Written Answers — Culture Media and Sport: London Olympics (19 Dec 2006)

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much of the construction area of the Olympic Stadium has been investigated for contamination; what was discovered in each area which has been examined; and what techniques for remediation will be applied by the London Development Agency.

Written Answers — Environment Food and Rural Affairs: Soil Guideline Values (7 Dec 2006)

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) who is on the Task Force looking at soil guideline values; how often it has met; what its main priorities are; and what the timetable is for publication of the values for substances being reviewed; (2) what steps have been taken to ensure that soil guideline values are an effective way of measuring significant...

Written Answers — Environment Food and Rural Affairs: Contaminated Land (6 Dec 2006)

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) who will be responsible for the treatment of contaminated areas in the event that no specific polluter can be identified; (2) what enforcement measures may be taken against polluters of contaminated land.

Written Answers — Communities and Local Government: Rural Areas: Maps (5 Dec 2006)

June 2006

Casinos
6 June 2006

Mr. Moss:  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what reserve powers she has under the Gambling Act 2005 to remove the licences of casinos in the event of problem gambling increasing in the surrounding area.

Mr. Caborn:  The Gambling Commission will have the power to revoke operating licences under sections 119 and 120 of the Gambling Act; and licensing authorities will have the power to revoke premises licences under section 202 of the Act. In either case, the decision whether to take any action will be predicated on the manner in which the casino is being operated, rather than the effects of the operation on the local community. An increase in problem gambling in a particular area could be evidence that a casino, or indeed other gambling establishment in the area, is not operating as it should, and that investigation or action may be needed. In addition, if problem gambling did appear to be an issue in a particular area, or around casinos generally, conditions could be imposed to address the issue: on individual licences by the Commission and licensing authorities, and on licences of a particular class or type by the Commission or the Secretary of State."

Casinos
5 June 2006

Mr. Moss:  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what criteria will be used to assess the level of problem gambling in an area surrounding a new casino licensed under the Gambling Act 2005.

Mr. Caborn:  My Department is in the process of tendering for a scoping study to establish the best means of identifying, measuring and assessing the social and economic impacts of the 17 new casinos that are being permitted under the Gambling Act 2005. The study is scheduled to be completed in the autumn and will be published once the Department has had the opportunity to consider it.

Betting and Gambling
5 June 2006

Mr. Moss:  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures are in place to assist (a) the Gambling Commission and (b) sports governing bodies to monitor betting placed from outside the UK on sporting events placed from outside the UK which take place within the UK.

Mr. Caborn:  While the Gambling Commission has no jurisdiction over betting operators licensed outside Great Britain, it is continuing to build upon its co-operative relationships with overseas gambling regulators. The Government have worked with sports governing bodies to develop a 10-point plan which facilitates information sharing between sports bodies and betting operators. So far 11 sports bodies have signed up to the voluntary plan and an increasing number have Memorandum of Understanding with betting operators allowing for the sharing of information about suspicious betting patterns or individuals betting with those operators here or abroad.

Mr. Moss:  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what consideration her Department has given to introducing a levy on betting and gaming in connection with other sporting activity analogous to that which applies to horse racing.

Mr. Caborn:  The horse race betting levy recognises the unique relationship between that sport and the betting industry. Horse racing is a sport whose primary purpose is to provide a betting product. In that respect, it is a symbiotic relationship not shared by other sports, except perhaps greyhound racing which has a separate arrangement with bookmakers. Consequently, the Government currently have no plans to introduce a betting levy for other sports.

Mr. Moss:  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment the Government have made of the effects on the economy of the liberalisation of the betting and gaming industries.

Mr. Caborn:  The Government commissioned economic (studies to inform the policies that are incorporated in the Gambling Act 2005. The results of some of these studies are included in the Regulatory Impact Assessment which accompanied the Act Assent and can be found in the Libraries of both Houses.

Licensing Act
5 June 2006

Mr. Moss:  Will not the public think it completely barmy, if typical of this incompetent Government, that a pub needs a licence for one or two musicians in the bar but does not need one to show World cup matches on big screens to hundreds of inebriated supporters? Will the Secretary of State tell us just how much taxpayers’ money is being used on extra policing, under the alcohol misuse enforcement campaign, in order to massage the crime and disorder figures associated with showing World cup matches?

Ms. Jowell:  I shall certainly provide the hon. Gentleman with the figures for spending on the AMEC campaign, which is just concluding. Even he, I think, will judge that spending on past campaigns, which have seen a reduction in alcohol-related violence, has represented excellent value for money.  As for two-in-a-bar versus big screens, the hon. Gentleman knows that the arguments were well ventilated when the Act was debated. Parliament reached its conclusions, and we are getting on with implementing them in a way that reduces alcohol-related crime and disorder, keeps children safe from harm and gives responsible adults a better time than they would otherwise have.

May 2006

Horse Racing Levy
24 May 2006

Mr. Moss:  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was received by the horse racing industry from the Statutory Levy payment by UK bookmakers in each of the last six years; and what the total VAT payment on the Levy payment was in each year.

Mr. Caborn:  For the last six years the Horserace Betting Levy contributed the following amounts to the horse racing industry:

	£ million
2005-06	1 91
2004-05	97.3
2003-04	102
2002-03	74.5
2001-02	67
2000-01	55.2
1 estimated

To date the Levy has not been liable for VAT.

London Olympics
24 May 2006

Mr. Moss:  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games’s legal contract with the International Olympic Committee for the 2012 Olympic Games permits betting on individual sporting events.

Mr. Caborn:  Presently, British betting operators are permitted to take bets on a range of sporting events including the Olympic Games. We have no plans to legislate otherwise. LOCOG is aware of the existing legal position relating to betting in Great Britain.

Reshuffle
24 May 2006

Mr. Malcolm Moss (North-East Cambridgeshire) (Con): Will the Prime Minister confirm that he did indeed ask the Deputy Prime Minister to give up his grace and favour mansion in Dorneywood?

The Prime Minister (Mr. Tony Blair): I have no intention whatsoever of discussing the reshuffle or any matters associated with it.

April 2006

Soil Guideline Values
18 April 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her Answer of 22 March 2006, Official Report, column 444W, on soil guideline values, when officials from her Department met officials from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister over the last 12 months to discuss the issue; what meetings are planned for the next six months (a) with and (b) without representatives of the Environment Agency and the Health Protection Agency; and when she expects to come to a decision regarding soil guideline values for the compound benzo(a) pyrene. [62561]

Mr. Morley: My officials are following up on the work of the Soil Guideline Values Task Force. Other Departments and Agencies are and will be involved at the appropriate time. A meeting was held recently which ODPM officials were unable to attend. They attended a technical workshop of the Task Force on 27 March. There will be further meeting opportunities on the follow-up work, with any appropriate attendance by other organisations.

March 2006

Casinos
29 March 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many of the applications for casino licences under the Gambling Act 1968 in the last 10 years were made under a D2 leisure planning re-classification. [61547]

Mr. Caborn: This information is not collected centrally.

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for East Devon (Mr. Swire) on 20 March 2006, Official Report, columns 14-15W, on gambling, if she will break down the number of applications by location. [61548]

Mr. Caborn: Further to the answer to the hon. Member for East Devon (Mr. Swire) 20 March 2006, Official Report, columns 14-15W, the table sets out the locations of the applications for certificates of consent in respect of new casinos and substituted, extended or altered premises that were received by the Gambling Commission from 1997-98 until the present.

Two minor adjustments have been made to the figures given in the previous answer. The Gambling Commission has revised downwards the figure for applications for certificates of consent for new casinos in 2000-01 from 7 to 6. The total number of applications for new casinos in 2004-05 was 23, not 25, and the number of applications for substitute, extended or altered premises in 2004-05 was 6, not 4.

	New Casinos	Substitute/extended/ altered premises
1997-98	Nottingham	Birkenhead
	Salford	Glasgow
		Leeds
		London (4)
		Newcastle
		Southend
1998-99	Birmingham	Birmingham
	Blackpool	Hull
	Hull	Lytham St. Annes
	Liverpool	Margate
	Luton	Teesside
	Northampton
	Southend
	Walsall
2000-01	Birmingham	Great Yarmouth
	Liverpool	Hull
	London	London
	Manchester	Manchester (2)
	Teesside	Plymouth
	West Bromwich
2001-02	Bristol	Huddersfield
	Leicester (2)	Portsmouth
	Southampton	Sunderland
	Stockport
2002-03	Blackpool (2)	Birmingham
	Bradford	Cardiff (2)
	Newcastle	Glasgow
	Northampton	Northampton
	Stockport
	Stoke
	Swansea
	Warley
	Wolverhampton
2003-04	Aberdeen	Bradford
	Birmingham	Manchester
	Bolton	Ramsgate
	Bristol
	Glasgow
	Newcastle
	Nottingham (2)
	Scarborough
	Swansea
	Walsall
	Wolverhampton
2004-05	Aberdeen	Brighton
	Birmingham	Liverpool
	Blackpool	Manchester
	Bradford	Portsmouth
	Bristol	Southend
	Coventry	Swansea
	Derby
	Dudley
	Dundee
	Hull
	Leeds (2)
	Leicester
	Liverpool
	London (2)
	Reading
	Sheffield
	Southend
	Swansea
	Teesside (2)
	Warley
2005-06 (to end	Aberdeen (2)	Aberdeen
February 2006)	Birkenhead	London (3)
	Birmingham (2)	Nottingham
	Blackpool	Reading
	Brighton (2)	Southampton
	Bristol	Stoke
	Cardiff (2)
	Coventry
	Edinburgh (3)
	Glasgow (2)
	Great Yarmouth
	Leeds(3)
	Leicester
	Liverpool (3)
	London (11)
	Luton
	Margate
	Manchester
	Middlesbrough
	Newcastle (2)
	Northampton
	Nottingham
	Reading
	Sheffield
	Walsall

2012 Olympics
29 March 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 21 March 2006, Official Report, column 201W, on the 2012 Olympics, what analysis has been undertaken of (a) the nature of the contamination and (b) the (i) type and (ii) concentrations of pollutants; what involvement local authorities have had under Part IIA of the 1990 Environment Protection Act 1985; and what soil guideline values have been used. [61510]

Mr. Caborn: Site investigations are currently being carried out to characterise the nature of the ground conditions and the level of contamination. These investigations will be carried out in accordance with current industry best practice to identify the exact type and concentrations. The investigations are following the principles set out in the Intrusive Investigation Method Statement approved by the London boroughs of Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest, the Environment Agency and British Waterways. I am arranging to have copies of the statement placed in the Libraries of the House.

The London Development Agency has been informed by the London boroughs of Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest that there are no part IIA designated contaminated sites within the Olympic Park boundary. The boroughs have been consulted throughout the preparation of the environmental impact assessment, during the site investigation phase and will continue to be consulted throughout the development of the remediation and validation works.

Generic site specific soil target values have been generated and are detailed in a Global Remediation Strategy which has been reviewed and approved by the same regulators noted above. Once the site investigation is complete, detailed remediation strategies, including generation of site specific clean up targets, will be prepared and agreed with the regulators as appropriate prior to implementation and validation. All of the sites to be remediated will be subject to detailed planning applications.

Soil Guideline Values
22 March 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions her Department has held with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister regarding soil guideline values (SGV) and the work of the SGV Taskforce. [59569]

Mr. Morley: Officials of both departments are involved in the Soil Guidelines Value Task Force. We are now considering issues for and possible approaches to improved guidance in respect of assessing the risks to human health which can arise from contaminants in soil, drawing on the work of the Task Force, the Environment Agency, Health Protection Agency and other expertise. A number of discussions have taken place with ODPM officials, and will continue as this work progresses.

2012 Olympics
21 March 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether any contaminated land has been designated in the footprint of the area assigned to the 2012 London Olympics. [59672]

Mr. Caborn: Initial site investigation and desk-top research work, undertaken in support of the Olympic and Legacy Planning Applications, identified some contamination within the footprint of the Olympic Park area. Much of the contaminated land is former Brownfield or derelict land that has been used for a variety of industrial activities. The appropriate decontamination work will take place before development of the site commences.

Employment Statistics
13 March 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people employed in the (a) cultural industry and (b) sporting industry in the UK. [57246]

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 13 March 2006:

The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about employment in culture and sport in the United Kingdom. I am replying in her absence. (57246)

It is estimated from Annual Business Survey that there were 443 thousand employee jobs in cultural and recreational activities and 227 thousand in sporting activities in Great Britain in 2004. This is the latest period for which information is available.

As with any sample survey these estimates are subject to a margin of uncertainty.

Tourism
13 March 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the impact on the tourism industry of staging (a) cultural events and (b) sporting events. [57244]

James Purnell: Cultural and sporting tourism are vital elements of the UK's domestic and inbound tourism offers, and are prominent in the marketing and promotional material of organisations which support British tourism at national, regional and local levels.

At national level, cultural and sporting events are central to the work of VisitBritain, both in overseas markets, and in marketing England domestically under the guidance of the England Marketing Advisory Board. A wide range of cultural events are promoted in this way. VisitBritain estimates that 1.6 million overseas visitors to Britain either watched or participated in a sporting event in 2002, spending £1.1 billion during their stays, and the high profile of sport in VisitBritain's marketing work reflects that economic importance.

The London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in 2012, and the wide range of cultural events which will precede them, will of course provide further opportunities for the British tourism industry. Plans for making the best use of such events for the benefit of the visitor economy will form an important element of my Department's Tourism 2012 strategy. A wide public consultation on that strategy will commence shortly.

Events Industry Alliance
13 March 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she or one of her Ministers will meet the recently formed Events Industry Alliance. [58176]

James Purnell: Neither my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State nor I have plans to meet the Events Industry Alliance. We will be pleased to consider an invitation to do so in the future.

National Lottery
9 March 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what grants have been awarded to stage (a) cultural and (b) sporting events in the UK from National Lottery funds in each of the last five years; and what the tax income to HM Treasury from those grant-aided events was. [57217]

Mr. Caborn: Information on all Lottery awards is available from the Department's Lottery Awards Database, searchable at www.lottery.culture.gov.uk, which uses information supplied by the Lottery distributors.

However, cultural and sporting events are not identified as categories on this database. The information could therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Gambling Act
9 March 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures will be used under the Gambling Act 2005 to work with cultural and sporting bodies to tackle illegal gambling. [57218]

Mr. Caborn: The Gambling Act 2005 makes it a key objective of the Gambling Commission to keep gambling crime free, and introduces a new criminal offence of cheating. The Commission will work closely with sporting and other bodies to minimise potential threats to the integrity of events upon which bets are struck.

Section 30 of the Gambling Act provides for the Gambling Commission, sporting and other bodies to share information relating to the exercise of the Commission's functions. The Commission may also, through licence conditions, require British betting operators to work with sporting bodies and the Commission to identify and track unusual or suspicious betting patterns.

Under the Act, the Gambling Commission has the power to suspend bets on any event where there is a suspicion of cheating, while they investigate. The Commission is able to void bets entirely if it concludes that the outcome of an event has been fixed.

Gambling Premises
6 March 2006

Mr. Malcolm Moss (North-East Cambridgeshire) (Con): On the one hand, the Minister's Department has overlooked a loophole in the law that has allowed a proliferation of casinos under the old Act. On the other hand, they dither about increasing the number of casinos in the pilot under the new Act. Why is that? The Secretary of State said last April that she reserved the right to revisit the number of regional casinos in the pilot and, indeed, under section 175(8) of the Act, she has the power to increase the number to the eight that the Minister so clearly wants. It is disingenuous of him to say that that requires the support of the whole House when an hour and a half's debate on a statutory instrument in Committee would do the trick. Why does he not get on with it?

Mr. Caborn: As the old saying has it, when you are digging a hole, chuck the blooming shovel away. That is exactly what the Opposition are doing: they are digging themselves into a bigger and bigger hole.

Yes, there will be an increase in the number of casinos provided for in the Gaming Act 1968. We have set a final date of 28 April for applications. For the record, we are talking about 54 permitted areas. We are not talking about the whole of the United Kingdom. As the hon. Gentleman knows, that is covered by the 1968 Act. I go back to the point: if the hon. Gentleman wants to move from one to eight, we will be prepared to do that. I repeat that we got everything that we wanted out of—

Mr. Deputy Speaker (Sir Alan Haselhurst): Order. I think that there has been a bit too much repetition on that matter.

Casinos
2 March 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to change the planning class order on casinos from D2 to sui generis; and over what time scale. [53892]

Jim Fitzpatrick: The "Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987" was amended by the "Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) (England) Order 2006" (S.I. 2006/220). The amending Order removes use as a casino from Class D2 of the 1987 Order, which relates to assembly and leisure. It also makes use as a casino sui generis. The amending order was made on 23 January 2006 and will come into force on 6 April 2006.

February 2006

Online Gambling
28 February 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures are being taken to collect tax from offshore online, mobile and interactive gaming companies who advertise in the UK for business. [53891]

John Healey: UK gambling duties are only levied on operators based in the UK. Operators based offshore are not liable for UK gambling duties, but are liable for the relevant duties in the jurisdiction where they are based. Normal UK corporation tax rules also apply.

The 2005 National Audit Office report on gambling duties noted that the reform of betting duty in 2001

"has reversed the trend of bookmakers moving their telephone and internet operations offshore which was increasingly threatening gambling duty revenue."

Online Gambling
27 February 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many online gambling companies have registered with (a) her Department and (b) the Gambling Commission under the Gambling Act 2005. [53895]

Mr. Caborn: There is no provision for online gambling companies to register with this Department under the Gambling Act 2005.

From September 2007, when the Act is fully implemented, any remote gambling company wishing to operate from Great Britain must be licensed by the Gambling Commission. Under current proposals the Commission will begin taking advance licence applications from January 2007.

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what additional regulations she intends to bring forward concerning internet gambling companies advertising in the UK. [53896]

Mr. Caborn: It is the intention of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State that the regulation of gambling advertising should fall to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), based on codes drawn up in consultation with the Gambling Commission.

Under section 328 of the Gambling Act 2005 the Secretary of State has the reserve power to make regulation controlling gambling advertising, should it become apparent that the ASA was not able to do so.

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many internet gambling companies have been prosecuted for violating the Gaming Act 1968 after advertising gambling services in the UK. [53897]

Mr. Caborn: To date no internet gambling companies have been prosecuted for violating the Gaming Act 1968 after advertising gambling services in the UK.

Licensing
27 February 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many convictions against (a) premises licence holders and (b) personal licence holders there have been under the Licensing Act 2003. [53415]

James Purnell: This information is not currently available. Court proceedings figures for 2005 will not be available from the Office for Criminal Justice Reform until the autumn of 2006.

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the Independent Fees Review Panel is expected to reach a conclusion as to whether the maximum number of temporary event notices for which village halls can apply under the Licensing Act 2003 should remain as stated in the Act. [53893]

James Purnell: The Panel has said that they will continue to work closely with stakeholder organisations over the next few months in order that they can assemble the further information that they need to progress the next stage of their work, culminating in a Final Report in the autumn of 2006. In the meantime we are continuing discussions with the relevant stakeholders about the impact of TENs on village halls.

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what evidence the Independent Fees Review Panel has taken from (a) representatives of village halls and (b) Action with Communities in Rural England on the impact of temporary event notices. [53894]

James Purnell: As part of their Interim Review, the Independent Licensing Fees Review Panel received evidence from a number of organisations including ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England), individual village halls and local authorities, on the impact of temporary event notices (TENs) on village halls and other community facilities. The Government published the Panel's Interim Report on 5 December 2005. The report identified nine areas of activity that the Panel wishes to consider further during the next stage of their work. These include the consequence of the new fees regime on not-for-profit groups and events, and TENs limits. The full Interim Report can be accessed at:

Licensing Act
16 February 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been brought under the Licensing Act 2003 since November 2005 for (a) sales of alcohol to under-age children and (b) crime and disorder associated with pubs and clubs. [51184]

Fiona Mactaggart: Data from the court proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform for 2005 will be available in autumn 2006. Penalty notices for disorder may be issued for nine Licensing Act 2003 offences. Provisional data on the numbers issued since November 2005 will be available in March 2006.

Alcohol Misuse
16 February 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government are taking to combat (a) binge drinking and (b) other forms of alcohol misuse. [50471]

Hazel Blears: The Government have recently introduced a number of measures to combat alcohol misuse, the Licensing Act 2003 is a central component of these measures. (a) Rights and responsibilities are central to the Government's plans to combat alcohol misuse.

Flexible licensing hours as brought in by the Licensing Act 2003 counters binge drinking by not encouraging people to drink as much as possible before last orders, this is backed up by tough enforcement powers that target individuals through increased use of fixed penalty notices, premises through conditional licenses and expedited licensing reviews, and areas through designated public place orders (and drink banning orders which are proposed in the Violent Crime Reduction Bill). The Government are working with the drinks industry to develop a voluntary approach to tackling alcohol misuse.(b)

The Departments of Health, Education and Skills and Home Office are taking forward measures to combat alcohol misuse. Alcohol education is a key component of the national curriculum as part of the healthy schools initiative The alcohol misuse enforcement campaigns target alcohol misuse through increased enforcement of legislation test-purchasing operations. The Government are planning to launch sensible drinking messages later this year in partnership with the drinks industry.

Licensing
14 February 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many appeals under the Licensing Act 2003 (a) have been lodged with local authorities since 24 November 2005, (b) have been determined and (c) are outstanding; and what the estimated cost is to the courts system of determining such appeals. [50469]

James Purnell: The Government are monitoring the pattern of appeals, in particular with the 10 Scrutiny Councils, but we do not currently hold information on the number and cost of appeals across all licensing authorities.

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with (a) the Department of Health on the possible effects of the implementation of the Licensing Act 2003 on requirements for (i) staffing and (ii) funding for accident and emergency departments and (b) the Home Office regarding the implications of that Act for the cost of policing late night drinking in town and city centres. [50470]

James Purnell: The Licensing Act 2003 was subject to consultation and agreement across Government, including the Department of Health and the Home Office. Licensing reform is part of the Government's Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy which considered the cost of alcohol harm to public services, including health and the police.

On the specific impact of the implementation of Licensing Act 2003, the Government believes that the removal of artificially fixed closing times will encourage a more orderly and gradual dispersal of customers which, together with the tough new powers for the police, should help reduce the level of violent crime which the police and accident and emergency departments are required to deal with.

Online Gambling
13 February 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what regulation is applicable to companies who are registered abroad, pay no tax in the UK, but advertise their online gambling and betting services in this country. [50740]

Mr. Caborn: Gambling companies that are based abroad but advertise on-line gambling in the UK are regulated by Section 42 of the Gaming Act 1968, which restricts the content of advertising relating to gaming, and by section 9 of the Betting and Gaming Duties Act 1981 which prohibits, with some exceptions, advertising by off-shore betting operators.

Licensing
13 February 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects to publish her review of the guidance on the Licensing Act 2003 which was given to local authorities and the police. [50472]

James Purnell: Our review of the guidance issued under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003 commenced on 1 December 2005 and will be in two stages. An initial review focussing on issues where there is a high degree of consensus among stakeholders will be completed and supplementary guidance laid before Parliament in early spring 2006.

A comprehensive formal review of the guidance including a full public consultation will be completed by summer 2006 and a revised version will be laid before Parliament by the end of 2006. This comprehensive review will include consideration of matters that cannot be easily resolved during the initial review.

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether she has received (a) complaints and (b) representations from (i) local authorities and (ii) sports and leisure bodies about the level of licence fees under the Licensing Act 2003. [49374]

James Purnell: We have received differing views from local authorities and sports and leisure bodies about the level of licensing fees under the Licensing Act 2003.

In order to consider these and other representations, I have put in place an Independent Licensing Fees Review Panel whose remit is to assess how well the existing arrangements are working. Sir Les Elton chairs the Panel, which includes representatives from local government. The Panel's interim findings were published on 5 December. Among other matters, the Panel found that there was insufficient information available to conclude whether or not fees had been set at the right level.

The Panel's final report will be delivered in the autumn, although Sir Les has been asked to focus as a priority on local authority licensing fee income and costs, and if possible report back earlier. I have given an undertaking that the fees regime will meet the full costs of local authorities in carrying out their legitimate responsibilities efficiently under the 2003 Licensing Act, within a national system.

Casinos
8 February 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what date she has set for the panel's report on the locations for regional, large and small casinos under the Gambling Act 2005 to be submitted to her Department. [49370]

Mr. Caborn: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has asked the Casino Advisory Panel to make its recommendations to her by 31 December 2006.

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received from local authorities on the number and location of regional casinos under the pilot scheme. [49371]

Mr. Caborn: We have received a number of letters from local authorities and others in support of an increase in the number of regional casinos permitted by the Gambling Act 2005.

Despite these representations, we do not believe the case has yet been made for an increase, and we are therefore proceeding with implementation on the basis of the one regional casino specified in the Act.

We have established an independent panel to advise the Government on the areas where the 17 new casinos permitted by the Act should be located. Any representations relating to the location of the new casinos will be for the casino advisory panel to consider in developing its recommendations to Ministers.

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the procedures are for increasing the number of regional casinos in the pilot scheme under the Gambling Act 2005. [50099]

Mr. Caborn: Sections 175(1)-(3) of the Gambling Act 2005 specify the maximum number of casino premises licences that may have effect in respect of regional, large and small casinos—currently 1, 8 and 8 respectively. Section 175(8)(a) provides that the Secretary of State may by order amend any of subsections (1), (2) or (3) so as to substitute a new maximum number of casino premises licences. Any order would be subject to the affirmative resolution procedure, requiring the approval of both Houses of Parliament.

We have no plans to bring forward such an order at this stage.

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport under what provisions a casino licence issued under the Gaming Act 1968 may be reinstated after a temporary cessation of trading for unforeseen reasons by the holder. [50100]

Mr. Caborn: A casino licence issued under the Gaming Act 1968 would not lapse automatically if the license holder was temporarily prevented from trading for unforeseen reasons.

Subject to the normal annual renewal process, the licence could be retained. Under the 1968 Act, if the holder of a casino licence was faced with circumstances which meant they had to move or substantially alter their premises, they would be required to apply for a new certificate of consent and casino licence.

Once the Gambling Act 2005 is formally implemented, casinos that had been licensed under the 1968 Act, and which are subsequently licensed under the 2005 Act, will continue to be able to apply to transfer their business to new premises, so long as it is within the area of their licensing authority. Casinos will have a general right to apply for such a move, and would not be limited to circumstances where a move is essential.

Category C Gaming Machines
8 February 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the extent to which operators and providers of category C gaming machines (a) are crime free and (b) can meet conditions on the protection of vulnerable people. [49367]

Mr. Caborn: The Gambling Act 2005 for the first time introduces new requirements on operators of all categories of gaming machines to ensure that gambling remains crime free, and that children and vulnerable people are protected. DCMS and the Gambling Commission are working with the industry and other interested parties to develop the relevant licence conditions and codes of practice that are needed to deliver these protections. The Gambling Commission and licensing authorities will be responsible for monitoring compliance with the new requirements once they are formally implemented in September 2007.

Licensing
8 February 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received on changes to the limits on temporary events notices under the Licensing Act 2003; and from whom. [49375]

James Purnell: In response to a consultation mounted last autumn, we have received over 100 representations about the limits on temporary events notices (TENs), particularly regarding the number of TENs which premises may submit in any one year, and the duration of events for which TENS are required. Submissions were received from a range of organisations including residents' associations, village halls and licensing authorities. We are currently considering the responses and will announce our conclusions, and publish the responses to the consultation, shortly.

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received from Action with Communities in Rural England regarding the implementation of the Licensing Act 2003 for village halls. [49376]

James Purnell: Action for Communities in Rural England (ACRE) represent an important sector and, as members of my high level group of key stakeholders, I have met them on several occasions to discuss the impact of the licensing act on village and community halls. I have also met with them separately on two occasions. ACRE responded to the consultation on the temporary event notice (TEN) regulations in September. ACRE'S main concerns relate to the limits associated with the new TENs regime and the difficulty for some volunteer-run halls in meeting the requirements for a designated premises supervisor when a licence includes alcohol sales. ACRE are conducting research into how village halls have adapted to the new regime since it came into effect on 24 November 2005. Their views, and any evidence they provide, are being fed into both our review of the statutory guidance and the Independent Review of Licensing Fees.

VisitBritain
8 February 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects to name a new Chairman for VisitBritain. [49360]

Tessa Jowell: My Department will shortly begin the process of appointing a new Chairman of VisitBritain to succeed Lord Marshall who leaves an excellent legacy following his time in the post. The post will be advertised widely as part of an open process, and the aim throughout will be to identify the best qualified person for this key post in tourism. It is expected that the successful candidate will be appointed in the summer.

Aircraft Fuel (Taxation)
8 February 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with HM Treasury on the impact of a green tax on aircraft fuel on tourism. [49363]

James Purnell: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not discussed this with Treasury Ministers. However, my officials, who are part of the cross Whitehall sustainable tourism group, have discussed this issue with their counterparts in HM Treasury and in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with a view to ensuring that the interests of the tourism sector are fully represented. And my Department contributes to the development of the Government's policies on sustainability and environmental issues, with that aim in mind.

Airport Expansion
8 February 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations her Department has made to (a) the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and (b) planning inquiries on the expansion of capacity at (i) Heathrow, (ii) Gatwick and (iii) Stansted airports on behalf of the tourism industry. [49315]

James Purnell: My Department has made no interventions in these specific planning inquiries. However, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport works with the Department for Transport on transport issues affecting the tourism industry. The vital importance of tourism to the UK economy is reflected in the Government's White Paper on the Future of Air Transport.

Smoking (Public Places)
6 February 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what contribution her Department has made to the development of policy on smoking in public places to represent the interests of the (a) licensed trade and (b) tourism industry; [49372]

(2) what representations she has received from the tourism and hospitality industries regarding policy on smoking in public places. [49373]

James Purnell: My Department has remained in close touch with the tourism and hospitality industries on this issue, before and following the publication of the Department of Health's White Paper, "Choosing Health", in November 2004. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met representatives of the hospitality industry twice in 2004 to discuss the industry's response to the Government's proposals for restricting smoking in public places. I have, since May 2005, discussed the issue on a number of occasions with representatives of the tourism and hospitality industries. These included the British Hospitality Association, the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, and the Tourism Alliance.

Officials in my Department have worked closely with the Department of Health throughout to inform the Government's proposals, and to ensure that the interests of the tourism and hospitality industries have been fully considered. This has included the provision of factual information on these industries, and of advice on definitional issues arising from the Licensing Act 2003.

Tourism
6 February 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what plans she has to restructure the delivery mechanism for tourism policy in England; [49361]

(2) whether regional tourist boards have a role under her Department's plans for marketing tourism in England. [49362]

James Purnell: My Department established a coherent structure for tourism in England in 2003. VisitBritain is responsible for marketing Britain overseas, and England to the British. The regional development agencies have strategic responsibility for promoting and developing tourism in their regions, and may nominate tourist boards or other bodies as regional delivery partners.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to alter the general shape of that structure. I have, however, recently had discussions with VisitBritain, the England Marketing Advisory Board, and representatives of the regional development agencies, with a view to improving the co-ordination of tourism policy and funding at national, regional, and local levels in England. Those discussions will continue, and any proposals which result from them will be subject to full and wide consultation across the tourism sector.

January 2006

Casino Licences
30 January 2006

Mr. Malcolm Moss (North-East Cambridgeshire) (Con): Why has it been possible under the Gaming Act 1968 to apply for a new casino licence up until April this year, whereas if an existing casino has to cease operation for any reason, such as a fire, it cannot rebuild or reinstate its licence until well into 2007? What other business has to live with that level of uncertainty?

Mr. Caborn: Absolutely none. I admit that that is one of the problems with the legislation. We will address it with the industry, and if we can find a solution—[Hon. Members: "You are in government."] Yes, I understand that. We have been in government for the past eight years, and we will continue to be so. We are rather enjoying it.

We will resolve this issue with the industry by applying the same common sense that we have applied to many other issues. As I said, it is nice to see in the Financial Times that sanity is prevailing among the Opposition, who played politics on regional casinos before the last election. We welcome them on board.

Cholesterol
9 January 2006

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether her Department plans to run a campaign to raise the awareness of the dangers of high cholesterol levels; [38688]

(2) whether she plans to promote the awareness of the risks of unhealthy levels of cholesterol during the implementation of the Choosing Health White Paper. [38689]

Caroline Flint: Currently, the Department has no plans to run a campaign or promote the awareness of the risks of unhealthy levels of cholesterol among the general population. However, as set out in the Choosing Health White Paper, the Department will launch in 2006 a social marketing campaign to increase consumer awareness of the health risks of obesity and promote practical steps that can be taken through diet and physical activity to improve the health of the general population, with an early focus on children.

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her Department's policy is on those adults with cholesterol levels between 4 mmol/l and 7 mmol/l and not eligible for prescribed statins but who are now deemed to have unhealthy cholesterol levels according to the new Joint British Societies Guidelines. [38690]

Caroline Flint: The national service framework for coronary heart disease (NSFCHD) recommends that preventative treatment and lifestyle advice should be offered to patients with established CHD, then to those at a 30 per cent. 10-year risk of developing CHD, with a view to moving on to treating patients at a lower risk once these high-risk groups are treated. One of the key risk factors is high cholesterol and the NSF states that for both groups the target is to use statins and dietary advice to lower serum cholesterol concentrations either to less than 5 millimoles per litre (mmol/litre) or by 30 per cent., whichever is the greater.

The new general medical service contract includes quality indicators for measuring and managing cholesterol in high-risk groups, such as those with CHD. The target is to reduce cholesterol levels to five mmol/litre or less.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence is currently consulting on the final recommendation for its health technology appraisal (HTA) of statins. The HTA will identify the level of risk at which statins should be prescribed by the national health service. Publication is due early in 2006.