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22 Oct 2008 : Column 390W—continued
Tibet: Politics and Government
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on Tibet's right to national self-determination; and what recent steps he has taken in pursuing that policy. [226717]
Bill Rammell: Successive Governments have regarded Tibet as autonomous while recognising the special position of the Chinese authorities there. We have consistently informed the Chinese Government of our view that greater autonomy should be granted to the Tibetans. But like all other EU members, we do not support Tibetan independence.
We have emphasised that the current political difficulties in Tibet can best be resolved through dialogue between the Chinese Government and the Dalai Lama. The
Dalai Lama has stated publicly that he opposes violence and does not seek independence, but greater autonomy for Tibet. We consider that this provides a basis for a negotiated settlement to the issue of Tibet.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister had talks with both Premier Wen and President Hu while in China for the Olympic games. He reiterated our desire that the next round of the dialogue between the Chinese Government and representatives of the Dalai Lama should take place in a constructive manner and produce positive outcomes.
Western Sahara: Politics and Government
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration has been given to the status of the Western Sahara as part of the discussions on Morocco's status with the EU. [226434]
Bill Rammell: The issue of Western Sahara, while not discussed within the context of Advanced Status, remains an integral part of the political dialogue between the EU and Morocco. Western Sahara was discussed during the EU-Morocco Association Council on 13 October. At the meeting the EU regretted the lack of progress on Western Sahara and reaffirmed that the next personal envoy of the UN Secretary General must resume and continue the work of their predecessor. The EU further stated that UN Security Council resolution 1813 provided an appropriate framework for future discussions within the UN and called for every effort possible to resolve this long-standing conflict.
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the account taken by the European Commission of non-recognition of Morocco's claim to the Western Sahara in its conclusion of the Association Agreement with Morocco. [226506]
Bill Rammell: There is no reference made in the EU-Morocco Association Agreement to the non-recognition of Morocco's claim to Western Sahara. The EU and Morocco do and will continue to discuss Western Sahara during their political dialogue.
Scotland
Departmental ICT
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what IT projects his Department is undertaking; and what the most recent estimate of (a) the cost and (b) the completion date of each is. [229174]
Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office shares an information technology system (SCOTS) with the Scottish Executive, which is responsible for the development, administration and maintenance of the system; consequently, the Office does not directly undertake IT projects.
Departmental Internet
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many visits to his departmental website have been recorded from computers outside his Department and the parliamentary estate since May 2007. [228115]
Ann McKechin: Information on visits to the departmental website from outside the Department and the parliamentary estate is not available. The Scotland Office website:
has received a total of 179,147 visits since May 2007, from 72,957 unique visitors.
Departmental Pensions
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many civil servants working in his Department have pensions with a cash equivalent transfer value of over £1 million. [229545]
Ann McKechin: It is not appropriate to disclose pension information for civil servants other than board members and senior managers whose details are shown in the Remuneration Report in the Ministry of Justice's Annual Resource Accounts; a copy of these accounts for financial year 2007-08 can be found in the House Library or accessed electronically using the following link:
Olympics
Departmental Marketing
David Simpson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what assessment she has made of the cost effectiveness of Government-commissioned advertising in the last 12 months relating to matters falling within her responsibilities. [226514]
Tessa Jowell: In the last 12 months, the Government Olympic Executive has commissioned only recruitment advertising, to which we have had a positive response, and a small amount of advertising to promote three regional “London 2012: Ask the Team” public question time events, all of which generated a good level of interest.
Departmental Older Workers
David Simpson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many people aged over (a) 55 and (b) 60 years were recruited to work in her Office in 2007-08; and what percentage in each case this was of the number of new recruits. [228747]
Tessa Jowell: One person aged over 55 years has been recruited to work in the Minister for the Olympics office. This represents 11 per cent. of new recruits.
Departmental Written Questions
Mr. Harper: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many and what proportion of written questions for answer on a named day she has answered on the due date in the current session of Parliament to date. [226813]
Tessa Jowell: The number of named day written questions answered on the named day in the current parliamentary session by me as Minister for the Olympics is 41 (56.9 per cent.).
Culture, Media and Sport
Departmental NDPBs
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding has been agreed with each of his Department’s non-departmental public bodies for the period 2008 to 2011. [228655]
Mr. Sutcliffe: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State my hon. Friend the Member for Stevenage (Barbara Follett) to the hon. Member for South-West Surrey (Mr. Hunt) on 14 October 2008, Official Report, columns 1196-97W.
Departmental Older Workers
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people aged over (a) 55 and (b) 60 years of age were recruited by his Department in 2007-08; and what percentage in each case this was of the number of new recruits. [228763]
Mr. Sutcliffe: There were no new recruits aged over 55 or 60 years of age to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in 2007-08. A total of 10 new entrants below this age were recruited to the Department during this period.
Departmental Recruitment
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much (a) his Department and (b) Sport England spent on advertising appointments in each of the last five years. [225693]
Andy Burnham: The costs incurred on advertising for ministerial appointments to Sport England were as follows:
| Total excluding VAT (£) | ||
| Financial year | DCMS | Sport England |
Film: Hearing Impaired
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance his Department has issued on the subtitling of films in cinemas for the benefit of people who are deaf including those shown out of school hours for children who are deaf. [226825]
Barbara Follett [holding answer 14 October 2008]: Although the Government do not publish guidelines on the subtitling of films in cinemas, in February 2007 the UK film industry published its own guidance.
In addition, the UK Film Council (UKFC), the Government’s strategic agency for film, has developed and pursued policies to improve access to the cinema for people of all ages with sensory impairments.
For example, it is a requirement that all feature films receiving UKFC lottery funds supply appropriate formats to enable them to be shown in cinemas in accessible formats. The UKFC has supplied digital projection equipment to 240 screens in the UK via the Digital Screen network project, enabling cinemas to show subtitled films.
The first ever UK-wide Film Education Strategy was launched in June this year. Film education—as defined in the strategy—is about making films more accessible to children and young people. The UK Film Council has emphasised the need for the implementation of that strategy to go forward with full regard of the needs of all children, with respect of their accessibility needs.
Performing Arts: Animal Welfare
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent assessment he has made of the welfare standards applicable to animals used in the performance and arts industries. [228909]
Barbara Follett: Officials from DCMS and DEFRA recently met representatives from the film industry and the RSPCA to discuss welfare standards in the industry. The view of both the industry and the RSPCA is that high welfare standards already exist and that government regulation would not be appropriate. Government and industry are currently reviewing the voluntary codes of practice that welfare bodies have prepared for the industry. In addition DEFRA are currently considering the feasibility of introducing regulations to protect the welfare of wild animals used in travelling circuses.
Swimming
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what (a) funding his Department has allocated to and (b) discussions his Department has had with (i) the Amateur Swimming Association, (ii) the Royal Life Saving Association, (iii) the swimming and water safety website, (iv) the Royal Society for Prevention of Accidents, (v) the Institute of Swimming Teachers and Coaches, (vi) the British Swimming Coaches and Teachers’ Association, (vii) the Swimming Teachers' Association and (viii) any other swimming organisations in relation to (A) teaching people to swim and (B) coaching competitive swimmers in each of the last 10 years. [228653]
Andy Burnham: My Department keeps in regular contact with various bodies to increase participation levels in swimming and promote the coaching of competitive swimmers. A list of these meetings could be assembled only at disproportionate cost.
Sport England has advised that the following funding was allocated to the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) and other swimming organisations in each of the last 10 years. However, to extract information pertaining to teaching people to swim and coaching competitive swimmers could be provided only at disproportionate cost:
| £ | ||||
| Amateur Swimming Association | Other bodies | |||
| Financial year | Lottery | Exchequer | Lottery | Exchequer |
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