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Employees Over 60
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many (a) men and
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(b) women employed by (1) his Department and (2) his Department's agencies have contracts of employment which permit them to retire after their 60th birthday. [53049]
Mr. Hoon:
For the Lord's Chancellor's Department, including the Court Service, Public Trust Office, Public Record Office, Land Registry and the Northern Ireland Court Service, the information is set out in the table.
| Men | Women | |
|---|---|---|
| Lord Chancellor's Department Headquarters | 164 | 260 |
| Court Service Agency | 2,713 | 5,577 |
| Public Trust Office | 194 | 235 |
| Public Record Office | 7 | 0 |
| Land Registry | See below | |
| Northern Ireland Court Service | 197 | 358 |
Note:
1. As at 27 July 1998, the Land Registry employs 8,895 people: (a) 3,148 men and (b) 5,747 women. The terms of employment for staff in the Land Registry (with the exception of those in the Senior Civil Service (SCS) are governed by the "Land Registry Conditions of Service Code"
2. The conditions of service for all staff in the Land Registry include a normal retirement age of 60, with provision for an annual review of projected operational and staffing needs to determine whether individuals may remain in service to a maximum age of 65. However, staff in administrative grades at EO equivalent and above, on reaching the age of 62 with 30 years service, are required to downgrade one grade. If any member of staff in this category wishes to remain in service beyond the 63rd birthday, they are required to downgrade to an AO equivalent grade. There are currently 3,534 staff in administrative grades at EO equivalent and above, (excluding the SCS) of whom 38 are aged 60 and over (25 men and 13 women)
Mr. Chope: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many (a) men and (b) women aged over 60 years were employed by (i) his Department and (ii) his Department's agencies on 1 January. [53072]
Mr. Hoon: For the Lord Chancellor's Department, including the Court Service, Public Trust Office, Public Record Office, Land Registry and the Northern Ireland Court Service, the information is set out in the table.
| Men | Women | |
|---|---|---|
| Lord Chancellor's Department Headquarters | 11 | 7 |
| Court Service Agency | 186 | 400 |
| Public Trust Office | 14 | 5 |
| Public Record Office | 7 | nil |
| Land Registry | 156 | 110 |
| Northern Ireland Court Service | 25 | 6 |
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Heritage Grants
Dr. Starkey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the endowments which have been granted by the Government when giving land to charitable trusts for heritage purposes in the last 15 years. [49279]
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Mr. Banks:
This information is not held centrally and a comprehensive answer could be given only at disproportionate cost. We are aware of the following:
Support has also been given in the form of specific grants for use in the formative years of the Trust, often to meet accumulated repair and maintenance commitments. Recent examples include:
Mr. Gareth R. Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what was the size of the CCPR's legal costs arising out of the recent fraud trial; and how these costs will be funded. [52913]
Mr. Banks:
Details of the expenditure and income of the Central Council of Physical Recreation (CCPR) are published in the CCPR's Annual Report and Accounts.
In the year ended 31 March 1996, the CCPR incurred exceptional legal and professional costs of £240,522 in connection with investigations prior to and following the termination of certain employment contracts in 1995. The CCPR claimed the majority of these costs as an additional contribution from the English Sports Council (ESC) under the Heads of Agreement of 17 May 1972.
£228,923 in respect of these claims was paid by the ESC to the CCPR as additional income. The ESC has subsequently stated it currently regards £164,474 of this contribution as an advance of future funding. A working party of representatives of the CCPR, ESC and Department for Culture, Media and Sport, chaired by the latter, is currently reviewing the investigation. Following this review, the ESC will determine the extent, if any, to which it may require repayment of the £164,474.
In the year ended 31 March 1997, the CCPR incurred further exceptional legal and professional costs of £113,895 in connection with these investigations. Most of this, at this stage, has not been funded by the ESC.
Mr. Gareth R. Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what new controls have been introduced by the Central Council for Physical Recreation to prevent a repeat of major fraud incidents. [52914]
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Mr. Banks:
The Central Council of Physical Recreation (CCPR) set up an Organisational and Services Review Group and have agreed seventeen recommendations for changing the corporate structure and working practices of the CCPR. A second stage of the Review has now started to oversee the detailed implementation of the recommendations and manage the transitional arrangements.
Alongside this, the CCPR, English Sports Council and Department for Culture, Media and Sport, have been working together and with advisers to review and provide recommendations for detailed improvements to the CCPR's internal control systems and enhance corporate governance and accountability.
As my hon. Friend may be aware, even sound systems of internal control may not be proof against collusive fraud.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in what circumstances the existing sponsorship of the Rugby League Challenge Cup will continue. [52719]
Mr. Banks:
The future individual sponsorship arrangements are matters for the sports concerned although they will have to comply with the legal requirements of the European Union Tobacco Advertising Directive. The current arrangements with Gallaher Limited for the Challenge Cup extends until May 2001.
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what financial assistance his Department will offer to sports currently funded by tobacco sponsorship that are now looking for alternative moneys. [52510]
Mr. Banks
[holding answer 29 July 1998]: Through negotiation, we have ensured that the European Union Tobacco Advertising Directive reflects a fair balance, providing reasonable time for sports to adapt while ending the totally inappropriate link between smoking and sport. This timescale, coupled with the support of the Task Force, demonstrates our commitment to delivering alternative moneys for these sports events.
Mr. Casale:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many UK licensed television channels there are. [52138]
Mr. Chris Smith:
The independent Television Commission's Annual Report for the year ending 31 December 1997 states that, in addition to the 16 Channel 3 regional licences, the Channel 4 licence, the Channel 5 licence and the public service teletext licence, there were also 173 Satellite Television Service licences and 90 Licensable Programme Services.
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Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust: £11.3 million provided in 1984.
Waltham Abbey Royal Gunpowder Mills Trust: £5.5 million provided in 1996.
Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust: £6 million provided in 1998. The property was not gifted, but leased for 99 years.
National Trust: £14.3 million provided in 1989 for Ham House and Osterley Park.
National Trust: £2.3 million provided in 1993 for Orford Ness.
Tadworth Court: £2.85 million provided to the Children's Trust Tadworth for freehold purchase and dilapidations.
Eltham Palace: £2.5 million provided to English Heritage (an exempt charity) in 1996 and a further £1 million in 1997, which had some endowment element.
Royal Naval College, Greenwich: £17 million to be provided to the Greenwich Foundation over the next three years to cover dilapidations plus £1.5 million a year for seven years towards ongoing maintenance.
Somerset House: A contribution of £3.1 million in 1996 towards the costs of landlord's works related to the installation of the Gilbert Collection in the South Wing and £4 million over the next four years towards start-up costs of the new Trust, Somerset House Ltd.
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