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1 July 2008 : Column 884W—continued


Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of Sport England’s funding has been spent on schemes that significantly increased the participation of women and girls in sport since 1999. [212989]

Mr. Sutcliffe: Sport England does not record information on which groups funding is focused. Therefore, it is not possible to calculate the proportion of Sport England’s total funding spent on schemes that significantly increase the participation of women and girls in sport since 1999.

From 2005-06 to 2007-08 the public service agreement for sport was to increase participation in sport by 3 per cent. by priority groups; one of which was women.

In future, under the new Sport England strategy launched on 10 June, increasing participation by women will continue to be a key priority. To support increases
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in participation by women and girls Sport England will provide £1.6 million funding for the Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation between 2005 and 2009.

In order to receive funding from 2009-11, national governing bodies of sport will be required to develop plans for increasing women’s participation in sport.

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many awards Sport England made to projects that significantly benefited people from ethnic communities in each year since 1999. [212990]

Mr. Sutcliffe: Sport England does not record information on which groups funding is focused. Therefore, it is not possible to give a figure for the number of awards made by Sport England to projects that have significantly benefited people from ethnic communities in each year since 1999.

From 2005-06 — 2007-08 the public service agreement for sport was to increase participation in sport by 3 per cent. by priority groups one of which was ethnic minorities.

In future, under the new Sport England strategy launched on 10 June, increasing participation by ethnic minorities will continue to be a key priority. To support increases in participation by ethnic minorities Sport England has in the last three years provided a total of £1,014,829 funding for sporting equals.

In order to receive funding from 2009-11, national governing bodies of sport will be required to develop plans for increasing ethnic minorities' participation in sport.

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many awards Sport England made to projects that significantly benefited disabled people in each year since 1999. [212991]

Mr. Sutcliffe: Sport England does not record information on which groups funding is focused. Therefore, it is not possible to give a figure for the number of awards made by Sport England to projects that have significantly benefited disabled people in each year since 1999.

From 2005-06—2007-08 the public service agreement for sport was to increase participation in sport by 3 per cent. by priority groups, one of which was disabled people.

In future, under the new Sport England strategy launched on 10 June, increasing participation by disabled people will continue to be a key priority. To support increases in participation by disabled people, Sport England provided £4,111,399 to the English Federation of Disability Sport between 2005 and 2008, and have invested approximately £8,000,000 in the inclusive fitness initiative (IFI) which is a gym-based-project to ensure disabled people can take part in gym based exercise.

In order to receive funding from 2009-11, national governing bodies of sport will be required to develop plans for increasing disabled people's participation in sport.

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of Sport England's funding has been spent on the World Class programme since 1999. [212998]


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Mr. Sutcliffe: On 1 April 2006 the responsibility for funding the World Class programme passed to UK Sport. The proportion of Sport England’s funding that has been spent on the World Class programme from 1999 to 2006, as provided by Sport England is as follows:

Financial year Percentage of funding spent on the World Class programme

1999-2000

8.92

2000-01

36.93

2001-02

17.83

2002-03

30.01

2003-04

18.54

2004-05

6.14

2005-06

0.33


Swimming

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport by what procedure local authorities will be able to apply for funds for the provision of free access to swimming pools; and what steps he is taking to ensure that there is sufficient capacity to make such provision. [214038]

Andy Burnham: We are working with the Amateur Swimming Association, the Local Government Association, Sport England and others to develop the arrangements for implementing the scheme. Part of this will involve looking at how the offer can best be delivered depending on local provision.

We will issue guidance to local authorities as early as possible and, in any event, in plenty of time to allow them to prepare for setting budgets in the autumn.

I will make a further statement, outlining progress, before the House rises for summer recess.

Swimming: Greater London

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions the Government had with (a) the London Borough of Sutton, (b) other London councils and (c) the Local Government Association on free swimming proposals prior to his announcement of the policy. [214121]

Mr. Sutcliffe: Prior to the announcement, Government discussed their proposals for the free swimming offer with the Local Government Association and a number of individual local authorities in London and elsewhere. There were no individual discussions with the London borough of Sutton.

Television: Licensing

Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will estimate the cost of reducing the colour television licence fee to the same level as the black and white television licence for people 60 years old and over. [214480]

Andy Burnham: The cost of reducing as proposed the licence fee for those aged 60 and over is estimated to be broadly in the region of £450-£500 million per annum.


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Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the cost of extending the free television licence to all pensioner households. [214481]

Andy Burnham: The cost of extending free television licences to all households containing an individual of state pension age is estimated to be broadly in the region of £600-£650 million per annum.

Television: Telephone Services

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what meetings (a) he and (b) his representatives have had with (i) the BBC, (ii) ITV, (iii) GMTV and (iv) other television broadcasters in the last 12 months on television broadcaster misconduct in the use of premium rate telephone services in viewer competitions and voting. [208214]

Andy Burnham: My predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (James Purnell), and I have had regular meetings with BBC, ITV and
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other broadcasters over the last 12 months during which premium rate telephone service issues have been discussed from time to time. Officials in the Department also have regular meetings with these broadcasters and have discussed these issues from time to time.

Xansa

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what contracts his Department has signed with Xansa plc in the last five years. [215125]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The Department has not signed any contracts with Xansa plc in the last five years.

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what payments were made by his Department to Xansa plc in each of the last five years. [215129]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has made no payments to Xansa plc in the last five years.


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