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12 May 2009 : Column 636W—continued
Funding
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how much funding the Community Fund has (a) committed and (b) distributed since its creation; [273982]
(2) how much funding the Big Lottery Fund has (a) committed and (b) distributed since its creation. [273984]
Mr. Sutcliffe [holding answer 8 May 2009]: The Big Lottery Fund has advised that from 1 December 2006, when it was legally created from the merger of the Community Fund, New Opportunities Fund and Millennium Commission it has awarded £1,898 million and distributed £1,433 million to grant recipients.
The distribution includes outstanding payments to Community Fund, New Opportunities Fund and Millennium Commission grant holders.
In the period from the Community Fund’s inception in 1993 until 30 November 2006, it awarded £3,863 million and distributed £2,926 million to grant recipients.
The Community Fund’s first grants were awarded in October 1995, following their legal creation in 1993. Many Community Fund projects are still in management and delivering benefits to communities. They therefore are still drawing money down from their grant allocation.
Gambling
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what information his Department holds on the number of people being treated for gambling addiction. [273288]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The Department does not centrally collate statistics on the number of people being treated for gambling addiction at any one time.
In 2008 the Responsibility in Gambling Trust (RIGT) estimated that of the 0.6 per cent. of the adult population categorised as problem gamblers, 0.5 per cent. were accessing treatment from RIGT funded treatment providers, on an annual basis.
The Gambling Commission is currently considering whether to include specific questions on the awareness of treatment services in the next British Gambling Prevalence Survey which will be published in 2010.
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the number of online gambling companies based overseas which operate in the UK which (a) contribute and (b) do not contribute to funding of problem gambling services; and if he will make a statement. [273653]
Mr. Sutcliffe [holding answer 8 May 2009]: My Department does not collect statistics on the number of overseas based operators contributing to the funding of problem gambling services in the UK.
However, we are aware that some operators based in Alderney, Gibraltar and Malta contributed on a voluntary basis to the Responsibility in Gambling Trust last year.
Additionally, a number of companies licensed for premises-based operations in the UK contribute significantly towards research, education and treatment of problem gambling in the UK and have remote gambling operations that are based in European Union or white listed jurisdictions.
Heritage and Culture Sector Club: VisitBritain
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what functions the Heritage and Culture Sector Club has in relation to VisitBritain. [270815]
Barbara Follett: The Heritage and Culture Sector Club provides VisitBritain with a forum to disseminate important consumer and market intelligence in order to encourage appropriate product development in heritage and culture specific areas.
This work informs VisitBritain’s marketing campaigns and encourages the spread of best practice within the tourism industry.
Internet: English Language
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent progress has been made on the proposal to establish international rules for the operation of English language websites; and what recent discussions he has had with the US administration on the matter. [273291]
Barbara Follett: I remain keen to discuss an international approach to areas of public concern about certain internet content and look forward to engaging with the appropriate member of the US Administration once the relevant appointment has been made.
Licensing
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent research his Department has commissioned to assess the effectiveness of the operation of premises licences. [273652]
Mr. Sutcliffe [holding answer 8 May 2009]: While specific research has not been commissioned on this matter, the Government continue to monitor the effect of the Licensing Act 2003. On 4 March 2008, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made a written ministerial statement on the evaluation of the impact of the 2003 Act, which can be read at
http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/minister _speeches/1997.aspx
Copies of the written ministerial statement are also available in the House Library.
Local Press
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will commission research into the (a) financial viability of local newspapers and (b) number of journalists employed by local newspapers in each of the last five years. [274238]
Andy Burnham: There are no plans by Government to commission this research. However, on 28 April I hosted a local media summit involving key figures from across the media industry to discuss the challenges facing local newspapers and explore how we can support the local media industry in meeting these challenges so that it can continue to thrive in the future. These discussions will feed into the final Digital Britain report to be published by the Government in the summer.
Sports Equity Alliance
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding (a) his Department, (b) Sport England and (c) UK Sport has
provided to each member of Sport England’s Sports Equity Alliance in each of the last five years; and how much each has allocated to each member of the Alliance in the next expenditure round. [272942]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not fund Sport England’s Sports Equity Alliance directly. Funding is channelled through Sport England and UK Sport.
Sport England has advised that its core revenue funding to Equity Partners over the last five years is as follows:
| £ | |||
| English Federation of Disability Sport | Sporting Equals | Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation | |
| (1 )Funding has been awarded for the first quarter only of 2009-10 pending consideration by Sport England of applications from the equity partners that detail how they propose working to support National Governing Bodies and other sport deliverers in the period 2009-11. | |||
UK Sport has advised that it has provided the following funding to each member of Sport England’s Sports Equity Alliance over the past five years:
| Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation (formerly the Women’s Sports Foundation) | |
| Funding from UK Sport (£) | |
| Sporting Equals | |
| Funding from UK Sport (£) | |
| English Federation of Disability Sport | |
| Funding from UK Sport (£) | |
Sports: Training
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many voluntary community sports coaches have been recruited under the Recruit into Coaching scheme since its inception. [273802]
Mr. Sutcliffe [holding answer 8 May 2009]: Sport England have advised that 2,389 voluntary community sports coaches have been recruited under the Recruit into Coaching scheme since its inception.
Swimming Pools
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many public swimming pools (a) closed and (b) opened in England in 2008. [274730]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Sport England advise that the figures for 2008 have not yet been collated, but should be available in the summer.
Trade Unions
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 9 March 2009, Official Report, column 22W, on trade unions, what office facilities his Department provides for the exclusive use of each recognised trade union; and what the notional annual value of such provision is. [271937]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The Department have one full-time trade union representative. The Department provide a desk, computer and telephone in the open plan office area. The trade union representative also has access to other shared office facilities such as meeting rooms, photocopying, scanning and faxing.
The cost per annum of providing accommodation and office facilities per full time equivalent is £11,939.
VisitBritain: Finance
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make an estimate of the effect on (a) the British economy and (b) Exchequer revenues which would arise from an increase in (i) £10 million, (ii) £20 million and (iii) £50 million to the planned VisitBritain budget in each of the next five years. [272532]
Barbara Follett: VisitBritain’s grant in aid for the period 2011 to 2014 will be considered in due course. An increase of £10 million or £20 million over and above their current baseline funding would be deployed on above the line marketing activity. VisitBritain and Visit England would also seek to achieve 50 per cent. match funding from industry partners in line with such increases.
The additional visitor spend and tax revenue generated by such investment would significantly depend on the economic situation during the next five years and its impact on global airline traffic. VisitBritain and Visit England would currently expect to spend an increase of £50 million in each of the next five years not only on above the line marketing activity, but also on brand building and the development of new markets.
Again, the benefits would be influenced by economic developments in the wider economy. More detailed analysis and a larger planning exercise would be required to calculate the benefits over this period. In preparing for the next Spending Round, the Department will consider with VisitBritain a range of scenarios examining the economic impact of each.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Air Pollution: Torbay
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his most recent assessment is of air quality in the Torbay local authority area; and what steps the Government are taking to improve air quality in the area. [272529]
Huw Irranca-Davies: Local authorities have a duty under Part IV of the Environment Act 1995 to review and assess the current, and likely future, air quality in their areas, and to submit reports on local air quality to DEFRA.
Where local authorities consider that one or more nationally prescribed air quality objectives is unlikely to be met by the relevant deadline, they must declare an air quality management area (AQMA) covering the area affected. These local authorities must then take action, along with other agencies and organisations, to work towards meeting the air quality objectives. Torbay council declared AQMAs in respect of nitrogen dioxide objectives in April 2005 and May 2006. The council has produced an action plan setting out the measures it is implementing in order to improve air quality in the area. Since local road transport is the primary cause of local air pollution in these AQMAs, Torbay council has integrated its air quality action plan into the Torbay Local Transport Plan 2006-2011, a copy of which is available at:
DEFRA has assessed, and is satisfied with Torbay council’s 2008 progress report, and we await the council’s air quality report for 2009.
The Government provide guidance and practical support to assist local authorities with their duties on review and assessment of air quality, and to ensure consistency and best practice. Revised and updated guidance was published in February on the DEFRA website at:
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