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9 Mar 2010 : Column 175W—continued

Departmental Public Expenditure

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many cases of financial irregularities have been recorded in his Department in each of the last five financial years; and if he will make a statement. [320896]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The Treasury guidance, 'Managing Public Money' defines irregularities as spend outside legal powers, parliamentary consents, or Treasury delegations. On that basis, the Department has reported financial irregularities over the last five years as follows:

Financial year Number of cases

2004-05

0

2005-06

0

2006-07

0

2007-08

1

2008-09

0


Departmental Travel

Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much (a) Ministers and (b) staff of each grade in (i) his Department and (ii) its agency spent on first class travel in the last 12 months. [320397]


9 Mar 2010 : Column 176W

Margaret Hodge: All travel by Ministers and staff is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.

The Department's system does not analyse total travel expenditure by grade of staff or class of travel. To obtain this information would incur disproportionate cost.

The only information on first class travel which is available and which is for travel pre-booked through the Department's contracted travel agents only, is set out in the following table.

£
Financial year Ministers Staff

2009-10(1)

8,490

24,410

2008-09(2)

7,340

46,030

(1) To January 2010.
(2) Full year costs.

Foreign Companies: Finance

Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding his Department has provided to organisations or companies registered abroad in each of the last five years. [318625]

Margaret Hodge [holding answer 25 February 2010]: The Department paid subscriptions to international bodies in each of the last five years as set out in the following table.

£

2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10( 1)

European Audiovisual Observatory

162,351

177,951

146,721

212,678

239,101

United Nations:

World Tourism Organisation

-

-

-

315,116

113,213

World Heritage Fund

128,443

107,964

125,035

129,159

140,654

World Anti-Doping Association

343,445

358,596

338,757

378,312

475,470

Council of Europe: Enlarged

Partial Agreement on Sport

-

-

55,533

97,893

-

634,239

644,511

666,046

1,133,158

968,438

(1 )Forecast

Details of other spend with overseas trade suppliers can only be identified at disproportionate cost.

Illegal Immigrants

Mr. Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many staff his Department and its agencies have appointed who were later discovered to be illegal immigrants since 2005. [320441]

Margaret Hodge: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport and The Royal Parks Agency have found no illegal immigrants working for them since 2005.


9 Mar 2010 : Column 177W

National Skills Academy for Creative and Cultural Skills: Thurrock

Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent progress has been made on establishing cross-cutting procedures to enable progress to be made on the (a) funding for and (b) construction of a site shared with the Royal Opera House campus, Thurrock of the Creative and Cultural Skills Academy. [320598]

Margaret Hodge [holding answer 4 March 2010]: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has worked closely with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Communities and Local Government to progress the National Skills Academy for Creative and Cultural Skills (NSA) and the Royal Opera House Production Park.

In November 2009, the Learning and Skills Council committed £5 million to the NSA. Discussions have taken place with the Homes and Communities Agency on funding.

Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation handed over the Royal Opera House Production Workshops to the Royal Opera House on the 2 March 2010. The completion date for this project is November 2010 and it will house the creation of costumes and scenery.

Public Houses: Greater London

Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many public houses there were in (a) the London borough of Bexley and (b) Greater London in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2009. [321058]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has collated annual statistics from licensing authorities relating to alcohol, entertainment and late night refreshment since the implementation of the Licensing Act 2003. This does not identify the number of pubs, as there is no official or established definition of a pub which distinguishes it from other premises which sell alcohol.

Prior to the implementation of the Licensing Act 2003, data were collected by petty sessional division (magistrates court areas) on a triennial basis. As at 30 June 1998, there were 135 public houses in Bexley and 8,844 public houses in London. This definition of a public house includes hotels and premises (other than those licensed under part IV of the Licensing Act 1964) having a justices' on-licence.

Public Libraries: Greater London

Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many public libraries there were in (a) the London borough of Bexley and (b) Greater London in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2009. [321059]

Margaret Hodge: Public library statistics are published annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA). Data for 2009 are not yet available. The total number of service points (including mobile libraries) in Bexley and Greater London open 10 or more hours per week at 31 March 1997 and 2008 are in the table.


9 Mar 2010 : Column 178W

1997 2008

London borough of Bexley

15

13

Greater London

405

388


Swimming: Concessions

Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Bexleyheath and Crayford of 1 March 2010, Official Report, column 658, what discussions he has had with the Minister for the Olympics on the take up of free swimming initiatives by Bexley borough council; and on what date Bexley borough council commenced offering free swimming. [320737]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The Secretary of State has had no specific discussions with the Minister for the Olympics on the take up of the free swimming initiative by Bexley borough council.

Bexley borough council commenced offering free swimming in April 2009.

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what representations he has received from (a) members of the public and (b) local authorities on charging for swimming floats by leisure centres which participate in the Government's free swimming initiative; [320891]

(2) whether funding provided under his Department's free swimming initiative is intended to cover the use of (a) swimming floats and (b) other swimming aids. [320892]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has received no representations from members of the public or local authorities on charging for swimming floats by leisure centres which participate in the Government's free swimming initiative.

The Government provide revenue funding to local authorities who are responsible for the delivery of the Free Swimming Programme. The scheme enables people aged 60 and over and young people aged 16 and under to swim for free.

Theatre: Young People

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding was provided to each theatre participating in the free theatre tickets scheme; and how many tickets each theatre agreed to make available. [317187]

Margaret Hodge: Theatres wishing to participate in the "A Night Less Ordinary" scheme were invited to apply for one of four types of grants by Arts Council England.

According to the type of venue, the location and the number of tickets each venue expected to be able to give away, participants received either:-


9 Mar 2010 : Column 179W

Arts Council England has supplied a full list of participating theatres by award category in the following table.


9 Mar 2010 : Column 180W
Name of venue Region Band

London Off West End Consortium (Almeida, Battersea Arts Centre, Bush Theatre, Donmar Warehouse, Greenwich Theatre, Hampstead Theatre, Lyric Hammersmith, Royal Court, Soho Theatre, Tricycle Theatre, Theatre Royal Stratford East, Young Vic)

London

Multi award

Barbican Centre

London

Premium

Rose Theatre, Kingston

London

Premium

National Theatre

London

Premium

The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury

South East

Premium

Chichester Festival Theatre

South East

Premium

HQ Theatres Ltd (Wycombe Swan, High Wycombe; Beck Theatre, Hayes; Southend Theatres; The Wyvern Theatre, Swindon; White Rock Theatre, Hastings)

National

Premium

The Works (Dance and Theatre Cornwall) (Carn to Cove, representing 62 village halls; The Acorn Arts Centre, Penzance; Sterts Theatre, Upton Cross; The Keay Theatre, St. Austell; Helford Theatre, Truro)

South West

Premium

Theatre Royal, Plymouth

South West

Premium

Birmingham Hippodrome

West Midlands

Premium

Birmingham Rep

West Midlands

Premium

Malvern Theatres

West Midlands

Premium

Royal Shakespeare Company

West Midlands

Premium

West Yorkshire Playhouse

Yorkshire

Premium

York Royal Theatre

Yorkshire

Premium

Royal and Derngate, Northampton

East Midlands

Standard

Nottingham Playhouse

East Midlands

Standard

The Pleasance Theatre Islington

London

Standard

Hackney Empire Studio Theatre

London

Standard

Trafalgar Studios

London

Standard

Areola Theatre Production Company

London

Standard

Polka Theatre

London

Standard

The Churchill, Bromley

London

Standard

Sunderland Empire

North East

Standard

North East Newcastle Theatres (Theatre Royal, Northern Stage, Live Theatre)

North East

Standard

Contact

North West

Standard

West Cumbria Arts Partnership (Theatre by the Lake, Keswick; Rosehill Theatre, Whitehaven; Kirkgate Centre, Cockermouth; The Wave, Maryport; Arts Out West-West Cumbria rural touring scheme)

North West

Standard

Royal Exchange Theatre

North West

Standard

Blackpool Grand

North West

Standard

Dukes Playhouse

North West

Standard

Oldham Coliseum Theatre

North West

Standard

The Octagon Theatre, Bolton

North West

Standard

The Hawth Theatre

South East

Standard

Milton Keynes Theatre

South East

Standard

Nuffield Theatre

South East

Standard

Oxford Playhouse

South East

Standard

Exeter Northcott Theatre

South West

Standard

Lighthouse, Poole's Centre for the Arts

South West

Standard

Belgrade Theatre

West Midlands

Standard

New Vic Theatre

West Midlands

Standard

Regent Theatre, Stoke-On-Trent

West Midlands

Standard

Warwick Arts Centre

West Midlands

Standard

Hull Truck Theatre

Yorkshire

Standard

Sheffield Theatres Trust (Crucible Theatre, Lyceum Theatre, Studio Theatre)

Yorkshire

Standard

Watford Palace Theatre

East

Flexible

Mercury Theatre

East

Flexible

The Hat Factory, Luton

East

Flexible

The Junction

East

Flexible

South Holland Centre

East Midlands

Flexible

Derby Live (Assembly Rooms and Guildhall Theatre)

East Midlands

Flexible

Blue Elephant Theatre

London

Flexible

Half Moon

London

Flexible

Tara

London

Flexible

artsdepot

London

Flexible

Gate Theatre

London

Flexible

Millfield Arts Centre

London

Flexible

The Albany

London

Flexible

Harrow Arts Centre

London

Flexible

Orange Tree Theatre

London

Flexible

Roundhouse

London

Flexible

Rich Mix

London

Flexible

Darlington Civic Theatre/Darlington Arts Centre

North East

Flexible

The Customs House

North East

Flexible

Forum twenty eight

North West

Flexible

The Met Arts Centre

North West

Flexible

Liverpool Everyman Playhouse

North West

Flexible

Library Theatre Company

North West

Flexible

Marine Hall and Thornton Little Theatre

North West

Flexible

Highlights Rural Touring Scheme

North West/North East

Flexible

Farnham Maltings

South East

Flexible

Hampshire Small Scale Venues (Ashcroft Arts Centre, Farnham; Forest Arts Centre, New Milton; Havant Arts Centre; West End Centre, Aldershot; Winchester Discovery Centre)

South East

Flexible

The Live Theatre Winchester Trust (Theatre Royal Winchester, New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth)

South East

Flexible

Assembly Hall Theatre

South East

Flexible

South Hill Park Arts Centre

South East

Flexible

PANeK Consortia (PANeK; Gulbenkian Theatre, Canterbury; Theatre Royal Margate; Trinity Theatre, Tunbridge Wells, South Hill Park Arts Centre)

South East

Flexible

Merlin Theatre

South West

Flexible

Arc Theatre Trowbridge

South West

Flexible

Culture Swindon (Swindon Arts Centre, Artsmad)

South West

Flexible

Air in G

South West

Flexible

Oakengates Theatre @ The Palace, Telford

West Midlands

Flexible

Breaking Boundaries (Ludlow Assembly Rooms, Arts Alive Touring Scheme)

West Midlands

Flexible

The Drum

West Midlands

Flexible

Playbox Theatre

West Midlands

Flexible

Courtyard Centre for the Arts

West Midlands

Flexible

Lawrence Batley Theatre/LBT

Yorkshire

Flexible

The Civic

Yorkshire

Flexible

Lamproom Theatre, Barnsley

Yorkshire

Flexible

Square Chapel Centre for the Arts

Yorkshire

Flexible

National Rural Touring Forum

Yorkshire

Flexible

The Plowright Theatre

Yorkshire

Flexible

The Carriage Works

Yorkshire

Flexible


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