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Stakeholder Pensions
Lord Higgins asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Hollis of Heigham on 22 July (WA 21), what £1,000 in a stakeholder pension invested in a "tracker fund" tracking the FTSE 100, the FTSE 250 and the FTSE 350 and an appropriate bond fund respectively, when the scheme was introduced, is now worth. [HL5569]
Baroness Hollis of Heigham: Schemes operate tracker funds in a variety of ways. The exact current value of money invested in a stakeholder pension will depend on a number of factors, such as the date of the investment and the specific nature of the stakeholder's charging structure. Also, for a given index tracked, fund performance may vary. For these reasons no specific answer can be given.
Data are available from Trustnet (www.trustnet.com) on the performance of all "tracker funds". In the year to July 2002 performance across UK "tracker funds" ranged from a 10 per cent growth to a 77 per cent fall. Reference can be made to this source for details of individual funds.
These figures relate specifically to the growth in value of a unit holding over a specified period assuming that distributions (dividends net of the standard rate of tax) are re-invested to purchase additional units of a fund at the closing bid price applicable on the ex-distribution date.
In general, pension saving is a long-term investment, and it is not therefore helpful to consider fund performance over just one year.
Queen's Jubilee Medal
Baroness Buscombe asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answers by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on 17 June (HC Deb, 63W) and on 16 April (HC Deb, 836W), why they have decided not to award the Queen's Jubilee Medal to the Yeomen Warders of the Tower of London; and what representations they have received in this respect.[HL5534]
The Minister of State, Department of Culture, Media and Sport (Baroness Blackstone): The medal is being given to serving members of the Armed Forces, the Royal Fleet Auxilliary and the 999 emergency services. Yeomen Warders of the Tower of London are not eligible to receive the Queen's Jubilee Medal as they do not fall within these catergories.
Five letters have been received from or on behalf of the Yeomen Warders in support of their receiving the medal.
Broadcasting Licences
Baroness Howe of Idlicote asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What assessment they have made of the increases in broadcasting capacity delivered by increasing use of digital technology; and what implications they have identified as a result of that increase in capacity for the continuation of the statutory ban on Christian organisations owning broadcasting licences.[HL5656]
Baroness Blackstone: The Government recognise that the capacity for providing broadcast services on all delivery platforms has increased significantly through digital technology. The Government's position is set out in the document The draft Communications Bill—The Policy which states that, where there is sufficient spectrum availability, restrictions on religious bodies holding licences will be removed (paragraph 9.3.3). The growth of digital TV and radio broadcasting has helped reduce spectrum constraints, but limitations do remain. The Government's aim is to ensure that the limited spectrum available is distributed so as to satisfy as many viewers/listeners as possible and to avoid giving one religion an unfair advantage over another so that everyone's beliefs are equally respected. We have decided to lift the present prohibitions on religious ownership of certain television licences (digital programme service, digital additional service and restricted service licences) and in relation to radio, the local digital sound programme service licence, where (as noted in the Communications White Paper) the disqualification in relation to religious bodies is an anomaly in the present legislation.
Lord Kilclooney asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether there is spectrum scarcity in the digital environment; and why there is a statutory ban on religious organisations having a range of broadcasting licences.[HL5736]
Baroness Blackstone: The Government recognise that the capacity for providing broadcast services on all delivery platforms has increased significantly through digital technology. The Government's position is set out in the document The draft Communications Bill—The Policy which states that, where there is sufficient spectrum availability, restrictions on religious bodies holding licences will be removed (paragraph 9.3.3). The growth of digital TV
and radio broadcasting has helped reduce spectrum constraints, but limitations do remain. The Government's aim is to ensure that the limited spectrum available is distributed so as to satisfy as many viewers/listeners as possible, and to avoid giving one religion an unfair advantage over another so that everyone's beliefs are equally respected. We have decided to lift the present prohibitions on religious ownership of certain television licences (digital programme service, digital additional service and restricted service licences) and in relation to radio, the local digital sound programme service licence, where (as noted in the Communications White Paper) the disqualification in relation to religious bodies is an anomaly in the present legislation.
Lord Kilclooney asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the European Court of Human Rights intends to consider an application about the ban on religious organisations having a range of broadcasting licences; and when a decision could be expected. [HL5737]
Baroness Blackstone: I understand that the European Court of Human Rights has received an application in relation to religious ownership of broadcasting licences. However, it is a matter for the Court as to when or whether it considers an application.
Broadcasting Organisations: Appointment of Members
Baroness Howe of Idlicote asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What consideration they give to membership of religious organisations when considering appointments of (a) members or senior officers of the Radio Authority; (b) members or senior officers of the Independent Television Commission; and (c) Governors and senior officers of the BBC; and whether they have declined to make such an appointment to any of those bodies solely on the basis of the religious affiliations of the candidate. [HL5657]
Baroness Blackstone: All appointments of members of the Radio Authority and the Independent Television Commission, and Governors of the BBC are made in compliance with the guidance issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. This provides that all public appointments should be governed by the overriding principle of selection based on merit: religious affiliation is not a criterion for appointment. The Government are not responsible for appointing executive staff to these bodies.
Museums and Galleries: Abolition of Charges
Lord Faulkner of Worcester asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Which museums and art galleries have abolished charges in the last two years; and what effect the abolition of such charges has had on admission numbers.[HL5692]
Baroness Blackstone: The DCMS-sponsored museums and galleries which abolished charges for admission to their permanent collections on 1 December 2001 (22 November 2001 for the V&A), are set out in the list below. This followed the introduction of free access for children on 1 April 1999 and for people over 60 on 1 April 2000.
Since April 2000 child visits to ex-charging museums and galleries sponsored by the DCMS have increased by 713,000 (14 per cent). Over the same period, there were an additional 532,000 visits from people over 60, a 23 per cent increase.
In the seven-month period December 2001 to June 2002 following the introduction of free entry visits to these museums and galleries increased by 2,700,000, a 62 per cent growth on the same period in the previous year. This is a spectacular endorsement of the Government's free access policy.
In addition, the National Coal Mining Museum for England introduced free admission on 8 April 2002, and the Imperial War Museum of the North in Trafford opened free in July 2002.
Imperial War Museum (Lambeth Road)
V&A (South Kensington, and Theatre Museum, Covent Garden)
Natural History Museum (South Kensington & Tring)
National Museum of Science & Industry (South Kensington & National Railway Museum, York)
Museum of Science & Industry, Manchester
National Museums & Galleries on Merseyside
Lord Faulkner of Worcester asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What criteria were applied to the museums and art galleries that were permitted to abolish admission charges; and whether it is envisaged that other establishments may abolish charges if they meet these criteria. [HL5693]
Baroness Blackstone: The Government's pledge, first made in the 1998 Comprehensive Spending Review, was to ensure universal free access to the national museums and galleries. The VAT refund scheme, announced by my right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the 2001 Budget was designed in order to help deliver that pledge. Only the national museums and galleries that are free, funded directly by Government, and to which that
commitment to free access applied, are eligible for the refund scheme.
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