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17 Sep 2007 : Column 2221W—continued
Warm Front Scheme: Finance
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the merits of the recommendation in the Fuel Poverty Advisory Group for England's fifth annual report that funding for the Warm Front scheme be maintained at the 2007-08 level of £351 million per annum until 2011; and if he will make a statement. [155222]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 12 September 2007]: The Government's response to the recommendations made by the Fuel Poverty Advisory Group in its annual report, which was published in April 2007, will be available in the fifth annual progress report.
Culture, Media and Sport
Arts: Minorities
Dan Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of people from (a) black and minority ethnic, (b) disabled and (c) socially excluded groups were considered to be (i) attending and (ii) participating in arts opportunities when (A) baseline figures were set and (B) the latest departmental estimate was made; what assessment he has made of progress made towards his Department's public service agreement target to increase significantly the take-up of arts opportunities by new users from priority groups; and if he will make a statement. [155086]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 10 September 2007]: The baseline estimates set in December 2006 were as follows:
(i) Attendance at two different types of arts events by priority groups during the past 12 months:
(a) 23.5 per cent. of people from black and minority ethnic groups,
(b) 24.1 per cent. of people with a limiting disability,
(c) 17.4 per cent. of people from socially excluded groups.
(ii) Participation in two different types of arts activities by priority groups during the past 12 months:
(a) 20.8 per cent. of people from black and minority ethnic groups,
(b) 18.9 per cent. of people with a limiting disability,
(c) 15.3 per cent. of people from socially excluded groups.
A progress report, published in June 2007, showed no statistically significant change to these figures. However, this is only the first progress report on the target and this Department is intensifying its work with Arts Council England to broaden access and increase engagement with the arts among under-represented groups. Progress on the target will be monitored on a regular basis until the final assessment is available in late 2008.
Artworks: Prime Minister
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the (a) title and (b) artist is of each piece of artwork that has been (i) added and (ii) removed from Number 10 Downing street and the Prime Minister’s offices since 27 June 2007. [153347]
Margaret Hodge: Other than some works of art that were temporarily removed from 10 Downing street during building works and subsequently returned, the only work removed from 10 Downing street since 27 June 2007 has been a painting (Paris-Plage, Picardy by William Frederick Mayor) removed by the Government Art Collection for display in another Government building. No works of art have been installed at 10 Downing street since this date.
Hotels: Insolvency
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate his Department has made of the number of (a) hotels and
(b) bed and breakfasts that have declared themselves insolvent since 1997, broken down by region; and if he will make a statement. [148543]
Margaret Hodge: The Insolvency Service maintains records of bankruptcies and liquidations for residential accommodation businesses. These figures include care homes, as well as hotels, bed and breakfasts and other holiday accommodation providers.
| Bankruptcies | Compulsory liquidations | Voluntary liquidations | Annual total | |
These are national figures, and regional analyses are not maintained. HM Revenue and Customs’ trade intelligence shows that 750 new hotel and bed and breakfast businesses have started trading in the same period since 1997.
Monuments: Legislation
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will bring forward legislation to amend the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 to require public consultation when there is an application for Scheduled Monument Consent. [154837]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 10 September 2007]: Under the 1979 Act, the Secretary of State is required, before determining whether or not to grant Scheduled Monument Consent, to afford to the applicant, and any other person to whom it appears to the Secretary of State to be expedient to afford it, an opportunity of making representations. The Secretary of State is obliged to consider any representations made to him by any person on that application and also to consult English Heritage.
As set out in the White Paper, Heritage Protection for the 21st Century (March 2007), the Government plan to merge Scheduled Monument Consent and Listed Building Consent, to create a new historic asset consent, administered, in the first instance, by the Local Planning Authority. In respect of assets which were previously scheduled monuments the Local Planning Authority would be required to consult English Heritage and the national amenity societies on any application, and to take into consideration any representations received from these and any other parties, before determining a consent application.
Primary legislation will be required to implement the proposals set out in the White Paper, and we plan to publish a draft Heritage Protection Bill in the next session.
Olympic Games: Tourism
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding has been allocated to a tourism strategy for the 2012 Olympics. [155439]
Margaret Hodge: The Government recognise the importance of tourism to the success of the 2012 games, and to their economic legacy. VisitBritain's activities in marketing and working in partnership with the industry will form a major part of the forthcoming tourism strategy for the games, and appropriate levels of funding for this work will be allocated in the context of the current Comprehensive Spending Review.
Tourism: Foot and Mouth Disease
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment has been made by the Government of the impact on tourism caused by the recent outbreaks of foot and mouth disease; and if he will make a statement. [155052]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 10 September 2007]: The Government worked closely with the Tourism Industry Emergency Response Group (Chaired by Visit Britain) in monitoring the impact on tourism and in ensuring that both visitors and those providing visitor attractions had accurate information about access to the countryside, thus minimising any adverse impact.
Monitoring by Tourism South East suggests that 88 per cent. of tourism businesses in and around the Surveillance Zones enjoyed business as usual, with only a minority of accommodation providers reporting cancellations or falls in advance bookings. Animal based attractions and events such as agricultural shows and farmers’ markets were mainly affected by putting precautions in place, and animal based events elsewhere in the country were affected by the ban on certain animal movements.
It is not possible to quantify the impact further as the outbreak coincided with wet weather and severe flooding, which were considered to have a greater impact on tourism. In recognition of the cumulative impact of these events on rural areas, on 14 August the Government announced a £1 million campaign to support the domestic tourism industry, particularly in the countryside and those regions affected by flooding.
Duchy of Lancaster
Charities: Political Activities
Greg Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether his Department’s Ministers have met Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws to discuss the rules relating to political campaigning by charities. [154912]
Phil Hope [ h olding answer 10 September 2007]: Cabinet Office Ministers have not met Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws to discuss the rules relating to political campaigning by charities.
Ministers
Mr. Heath: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many Government (a) Departments and (b) Ministers there were in each of the last 10 years. [155495]
Edward Miliband: The Cabinet Office publishes a “List of Ministerial Responsibilities” after significant changes to the Government and Ministers’ responsibilities. Smaller changes are published as necessary, by way of amendments to the list. Copies of previous editions of the “List of Ministerial Responsibilities” are available for reference in the Libraries of the House.
Olympic Games: Greater London
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what assessment she has made of the likelihood that the proposed venue for Olympic shooting events at the Royal Artillery Barracks will meet the necessary safety requirement for clay-pigeon shooting; and if she will make a statement. [154846]
Tessa Jowell [holding answer 10 September 2007]: The London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games is continuing its work to assess further the precise design requirements for the temporary shooting venue at the Royal Artillery Barracks. This includes a full examination of the necessary safety requirements and all the facilities will meet both local and international safety standards. This work is still in progress.
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what steps she has taken to ensure that small businesses benefit from the 2012 Olympics; and what estimate has been made of the number of small businesses who will benefit from these games. [155200]
Tessa Jowell [holding answer 12 September 2007]: Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) will buy and manage up to 2,000 direct contracts with businesses who will in turn manage up to 50,000 agreements across their own supply chains. The ODA estimates that approximately half of the contracts that have been awarded to date have gone to SMEs and intends to issue details of the exact number and an analysis of contracts issued in the near future. Contracts will be awarded to those judged to be the best suppliers and service providers. The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform is mobilising its full range of business support tools, such as its Business Link services, available in all English regions. Similar support services are available in the devolved Administrations. This helps those companies who wish to get fit to supply, not just games-related contracts but also the £125 billion per annum public procurement opportunities.
All businesses can register their interest in these contracts on the business section of the ODA’s website www.london2012.com/business which details all contract opportunities and includes advance notice of future opportunities. The ODA published in June 2007 its Supplier Guide for businesses interested in pursuing Olympic-related contracts, also available online.
Lembit Öpik:
To ask the Minister for the Olympics what assistance is being provided to employers in
London in relation to training local people, in respect of the skills and services that will be required in preparing for and staging the 2012 Olympics. [155201]
Tessa Jowell [holding answer 12 September 2007]: The London Employers Accord pilots will link the skills needs of employers with training providers to provide job ready employees. It offers a flexible and employer-led recruitment channel in return for employers’ commitment to those furthest away from the labour market. The pilots involve approximately 20 companies across nine sectors, including construction and hospitality. As the Prime Minister stated at the TUC conference on Monday 10 September we anticipate that this will help around 5,000 Londoners into work by 2012.
In addition, the Train to Gain service run by the Learning and Skills Council is designed to help SMEs get the training they need to succeed. It gives every employer access to a free skills brokerage service offering independent and impartial advice and matching training needs with training providers.
A significant amount of activity is also under way, through the Local Employment and Skills Taskforce Action Plan, to help train local people for 2012 across many sectors including construction and hospitality.
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many public affairs consultancies have been shortlisted for the position of London 2012 Public Affairs Advisor; and whether any of those agencies have declared (a) a party political donation to the Labour Party in the last three years and (b) attendance at the Labour Party fundraiser at Wembley in July as part of the tendering process. [155309]
Tessa Jowell [holding answer 12 September 2007]: The London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) is currently undertaking a procurement process for public affairs services and support. LOCOG is a privately financed company.
In line with the commitment they have made to extending the opportunities created by the games as widely as possible, LOCOG openly invited all relevant companies to tender through its website. LOCOG is committed to conducting a fair procurement process.
From a list of 28 companies that expressed an interest and submitted a pre-qualification questionnaire, nine have been invited to tender. It would be inappropriate for LOCOG to disclose the names of parties on that list while the procurement process is ongoing. In relation to parts (a) and (b); these specific questions have not been asked as part of the tender, and therefore will form no part of the evaluation. However all applicants must declare any conflicts of interest, and outline the code of ethics to which they subscribe.
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