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7 July 2008 : Column 1208W—continued
Government Art Collection
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many items there are in the Government art Collection; and what the value of the collection is. [215036]
Margaret Hodge: There are approximately 13,500 works of art in the Government art collection.
It is not possible to give an accurate estimate of the value of the Government art collection, which has no current market valuation. The current monetary value of a work of art can be accurately assessed only at the time of purchase or sale or by professional valuation. In the former case, the collection is not actively traded; in the latter, it would not be justifiable expenditure of public funds to have the whole collection valued professionally.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many items from the Government art Collection are on loan to (a) UK and (b) overseas institutions, Governments and galleries. [215037]
Margaret Hodge: The Government art Collection lends works of art from its holdings for display in United Kingdom Government buildings in the UK and abroad in order to promote British art, culture and history to visitors.
(a) There are currently 3,732 works of art on loan to UK Government buildings in the UK. There are 116 works of art on loan to institutions and galleries in the UK.
(b) There are 5,428 works of art on loan to UK Government buildings overseas. There are six works of art on loan to institutions, governments and galleries overseas.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much it cost to maintain the Government art Collection in each of the last five years. [215038]
Margaret Hodge: The information requested is set out in the table.
| £000 | |||||
| Financial year | Total resource costs of Government Art Collection | Net GAC programme cost | Of which conservation and restoration costs | GAC administration cost | GAC capitalised additions to collection |
Programme costs mainly comprise conservation and restoration, and transport of works of art. The table lists conservation and restoration costs separately for ease of reference. Staff and associated costs are included under administration costs. Expenditure on purchases of works of art from the capital budget is set out in the final column.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people are employed to maintain and advise on the Government art Collection. [215039]
Margaret Hodge: On 31 May 2008 15 staff were employed to maintain and advise on the Government art Collection.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many art works from the Government art Collection have been (a) sold and (b) loaned permanently to institutions and individuals outside the UK in the last 10 years; and what the value was of such works in each year. [215044]
Margaret Hodge: The information requested is as follows:
(a) No works of art have been sold from the Government art Collection in the last 10 years.
(b) There are six works of art on long-term loan to institutions outside the UK which are not UK Government buildings. HMG retains title to these items and so their financial value remains on the DCMS balance sheet.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many art works were purchased by the Government art Collection in each of the last 10 years; and what the value was of such purchases in each year. [215047]
Margaret Hodge: The information requested is as follows:
| Number of works purchased | Cost (£) | |
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will place in the Library the minutes of all meetings of the Government Art Collection Committee to discuss art work in the new Home Department building in Westminster. [215048]
Margaret Hodge:
There is no Government Art Collection (GAC) Committee to discuss the Home Office building in Westminster. The aspects of Home Office commissioning for which the GAC is responsible are discussed at the meetings of the Advisory Committee on the Government
Art Collection. The minutes relating to these discussions will be placed in the Library.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people have visited the Government art Collection in the last 12 months; and how many were not associated with (a) the UK Government or (b) overseas Governments. [215051]
Margaret Hodge: From 1 July 2007 until 30 June 2008, approximately 2,000 people visited the Government art collection, of whom about 1,700 were not associated with the UK or overseas Governments.
National Lottery: British Overseas Territories
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) whether historic sites in overseas territories may apply for National Lottery funding; and what other Government funding is available for the maintenance of heritage centres and historic sites in overseas territories; [212618]
(2) whether funding or grants from the National Lottery may be allocated to heritage sites in British overseas territories. [214111]
Margaret Hodge: National lottery grants are awarded by lottery distributors who are independent of the Government; the Heritage Lottery Fund is responsible for distributing proceeds from the lottery for expenditure on or connected with national heritage (including historic sites and public access). It does not support applications in respect of historic sites in overseas territories. There are no plans to change this position. No other public funding is available from sources in the United Kingdom in relation to the maintenance of heritage centres and historic sites in overseas territories.
Public Libraries: Closures
Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many library closures have taken place since 1997; what the reasons have been for those closures; and how much is planned to be spent on library services in 2008-09. [216490]
Margaret Hodge: The number of public library closures and the reasons for those closures are not centrally recorded. However, the net change in library service points can be calculated using Public Library Statistics, an annual report published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA). These reports are available in the House of Commons Library.
The forecast net total cost of expenditure on library services in England for 2008-09 is £1,003,087,000 (excluding specific grants).
Public Libraries: Hampshire
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) public and (b) mobile libraries there were in (i) Hampshire, (ii) the Test Valley and (iii) Southampton in each of the last 15 years. [216543]
Margaret Hodge: The number of public and mobile libraries is set out in Public Library Statistics, an annual report published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA). These reports are available in the House of Commons Library. The figures are published at local authority level and are available for Hampshire and Southampton, but not for the Test Valley.
Road Signs and Markings: Tourist Attractions
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received seeking the review of guidelines on the erection of brown road signs indicating tourist attractions. [212451]
Ms Rosie Winterton: I have been asked to reply.
I can confirm that no such representations have been received by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Department for Transport, or the Highways Agency.
VisitBritain
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans there are to close VisitBritain offices overseas. [215334]
Margaret Hodge: VisitBritain is currently considering the best use of all of its assets at home and overseas in the marketing of Britain, as part of its Strategic Review. The review is re-examining among other things how best to market Britain overseas, ensuring that full account is taken of changing market conditions and the need for best value for money.
This includes a full consideration of the appropriate mix of online marketing and overseas representation, and the identification of further operational efficiencies that can be achieved through shared resources and joint promotion. This process has included discussions with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the British Council, VisitLondon, VisitScotland, Visit Wales, and VisitBritain's other public and private sector partners. The results of the review will be published following full consultation on the recommendations made.
World Heritage Sites
Mrs. Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the process for selecting places of interest for UNESCO World Heritage status; and if he will make a statement. [215592]
Margaret Hodge: We are currently reviewing our World Heritage policy including the selection of sites for potential nomination to UNESCO for World Heritage status.
International Development
Departmental Pay
Mr. Frank Field:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will review salary negotiations for public sector employees in organisations
within his Department's responsibility to reflect the rise in the consumer price index to a point above 3 per cent. [214553]
Gillian Merron: The Government's pay policy is guided by the following principles. Public sector pay settlements should be consistent with maintaining the necessary levels of recruitment, retention and staff engagement needed to support service delivery; ensuring that total pay bills represent value for money and are affordable within Departments' overall expenditure plans; and consistent with the achievement of the inflation target. Timing of pay decisions for a particular workforce depends on pay-setting arrangements for that workforce.
Departmental Security
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many departmental identity cards or departmental passes have been reported lost or stolen by staff in his Department in the last 24 months. [215605]
Mr. Malik: Over the last 24 months a total of 115 passes have been reported as lost or stolen by Department for International Development (DFID) staff in the UK. We do not hold a central record of passes lost by staff in our overseas offices and these data could be collected only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Television
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development to what premium Sky, digital terrestrial or cable television channels (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies subscribes; and at what yearly cost in the most recent period for which figures are available. [215646]
Mr. Malik: The Department for International Development (DFID) subscribes to the Parliamentary TV System to allow access to the Parliamentary Annunciator System, the Division Bell and Commons and Lords TV channels in the UK. Other services and channels are included in the package; these are selected by the Information Committee of the Houses of Parliament.
DFID has subscribed to the above service since 1997. Annual costs for 2006, 2007 and 2008 are as follows:
| Amount (£) | |
| (1)To date. | |
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