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7 Dec 2009 : Column 98W—continued
Low Flying
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the low flying of military aircraft over populated areas. [304913]
Mr. Kevan Jones: To minimise disturbance pilots are instructed to avoid large centres of population, towns with over 10,000 inhabitants. Fixed wing aircraft are to avoid overflight of these areas below 2,000 feet minimum separation distance (MSD). Light aircraft and rotary wing are to avoid overflights below 1,000 feet MSD. Aircraft conducting authorised flypasts may overfly the area at 1,000 feet MSD if approved by MOD.
Military Bases: Energy
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to develop smart power grids for UK military bases. [304478]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The Ministry of Defence is in the process of better understanding its energy consumption through the introduction of smart metering on electricity, gas and oil supplies and these may then have the potential to link into smart grids as they develop across the UK.
The Department has, however, not taken any steps so far to introduce smart power grids on its estate but will be considering "Smarter Grids: The Opportunity" published by the Department of Energy and Climate Change on 2 December 2009.
NATO Response Force
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what units form the British commitment to the NATO Response Force in 2010. [304359]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: From January to June 2010, the UK's commitment to the NATO Response Force will be an Anti-Submarine Warfare Escort Ship and supporting Logistic Ship; a Deployable Air Operating Base, with six Fighter Bomber Aircraft, six Air Defence Aircraft, two Airborne Early Warning Aircraft, two Air to Air Refuelling Aircraft, and a Nuclear Biological and Chemical Response Company.
From July to December 2010, the UK will contribute an Anti-Submarine Warfare Escort Ship and a Mine Hunter Ship; six Air Defence Aircraft, six Fighter Bomber Aircraft, two Airborne Early Warning Aircraft, and two Air to Air Refuelling Aircraft.
Navy: Discharges
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people (a) requested and (b) were granted a discharge from the Royal Navy on grounds of ill health in the last five years. [304193]
Mr. Kevan Jones: During the period November 2004 to November 2009 the Naval Service Medical Board of Survey and Naval Service Medical Employability Board considered the cases of 835 Royal Navy personnel who expressed a desire to be invalided from the service. Of this number 766 were discharged on medical grounds.
Nigeria and Sierra Leone: Peacekeeping Operations
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what expenditure his Department has incurred on engaging private security companies and private military companies for work undertaken in (a) Nigeria and (b) Sierra Leone in each of the last three years. [304645]
Territorial Army
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answers of 7 July 2009, Official Report, columns 662-3W, on the Territorial Army, when he expects to place the information in the Library. [304322]
Bill Rammell: I have written to the hon. Member. A copy of this information was placed in the Library of the House on 12 November 2009.
Trident Missiles
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in which country the gas reservoirs for Trident nuclear warheads are filled with tritium; and if he will make a statement. [303891]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth [holding answer 3 December 2009]: This information is being withheld for the purpose of safeguarding national security.
USA: Defence
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there have been any changes to the range of nuclear weapons-related information and material which can be exchanged between the US and the UK since 2003. [303888]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: I refer the hon. Member to the reply my predecessor gave on 2 March 2009, Official Report, column 1370W to the hon. Member for North Devon (Nick Harvey), on a related question which confirms there has been no extension to the scope of the Mutual Defence Agreement under which nuclear-related information and material can be exchanged between the US and the UK.
Culture, Media and Sport
Anti-Semitism
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent steps he has taken to reduce the incidence of anti-Semitism in (a) football and (b) other sports; what recent representations he has received on that matter; what recent meetings he has had with the Football Association on that matter; and if he will make a statement. [303921]
Mr. Sutcliffe: While I have received no recent representations or held any recent meetings on the issue of tackling anti-Semitism in sport, I remain fully committed to a sporting landscape free from all forms of discrimination. To this end:
(a) Football treats anti-Semitism as it does all forms of racism as an offence under the ground regulations, giving the clubs and Police powers to deal with it should it occur. The Football Association's (FA) close working relationship with the clubs, the Police and the Crown Prosecution Service also ensures that all incidents of discrimination in football are brought to justice. In addition, The FA's anti-Semitism and Islamophobia working group, chaired by my hon. Friend the Member for Bassetlaw (John Mann) and established in July 2008, continues to explore the issues and make recommendations to the FA Board. With the Premier League and the Professional Footballer's Association, the FA also provides funding for the "Kick It Out" campaign, which tackles anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination.
(b) Other sports that receive Government funding through Sport England and UK Sport do so on the basis of their compliance with the Equality Standard for Sport. The standard forbids discrimination on the grounds of gender, marital status, race, colour, religion, disability, age, occupation, religion or political opinion other than that in accordance with legal justification.
Departmental Public Relations
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what payments Sport England has made to (a) Blue Rubicon, (b) Edelman and (c) FD-LLM and FD-Public Affairs in the last 12 months for which figures are available; for what purpose; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the contracts under which such payments have been made. [305143]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The information you have requested is not held centrally and is a matter for Sport England.
Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member for Ruislip-Northwood. Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Departmental Written Questions
John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many questions tabled for answer on a named day his Department received in each of the last 12 months; and to how many such questions his Department provided a substantive answer on the day named. [305387]
Mr. Simon: My Department(1) received 515 parliamentary questions tabled for answer on a named day during the last 12 months. The amount tabled for answer in each of the last 12 months and the number given a substantive reply are in the table.
| Named day questions tabled | Number sent a substantive reply on the named day | |
(1)Includes figures for named day parliamentary questions tabled to the Minister for the Olympics.
My Department endeavours to answer all named day parliamentary questions on the allocated day but where this is not possible we aim to provide a substantive reply at the earliest opportunity possible.
EU Law
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what (a) statutory instruments and (b) other regulations his Department has brought forward in the 2005 Parliament to meet obligations arising from EU law. [304173]
Mr. Simon:
In this Parliament, Ministers in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have made
the following statutory instruments (including regulations) which arise from obligations in EU law.
The Gambling Act 2005 (Repeal) (Remote Operating Licence and Credit) Regulations 2007-SI 2007/2321
The Export of Objects of Cultural Interest (Control) (Amendment) Order 2009-SI 2009/2164
The Audiovisual Media Services Regulations 2009 - SI 2009/2979 The Licensing Act 2003 (Premises licences and club premises certificates) (Amendment) (Electronic Applications etc) Regulations 2009-SI 2009/3159
Music: Finance
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to the answer of 21 July 2009, Official Report, column 1557W, on music: finance (a) how much of the £500,000 funding announced in December 2007 to set up music rehearsal spaces has now been (i) allocated and (ii) spent and (b) how many of the new rehearsal spaces are now open. [304749]
Mr. Simon: Although we continue to make good progress on the development of these spaces in liaison with our local authority and music industry partners, and expect to make further offers of grant shortly, for the moment the position remains as set out in the answer of 21 July 2009.
Olympic Games 2012: East Sussex
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the likely legacy from the London 2012 Olympics for participation in sport in East Sussex (a) in general and (b) by children under 14 years old. [304280]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Since the publication of the Government's Legacy Action Plan in June 2008, there has been significant progress on delivering our aims for a lasting community sport legacy from the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics across the UK.
We are investing £480 million, through Sport England's Whole Sport Plan process, in the National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of sport during the run up to the games, in order to drive up participation so 1 million more people are doing more sport. The PE and Sport Strategy for Young People sets out how the £780 million of DCMS and DCSF investment is targeted at getting more children to do five hours of sport per week. The huge range of programmes under these strategies will help to ensure that the sporting system in 2012 and beyond is in the best shape possible.
In addition, regional partners are capitalising on national programmes of delivery like Change 4 Life, Living Well and Free Swimming to encourage innovation through partnerships at all levels to create a real and lasting legacy from the 2012 games for East Sussex.
Portland PR: Public Relations
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what payments the British Board of Film Classification has made to Portland PR in the last 12 months; for what purpose; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the contract under which such payments have been made. [305134]
Mr. Simon: The British Board of Film Classification is independent of Government and receives no public funding. We have no knowledge, powers or remit concerning its contracts.
Scientists
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on how many occasions he has met (a) the Government Chief Scientific Adviser and (b) his Department's Chief Scientific Adviser in the course of his official duties in the last 12 months. [303962]
Mr. Bradshaw: I have not met the Government Chief Scientific Adviser in the last 12 months, however I regularly meet and take advice from the Department's Chief Scientific Advisor who is in regular contact with him.
Sports: East of England
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been allocated for expenditure per resident on sports and leisure facilities in each (a) district and (b) unitary local authority area in the Eastern region in 2009-10. [303186]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The information requested is not held centrally in the manner requested; to provide it would incur disproportionate costs.
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