Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 20 January 2010
Culture, Media and Sport
Alcoholic Drinks: Young People
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many nightclubs in England and Wales have had alcohol licences revoked in circumstances where the persistent sale of alcohol to persons under 18 years of age has been demonstrated in the last 12 months. [312087]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The Alcohol, Entertainment and Late Night Refreshment Licensing Statistical Bulletin collects the number of licences revoked, but does not indicate why or the type of premises involved. Licences may be revoked following a review by the licensing authority for a number of reasons, including persistent selling of alcohol to children. However, the persistent sale of alcohol to children is a specific criminal offence under section 147A of the Licensing Act 2003.
Where a premises licence holder admits the offence and accepts a closure notice issued under section 169A of the 2003 Act, the licence may be suspended for up to 48 hours. The number of such suspensions under section 169A between April 2008 and March 2009 was 54, based on replies from 97 per cent. of licensing authorities. However, where the holder of a premises licence is convicted by a court of an offence under section 147A (in respect of the sale or supply of alcohol, following an offence of persistently selling to underage children) to which the licence relates, the court may order that the licence, so far as it authorises the sale by retail of alcohol, be suspended for a period not exceeding three months.
The number of suspensions ordered by the courts between April 2008 and March 2009 was 12, based on responses from 98 per cent. of licensing authorities.
Arts Council of England
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking in respect of the public perception of Arts Council England. [309619]
Margaret Hodge: Arts Council England is responsible for maintaining the reputation and knowledge of the organisation.
The Department is confident that Arts Council England's public perception is good and is continuing to improve. Recent research found that while 47 per cent. of members of the public who have heard of the Arts Council held no strong view of ACE, of the remaining 53 per cent.; 36 per cent. held a favourable opinion and 8 per cent. held an unfavourable opinion(1).
Among the arts sector, 74 per cent. responded favourably and 10 per cent. unfavourably.
A further breakdown of this information is detailed in the tables:
(1 )Arts Council's Stakeholder Focus research programme 2009-10.
Casinos: Gambling Machines
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of any link between the number of machines allowed in casinos and the extent of problem gambling. [311951]
Mr. Sutcliffe: My Department has not made a specific assessment of the link between the number of machines allowed in casinos and the extent of problem gambling. However, the Gambling Commission has undertaken research into what can be done to understand the impact of high stake, high prize gaming machines on problem gambling in general, the results of which were reported to me in July 2009. Among other things, this work commented on the availability and accessibility of gaming machines in gambling venues across Britain.
Subsequently, the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board's initial recommendations and priorities for research, education and treatment into problem gambling published on 14 October 2009, has highlighted that early priority should be given to developing a programme of work around high stake, high prize gaming machines building on the initial work undertaken by the Gambling Commission.
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether he has plans to increase the number of machines allowed in casinos. [311955]
Mr. Sutcliffe: My Department has no specific plans at present in relation to numbers of gaming machines allowed in casinos.
A number of representations have been made by the casino industry with regards to the ongoing review of category B gaming machines, which are being given due consideration.
Casinos: Licensing
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance the Gambling Commission has produced on the practice of adult gaming centres without a casino licence branding themselves as casinos. [311835]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The Gambling Commission has advised that it has not published guidance on the practice of adult gaming centres without a casino licence branding themselves as casinos.
Cricket: Facilities
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to encourage the development of indoor cricket. [312017]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Sport England has advised that over the period 2009-13 Sport England will invest a total £38,003,357 in the English Cricket Board (ECB) for their Whole Sport Plan. A key part of this funding agreement is for the ECB to increase participation in the sport.
One aspect of this will be to increase participation in indoor cricket, with indoor cricket playing a key role in the ECB's wider club network intervention. In addition to this the ECB is currently working with the organisation Indoor Cricket England to look at the ways they might be able to work together to increase access and participation in the indoor version of the game.
Gambling Commission: Public Appointments
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will undertake an investigation into (a) the appropriateness of the appointment of the Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission to the Commission's Board of Commissioners and (b) the effect on levels of transparency and accountability of the separation of both roles. [311640]
Mr. Sutcliffe: I have no current plans to review this appointment.
The current chief executive of the Gambling Commission was appointed as an ex-officio Commissioner of the Gambling Commission by the then Secretary of State in October 2005. We continue to believe that this is a positive arrangement which is consistent with arrangements in place for similar regulatory bodies, and we believe that there is no detrimental impact on levels of transparency and accountability as a result.
Gambling: Advertising
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions the Gambling Commission has had with regulators outside the European Economic Area and the white list of countries permitted to advertise gambling services in the UK on the effectiveness of the regulation of operators providing gambling services to customers in the UK. [311641]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The information requested is not held by my Department and relates to matters that are the responsibility of the Gambling Commission.
Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of the Gambling Commission to write direct to the hon. Member.
Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Justice
Crimes of Violence
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many violent incidents were recorded at properties operated by ClearSprings Ltd. under the Bail and Accommodation Support Service in each of the last three years. [310960]
Maria Eagle: The number of violent incidents recorded at properties managed by ClearSprings for the bail accommodation and support service in the last three years is;
| Number of violent incidents reported | |
These data include one incident of aggravated burglary by a member of the public against a ClearSprings property in 2009.
Land Registry
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much the Land Registry has spent on the refurbishment of its head office in Lincoln's Inn Fields in each of the last three financial years. [310712]
Mr. Wills: Land Registry has refurbished its head office in Lincoln's Inn Fields to address health and safety risks, including legionella, to address the risk of electrical and heating systems failure, and to bring the building, which was built in 1913, up to date. The project included not only internal redecoration and remodelling, but full replacement of the heating system, replacement of the hot and cold water services and installation of a dedicated electrical sub-station (in the light of advice from consultants following a number of blackouts in the building). The cost of refurbishment in the last three financial years was:
| Cost of refurbishment (£) | |
The total for the last three financial years is £7,489,207. These costs are off-set by a consequential increase in value of the building of £5.25 million based on a Valuation Office report on 15 December 2008 (compared with the previous valuation on 8 January 2008).
Powers of Entry
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many warrants magistrates have issued for the courts to enter premises by force under section 78 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005. [311480]
Bridget Prentice: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost by manually interrogating court records.
Prison Accommodation
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 7 January 2010, Official Report, columns 546-7W, on prison accommodation, how many cells are not included in the certified normal accommodation of the prison estate for (a) operational reasons relating to cell (i) heating, (ii) lighting, (iii) ventilation and (iv) size and (b) other reasons relating to cell maintenance. [311241]
Maria Eagle: As at the end of November 2009 and based on information from central records, about 500 places in the prison estate's baseline were not included in in-use certified normal accommodation because of centrally programmed maintenance projects. Cell certification records do not systematically identify the nature of each maintenance project.
These figures have been drawn from central administrative/recording systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
Prisoners: Mothers
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many mother and baby units for female prisoners there are in England and Wales; and what the capacity of each such unit is for (a) female children and (b) babies. [311242]
Maria Eagle: There are seven mother and baby units (MBUs) in England providing an overall capacity of 75 places. Each unit can normally accommodate one set of twins. However, the number of places available at any one time can fluctuate for operational reasons, and currently stands at 69.
| Establishment | MBU Capacity |
For young women under 18 years of age there is a MBU at Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre that has a capacity of three places. One set of twins can be accommodated on the unit.
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