| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
5 Feb 2008 : Column 1043W—continued
Some of the research was carried out in collaboration with other organisations, in which case only the DCMS contribution is shown.
Digital Switchover Help Scheme
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps are being taken to ensure that those groups of people who are eligible for assistance from the digital television switchover help scheme will receive it. [184120]
Andy Burnham [holding answer 4 February 2008]: The Help Scheme will assist the over-75s and those with significant disabilities (including the blind or visually impaired) to convert to digital TV services.
The Digital Switchover (Disclosure of Information) Act 2007 allows the Department of Work and Pensions to share social security information with the BBC and local authorities to disclose information from their registers of blind and partially sighted people. This will enable the help scheme contractor appointed by the BBC to identify people who are eligible for support and ensure that direct communications can be targeted to the right people.
In addition to direct mailings to those identified as eligible, the help scheme contractor and Digital UK will work through advertising campaigns, help lines, and local and community organisations to give further information and advice about the scheme including eligibility.
Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will take steps to ensure that preparations for digital switchover take into account the benefits for older and disabled people of access to electronic communications; and if he will make a statement. [184354]
Andy Burnham: The Government take digital inclusion very seriously and have announced a help scheme to assist the over-75s and those with significant disabilities, including the blind and visually impaired to convert to digital television.
Including access to electronic communications could make the help scheme more complex, more expensive and more difficult to communicate effectively. However, we will continue to review this option along with other new and emerging technologies to help ensure that the equipment provided by the scheme best suits the needs and interests of older and disabled people.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to the answer of 24 July 2007, Official Report, column 950W, on the digital switchover help scheme, on how many occasions the Emerging Technologies Group has met; how often they meet; and when they will next meet. [184470]
Andy Burnham: There has been one introductory meeting of the Emerging Technologies Group so far (27 September 2007). It meets at least twice per year, with the next meeting scheduled for the 27 February 2008.
Digital Switchover Help Scheme: Copeland
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) integrated digital televisions and (b) personal video recorders
have been provided in the Copeland area as part of the digital switchover targeted assistance scheme. [184276]
Andy Burnham: The numbers are as follows:
(a) 68
(b) 63.
English Heritage
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much public funding English Heritage received in each year since 1997, expressed in 2007-08 prices. [181922]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The information is set out in the following tables:
| DCMS grant in aid | ||
| £ million | ||
| Actual amount | Amount in 2007-08 prices | |
| Notes: 1. Figures for 1997-98 to 1999-2000 inclusive are from DCMS' Appropriation Accounts. 2. Figures 2000-01 to 2006-07 are from DCMS Resource Accounts and represent the net total of money paid by DCMS to English Heritage from public funds. 3. 1997-98 and 1998-99 include £10.7 million per annum for the Royal Commission for Historic Monuments of England (RCHME). RCHME merged with English Heritage in 1999. 4. 2006-07 includes £7.8 million additional grant-in-aid receivable from DCMS for relocation derived from the one-off surrender of the lease on the previous London headquarters building. 5. Prices have been deflated using HM Treasury's GDP deflator series. For all years up to 2006-07 this is calculated from ONS outturn data for current and constant price GDP. | ||
| Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund( 1) | ||
| £ million | ||
| Actual a mount | Amount in 2007-08 prices | |
| (1) This is public funding which English Heritage has been distributing, on behalf of DEFRA, since 2002-03. | ||
Horse Racing: Betting
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he expects to announce his determination of the horserace betting levy for the next financial year. [183864]
Mr. Sutcliffe
[holding answer 1 February 2008]: We are taking full account of the arguments that have been put to us by the British Horseracing Authority, the
Bookmakers’ Committee and the independent members of the Horserace Betting Levy Board, and I hope to be able to make an announcement very soon.
Planning Permission: Playing Fields
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 28 January 2008, Official Report, column 19W, on planning permission: playing fields, if he will break down the planning applications considered by Sport England by region. [183924]
Mr. Sutcliffe [holding answer 1 February 2008]: In addition to my written answers to the hon. Member for Bath on Planning Permission: Playing Fields of 15 January 2008, Official Report, columns 1167-68W and 28 January 2008, Official Report, column 20W, the table shows the total number of planning applications on playing fields on which Sport England were consulted for all years since 2001, broken down by region, and for which we have published data. For each year the table includes the number of planning applications that have been approved, rejected or withdrawn and applications yet to be decided. Many of these applications are from clubs/schools wanting to improve the quality of their sports facilities.
| 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | |
Sport England: Finance
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to his Department's press release of 12 October 2007, how much funding Sport England will receive from the comprehensive spending review settlement in (a) cash and (b) real terms until 2011. [172824]
Andy Burnham: The following table shows how much Exchequer funding in cash terms Sport England will receive from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport following the comprehensive spending review settlement:
| (a) Cash terms (£ million) | |
In 2007-08 prices, the above figures in real terms are as follows:
| (b) Real terms (£ million) | |
Provision for 2010-11 is 2.1 per cent. above that for 2007-08 in real terms. The cash increases against the 2007-08 baseline reflect additional resource funding for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's contribution to the 5 Hour Offer. This amounts to £39.95 million over the CSR 2007 period and will be jointly delivered with the Department for Children, Schools and Families (which is contributing an additional £60 million).
Television
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport by what date he expects the BBC high definition television channel to be fully operational. [183856]
Andy Burnham: This is a matter for the BBC. The Trust will consider early this year the options for when the nine-hour service can become available on Freeview. This work will link closely to the results of Ofcom’s recent consultation, “The Future of Digital Terrestrial Television.”
Tourism: Finance
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effect of the Comprehensive Spending Review settlement with VisitBritain on his Department’s progress towards the target of creating a £100 billion tourism industry by 2010. [184026]
Andy Burnham [holding answer 1 February 2008]: VisitBritain is currently leading a Strategic Review of the £350 million that the public sector puts into tourism support across the UK. The Review includes a full consideration of the best use of VisitBritain’s funding allocation in supporting the tourism industry, and increasing its turnover faster than would be the case without marketing and other support at national level.
Tourism: Productivity
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made towards achieving his Department’s target to improve the productivity of the tourism, creative and leisure industries; and what measures he has put in place to ensure the target is met. [183921]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 1 February 2008]: DCMS seek to improve the productivity of tourism, creative industries and leisure industries with key projects designed to impact on its sponsored industries. Projects include, for example, the implementation of the Licensing Act, Gambling Act and the digital switchover.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |