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5 Mar 2009 : Column 1739W—continued
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department’s IT security hierarchy. [259790]
Mr. Sutcliffe: My Department does not provide this information on security grounds.
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what scanning for vulnerabilities his Department conducts of each of its IT devices; what method is used for IT device scans; and how many vulnerabilities have been detected as a result of such scans in the last 12 months. [259791]
Mr. Sutcliffe: My Department carries out a range of vulnerability scans and uses independent outside auditors to carry out additional reviews. We do not provide information on scanning methods or vulnerabilities on security grounds.
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what IT security policy his Department has; what procedures are in place to ensure the policy is being followed; what his Department’s policy is on encryption of data when it leaves departmental premises; and what sanctions are in place for failure to comply with this policy. [259857]
Mr. Sutcliffe: My Department has a range of security policies in place which support our compliance with SPF and IS27001. The policies are subject to regular and independent audit. All departmental laptops and memory sticks are encrypted and are the only approved means for taking sensitive data out of the office. Any failures to comply with the policy would be dealt with as per the standard rule on security breaches.
Departmental Official Hospitality
Mr. Rob Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on (a) alcohol and (b) food in each of the last five years. [261165]
Mr. Sutcliffe: All expenditure is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on principles set out in Treasury guidance on Managing Public Money and Regularity and Propriety.
Expenditure on food and alcohol is not recorded separately on the Department’s management accounts. This information can be obtained only by manually analysing invoices and expense claims over the period which would incur disproportionate cost.
Digital Technology: Community Development
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the growth in digital media upon levels of (a) community stability and cohesion and (b) participation in democratic political activities. [259593]
Andy Burnham:
My Department has not carried out any such assessment. However, the Digital Britain interim report recognised that the growth of digital media was
impacting on local radio and news provision. In light of this, we have invited the Office of Fair Trading, together with Ofcom and other interested parties, to undertake an exploratory review across the local and regional media sector and make appropriate recommendations.
Leisure: Industry
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent steps the Government has taken to support (a) cultural, (b) media and (c) sporting industries. [260166]
Andy Burnham: My Department works closely with a range of partners including industry to support, and maximise the contribution to the UK economy of, the Culture, Media, Sport and Leisure Sectors. Examples of recent activity in these important sectors include the Creative Economy Programme, Digital Britain, a Decade of Sport, and the Free Swimming initiative.
In February 2008 the Government published Creative Britain: New Talents for the New Economy which set out 26 commitments to support the creative industries. Working with our partners in other Government Departments and public and private sector organisations, DCMS’ Creative Economy Programme has made good progress on realising the ambitions of Creative Britain in the year since publication. Of the 26 commitments, 18 are now either well under way or completed.
In January 2009 the Government published the Digital Britain Interim Report, a plan to secure Britain’s place at the forefront of the global digital economy. The report contains more than 20 recommendations on how to maximise the opportunities for communications sector, its crucial contribution to the economy and its role in building Britain’s industrial future. These are being taken forward with a range of partners including industry.
In January 2009 Government also announced plans for a Decade of Sport, from this year’s World Twenty20 Cricket, through London’s Olympics, to the Ryder Cup and the cricket World Cup, and the opportunity to bid for or host an incredible range of world class sports events. We also announced unprecedented investment in elite and grassroots sport and the start in April of free swimming for under 16s and over 60s in England.
Public Houses
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many public houses were in operation in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [261071]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The DCMS Statistical Bulletin on Alcohol, Entertainment and Late Night Refreshment does not identify the number of pubs in England and Wales; but rather the number of premises authorising the sale or supply of alcohol by means of a premises licence or a club premises certificate. These figures apply not only to public houses, but also to other licensed premises such as hotels, off licences and convenience stores.
However, industry estimates for the number of public houses in England and Wales are available from the
market research company Market and Business Development using data from the British Beer and Pub Association:
We are unable to assess the quality of these statistics as these are not official Government statistics.
Swimming
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding his Department has allocated to the Learn to Swim package as part of its free swimming schemes; which organisations will receive such funding; and if he will make a statement. [259634]
Andy Burnham [holding answer 3 March 2009]: As part of the Government’s £140 million Free Swimming Programme, we are working with the Amateur Swimming Association and Sport England on the detailed design and funding arrangements for an integrated suite of measures to get more new swimmers into the pool, including the Learn to Swim package to achieve 100,000 more swimmers.
Swimming lessons as part of the initiative will be organised by a national network of County Swimming Co-ordinators who will be working closely with local authorities participating in the Free Swimming Programme.
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to ensure levels of swimming are increased as part of the Olympic legacy; and if he will make a statement. [259635]
Andy Burnham [holding answer 3 March 2009]: The Free Swimming Programme will contribute to the Government’s ambition of getting 2 million more people more active by 2012. The programme has been designed to attract new participants as well as encouraging existing swimmers to swim more often, and to focus on sustaining increases in participation.
Swimming: Finance
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the source is for the funding for his Department’s free swimming initiatives for those aged over 60 and under 16 years in Chorley. [259672]
Andy Burnham: Chorley is due to receive a total of £30,743 for the over 60s, and £60,603 for the under 16s, for each of the financial years 2009-10 and 2010-11.
Free swimming is a cross-Government initiative with funding contributions from the Department of Health, the Department for Work and Pensions, Department for Communities and Local Government, the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
International Development
Burma: Storms
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much the Government is providing for post-Nargis recovery work in Burma in the next three years. [260207]
Mr. Michael Foster: The UK Government are considering what contribution to make to the continuing international response to Cyclone Nargis, and will reach a decision shortly.
Departmental Surveys
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff surveys his Department has commissioned or carried out since 2007. [261200]
Mr. Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) has carried out three staff surveys between January 2007 and March 2009.
Overseas Aid
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will place in the Library a copy of the Guidelines for incentives on aid effectiveness in donor agencies, produced for his Department by PricewaterhouseCoopers in February 2008, reference number 200808318. [259466]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The report “Good Practice for Donor Agencies on Incentives for Aid Effectiveness”, and an accompanying self-assessment tool will be placed in the Library.
Palestinians: International Assistance
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will place in the Library a copy of the job description and terms of reference for the information officer employed by the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs for Gaza with support from his Department. [261199]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The terms of reference and job description for this post will be placed in the Library.
Palestinians: Overseas Aid
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of humanitarian aid to Gaza; and if he will make a statement. [256890]
Mr. Michael Foster: The international community and international agencies responded generously and quickly to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and so far, donors have provided $336 million in humanitarian assistance. The UK Government swiftly allocated £26.8 million to address immediate humanitarian needs.
At the recent conference on reconstruction in Gaza, held in Sharm el-Sheikh, the Egyptians concluded that $4.5 billion had been pledged, but it remains unclear
exactly how much of this is new money. The UK announced £30 million for early recovery in Gaza to help rebuild damaged hospitals, schools and homes. Our pledge includes a new £20 million provision, and £10 million from the support announced in January.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza will remain dire for some time to come. Limited access for humanitarian supplies and staff remains a key challenge, and access will also be critical for the longer-term recovery effort. The UK Government take the issue of humanitarian access extremely seriously and we have been working closely with all our international partners to get progress on this issue.
Repatriation
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the (a) name, (b) relevant country, (c) aim, (d) amount of expenditure, (e) activities undertaken, (f) duration and (g) number of individuals assisted is of each project under the Returns and Reintegration Fund that is (i) ongoing, (ii) completed and (iii) planned; and what the procedure is for identifying and selecting projects to receive such funding. [241112]
Bill Rammell: I have been asked to reply.
The Returns and Reintegration Fund aims to increase the numbers of failed asylum seekers and foreign national prisoners who are returned to their country of origin and helps to tackle illegal immigration to the UK. It delivers projects in overseas countries which face challenges in accepting back and reintegrating their nationals; provides rehabilitation and reintegration assistance to individuals who return voluntarily; and helps improve the process of removal from the UK.
The Fund began on 1 April 2008 and is a pooled fund comprising the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), Department for International Development, Ministry of Justice and UK Border Agency financial resources and expertise, managed by the FCO. Projects are identified with overseas governments and/or by the UK Government Departments which are party to the Fund. To date we are financing or have in development 83 projects, some of which are still subject to approval. As this amounts to a large volume of material, I have placed a list of the projects in the Libraries of the House. We do not keep records of the numbers of individuals who are assisted through each project.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Binyam Mohamed
Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to paragraph 9 (ix) of the High Court judgment in the case of R (Binyam Mohamed) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of 21 August 2008, whether the legal adviser to his Department was requested to give an opinion on UK responsibilities in Afghanistan consequent upon the observations made about the treatment of persons detained by or on behalf of the United States in Afghanistan by an officer of the Secret Intelligence Service. [259030]
Bill Rammell: It is the long-standing policy of the Government not to disclose whether legal advisers have given advice, nor whether their advice has been or is going to be sought on any particular issue.
China: Family Planning
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the government of China on the Population and Birth-planning Law 2002 since 2008; and if he will make a statement. [259020]
Bill Rammell: Foreign and Commonwealth officials last discussed the One Child Policy during the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue in Beijing in January 2008. We do not dispute China’s right or need to implement family planning policies but we do believe they should be based on the principles of consent and not coercion.
Democratic Republic of Congo: War Crimes
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Congolese government on the requirement to arrest Bosco Ntaganda in line with the International Criminal Court indictment against him. [260300]
Gillian Merron: The United Kingdom is strongly supportive of the International Criminal Court. We have reminded the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo of their obligations in respect of the warrant for the arrest of Bosco Ntaganda.
Departmental Correspondence
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the average time was for his Department to reply to hon. Member’s correspondence in the last 12 months. [255496]
Caroline Flint: Only correspondence received by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) ministerial support unit (MSU) is logged centrally. To ask every department or overseas post, within the FCO, how long on average it takes to issue a response to correspondence from hon. Members would incur a disproportionate cost.
MSU records do not allow us to identify the average length of time taken to respond to correspondence from hon. Members. However, I can confirm that, in line with Cabinet Office guidance, of the 10,334 letters received from hon. Members in 2008, 87 per cent. were answered within 20 working days.
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