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18 Feb 2008 : Column 314W—continued
| Arts attendance | ||
| Priority group | 2005-06 (Percentage) | 2006-07 (Percentage) |
Note that these figures are survey estimates. For further information about the methodology and full definitions of attendance and participation, see the Taking Part annual report at:
Arts Council England South East
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport why the appropriate papers and minutes were not available in advance of the Arts Council South East meeting in December 2007. [186812]
Margaret Hodge: The appropriate papers and minutes for the 7 December 2007 meeting of the Arts Council South East Council were distributed to council members on 28 November 2007.
The Arts Council's publication scheme gives details on what information it is committed to make publicly available. The minutes of meetings of regional arts councils are published on Arts Council England's website after they have been approved by the regional council, usually at its subsequent meeting. The Arts Council publication scheme says that information will not be published where it is not in the public interest to do so. This may include papers for regional council meetings, which may contain funding recommendations or other commercially sensitive information.
The Arts Council's publication scheme is available on their website at:
Copies of this document have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Arts Council England South East: Komedia
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what papers will be made public relating to Komedia's appeal to the Arts Council South East regarding reductions in funding. [186813]
Margaret Hodge: Arts Council England operates at arm's length from the Government and decisions about which arts organisations to fund are entirely for them. The Arts Council has a publication scheme which is available on their website at:
This gives details of their general policy on the information they make publicly available. Copies of this document have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Under this scheme, the Arts Council does not publish papers where it is not in the public interest to do so, which may include commercially sensitive information relating to funding decisions about individual organisations. Arts Council England, South East will not in this case be making any papers public relating to the proposals regarding reductions in funding.
Arts Council of England: Grants
Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which organisations in the North West have been notified by Arts Council England of withdrawal of funding; what amounts are involved in each case; and what transitional arrangements are to be put in place in each case. [185588]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 7 February 2008]: The Arts Council operates at arm’s length from the Government and decisions about which arts organisations to fund are entirely for them.
Organisations which have been notified of the Arts Council decision to withdraw funding are as follows:
| Organisation | Amount |
I understand that no formal arrangements for transitional funding have yet been put in place and that discussions are ongoing with the organisations concerned.
Bingo
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) bingo halls and (b) high street bookmakers there are; and how many there were in February 2007. [185951]
Mr. Sutcliffe: No figures are available for the number of high street bookmakers in operation in February 2007. Prior to the introduction of the Gambling Act 2005 (the 2005 Act), high street bookmakers were authorised by permits issued by magistrates courts and no information was collated centrally. The most recent estimate, made in 2003, was that there were 8,800 high street bookmakers.
Under the 2005 Act, the Gambling Commission is responsible for issuing general betting standard operating licences for high street bookmakers, and licensing authorities are responsible for bookmakers’ premises licences. The Gambling Commission has so far issued 691 such operating licences.
In March 2007, the number of bingo halls holding licences was 647, of which 634 were actually operating. Under the 2005 Act, the Gambling Commission is responsible for issuing bingo operating licences for
bingo halls, and licensing authorities are responsible for bingo premises licences. The Gambling Commission has so far issued 218 such operating licences.
The Gambling Commission will be responsible for collecting information on the number of bookmakers' and bingo premises licences issued by licensing authorities, but complete information is not yet available.
British Amusement Catering Trade Association
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations his Department has received from the British Amusement Catering Trade Association; and if he will make a statement. [186200]
Mr. Sutcliffe: A regulatory impact assessment (RIA) was published in April 2005 to accompany the Gambling Act. The RIA included an assessment of the impact of the Act on the gaming machine sector. Copies of the RIA are available in the House Library.
In addition, impact assessments were prepared for each piece of secondary legislation required to implement the Act. These are published with the related explanatory memorandum on the Office for Public Sector Information website (www.opsi.gov.uk <http://www.opsi.gov.uk>;), and separately on the Department's website (www. culture.gov.uk <http://www.culture.gov.uk>;)
The Department is engaged in active and continuing dialogue with the British Amusement Catering Trades Association (BACTA). Ministers and officials have had a number of meetings with BACTA officials and members in recent months to discuss issues of concern to the arcades and gaming machine sectors.
Casinos
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many adult gaming centres are in operation; and how many were in operation in February 2007. [185952]
Mr. Sutcliffe: No figures are available for the number of adult gaming centres (AGCs) in operation in February 2007. Prior to the introduction of the Gambling Act 2005 (the 2005 Act), adult gaming centres were authorised by permits issued by individual local authorities and no information was collated centrally.
Under the 2005 Act, the Gambling Commission is responsible for issuing gaming machine general operating licences for an AGC, and licensing authorities are responsible for AGC premises licences. The Gambling Commission has so far issued 634 such operating licences.
The Gambling Commission will be responsible for collecting information on the number of AGC premises licences issued by licensing authorities, but complete information is not yet available.
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the financial impact the introduction of the Gambling Act 2005 has had on adult gaming centres in England and Wales. [186202]
Mr. Sutcliffe: A regulatory impact assessment (RIA) was published in April 2005 to accompany the Gambling Act. The RIA included an assessment of the impact of the Act on the gaming machine sector. Copies of the RIA are available in the House Library.
In addition, impact assessments were prepared for each piece of secondary legislation required to implement the Act. These are published with the related explanatory memorandum on the Office for Public Sector Information website (www.opsi.gov.uk <http://www.opsi.gov.uk>;), and separately on the Department's website (www.culture.gov.uk <http://www.culture.gov.uk>;)
The Department is engaged in active and continuing dialogue with the British Amusement Catering Trades Association (BACTA). Ministers and officials have had a number of meetings with BACTA officials and members in recent months to discuss issues of concern to the arcades and gaming machine sectors.
Casinos: Licensing
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether problem gambling may be taken into account by a local authority considering whether to grant a casino premises licence under the Gambling Act 2005. [184638]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The Gambling Act for the first time provides licensing authorities with the power to resolve not to issue further casino premises licences in their area. The licensing authority may take into account any principle or matter in making its decision, and may pass a resolution at any time.
Licensing authorities also have the discretion to grant or reject premises licence applications, including any premises licences issued in respect of casinos permitted under the Gambling Act 2005.
In reaching a decision, licensing authorities must take account of their own three year licensing policy statement and the codes of practice and guidance issued by the Gambling Commission. Licensing authorities must also take into account the three licensing objectives of the Act, which include protecting children and other vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling.
Convergence Think Tank
Mr. Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport who the members are of his Convergence Think Tank; on which dates the Convergence Think Tank plans to hold its seminars; what the title is of each seminar; what the (a) names and (b) job titles are of those invited to attend each seminar; and what estimate he has made of the cost of establishing and running the Convergence Think Tank. [183448]
Andy Burnham:
The Convergence Think Tank consists of a steering group of senior officials from my Department, the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and four industry experts; Robin Foster, Chris Earnshaw, John Willis and Tess Read. There is also a strategy team of officials
from my Department and BERR. Ofcom will also provide input to the think tank’s work.
On 21 December we announced details of the industry experts and of the first three seminars:
1. ‘Why does convergence matter?’—7 February 2008.
2. ‘Competition and Innovation: content and services’—18 March 2008.
3. ‘Competition and Innovation: networks’—22 April 2008.
Further seminars are planned and will be announced in due course.
Costs are currently estimated at £300,000, in addition to internal staff costs.
Around 250 invitations have been sent out to date and I will send a copy of the list of invitees to the hon. Member and arrange for copies of the list to be deposited in the Libraries of the House.
Cultural Heritage
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the role of the Chair of the World Collections Programme will be in decisions relating to requests from foreign governments and cultural institutions for the restitution of artefacts held by British museums. [184405]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 5 February 2008]: The aim of the six museums involved in the World Collections Programme and consequently that of the Chair is to develop their connections with other collections around the world. The role does not carry any decision-making responsibilities in relation to restitution requests for items in national collections.
Departmental Data Protection
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many external (a) consultants and (b) consultancies were given access to (i) commercially confidential and (ii) personal data by his Department in the last 12 months. [184779]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Six external consultancies were given access to commercially confidential data in the last 12 months as part of the delivery of departmental projects. No external consultants or consultancies were given access to personal data by my Department in the last 12 months.
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