe: My Department has not set a target of providing £200 million towards children's play. However, as part of our response to ‘Getting Serious About Play’, the review of children's play undertaken by Frank Dobson in 2004, Tessa Jowell, the then Secretary of State, stated that she expected £200 million to be provided for children's play through lottery funding by 2012.

That expectation is being met in England through the Big Lottery Fund £155 million play initiative.

Sport and Recreation Division: Manpower

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many members of staff his Department allocates to the Sport and Recreation Division; how much time they spend on (a) direct ministerial support, (b) non-departmental public body support and (c) policy development; how many have experience in project management; how many have experience in contract writing; and what the total administration costs of the Sport and Recreation Division were in the last financial year. [155079]

Mr. Sutcliffe [holding answer 10 September 2007]: There are currently 37 posts allocated to Sports Division. Of the current staff in post, 29 have experience of project management while four have experience of contract writing. This small number of
12 Sep 2007 : Column 2145W
staff is due to the fact that all formal contract writing is undertaken by the Procurement and Property Services Team in the Department’s Human and Business Resources Division. On time spent on Policy Development, Ministerial Support and NDPB Support it is estimated that 35 per cent. of total staff time is spent on Policy development, 35 per cent. of time is spent on direct ministerial support while 30 per cent. is spent on NDPB support. The total administration cost for Sport Division in 2006-07 was £1.6 million.

Sport Direct

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress is being made towards the establishment of Sport Direct; and how Sport Direct will differ from the Active Places website. [154899]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The Government remain committed to delivering a ‘one stop shop’ of information to help people find opportunities to play sport in their local area.

We are currently assessing the most effective way of integrating the different sources of sports participation information.


Next Section Index Home Page