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10 Nov 2003 : Column 65W—continued
Tote
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on her plans to change the status of the Tote. [137038]
Tessa Jowell: We intend to bring forward legislative proposals when parliamentary time allows. These proposals will enable the Tote to be sold to a horse racing trust.
Lottery Grant (Telford)
David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what level of Lottery grant money has been provided to organisations in Telford since 1997. [136882]
Estelle Morris: Since 1 January 1997, £14,163,229 has been allocated to 194 projects in the constituency of Telford.
This is derived from the Department's Awards Database, which is based on information supplied by the distributing bodies.
David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what resources have been raised by the National Lottery for charitable purposes in Telford; and what money has been allocated to local projects there. [136883]
Estelle Morris: Since the start of the Lottery, £16,889,359 has been allocated to 214 projects in the constituency of Telford.
This is derived from the Department's Awards Database, which is based on information supplied by the distributing bodies.
Information about National Lottery ticket sales is not broken down by constituency, but the National Lottery Commission is able to provide information about sales broken down by postcode area. I shall write to my hon. Friend with it as soon as possible, placing copies of my letter in the Libraries both Houses.
There is only an indirect link between ticket sales and money available for charitable purposes. Unclaimed prizes and interest earned are two factors that influence the overall amount of money available to the good causes. For this reason it is not possible to specify money for good causes as having come from particular area, geographical or otherwise.
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Overseas Visitors
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many overseas visitors she estimates visited (a) the North West, (b) Lancashire and (c) Chorley in the last 12 months. [136908]
Mr. Caborn: According to the North West Tourist Board, in 2002, an estimated 1.62 million overseas visitors visited the North West which includes Cumbria; an estimated 0.23 million overseas visits were made to Lancashire and approximately 6,380 overseas visits were made to Chorley.
- Note:
- The figures have been supplied by the North West Tourist Board and are based on a visit Britain survey of overseas visits called the International Passenger Survey which collates information at national level.
Racing
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions her Department has had with racing authorities about the preliminary conclusion by the Office of Fair Trading on British racing; and if she will make a statement. [137138]
Mr. Caborn: I met representatives of the Jockey Club on 5 November and will be meeting British Horseracing Board representatives on 11 November. Previously, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State discussed the matter with the racing industry at a seminar organised by the Department in July. Both the Jockey Club and the BHB have briefed my Department about the submissions which they have made to the Office of Fair Trading in response to the Rule 14 notice; but I cannot comment on a matter which is subject to a statutory process, yet to be completed, between the competition authorities and the parties.
School Sports Co-ordinator
Mr. Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if she will make a statement on the School Sports Co-ordinator programme; [136644]
- (2) how many school sports co-ordinators are in post; [136645]
(3) what steps she is taking to improve school sports facilities; [136646]
(4) what steps her Department is taking in conjunction with local authorities to strengthen school sports; [136647]
(5) if she will make a statement on recent progress in highlighting the importance of sport in schools. [136655]
Mr. Caborn: The Government is investing more than £1 billion in England to transform PE and school sport. This funding will help deliver an ambitious Public Service Agreement target, shared by DCMS and DfES, to increase the percentage of school children who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum to 75 per cent. by 2006.
Spearheading action is a massive expansion of the School Sport Co-ordinator programme. There are currently some 1,200 School Sport Co-ordinators and 6,000 Primary and Special School Link Teachers. This
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means that 30 per cent. of all schools in England now belong to one of the 222 School Sport Partnerships. We are working closely with local education authorities to ensure a continued strategic roll-out of this element of the national strategy for PE, school sport and club links.
The investment also includes expenditure of £581 million from the New Opportunities Fund over the period 2002–03 to 2005–06 to bring about a step change in the provision of sports facilities for young people and the community generally; £130 million from the Space for Sport and Arts programme since 2000–01 for new or modernised sports and arts facilities in primary schools in 65 deprived LEAs; and £10 million from the Sporting Playgrounds programme to enhance primary school playgrounds in 27 deprived LEAs.
Sports (One Stop Planning)
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the sports that will be given specific One Stop Planning support; and what criteria were used in selecting the sports. [137074]
Mr. Caborn: The following sports will be accorded UK-wide One Stop Planning support:
- athletics
canoeing
cycling
equestrianism
gymnastics/trampolining
judo
rowing
sailing
swimming/diving
triathlon
Television Licence Fee
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of Freeview is paid for by the television licence fee. [135270]
Estelle Morris: Under the terms of the shareholder agreement which established Freeview (DTVS Ltd.), the BBC, BSkyB and Crown Castle each pay one third of the company's costs. These costs cover marketing and customer support for Freeview including the cost of liaising with manufacturers and retailers. In common with other broadcasters on the digital terrestrial platform, the BBC must also, separately, pay for the technical costs of broadcasting its channels, and make payments to the ITC for its multiplex licence, but these payments are not made to or through Freeview (DTVS Ltd.).
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Work-related Stress
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many cases of work related stress have been reported in her Department in each of the last three years; how much compensation has been paid to employees; how many work days have been lost due to work related stress, and at what cost; what procedures have been put in place to reduce work related stress, and at what cost; and if she will make a statement. [136856]
Mr. Caborn: DCMS does not hold data which separately identifies work-related sickness absence. DCMS has a legal obligation to provide a safe working environment for employees.
The Department is committed to meeting targets for reducing the number of working days lost generally due to sickness absence and due to work related injuries and illness arising from the Government's Revitalising Health and Safety initiative. Guidance is available for all staff on how to manage stress effectively.
EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Sure Start
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many Sure Start programmes are running; and how many children are involved. [133908]
Margaret Hodge: There are now 521 Sure Start programmes up and running, providing services to around 390,000 children aged under four and their families in the most disadvantaged areas of the country.
Universal Children's Day
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make it his policy to accept UN Resolution 836 and establish and promote a Universal Children's day in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [133731]
Margaret Hodge: The Government's commitment to children and young people has been demonstrated by the creation of the post of Minister for Children, Young People and Families, the pulling together within DfES, from across Government of a range of services for children and families, and the publication of the green paper "Every Child Matters", which sets out a comprehensive programme of reform and improvement for the care of children.
Both the Minister and officials work closely with children and young people themselves. A special edition of the Green Paper specifically aimed at children has been issued, and 50 separate consultation events are being held with children as a part in the consultation process, which lasts until 1 December.
We consider that these measures are likely to be of greater value to children and young people than a Universal Children's Day.
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