Written Answers to Questions
The following answers were received between Wednesday 10 September and Friday 12 September 2008
Duchy of Lancaster
Working Conditions
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster further to page 52 of the Cabinet Office Annual Report 2007-08, how many new reflection rooms have been established in (a) Downing Street and (b) the Cabinet Office in the last 24 months; and whether strategies to reduce workplace stress in these locations have been put in place. [223372]
Edward Miliband: The Prime Minister's Office forms an integral part of the Cabinet Office. The Cabinet Office is committed to the health and well-being of its staff, and has policies and support in place to manage and reduce workplace stress.
Within the last 24 months one multi-faith and reflection room has been established in the Cabinet Office building on Great Smith street to support our continuing efforts to introduce accommodation and working practices better-suited to the needs of a diverse work force.
Culture, Media and Sport
Camelot: Cost Effectiveness
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much additional income he expects (a) UK Sport and (b) each of the other national lottery distributors to receive as a result of cost savings identified by Camelot. [223384]
Andy Burnham: Camelot, as lottery operator, always seeks efficiency and to maximise returns to good causes. However no specific exercise of this kind has been carried out by the operator. The National Lottery Commission has indicated that under the third licence recently awarded to Camelot, which will run from 2009, returns to good causes are likely to increase by between £600 million and £1 billion over the 10-year period of the licence, based on constant levels of sales at £5 billion per annum and comparing the third licence increase with the terms applicable to the remainder of the second licence.
Digital Broadcasting: Borders Region
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been made available by Digital UK to the digital outreach scheme in the Scottish Borders area; and if he will make a statement. [223268]
Andy Burnham: This is a matter for Digital UK as the independent operator of the outreach scheme. Accordingly, I have asked the Chief Executive of Digital UK to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the Chief Executive’s letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Digital Switchover Help Scheme: Borders Region
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people are eligible for assistance under the Digital Switchover Help Scheme in the area covered by the Selkirk television transmitter and its related relays on the grounds that they are (a) over 75 years, (b) in receipt of (i) disability living allowance, (ii) attendance allowance and (iii) constant attendance allowance and (c) registered blind or partially sighted; what the overall percentage take-up of eligible people is to date; and how many have opted for (A) the default option of Sky, (B) a Freeview digital box, (C) a Freeview playback digital television recorder, (D) a new television with digital built-in, (E) Freesat and (F) Top Up TV. [223267]
Andy Burnham: The Department for Work and Pensions has so far identified 17,692 people in the Selkirk transmitter area who are eligible for assistance under the Digital Switchover Help Scheme, 11,747 of whom are aged 75 or over. The remainder are eligible because they are in receipt of disability living allowance, attendance allowance, constant attendance allowance or mobility supplement, but a breakdown of numbers in receipt of each allowance is not available as this information is not needed for the purposes of the scheme. A further 233 people in the Scottish Borders local authority area (which broadly covers the Selkirk transmitter area) are eligible by virtue of being registered blind or partially sighted.
The Digital Switchover Help Scheme advise that the overall take-up of eligible people to date is 8.6 per cent. By the beginning of September, the scheme had received responses from about a quarter of those people who have received an application pack. About half of those eligible had opted to receive help and about half responded to opt out. Of those who have opted in (i.e. said they want help) 1,150 have made a choice and 375 have yet to choose. Of those who have made a choice:
About 60 per cent. have chosen the standard offer of a Sky satellite system, about 33 per cent. have chosen to have a simple Freeview digital box, and the remainder have chosen from a Freeview digital television recorder, integrated television, Top Up enabled digital recorder or Freesat from BBC and ITV.
It should be noted that this is early in the Help Scheme campaign, with two months still to go to switchover in Selkirk and some consumers yet to make up their minds, so the final picture will change.
Fast Track
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department has paid to Fast Track for services related to the raising of £100 million in private sector sponsorship for elite sport; on what date a contract with Fast Track was signed; what the terms of the contract are; and what changes have been made to his Department's arrangements with Fast Track following the decision to reduce the target for private sector support for elite sport to £79 million. [223383]
Andy Burnham: The Department appointed Fast Track Sales Ltd. on 21 July 2008 to advise on ways to raise funds from the private sector to support the preparation of Britain's elite sporting talent. The Department has made no payment to Fast Track who are working on a commission only basis. The release of further information relating to the terms of the contract at this time would prejudice commercial interests. No changes have been made to this agreement in light of recent announcements.
Heritage Lottery Fund: Miners’ Institutes
Mr. Touhig:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many former miners’ institutes
applied for Heritage Lottery Fund grants in each year since 1997; and what percentage of such applications were successful in each of those years. [223324]
Andy Burnham: Information provided by the Heritage Lottery Fund regarding its awards made to miners’ institutes, welfare clubs, social clubs and lodges is set out in the following table.
| Number of applications | Value of awards (£) | Number successful | Number rejected | Success rate (percentage) | |
Since its creation, the Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded more than £87 million to over 300 projects related to the heritage of mining and miners.
Historic Buildings
Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding his Department provides for the upkeep of buildings relating to 20th century industrial heritage. [223320]
Andy Burnham: Funding for the upkeep of historic buildings in England is provided by English Heritage. English Heritage operates a number of grant schemes that can provide funding for the repair of buildings related to 20th century industrial heritage where such sites are scheduled monuments, or buildings listed at Grade I or II*, or situated in conservation areas or London boroughs.
Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to improve and preserve buildings relating to working-class history. [223323]
Andy Burnham: Through its role as the Government’s statutory adviser on the historic environment, English Heritage has recommended for listing many buildings associated with working-class life and work. English Heritage’s grant schemes have ensured futures for many buildings relating to working-class history.
Horse Racing: Bookmakers
Mr. Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what meetings there have been between his Department and the Racecourse Association on racecourse bookmakers since December 2007; and if he will place a copy of the minutes of each such meeting in the Library. [223408]
Andy Burnham: The Existing Betting Areas Working Party, chaired by an independent Chairman, Sholto Douglas-Home and containing representatives from the Racecourse Association (RCA) and the Federation of Racecourse Bookmakers (FRB) met seven times on 14 January, 22 January, 5 February, 18 February, 27 February, 27 March and 18 April 2008. DCMS officials provided secretariat for these meetings.
On 30 April, the Department published a table containing a final position statement summarising the agreed positions of the FRB and RCA on all the key issues discussed during the Working Party meetings. I am placing further copies of this position statement in the House Library. It can also be viewed on the DCMS website at:
http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/publications/Existing bettingareasworkingpartyFinal.pdf
It is intended that the position statement will be used to guide individual discussions that are taking place between racecourses and on-course bookmakers. I, therefore, do not believe it is necessary to place the full Working Party minutes in the House Library.
Leisure: Blackpool
Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding his Department has provided for (a) swimming pools and (b) other leisure facilities in Blackpool since 2005. [223130]
Andy Burnham:
The Department does not fund swimming pools or leisure facilities directly, which are primarily a matter for local authorities. Lottery funding
to promote and invest in community sport facilities is allocated via Sport England. Sport England has advised that their total investment in grassroots and community sport in the Blackpool local authority since 2005 is £387,410. The majority of this funding was for revenue projects, such as coaching, but it includes £68,695 which was spent on facilities or capital expenditure. None of this capital funding was spent on swimming pools.
National Lottery Promotions Unit: Finance
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the running costs of the National Lottery Promotions Unit have been in each year since its establishment; and how much and what proportion of such costs were met by (a) the national lottery and (b) the Government in each such year. [223110]
Andy Burnham: The National Lottery Promotions Unit (NLPU) was established in 2003-04 to promote the National Lottery Good Causes. It is not a grant giver and it is not possible to disaggregate its running costs from campaign costs. The total funding received by NLPU in each year since establishment is as follows:
| Amount (£) | |
Until the end of 2005-06, contributions in respect of the national lottery distributors met 50 per cent. of NLPU's costs. With effect from 2006-07, the contributions in respect of the national lottery distributors have met 66.66 per cent. of NLPU's costs. The remainder is funded by Camelot. The Government do not contribute financially to NLPU.
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much the (a) National Lottery Distribution Fund and (b) Olympic Lottery Distribution Fund has paid to the National Lottery Promotions Unit in each year since its establishment. [223111]
Andy Burnham: The National Lottery Distribution Fund and the Olympic Lottery Distribution Fund have not made any direct payments to the National Lottery Promotions Unit (NLPU). Under the terms of the licence to operate the national lottery, the NLPU receives a contribution to its funding on behalf of distributors by means of deductions from the operator's payments into the lottery distribution funds. The amounts received by the NLPU in respect of the distribution funds in each year were as follows:
| Amount (£) | |
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