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21 Jan 2010 : Column 435W—continued
Culture, Media and Sport
Big Lottery Fund: Discrimination
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding the Big Lottery Fund has provided to Developing Discrimination Advice Regional Events in 2009-10. [311801]
Mr. Simon: The information requested is not held by my Department and relates to matters that are the responsibility of the Big Lottery Fund.
Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of the Big Lottery Fund to write direct to the hon. Member.
Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Camelot Group
Mr. Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions members his Department have had with the National Lottery Commission on Camelot's proposed entry into the commercial market for bill payments and mobile telephone payments; and whether the Commission has made any assessment of the potential effect of such an entry on the commercial market in the area. [312249]
Mr. Simon: My officials and I have regular meetings with the National Lottery Commission about the full range of National Lottery Regulation issues, and the possibility of Camelot providing ancillary services has been discussed in that context.
The approval of the National Lottery Commission is required to allow the National Lottery operator to undertake such services and the Commission is currently considering proposals from Camelot.
Digital Broadcasting: Radio
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the likely effects of digital switchover under the provisions of the Digital Economy Bill on the ability of local commercial radio stations without a digital path to continue to broadcast on the analogue spectrum. [312081]
Mr. Simon: No specific assessment has been made of the impact of the radio provisions set out in the draft Digital Economy Bill on local commercial stations remaining on FM after the digital radio switchover. However, these provisions, and the proposals in the Digital Britain White Paper, were made following 18 months of consultation with the radio industry, which included representatives of small local commercial stations.
I am continuing this dialogue with the industry with the specific purpose of ensuring that local radio can continue to thrive on FM after the digital radio switchover.
Digital Broadcasting: Scotland
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of Scottish households are able to receive digital radio services; what plans his Department has to increase coverage for digital radio in Scotland before 2015; what the cost of implementing those plans will be; and who will pay for the implementation. [311894]
Mr. Simon: The Spectrum Planning Group, which formed part of the Digital Radio Working Group, reported in November 2008 that 77.8 per cent. of the population in Scotland had access to indoor Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB).
Coverage of digital radio broadcasting in the UK continues to increase and both the commercial and the BBC's national multiplexes now reach about 90 per cent. of the UK population. The Digital Radio Upgrade programme will require new investment in building and improving DAB coverage and reception. To this end we will be working with the BBC and commercial operators to ensure coverage of DAB is comparable to FM by the end of 2014.
The Digital Britain White Paper was clear that the investment need to increase coverage will need to come from both commercial operators and the BBC.
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of households in Scotland receive (a) digital commercial radio and (b) BBC digital radio services. [312104]
Mr. Simon: The Spectrum Planning Group, which formed part of the Digital Radio Working Group, reported in November 2008 that 76.2 per cent. of the population in Scotland had access to digital commercial radio services, while 77.8 per cent. of the population in Scotland has access to BBC digital radio services. Figures are based on indoor coverage.
Industrial Health and Safety
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether written health and safety advice is issued to each new employee in his Department. [311375]
Mr. Simon: While a written document is not provided to new staff, they are directed towards the departmental intranet on starting which outlines in detail the procedures and guidance on this matter. They are also given an emergency contact card which encourages them to read the evacuation procedures and provides them with key essential numbers for internal security, NHS Direct and other such contacts.
Defence
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Estonian military personnel are serving with British Forces in Afghanistan; and in what capacity. [311355]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: There are 155 Estonian military personnel serving in Afghanistan. An Estonian Infantry company operates with British forces in Task Force Helmand.
Aircraft Carriers: Procurement
Mr. Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what sub-contracts have been awarded in his Department's aircraft carriers procurement programme; and what the monetary value is of each such sub-contract. [311746]
Mr. Quentin Davies: As at 21 December 2009, a total of 93 sub-contracts had been placed by the Aircraft Carrier Alliance to support the build of the two Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers. A detailed list of these sub-contracts will be placed in the Library of the House.
Ex-servicemen: Military Decorations
Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to introduce a lapel badge for those who worked in the munitions factories during the Second World War. [305243]
Mr. McFadden: I have been asked to reply.
While I gratefully acknowledge the important contribution made by the munitions workers in the Second World War, there are no present plans to introduce a lapel badge.
Helicopters
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of each helicopter type in the (a) Army Air Corps, (b) Royal Navy and (c) Royal Air Force is (i) in service and (ii) fit for purpose. [311896]
Mr. Quentin Davies: Operational capability is measured in terms of flying hours rather than the number of airframes available. All rotary wing operational requirements are currently being met.
"In-Service" has been taken to mean the effective fleet which covers all aircraft barring those which are redundant, declared surplus or awaiting disposal. Aircraft in the Forward Fleet are those aircraft that are available to Front Line Commands for Operational and training purposes. 'Fit for purpose' has been taken to mean which are 'Available'. This is defined as those aircraft within the Forward Fleet that are considered capable of carrying out their planned missions on a given date. The number of helicopters available varies from day to day, primarily due to routine maintenance requirements.
All aircraft in the Forward Fleet which are not Available are classified as Short-Term Unserviceable, because they may be undergoing first-line maintenance, other minor works or being prepared for transportation. Aircraft which are Short-Term Unserviceable can usually be made Available relatively quickly.
The Departmental Fleet comprises effective and non-effective aircraft. Non-effective aircraft are those aircraft still on the Military Register which are declared surplus and awaiting disposal and are no longer expected to be flown. Effective aircraft comprise those in the Depth Fleet and those in the Forward Fleet.
Aircraft in the Depth Fleet are those which are undergoing modification, depth maintenance and repair; in storage (including attrition aircraft); surplus aircraft awaiting classification as 'ineffective'; or Trials aircraft.
The information requested is shown in the following table. The figures are averages for December 2009.
Members: Correspondence
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans to reply to the letter of 30 November 2009 from the hon. Member for Billericay regarding a constituent, Mr. J. Dodd. [312248]
Bill Rammell: I will reply to the hon. Member for Billericay before 30 January 2010, responding to the letter from his constituent, Mr J. Dodd.
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