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CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Tobacco Sponsorship
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what definite offers he has received from companies willing to replace moneys currently received from tobacco companies for sports sponsorship; [52515]
- (2) when the Tobacco Sponsorship Task Force last met; who attended the meeting; and what recommendations were agreed; [52514]
(3) what research his Department has evaluated into the extent to which companies would be prepared to replace tobacco sponsorship of sport. [52509]
Mr. Banks: The Task Force has not yet been formally constituted, although I have had an initial informal meeting with sports and business interest, and will hold a further meeting in the autumn when the current exercise to collect sponsorship information from the sports concerned should be completed.
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received from arts organisations in the United Kingdom regarding withdrawal of tobacco companies' support. [52512]
Mr. Banks: In the last 15 months, my Department has received written representations from four arts organisations in the United Kingdom, expressing concern about the potential impact of any future withdrawal of support by tobacco companies.
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what assessment he has made of whether the period of time set out by the EU Directive on Tobacco Advertising for the withdrawal of sports sponsorship will be complied with; [52511]
- (2) if he will list those events his Department will treat as world level events in accordance with the terms of the EU Directive on tobacco advertising. [52513]
Mr. Banks: The future individual sponsorship arrangements are matters for the sports and businesses concerned, although they will have to comply with the legal requirements of the European Union Tobacco Advertising Directive. The Government's detailed proposals for implementing the Directive will be set out in a White Paper to be issued later this year.
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will undertake a study into the financial implications for sport of the EU Directive on Tobacco Advertising. [52508]
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Mr. Banks:
I have no plans to do so. I have set up a Task Force of sports and business interests to help identify and secure alternative sponsors.
Mr. Lansley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list those compliance cost assessments since 1 May 1997 in which there is a net reduction in compliance costs resulting from a legislative proposal. [52949]
Mr. Chris Smith
[holding answer 28 July 1998]: My Department has not undertaken any compliance cost assessments since 1 May 1997.
Mr. Lansley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the compliance cost assessments published by his Department since 1 May 1997. [52948]
Mr. Chris Smith
[holding answer 28 July 1998]: My Department has not published any compliance cost assessments since 1 May 1997.
Mr. Lansley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what cumulative net increase in compliance costs has been estimated in compliance cost assessments published by his Department since 1 May 1997. [52950]
Mr. Chris Smith
[holding answer 28 July 1998]: My Department has not published any compliance cost assessments since 1 May 1997. There is presently no requirement on Departments to carry out compliance cost assessments where legislative proposals are expected to be cost neutral or resulting in a saving to business.
Mr. Healey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people his Department is committed to employing during 1998 under (a) the subsidised job option and (b) the unsubsidised job option of the New Deal programme. [52577]
Mr. Chris Smith:
My Department is currently considering how best to support the New Deal programme and will be finalising plans shortly.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance his Department issues to those constructing buildings for which it is responsible on the use of materials containing asbestos. [52292]
Mr. Chris Smith:
For any significant construction of buildings, the Department employs professional project managers, and, where applicable, planning supervisors. They would be responsible for ensuring compliance with the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994. If the project did not require notification under those regulations, they would be responsible for ensuring compliance with the Control of Asbestos at Work (Amendment) Regulations 1992, plus others where specialist work is required.
Mr. Grogan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many representations he has received
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opposing the Gordon Committee's recommendations to remove live coverage of cricket test matches played in England from the events listed under Part IV of the Broadcasting Act 1996; and how many of those representations have been from hon. Members. [52451]
Mr. Chris Smith:
Between the publication of the report of Lord Gordon's Advisory Group on 20 March and my announcement of the revised list on 25 June, I received 699 representations opposing the Group's recommendations on Test cricket. Of the 103 hon. Members whose representations are included in that figure, 36 expressed opposition to the Gordon proposals. 67 hon. Members enclosed letters from their constituents without comment.
Mr. Nigel Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the impact on soccer in England of UEFA's proposed ban on multi-club ownership. [52332]
Mr. Banks:
I appreciate the concern about the potential impact of the ruling, and it is very important that the integrity of football competitions is not undermined. The football authorities are best placed to decide how far the new ruling is required to ensure fair competition, and pursue as necessary with UEFA. I am discussing the implications with interested parties.
Mrs. Ewing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the reviews his Department and its predecessors, initiated in the years (a) 1974-75, (b) 1979-80 and (c) 1992-93. [48514]
Mr. Chris Smith
[holding answer 6 July 1998]: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport was created in July 1997. Its predecessor, the Department of National Heritage (DNH), was created in April 1992 from parts of six Government Departments, and for that reason it is not possible to answer the question in respect of 1974-75 or 1979-80. In 1992-93, DNH initiated the following reviews: review of competitive tendering and market testing in museums and galleries; policy review of the public library service in England and Wales; review of library and information provision in rural areas; study of library services for children and young people; consultation on the future role and financing of the BBC and the Calcutt Review of Press Self-Regulation.
Mr. Kaufman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on IT itemising (a) personal computers, (b) main-frame, (c) mini-computers and (d) file servers in the last year for which figures are available. [52887]
Mr. Chris Smith:
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport spent £64,962 on personal computers and £66,678 on file servers in financial year 1997-98. The Department has no mainframes or any mini-computers.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress he has made for finding a new sponsor for the Rugby League Challenge Cup. [52718]
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Mr. Banks:
I will chair a Task Force to help all sports in receipt of tobacco sponsorship to identify alternative sponsors. The Task Force has not yet been formally constituted, although I have had an initial informal meeting with sports and business interests, and will hold a further meeting in the autumn when the current exercise to collect sponsorship information from the sports concerned should be completed.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on proposals for a national centre of excellence for Rugby League. [52604]
Mr. Banks:
Discussions are ongoing between the Rugby Football League, the British Amateur Rugby League and the English Sports Council with a view to formulating a facilities strategy for rugby league at all levels. Fundamental to that strategy will be the identification of a national centre of excellence as a keystone to a network of local centres, and a feasibility study will shortly be launched to establish a critical path to bring the requirements of the game to fruition.
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