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3 Mar 2008 : Column 2124W—continued
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent on Culture Online in each year since its was established. [187325]
Margaret Hodge: Expenditure on Culture Online in each year since it was established is set out in the table. Culture Online closed at the end of March 2007.
| £ | |
Culture: Sponsorship
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the long-term potential for corporate sponsorship as a source of funding in the cultural sector. [190711]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 29 February 2008]: Corporate sponsorship is a vital element of the overall funding mix for the cultural sector. In 2006-07, business investment in the arts totalled over £170 million. We believe there is considerable scope to enhance that investment in the future, and my Department is working closely with the cultural and business communities to explore how best to do so to their mutual benefit.
Departmental Carbon Emissions
Mr. Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he has taken to reduce his Department’s carbon dioxide emissions in the next financial year. [191020]
Margaret Hodge: The Department has devised a plan which has identified potential savings of 562 tonnes of CO2 by March 2009.
In particular, the Department plans to replace its gas boilers with ones which are more efficient. This will significantly reduce our carbon emissions.
We are seeking advice from the Carbon Trust on this.
Departmental Private Finance Initiative
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what private finance initiative projects were approved by his Department in each of the last three financial years; and what the (a) value and (b) start date was of each. [190864]
Margaret Hodge: The capital value and start date for every signed PFI project are recorded centrally on the Treasury’s website at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/documents/public_private_ partnerships/ppp_pfi_stats.cfm
Listed Buildings: Ibsley Control Tower
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport for what reason the recommendation by English Heritage on the listing of Ibsley Control Tower has not been pursued; and if he will make a statement. [191409]
Margaret Hodge: After careful consideration of all the relevant information, including advice from English Heritage, the Secretary of State has decided that the Watch Tower at RAF Ibsley does not have sufficient architectural or historic interest, in a national context, to merit listing.
Government Departments: Flags
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when his Department plans to publish the summary of responses to its consultation process on flying the Union Flag from UK Government buildings. [189729]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 28 February 2008]: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport plans to publish the summary of responses to the consultation soon.
Heathrow Airport: Standards
Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effect of standards of operation at Heathrow Airport on the attractiveness of the UK as a tourist destination. [188760]
Margaret Hodge: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has not undertaken any specific work to measure the effect of Heathrow’s standards of operation. However, my Department and its partners are well aware of the importance of good standards of operation at ports of entry, including Heathrow.
Improving the welcome to the UK is one of my Department’s priorities for the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, and VisitBritain has set up the ‘Welcome to Britain’ group to take this work forward. For example, since January, the Civil Aviation Authority has included additional questions about the quality of welcome in its ‘Departing Airport Survey’, which is conducted at a number of airports, including Heathrow. Organisations which can influence the visitor’s experience at Heathrow, including the British Airports Authority (BAA) and the Home Office, are members of this group. I have also raised welcome issues with representatives of BAA at a meeting in January.
Internet: Children
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will take steps to encourage internet service providers to provide content suitable for children. [189341]
Margaret Hodge: There are a vast array of websites which provide suitable content for children. However we do want to ensure that adequate safeguards are in place to prevent the exposure of children to inappropriate material. This is why the Prime Minister has asked Dr. Tanya Byron to lead a review considering the effectiveness and adequacy of existing measures to help prevent children from being exposed to harmful or inappropriate material on the internet. She is also considering video games in her review. She will be submitting her report and making recommendations for improvements or additional action in March.
Listed Buildings
Mr. Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the Government is considering proposals to review the existing listing criteria for buildings of special architectural or historic interest that are less than 75 years old. [189970]
Margaret Hodge: All buildings considered for listing are judged according to the national statutory criteria of special architectural and historic interest. We have no specific proposals to review these criteria, but anticipate a full debate on the subject when the draft Heritage Protection Bill is published for pre-legislative scrutiny in the spring.
Olympic Games 2012
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues, (b) representatives of other Government departments, (c) the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games 2012 and (d) the Olympic Development Agency on (i) ethical and fair trade issues and (ii) the use of child labour in the manufacturing of merchandise for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games; and on which dates such discussions took place. [185660]
Andy Burnham: I have had no such discussions. This is the responsibility of the Minister for the Olympics. I refer the hon. Member to the answer the Minister for the Olympics gave to him on 18 February 2008, Official Report, columns 115-16W.
Overseas Visitors: China
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the average expenditure per head by Chinese tourists visiting England in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [187818]
Margaret Hodge: The table shows the average expenditure per visit by Chinese residents visiting England for the latest available five years.
| Average expenditure( 1) per visit to England by overseas residents | |
| China | £ |
| (1) Expenditure excludes fares for travel to and from the UK. Source: International Passenger Survey (ONS). | |
Overseas Visitors: North America
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the average expenditure per head by North American tourists visiting England in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [187819]
Margaret Hodge: The table shows the average expenditure per visit by North American residents visiting England for the latest available five years.
| Average expenditure( 1) per visit to England by overseas residents | |||
| £ | |||
| North America | USA | Canada | |
| (1) Expenditure excludes fares for travel to and from the UK. Source: International Passenger Survey (ONS). | |||
Overseas Visitors: Russia
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the average expenditure per head by Russian tourists visiting England in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [187941]
Margaret Hodge: The table shows the average expenditure per visit by Russian residents visiting England for the latest available five years.
| Average expenditure( 1) per visit to England by overseas residents | |
| Russia | £ |
| (1) Expenditure excludes fares for travel to and from the UK. Source: International Passenger Survey (ONS). | |
Public Libraries
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the public library service standards will be incorporated into the national indicator set for local authorities; and whether the standards will continue as benchmarks for library authorities. [184642]
Margaret Hodge: The Public Library Service Standards (PLSS) will not form part of the national indicator set for local authorities. A new measure, capturing use of public libraries by residents, is included under National Indicator 9, Stronger Communities.
The PLSS will be replaced by the new library benchmark, which has been developed by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) and the Society of Chief Librarians (SCL). The benchmark contains 23 criteria which library practitioners might consider when planning and improving their service. It will enable libraries to compare their local performance against other authorities, against themselves over time, and against the national position. The benchmark will encourage the sector to identify and share best practice. Central Government will not use the library benchmark to monitor library authority performance but the information will be collected by the Chartered
Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) and published annually in their report Public Library Statistics.
Listed Buildings: Totnes Railway Station
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will prevent the demolition of the Brunel pumping station at Totnes railway station; and if he will request English Heritage to list the building as a Grade II building. [190576]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 29 February 2008]: Following careful consideration of all the relevant evidence, including advice from English Heritage, the Secretary of State decided on 16 November that the pumping station, Totnes, was not of sufficient special architectural or historic interest to merit listing. The Secretary of State upheld this decision on 22 February 2008 following a review of the case.
Listing a building does not necessarily prevent its demolition. The purpose of listing is to ensure that care will be taken over any decision affecting the building and that the case for its preservation is taken fully into account in considering the merits of any development proposals.
Tourism: Advertising
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding was allocated to advertising UK tourism on (a) US and (b) Australian television in 2006-07. [188262]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 22 February 2008]: VisitBritain has spent over £1.9 million on marketing and support marketing in the US. It has spent the same amount in Australia for the same purposes.
The marketing budget for each country in 2006-07 was split with the bulk being spent on online marketing and printed media.
There was no funding allocated for television advertising in either country.
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