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14 Dec 2009 : Column 670W—continued
Departmental Written Questions
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many and what percentage of parliamentary questions tabled for written answer by his Department on a named day in session 2008-09 received a substantive answer on that day. [307551]
Mr. Simon: My Department(1) received 502 parliamentary questions tabled for answer on a named day during the parliamentary Session 2008-09. The amount given a substantive reply on the named day was 244 (48.61 per cent.)
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.
Central guidance on answer parliamentary questions is now available in the 'Guide to Parliamentary Work', at
In the response to the Procedure Committee report on written parliamentary questions, the Government accepted the Committee's recommendation that Departments be required to provide the Procedure Committee with sessional statistics in a standard format on the time taken to respond to written parliamentary questions, accompanied by an explanatory memorandum setting out any factors affecting their performance. This will be taken forward as soon as possible.
(1 )Includes figures for named day parliamentary questions tabled to the Minister for the Olympics.
Gambling Commission: Birmingham
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much the Gambling Commission paid in staff travel costs in respect of commuting between London and Birmingham in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [305122]
Mr. Sutcliffe: In the 12 months up to 30 November 2009, the Gambling Commission paid £17,897.52 in staff travel costs in respect of commuting. This figure is in respect of staff on detached duty for commuting between London and Birmingham.
Government Art Collection
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many items from the Government Art Collection have been loaned to public galleries in each of the past 10 years; and how many items from the collection are located in (a) departmental offices, (b) ministerial residences, (c) offices of non-departmental public bodies, (d) public galleries, (e) diplomatic missions overseas, (f) storage and (g) other locations. [306698]
Margaret Hodge: The Government Art Collection lent the following number of works of art to public galleries in the last 10 years, both for temporary exhibitions and on a long-term loan basis:
| Number | |
(a)- (g) I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Stevenage (Barbara Follett) to the hon. Member for South-West Surrey (Mr. Hunt) on 15 May 2009, Official Report, columns 1045-47W. The Government Art Collection is unable to produce further figures in the time given.
Government: Assets
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether he plans to take steps to prevent (a) playing fields, (b) other sports facilities and (c) libraries being disposed of in the Government's proposed sale of public assets. [304486]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Government's proposed sale of public assets did not include plans to dispose of playing fields, sports facilities and libraries, which are primarily matters for local authorities. Any asset sales would be based on proposals by individual local authorities as central Government do not determine what assets they may wish to sell.
On the subject of playing fields, I would like to outline current protections. Since 1998, any proposed sale of school playing fields by a local authority has required permission from the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families. Additionally, local authorities are required to consult Sport England where planning applications affect land used as a playing field in the preceding five years. In April this year these protections were strengthened further by reducing the size of land in question from 0.4 hectares to 0.2 hectares.
Licensing Laws
Mr. Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many applications for licences to sell alcohol by a person who had previously held a licence were refused in each of the last three years because he or she had served alcohol to a person who was inebriated. [305395]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The information is not held centrally. The Alcohol, Entertainment and Late Night Refreshment Licensing Statistical Bulletin collects the number of new personal licence applications which were granted and refused.
It does not, however, break down the reasons for why these were refused.
National Lottery
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to the projections in Table 2.9 of Budget 2009, how much he expects to be in the National Lottery Distribution Fund in each year to 2013-14; and if he will make a statement. [307280]
Mr. Simon: Our current estimates for the size of the National Lottery Distribution Fund are:
| £ billion | |
All figures are for the year end on 31 March.
Playing Fields: Schools
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps his Department has taken to restrict the sale of school playing fields by local authorities; and if he will make a statement. [302345]
Mr. Iain Wright: I have been asked to reply.
Since the introduction of legislation in 1998, under section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act, all schools and local authorities in England have needed the Secretary of State's written consent before they can sell a school playing field or any part of a school playing field. A sale is only allowed if the playing field in question is genuinely surplus to schools needs and any community groups that may happen to use them. Also, all of the proceeds of sale must be used to improve school sports provision in the first instance. Only when it has been demonstrated that no sports facilities are needed can the proceeds be used for other educational facilities.
Royal Parks: Parking
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what (a) primary and (b) secondary legislation would be required to introduce car parking charges in those Royal Parks where charging is not in force. [306372]
Margaret Hodge: No primary legislation would be required to introduce car parking charges in Royal Parks.
Car parking charges can be introduced in the Royal Parks by regulations made under the Parks Regulation (Amendment) Act 1926 and the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.
The regulations are subject to negative resolution.
Tourism
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what recent assessment he has made of the level of associated expenditure in local economies from visitors in self-catering accommodation; [306004]
(2) what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the repeal of the furnished holiday lettings rules on the quality of tourism products and services. [306006]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 10 December 2009]: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not made any recent assessment of the associated expenditure in local economies from visitors to self-catering businesses.
In respect of the repeal of the furnished holiday lettings rules, the tourism industry has undertaken its own evaluation of the impact on rural and seaside communities, in which most self-catering operators are located. I am aware of the industry's concerns, but any assessment of changes in the taxation arrangements affecting such businesses is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor. An impact assessment was published alongside the draft regulations on 9 December.
I am also aware of the industry's concerns that the furnished holiday lettings rule changes will impact on the ability of self-catering operators to invest in and maintain their properties. I am continuing to discuss this matter with the Treasury.
Tourism: VAT
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received on the application of a reduced rate of value added tax to visitor attractions, catering and accommodation; and whether he has discussed that matter with HM Revenue and Customs. [303121]
Margaret Hodge: I regularly meet the sector through the Tourism Advisory Council and the Tourism Alliance. While tax issues are, of course, a matter for the Treasury, this Department continues to work across Government to represent the concerns of the tourism industry at the highest level and I remain in discussion with the Treasury about the impact such measures will have.
Children, Schools and Families
Better Communication Action Plan
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what progress has been made in implementing the Better Communication Action Plan; and if he will make a statement. [305050]
Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what progress the Government has made in its response to the Bercow Report on services for children and young people with speech, language and communications needs. [305111]
Ms Diana R. Johnson: Following the Bercow review of services for children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN), the Government published "Better Communication: An action plan to improve services for children and young people with SLCN", backed by £12 million investment.
As part of the action plan, the Department of Children, Schools and Families and the Department of Health have chosen 16 local areas to become SLCN commissioning pathfinders. The 16 pilot areas have been chosen to identify good practice in providing support for children
with SLCN through the joint working of organisations such as primary care trusts and local authorities. This will be used to develop a national framework to improve the way services are delivered for children across the country.
Jean Gross was announced as the communication champion on 15 October 2009, and we have established the Communication Council, which met for the first time on 21 September 2009, to support initiatives to improve services for children with SLCN. As communication champion, Jean Gross will raise awareness of the importance of communication, share good practice and lead delivery of a national year.
In addition, the university of Warwick has been selected to lead a consortium delivering a three-year research programme on the cost-effectiveness of interventions and to guide the development of future policy and practice in providing services for children and young people with SLCN.
12 organisations working to support children with alternative and augmentative communication needs have been chosen to share grants totalling £500,000 this year as part of Becta's commitment to provide £1.5 million of funding over the next three years. These grants aim to support delivery and provision of services.
Building Schools for the Future Programme
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he expects work to begin on the new build elements of the Building Schools for the Future programmes in Pendle at (a) Colne Park High School, (b) Fisher More Catholic High School, (c) West Craven High Technology College and (d) Colne Primet High School; and if he will make a statement. [304664]
Mr. Coaker: Lancashire county council was among the 13 local authorities which have recently been given approval to rebuild or refurbish secondary schools in their area as part of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. Pending a successful Remit meeting, Lancashire will formally enter the programme for their next phase of BSF investment by April 2010.
Colne Park High, Fisher More Catholic High, West Craven High Technology College and Colne Primet High School are included in this phase of Lancashire's project. Work is currently scheduled to commence around April 2011 and complete by September 2012; this timetable is subject to review as the project develops.
Future BSF projects: First follow-on project due to begin before April 2010.
BSF schools open to date: Three.
Total capital investment: Wave 1 £33.7 million (conventional funding-Excl academies); £246.6 million (PFI credits).
Total number of schools: Nine plus two Academies
Remit meetings are currently being arranged and it is anticipated that Lancashire shall formally enter into the next Wave of investment in their BSF programme before April 2010.
Colne Park High, Fisher More Catholic High, West Craven High Technology College and Colne Primet High School are included in the first follow-on project
and the indicative programme indicates that work on these schools will commence around April 2011 and complete by September 2012. However, it is important to note that this programme is subject to review as work progresses.
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