Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 22 November 2007
Culture, Media and Sport
Departmental Manpower
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when his Department’s whistleblowing procedures were reviewed to reflect the provisions in the revised Civil Service Code. [162433]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s whistleblowing procedures were reviewed last year to reflect the provisions in the revised Civil Service Code. The procedures are brought to the attention of all staff annually. This year’s reminder was issued in October.
Departmental Pay
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people in his Department earned a salary over £100,000 in each year since 1997. [167189]
Mr. Sutcliffe: I refer the hon. Member to the “Resource Accounts” published on the Departments website for each of the years from 1999. The links for each year are shown in the table.
Three staff were recorded as having salaries over £75,000 during the 1997-98 financial year. A more detailed breakdown is not available.
Departmental Secondment
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many secondments of staff were made (a) to and (b) from his Department in each year since 1997; which organisations staff were seconded (i) to and (ii) from; how many staff were seconded in each year; for how long each secondment lasted; and what the cost was of each secondment in each year. [167282]
Mr. Sutcliffe: I am arranging to deposit in the House Libraries, tables that breakdown secondments of staff were made (a) to and (b) from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in each year since 1997; which organisations staff were seconded (i) to and (ii) from; and how many staff were seconded in each year.
We are unable to provide information on how long each secondment lasted as we do not hold this information centrally and would only be able to provide it at disproportionate cost.
The Department incurred no cost for the secondments going out of the Department as it is our policy is to seek reimbursement in full from the receiving organisation.
We are unable to provide information as to the cost of the secondments coming into the Department as this is not held centrally but by each Division within the Department and the information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Digital Switchover Help Scheme
Mrs. James: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made on raising the awareness of (a) pensioners, (b) people on low incomes and (c) vulnerable individuals of digital switchover. [165149]
James Purnell: The figures from the Ofcom/Digital UK Switchover Tracker Survey showed that awareness of switchover had increased between Q2 2006 and Q2 2007 (a) among people aged 75 and above from 63 per cent. to 81 per cent., (b) among people on low incomes from 59 per cent. to 83 per cent. and (c) among people with disabilities from 68 per cent. to 90 per cent.
Between now and switchover, Digital UK will be communicating with every TV viewing household in the country to ensure they can prepare for the change. Digital UK is also mounting media campaigns, which get more intensive the nearer a region is to its switch—this is on billboards, newspapers, radio, TV etc. Digital UK’s call centre offers advice on all aspects of switchover. This is complemented by its website, where a postcode checker offers precise information on present and post-switchover coverage and the options available for getting digital TV.
In addition, the Digital Switchover Help Scheme will be in touch with everyone who is either aged 75 and older or has a disability to provide them with assistance to go digital.
This work by both Digital UK and the Digital Switchover Help Scheme can be seen in the successful switch in Whitehaven.
Museums and Galleries: Finance
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on national and regional museums and galleries in each of the last five years. [165803]
James Purnell [holding answer 19 November 2007]: Funding in each of the last five years from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for National and Regional Museums and Galleries is set out in the following table.
Sports: Finance
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department allocated to (a) community and (b) school sport in each year since 1990. [164311]
Mr. Sutcliffe: DCMS does not directly fund community or school sport, but makes an annual grant in aid allocation to Sport England which then funds school and community projects.
It is not possible to provide the requested information back to 1990 because:
The National School Sports Strategy was launched in 2003; and
Sport England changed its budget management software at the start of 2001-02 and it does not have information before that date readily available.
A breakdown of awards made in the requested categories is as follows:
| Exchequer (£ million) | |
| Lottery (£ million) | |
| Exchequer (£ million) | |
It should be noted that following the Prime Minister's announcement in July of an extra £100 million for school sport, from 2008 we can begin to offer all children in England aged five to 16 five hours of sport per week, and three hours for young people aged 16 to 19.
Communities and Local Government
Anti-Semitism
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many officials from her Office, broken down by grade, attended the cross-government working group on anti-Semitism on 15 November; and if she will make a statement. [167389]
Mr. Dhanda: The cross-government working group on anti-Semitism did not meet on the 15 November 2007. However, my officials and I met with representatives of the three Jewish organisations, the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the Jewish Leadership Council and the Community Security Trust, that form part of the working group to discuss the work of the group and other issues of concern to the Jewish Community.
Coastal Areas: Foreign Workers
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the effects of migrant worker populations on the development of coastal towns; and if she will make a statement. [165332]
John Healey: A recent submission by the Home Office and DWP to the House of Lords Select Committee on Economic Affairs sets out the Government’s most recent analysis of the economic and fiscal impact of immigration on the UK economy.
In the Government’s Second Response to the Select Committee on Communities and Local Government’s Report on Coastal Towns, published on 21 November 2007, my Department refers to a review it has recently commissioned of the issues, evidence-based and research needs concerning coastal towns.
Council Housing: Children
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make it her policy to review the guidance issued to local authorities in regard to the allocation of social housing to families where child custody is shared. [166272]
Mr. Iain Wright: The code of guidance for local authorities on the allocation of accommodation does not provide advice on the allocation of social housing to families where child custody is shared. However, the homelessness code of guidance for local authorities does provide advice in relation to this issue which will be relevant in the allocations context. There are no plans to review this guidance. However, we will ensure that, when the allocations code of guidance is revised in due course, advice is provided specifically on this issue.
Council Housing: Finance
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much subsidy was paid to the Housing Revenue Account of each local authority in respect of its council housing provision in each year since 1990. [165557]
Mr. Iain Wright:
A table showing the value of Housing Revenue Account (HRA) subsidy paid to each authority (that is, in deficit rather than HRA subsidy surplus) from 1995-96 to 2005-06 (the last year for which audited data is available) has been placed in the Library. The table shows the value of the 'bricks and mortar' element of HRA subsidy. Prior to 2004,
HRA subsidy also contained a rent rebate element. This is omitted from the table to ensure consistency with post 2004-05 data.
Pre 1995-96 data is only available at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Alcoholic Drinks
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will take steps to ensure that English wine is served exclusively or at the request of guests at meals, parties and receptions hosted by her Department; and if she will make a statement. [164300]
Mr. Dhanda: All procurement is undertaken in line with the European Commission’s procurement rules and to obtain value for money. Where possible, British products are used.
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