To ask the Minister for the Olympics what the bid book estimate is for construction of (a) the broadcast/media centre and (b) the athletes village for the London 2012 Olympics. (184387)

The bid book capital investment estimate for the International Broadcast Centre and Main Press Centre (IBC/MPC) was $215 million (approx. £134.4 million at a USD/GBP exchange rate of 1.6). The bid book capital investment estimate for the Olympic Village was $1.04 billion (approx. £650 million at a USD/GBP exchange rate of 1.6).

The bid book figures were calculated at 2004 prices in US Dollars (an IOC requirement) and did not include VAT.

To ask the Minister for the Olympics what discussions she has had with the Olympic Delivery Authority on the accessibility of the Olympic Village for people with disabilities; and if she will make a statement. (184384)

The Olympic Village will be fully accessible to disabled people and comply with both the spirit and the intent of all relevant legislation, including the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and its supporting code of practice and will exceed the requirements of the UK’s Building Regulations (Part M).

I am fully committed to ensuring that the Village is a model of accessibility. To that end, the ODA’s Access and Inclusion Forum meets on a quarterly basis to advise on areas of inclusive design through the sharing of knowledge and experience. It has representation from a lead disability organisation within each of the five boroughs, as well as the Borough Access Officers and key external stakeholders.

In addition to the forum, the ODA Access Panels—one for the built environment and one for transport—target the more specific issues around those areas. The Panels provide specialist disability and inclusive design experts to review and advise upon Park commitments—both at Games time and in legacy—and have final sign-off on ODA build commitments. In support of this, the ODA has also appointed two Principal Access Officers, one specialising in transport accessibility, and one specialising in the built environment. These Officers are responsible for the development of inclusive design within the ODA’s programme.

To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many residences in the Olympic Village will be accessible to disabled people. (184385)

London 2012’s Olympic and Paralympic Village have been designed from the outset as an accessible and inclusive community. During Games time, the Village will provide over 17,320 beds to athletes and officials and 8,700 during the Paralympic Games, all of which will be wheelchair accessible.

The Village will comply with both the spirit and the intent of the relevant legislation, including the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)1995 and its supporting code of practices. In addition, it will exceed the requirements of the UK’s Building Regulations (Part M). For example, the design of bathrooms throughout the Village will exceed the IPC minimum requirements.

In legacy, the Olympic Village will provide approximately 4,000 residential units. These units are all being designed to ensure that all people, young and old, single or in families, disabled and non-disabled can benefit. As many of the Village units as is practicable will be built to Lifetime Homes Standards. In addition, at least 10 per cent. of these units also will be fully accessible to wheelchairs.

To ask the Minister for the Olympics what legal arrangements have been made for the sale of surplus land after the 2012 Olympics to pay back moneys taken from the Lottery; and if she will make a statement. (184397)

I refer the hon. Member to my written statement to the House on 27 March 2007 in which I announced the revised Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Government and the Mayor of London.

This MOU sets out how the land acquired for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be sold and the moneys realised. It puts in place arrangements for sharing the profits that are expected to be generated by the increase in land and property values in the Olympic Park as a result of the investment for the Games. Both the Government and the Mayor have stated their shared intention to abide by the terms of the MOU.

The Memorandum shows details of the amounts we expect to be recovered, from the sale of land acquired by the London Development Agency for the purposes of delivering the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and how these funds will be allocated between the London Development Agency and the National Lottery.

Copies of the Memorandum are available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Leader of the House how many (a) parking tickets and (b) speeding fines were issued for vehicles used by her Office in each of the last 10 years; and what the cost to the public purse of those penalties was in each year. (183354)

Following a machinery of government change, detailed information on expenditure incurred prior to 2007-08 is available only at disproportionate cost.

Since June 2007, there have been no parking tickets or speeding fines issued to the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons.

To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what meetings she has held since 27 June 2007 with representatives of (a) rape crisis centres, (b) women’s refuges, (c) sexual assault referral centres, (d) prostitution, trafficking and sexual exploitation support services and (e) other third sector organisations dealing with violence against women. (182678)

Since 27 June 2007, the Ministers for Women and Equality have had meetings and maintained contact with stakeholders and third sector organisations on a range of issues, including violence against women.

To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what meetings (a) she and (b) the deputy Minister for Women and Equality has had with Ministerial colleagues on the Government’s policy on prostitution in each of the last three months. (181932)

The Ministers for Women and Equality are in close and regular contact with ministerial colleagues about this issue. In addition, the deputy Minister for Women and Equality sits on the Inter-departmental Ministerial Group on Sexual Violence, to which progress on the Prostitution Strategy is reported.

To ask the Prime Minister which British business leaders accompanied him on his recent visit to China and India; on what basis they were invited; what bilateral business agreements were made during the visit; what the outcomes from the trip were; and if he will make a statement. (183862)

The following business leaders accompanied me on my trip to China and India:

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the special advisers employed in his Office since 6 May 1997; and what the (a) start and (b) end date of employment was in each case. (184379)

Since 2003, the Government have published on an annual basis the names and overall cost of special advisers and the number in each payband. Information on the number of special advisers before 2003 was provided at regular intervals. This information is available in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Prime Minister what progress has been made in giving one Government Department responsibility for all flooding matters. (178790)

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs is the lead department for all flooding matters in England. This includes ensuring that the Environment Agency and local responders such as the emergency services and local authorities have suitable arrangements and capabilities in place to respond to flood emergencies on the ground.

Work to co-ordinate the wider Government flood recovery effort is led by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

To ask the Prime Minister how many times he met representatives of (a) Npower, (b) EDF, (c) Powergen, (d) British Energy, (e) Scottish Power and (f) Scottish and Southern Energy in each of the last five years. (183386)

The information requested is not held by my Office.

To ask the Prime Minister (1) what the reasons were for the decision to change the publication of the National Security Strategy from its announced publication date of autumn 2007; (184212)

I refer the hon. Member to the content of my statement on national security on 14 November 2007, Official Report, column 667.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent meetings have been held with National Assembly for Wales Government Ministers to discuss the number of male suicides in Wales. (183368)

I have discussed the issue of suicides in Wales with the First Minister.

Such tragic incidences are of great concern and distress to me. I congratulate my hon. Friend for successfully securing an adjournment debate for Thursday this week to raise awareness and to discuss this important issue.

In the meantime, a taskforce, which includes police, children’s services and mental health experts, is examining other so-called copycat suicides by young people in Bridgend since 2004. The taskforce will determine if there are any links between the suicides and ensure that other young people, many of them friends of the victims, have access to counselling and other support services.

To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many (a) press and (b) communications officers the House of Commons Commission employed in each of the last 10 years. (182517)

The House of Commons Commission first employed a Media and Communications Adviser in October 2000. Since this date the following additional staff have been employed:

2001: 1 x Media and Communications Assistant (part-time)

2003: 1 x Select Committee Media Officer

2004: 2 x Select Committee Media Officers

2005: 2 x Media and Communications Officers

2006: 2 x Select Committee Media Officers

There are currently nine staff in the House of Commons Media and Communications Service: the Communications Adviser, five Select Committee Media Officers, two Media and Communications Officers and a Media and Communications Assistant.

To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how much the Commission paid in bonuses to press and communication officers in each of the last 10 years; and what the (a) highest and (b) lowest such bonus was in each of those years. (182730)

In order to protect the privacy of the staff concerned, the value of payments made in each year cannot be disclosed. However, for the years in question the House of Commons Commission paid a total of £5,174 in respect of performance related bonuses to press and communications officers. The individual amounts paid ranged from £74 to £515.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he has taken to promote the safety of his Department's employees operating in (a) Afghanistan and (b) Iraq; and if he will make a statement. (184209)

The safety and security of all staff in countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq is a top priority for DFID. We take all possible measures to ensure this including, where appropriate, providing hardened accommodation and office facilities, and specialist training for staff. DFID staff and consultants are covered by Foreign and Commonwealth Office security management procedures. Current security provisions are under constant review in order to ensure we provide maximum safety to our staff. Each and every security incident is considered carefully, and we have already made a number of enhancements to our security provisions as a result of recent incidents.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the delivery of humanitarian aid in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. (183537)

DFID monitors the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan very closely. We receive regular updates from the United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan and other UN agencies such as the High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Office for Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).

UNOCHA recently conducted a workshop in Afghanistan which looked at the key humanitarian challenges in delivering humanitarian aid and how donors could better co-ordinate to improve its delivery and effectiveness. The final report should be available in March 2008.

In 2006-07 DFID provided £1.6 million in bilateral humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. Afghanistan is also one of the largest recipients of UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) support, to which the UK is the largest contributor (23 per cent. of total CERF value in 2006). Afghanistan received $32.3 million from CERF in 2006. We also provide core funding to UNICEF, the World Food Programme, and UNHCR, all of whom have operations in Afghanistan.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many UK staff his Department employs in each country overseas. (180822)

The number of UK staff employed by the Department for International Development (DFID) in each country overseas, is shown in the following table:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many vehicles were (a) owned and (b) purchased by his Department in each of the last 10 years. (183297)

Information on the number of vehicles owned and purchased in each of the last 10 years is not held centrally and could not be provided without incurring a disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with the World Trade Organisation on the Doha trade round; and what assessment he has made of the prospects for the agreement of a new trade deal in 2008. (183794)

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development discussed the Doha trade round with Pascal Lamy, director general of the World Trade Organisation, during the World Economic Forum in Davos in January.

It is still possible to reach agreement on a Doha trade deal in 2008 if there is movement from all concerned. It is important that all parties show flexibility in the negotiations to try and resolve outstanding issues. We are now waiting for the revised chairs' negotiating texts, which are expected to be issued in February, and which will provide the basis for further negotiations and a possible agreement.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department took to mark the suffering of the victims of the (a) Holocaust and (b) recent genocides on Holocaust Memorial Day. (183831)

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government spoke at the Holocaust Memorial Day 2008 in Liverpool, which took place on 27 January. I also attended in my role as a trustee of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust. The powerful commemoration rightly acknowledged the suffering experienced by the victims of other more recent atrocities including those that occurred in Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what role his Department has played in drafting the National Security Strategy; and if he will make a statement. (184202)

DFID is working closely with the Cabinet Office and other interested Departments and agencies to produce the National Security Strategy.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the continuing effects of the chemical warfare in Vietnam; and what plans he has for assistance to the Government of Vietnam to mitigate such effects. (184337)

Over the past 12 years, the Ministry of Health in Vietnam have been carrying out a comprehensive assessment of the continuing effects of dioxin contamination across the country. The evidence shows that the majority of land in Vietnam is not contaminated and that concentrations of dioxin in most of Vietnam are within international guidelines. However, there remain “hotspots” of serious contamination particularly around former US bases where dioxin and other herbicides were stored and deployed. The main priorities are to protect communities living in these areas and to provide support for those already affected.

The Vietnam Government are implementing policies, standards and guidelines to deal with the problem. This work is being funded by a number of agencies including the Canadian International Development Agency, Ford Foundation, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation. DFID provides budget support to Vietnam through its funding of the World Bank's Poverty Reduction Support Credit. Part of this supports work on environmental standards and waste management. In addition, our education programmes (around £40 million) support inclusive education for children with disabilities (including from dioxin) and our core funds to the UN (£4 million) also support UN work on environmental management. A large number of international and national non-governmental organisations also provide support to Agent Orange victims, including the Vietnam Red Cross, Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange, the Fund for Reconciliation and Development, and Oxfam-Hong Kong.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 21 January 2008, Official Report, columns 1498-99W, on water supply, if he will formally recognise the contribution made by the late Thuli Khambule, South African co-ordinator for the Partners for Water and Sanitation, on the work undertaken on achieving the Millennium Development Goals. (183893)

Thuli Khambule joined the Partners for Water and Sanitation (PAWS) in September 2003 and over the next few years directed much needed support to South African municipalities in their delivery of water and sanitation services, through PAWS and other programmes.

PAWS staff, partners and friends have paid tribute to her guidance, knowledge and dignity in making the South Africa programme a success. The continued work of the PAWS South Africa programme to help improve the lives of poor people will be a fitting tribute to Thuli Khambule.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was paid by his Department to Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries in each financial year since 2000; which contracts were awarded by his Department to Capita Group plc in each year from 2000-01 to the most recent available date; what the cost was of each contract; what penalties for default were imposed in contract provisions; what the length was of each contract; whether the contract was advertised; how many companies applied for the contract; how many were short-listed; what criteria were used for choosing a company; what provision was made for renewal without re-tender in each case; and if he will make a statement. (180696)

The Northern Ireland Office paid Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries the following amounts in each year since 2000-01:

The contracts which have been awarded centrally to Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries since 2000-01 are as follows:

The payments which are not covered by central contracts are set up by departmental divisions using the departmental procurement guidelines. These divisional contracts are set up when their value is less than £10,000.

Penalties for default are illegal under UK Contract Law so incentives or pre-estimates of damages are commonly used instead.

As the information has been gathered from a number of business areas, provision of details relating to the length of the contracts; whether they were advertised; how many companies applied for each contract; how many companies were short listed for each contract; what criteria were used for choosing a company and what provision was made for renewal without re-tender could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Community Safety Unit will complete and publish its evaluation of the Proposals for the Safety of Older People document. (180865)

The Northern Ireland Office Community Safety Unit received 29 responses to the consultation on Proposals for the Safety of Older People and is in the process of evaluating these comments. A summary of the responses will be published on the NIO website in mid-March.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons have been charged in connection with the incident in which two young men were publicly paraded with placards on the Shankill Road, Belfast, on 11 January 2008. (183026)

I have been advised by the PSNI that no persons have as yet been arrested or charged in connection with this incident and enquiries into this matter continue. All acts of criminality should be dealt with through the proper authorities and the criminal justice system and I urge anyone with information in relation to this incident to contact the PSNI.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consultancy contracts his Department issued in each year since 2005; what the (a) value, (b) purpose and (c) contractor was in each case; and whether the consultant's report is publicly available in each case. (181898)

The information relating to the consultancy contracts in the Northern Ireland Office (excluding agencies and NDPBs) since 2005 is shown in the following table.

Please note that only reports relating to consultancy contracts that are of public interest are made publicly available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) press and (b) communications officers his Department employed in each of the last 10 years. (182512)

Information on employees is only held for five years. The number of press officers working in the Northern Ireland Office for each of the five years is detailed in the following table. There are no communications officers in the Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department paid in bonuses to press and communication officers in each of the last 10 years; and what the (a) highest and (b) lowest such bonus was in each of those years. (182724)

This information is held electronically for the previous two years and details are set out in the following table. Prior years would have to be obtained through a manual exercise and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

These are non-consolidated, non-pensionable, bonuses awarded for exceptional performance and additional workload.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 27 November 2007, Official Report, column 340W, on Afghanistan: detainees, how many detainees have been transferred from UK forces to the Afghan authorities under the terms of the bilateral memorandum of understanding on the transfer of detainees. (178903)

Information available to 29 January shows that a total of 74 detainees have been transferred from UK forces to the Afghan authorities under the terms of the bilateral memorandum of understanding on the transfer of detainees. Of those, 13 remain in Afghan custody.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) pursuant to the answer of 27 November 2007, Official Report, column 340W, on Afghanistan: detainees, whether the UK's bilateral memorandum of understanding on the transfer of detainees with the Afghan authorities contains provisions for the monitoring of the human rights condition of detainees after transfer; and if he will make a statement; (178904)

The UK's bilateral memorandum of understanding on the transfer of detainees to the Afghan authorities does contain provisions about respecting the human rights of detainees.

The Afghan government has shown that it is fully aware of its obligations and takes its human rights responsibilities seriously. The arrangements for access to detainees by our officials and by human rights organisations to monitor their treatment were restated in an exchange of letters between the Afghan government and the governments of Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, the UK and the United States in 2007.

We have a constructive relationship with the Afghan government on detention issues and are working closely with them on a number of projects to improve facilities and governance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK staff are serving in diplomatic posts in (a) Afghanistan and (b) Iraq; and what plans there are for UK staff numbers in those posts in each of the next three years. (179168)

Our embassies and other diplomatic posts in both Afghanistan and Iraq are staffed by officials from a range of Government Departments, including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for International Development, the Ministry of Defence and (in Afghanistan) the Afghanistan Drugs Inter-Departmental Unit.

In Afghanistan, there are over 100 UK-based civilian officials in our embassy in Kabul and over 30 UK-based civilian officials in the southern provinces of Helmand and Kandahar. Their roles include work in governance, reconstruction and development, and counter narcotics. We plan to increase over the coming period staff numbers to further strengthen our efforts in Afghanistan: the precise details remain to be determined.

Over 50 UK-based civilian officials work in our embassy in Baghdad and our embassy offices in Basra and Erbil. They are there to support the democratically elected Government of Iraq in their efforts to achieve reconciliation, democracy, good governance, economic prosperity and security. We do not expect staff numbers to change significantly over the next three years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has received representations from (a) human rights organisations and (b) International Security Assistance Force coalition partners about the human rights conditions in Afghan prisons; and if he will make a statement. (183378)

We maintain an ongoing dialogue with human rights organisations and International Security Assistance Force partners on a range of detention-related matters, including human rights issues. British officials have also met human rights organisations to discuss reports on specific detention-related issues. We have a constructive relationship with the Afghan government on these issues, and are working closely with them on a number of projects to improve facilities and governance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which British Council offices and facilities were closed (a) permanently and (b) temporarily (i) as a result of pressure from foreign governments and (ii) in other circumstances in each of the last two years. (183897)

No British Council offices were permanently closed as a result of pressure from foreign governments within the last two years. Operations have been suspended in St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg since 17 January 2008 in the light of pressures from the Russian government.

As part of its global strategy and re-allocation of resources into priority regions, the British Council permanently closed three country offices and 29 facilities in 2006 and 16 facilities in 2007. There were no country closures in 2007.

The British Council offices temporarily closed in Gaza City (March to May 2006) and Beirut (July to September 2006) because of security concerns.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to sign the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse; and if he will make a statement. (178717)

The Government intend to sign the Convention before June 2008.

The Convention is a significant instrument, which contains a number of provisions that will help improve child protection. The UK’s signature will be a signal of our continued commitment to this important area of protection.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department is on course to meet the commitment in the Sustainable Operations on the Government Estate targets to (a) source at least 10 per cent. of its electricity from renewables by 31 March 2008 and (b) increase recycling figures to 40 per cent. of waste by 2010. (181320)

Sustainable Operations on the Government Estate targets apply to the central Government estate in the UK. In financial year 2005-06 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office sourced 39 per cent. of its electricity from renewables and recycled 32.7 per cent. of its waste on its UK estate.

The Sustainable Development Commission is expected to publish in mid-March its assessment of Government Departments’ performance in 2006-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has adopted the Carbon Trust’s Carbon Management Programme. (181321)

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office started implementing a Carbon Management Programme, developed with the Carbon Trust, in 2007 on its UK estate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department met the target in the sustainable operations on the Government Estate to reverse the then upward trend in carbon emissions by April 2007. (181322)

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office did not meet the target to reverse the upward trend in carbon emissions on its UK estate by April 2007.

Since 2007 we have been implementing a carbon management programme, developed with the Carbon Trust, to achieve the Government's sustainable operations targets on carbon emissions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department is working towards an accredited certified environmental management system for (a) its whole estate and (b) some of its buildings. (181323)

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's environmental management system is accredited to the International Organisation for Standardisation 14001, and covers 91 per cent. of its staff on our three major sites. We keep under review whether we can effectively and efficiently extend coverage to our other relatively small sites.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the likely annual cost to the UK of the external action service as proposed in the Lisbon Treaty. (183926)

[holding answer 1 February 2008]: The Lisbon Treaty provides for a European External Action Service (EEAS) which will bring together staff currently working on external issues in the European Council Secretariat and the European Commission, along with secondees from EU member states. The EEAS will be launched only after the Treaty comes into force.

There have not yet been any discussions on the detailed organisation and functioning of the EEAS.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what checks his Department plans to make on companies and organisations tendering for contracts to administer visa application checks; how it will monitor the performance of those awarded such contracts; and what estimate he has made of the likely annual cost to his Department of such monitoring. (178731)

The commercial partnership contract to provide visa application services was signed on 27 February 2007 with CSC and VFS Global. Procurement was conducted in accordance with EU rules and under the Official Journal of the European Union procedure. Prospective bidders were required to provide evidence of their financial standing. UKvisas also conducted due diligence on all three short-listed companies and both successful companies have signed parent company guarantees. Performance is monitored through a regional and central governance structure and this includes performance against a number of agreed critical service performance levels/criteria, which can attract financial recompense to UKvisas if not met. In respect of the cost of monitoring, the information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total cost to the public purse of processing visa application checks at embassies and consulates was in the last financial year; and what estimate he has made of the equivalent annual cost arising in those countries where processing such checks has been outsourced. (178729)

UKvisas is funded by income generated from the charging of visa fees agreed by Parliament through the Consular Fees Order. The cost of processing visa application checks at our embassies and consulates in the financial year 2006-07 was wholly met by visa fee income. The estimate of the full cost of the commercial partnership contract for outsourced visa application services in the financial year 2007-08 is £53.366 million. This cost is incorporated into visa fees which are applied globally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the annual UK contribution was towards maintaining, staffing and operating the representative offices of the European Commission in (a) EU capitals, (b) non-EU capitals and (c) other locations in each of the last 10 years. (183925)

[holding answer 1 February 2008]: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold information on the UK contribution towards maintaining, staffing and operating the representative offices of the European Commission over the past 10 years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British nationals worked in representative offices of the European Commission in (a) EU capitals, (b) non-EU capitals and (c) other locations in each of the last 10 years. (183927)

[holding answer 1 February 2008]: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold this information.

Statistical information on staff at the European Commission can be found on the Commission’s statistical bulletin at:

http://ec.europa.eu/civil_service/about/figures/index_en.htm

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many cases of bullying have been reported in (a) his Department and (b) its agencies in each of the last 12 months. (182833)

In the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), two cases involving bullying were raised as internal grievances. One was partially upheld and one not upheld. One member of staff received a disciplinary penalty for bullying.

In FCO Services, an Executive agency of the FCO, there were three allegations in 2007: one was withdrawn; one was upheld and disciplinary action taken against the perpetrator; and one which is still under investigation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Iranian Government on its practice of holding peaceful dissenters in detention without trial under national security legislation; and if he will make a statement. (183859)

We are very concerned by the growing clampdown on dissent in Iran, including through the use of national security legislation.

In the last year, a large number of human rights defenders have been accused of

“acting against national security”.

This has included trade unionists, such as Mansour Ossanlou and Mahmud Salehi, peaceful protesters including teachers protesting for a living wage, a large number of women arrested in spring/summer 2007 for protesting in favour of equal rights, and other human rights activists such as Emaddedin Baghi, an anti-death penalty campaigner.

Others have been sentenced for related offences such a

“propaganda against the system”

—most recently, a group of 54 Baha’is, but also a number of students arrested in July 2007 in connection with an article in a student magazine.

We have raised all of these cases through the EU, highlighting the fact that individuals have essentially been sentenced for non-violent protest, and calling on the Iranian Government to support the right to freedom of expression, as it is committed to under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The UN General Assembly passed a resolution about the human rights situation in Iran in December last year, expressing very serious concern about

“ongoing, systemic and serious restrictions of freedom of peaceful assembly and association, and freedom of opinion and expression ... and increasing harassment, intimidation and persecution of political opponents and human rights defenders from all sectors of Iranian society”.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will raise with the Iranian government the cases of Miss Haleh Roohi, Mr. Sasan Taqva and Miss Raha Sabet who have recently been imprisoned in Iran; and if he will make a statement. (184242)

We regularly raise our concerns about the treatment of Baha'í with the Iranian authorities, both bilaterally and through the EU.

The EU presidency has already raised the case of these three individuals in a meeting with the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 22 January. In this meeting, the EU drew attention to the worsening situation of ethnic and religious minorities in Iran, especially the Baha'i community, and expressed opposition to all forms of discrimination, in particular regarding the freedom of religion. The EU called for the immediate release of the three individuals and the abandoning of all proceedings against the rest of the group of Baha'is . We will monitor this case closely and will continue to raise it with the Iranian government.

The Government continues to press the Iranian authorities to take seriously their international human rights obligations, uphold the right to freedom of religion and belief, as described in Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and address the discrimination suffered by Iranian Baha'is.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise the issue of freedom of religious conscience in Iran with his counterpart in the Iranian government; and if he will make a statement. (184243)

We continue to be very concerned by the treatment of religious minorities in Iran—in particular the Bahá'í and Christian communities and converts from Islam. We have made clear to the Iranian authorities on many occasions that we believe persecution of individuals on the grounds of their ethnicity or religious beliefs is unacceptable.

The UN General Assembly passed a resolution about the human rights situation in Iran in December last year, expressing very serious concern about increasing discrimination against religious and other minorities in Iran, including Christians, Jews, Sufis, Sunni Muslims and Bahá'í. The UK, through the EU, co-sponsored this resolution.

We will continue to raise concerns about the treatment of religious minorities with the Iranian authorities through the EU and bilaterally, and press the Iranian authorities to take seriously their international human rights obligations and uphold the right to freedom of religion and belief as described in Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (to which Iran is a state party).

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the religious freedom of the minority Báha’í community in Iran. (184244)

We continue to be very concerned by the treatment of religious minorities in Iran, including Bahá’ís.

The Bahá’í faith is not recognised under the Iranian constitution and as a result Bahá’í routinely face discrimination and persecution. In recent years Bahá’í have been subject to arbitrary arrests, confiscation of property and restrictions on employment. Bahá’í students have not been able to access higher education unless they deny their faith or accept that it is incorrectly recorded on official university forms.

The UN General Assembly passed a resolution about the human rights situation in Iran in December last year, expressing very serious concern about increasing discrimination against religious and other minorities in Iran, including in particular

“attacks on Bahá’ís and their faith in state-sponsored media, increasing evidence of efforts by the state to identify and monitor Bahá’ís and prevention of the Bahá’í faith from attending university and from sustaining themselves economically”.

The UK, through the EU, co-sponsored this resolution.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations his Department has made to the Government of Israel about the denial of travel authorisation to Palestinian residents referred for medical treatment outside the Gaza Strip. (184286)

According to the World Health Organisation, 216 patients crossed from Gaza to Israel/the West Bank for further treatment via the Erez crossing, which remained open for this purpose, between 18 and 28 January. The UK believes that there is an urgent and pressing need to overcome the obstacles to re-opening all of Gaza’s crossings, for humanitarian goods, trade and people. We are concerned about the lack of access to proper medical care and the difficulty in leaving Gaza to receive treatment. The Quartet (US, EU, UN and Russia) has expressed serious concern over the continued closure of major crossing points. The UN is actively involved in trying to find a solution. The EU has called

“on all parties to work towards an opening of the crossings in and out of Gaza”.

On 17 January, I raised these concerns with the Israeli ambassador. Our embassy in Tel Aviv also continues to raise our concerns on a regular basis. On 21 January, my right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary and Secretary of State for International Development voiced their concerns. In a joint statement, they stated:

“We do not support Israel’s decision to close all crossings to Gaza”.

On 24 January, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary called Foreign Minister Livni and reiterated these concerns.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip in halting rocket attacks on Israeli territory. (184287)

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has made it clear in a joint statement with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development on 21 January that:

“Israeli security and justice for Palestinians will not be achieved by cutting off fuel or by firing rockets. Both sides have a responsibility to support the Peace Process launched at Annapolis. The situation on the ground is an important part of this. Palestinian security efforts and Israel’s reopening of the Gaza crossings need to support each other and the drive for a long-term peace”.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to help protect United Kingdom passport holders working as missionaries in Kenya. (183932)

[holding answer 1 February 2008]: All British nationals in Kenya are covered by our high commission’s civil contingency plans. In compiling civil contingency plans, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s objective is to protect British nationals in situations which pose a serious threat to their safety. The plan includes information on the number and location of British nationals in the country and the use of wardens’ networks to communicate with them. To ensure we can effectively communicate any changes in travel advice and other relevant information, British nationals are urged to register with our high commission in Nairobi. They can do this online or by phoning the high commission direct on (00) (254) (20) 284 4000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the legal basis for the deployment of the EU's civilian mission to Kosovo. (178912)

We are satisfied that the mission is established on a sound legal basis.

The EU's European Security and Defence Policy rule of law mission to Kosovo will be based on the powers in the treaty on EU, drawing on the authority of UN Security Council Resolution 1244 as well as an invitation by the Kosovo government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the final decision on the (a) date and (b) modalities of the EU mission for Kosovo will be made; and if he will make a statement. (183381)

We are working intensively with our international partners in the EU and UN to bring the Kosovo status process through to rapid completion.

The political decision to deploy the EU’s European Security and Defence Policy rule of law mission to Kosovo was taken at the European Council on 14 December 2007. The EU underlined that it stands ready to play a leading role in strengthening stability in the region and in implementing a settlement defining Kosovo’s future status.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role his Department has played in drafting the National Security Strategy; and if he will make a statement. (184213)

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is working closely with the Cabinet Office and other interested Departments and Agencies to produce the National Security Strategy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what co-ordination the Government is undertaking with the governments of (a) Pakistan and (b) Iran on anti-narcotics policies. (183591)

The Government remain committed to engagement with the Governments of both Pakistan and Iran to tackle the flows of opiates from Afghanistan.

The UK has supported the work of the Pakistan government to update its drugs strategy (“Masterplan”) and earmarked US $80,000 of its contribution to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for consultancy input to its development. The UK provides diplomatic and political support to the Pakistan government’s counter-narcotics (CN) work, including through some £800,000 in the last three years to train officers of the Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) and to provide them with equipment. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, when he was the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced on 8 March 2006 that the UK had agreed to gift two helicopters to the ANF for CN work. Delivery is expected in the early spring of this year. The UK Serious Organised Crime Agency enjoys operational co-operation with its Pakistani partners on counter-narcotics issues.

The UK has also contributed to the work of the UNODC in Iran. With the support of the Government of Iran, the UNODC has developed a strategy to build international support for tackling drugs demand and trafficking of opiates in Iran. The UK has contributed £500,000 to the UNODC in the last three years for this purpose with a particular focus on the provision of equipment and training of officers combating the trafficking of opiates on Iran’s eastern border with Afghanistan. Additionally, we have supplied bilaterally some £30,000 of equipment for policing the eastern border.

The Government further engages to support a number of multilateral fora in which the policies and operations of governments in this region are co-ordinated and developed. The Paris Pact, organised by the UNODC, brings together those donor and beneficiary nations which are committed to tackle the drugs flows from Afghanistan to Europe; a database organised by the UNODC collates and co-ordinates the contributions of the donor community and matches these with the identified needs of countries on the trafficking routes. The Afghan government’s work on the Good Neighbourly Relations Declaration (GNRD) on CN, agreed in Berlin on 1 April 2004 and in which the UK acts in an observer role, brings together all immediately neighbouring nations and commits them to work with each other and with Afghanistan to develop CN work. The UK is supporting the Ministry of Counter Narcotics’ plans to hold a further GNRD meeting this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK citizens were (a) injured and (b) killed abroad as a result of terrorist activity in each of the last 10 years, broken down by country in which such incidents occurred. (178913)

Our records show that the number of UK citizens injured and killed aboard as a consequence of terrorist activity in each of the last 10 years, broken down by the country in which the incidents occurred, is as follows:

These figures are for both British and dual British nationals. They include British nationals working for private security firms killed or injured in Iraq or Afghanistan, but do not include British nationals who were killed or injured in the armed forces.

To the best of our knowledge the figures provided are accurate. However, it is possible that we are unaware of some cases, especially injuries. Prior to 2001 we did not keep separate statistics for deaths and injury as a result of terrorist incidents.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the timetable is of the Oslo and UN Convention on Conventional Weapons organisations for the removal of all cluster munitions; and what progress is being made on such removal. (184532)

Neither the Oslo Process or the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) have the aim of the removal of all cluster munitions. The Oslo Process aims to conclude “by 2008” a legally binding instrument to prohibit the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians. Detailed consideration of a draft text of a treaty will begin at a meeting in Wellington (18-22 February). Negotiations will conclude in Dublin (19-30 May). A signing ceremony is expected to be held in Oslo in the autumn.

At the CCW Meeting of State Parties in November 2007 a negotiating mandate on cluster munitions was agreed. Under this mandate a Group of Governmental Experts was tasked to negotiate a proposal to address the humanitarian impact of cluster munitions and report on progress to the next Meeting of State Parties in November 2008. Our aim, and that of our EU partners, is for the CCW to adopt a legally binding instrument by the end of 2008.

The UK’s active participation in both the CCW and Oslo Process demonstrates our continuing commitment to address the humanitarian concerns raised by cluster munitions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what initiatives the Government plans to undertake to ensure the commencement of negotiations on a fissile material cut-off treaty at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva. (184303)

The UK considers a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty to be a top priority for multilateral disarmament and we will continue to push for the start of negotiations without pre-conditions at the Conference on Disarmament (CD). As the holder of one of the six CD presidencies in 2008 we will work with like minded countries to bring on board those states unable to agree to the start of negotiations in 2007. We will also continue to lobby these states directly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the budget of UK Visas was in 2006-07; and how these resources were allocated by main budget heading. (183525)

UKvisas’ total costs of £202 million in financial year 2006-07 were fully recovered from income generated from visa fees and allocated under the following budget headings:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for how long the UKvisas telephone service has been suspended. (183524)

The UKvisas telephone inquiry line has been suspended since 10 September 2007.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether alternative provision has been made to assist visa applicants following the suspension of the UKvisas telephone service. (183526)

The principle sources of information and advice for visa applicants, all of whom are overseas, are the central UKvisas website, posts’ websites, and our commercial partners’ websites and telephone inquiry lines. Some posts also have telephone inquiry services.

In the UK we now provide an enhanced e-mail service that aims to reply to e-mails within one working day. Most of these queries are from sponsors and other interested parties in the UK rather than visa applicants, who are guided to their local post or commercial partner. UKvisas website now has more and improved links. Its recorded telephone message now has more information, including referring callers to Border and Immigration Agency telephone numbers when appropriate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to reinstate the UKvisas telephone service. (183527)

We are currently looking at the future for this service to callers from the UK and aim to conclude an internal review by the end of the financial year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the answer of 2 May 2007, Official Report, column 1720W, on UN resolutions: frontiers, how many further notifications have been received by the UN Security Council Committee established pursuant to UN Resolution 1737 (2006) from states reporting the entry into or transit through their territories of designated persons. (178905)

The answer given to the right hon. Member by my right hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary (Margaret Beckett) on 2 May 2007, Official Report, column 1719W, noted that two notifications had been received from member states of travel by individuals designated in the Annexes to UN Security Council Resolutions 1737 (2006) and 1747 (2007), in March 2007. No further notifications have been received by the UN Security Council Committee established pursuant to UN Resolution 1737 (2006) from states reporting the entry into or transit through their territories of designated persons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Russian government on the medical treatment of Vasily Aleksanyan; and if he will make a statement. (184391)

While there has been some improvement in recent years, conditions in Russian detention centres and treatment of prisoners continue to be below desirable standards, as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s 2006 Human Rights Annual report noted in some detail.

In EU and bilateral human rights consultations with the Russian government, the UK regularly raises concerns about ongoing human rights violations, including individual cases. We note that Russian human rights ombudsman, Vladimir Lukin, has sent written representations to the Prosecutor-General’s Office and the Federal Penal Service about the case.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) total hits and (b) unique visitors the active places website had in each of the last three years. (182741)

Sport England does not record the number of ‘hits’ on the active places website. Instead, it records only the number of visitors who actually use the tools and applications on the site. In each of the last three years these figures have been as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to introduce free weeks for dance, music and theatrical performances at publicly-funded entertainment venues in England; what estimate he has made of the annual cost of free weeks; and how many venues he expects to participate. (183411)

This is one of the recommendations in Sir Brian McMaster’s report on “Supporting Excellence in the Arts”, published on 10 January 2008. My officials are now considering the report in detail and considering how it could be implemented. No conclusions have been reached on the cost of free weeks or which venues would participate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what consultation was held about the criteria being used by the Arts Council to make funding reductions to certain organisations; when a full list of the organisations that are to receive funding reductions will be released; and how many organisations (a) serving rural communities and (b) in Oxfordshire are to receive funding reductions. (182759)

The Arts Council operates at arm's length from the Government and decisions about which arts organisations to fund are entirely for them. Their fundamental criteria are set out in their Royal Charter

“to develop and improve the knowledge, understanding and practice of the arts [and] to increase accessibility of the arts to the public in England.”

In February 2007 the Arts Council created detailed guidance on how they would develop their investment strategy for 2008/9-2010/11. That guidance said that the Council would give particular priority to the following:

achieving a portfolio of effective and thriving organisations;

increasing engagement in the arts across the population;

delivering greater arts activity and presence in our emerging priority places;

delivering the recommendations of Turning Point, the Arts Council's strategic review of the visual arts sector.

The Arts Council informed their regularly funded organisations of this in May 2007 and of their intention to provide the majority of organisations with at least an inflation increase in funding, and that this would be achieved by reducing the size of their portfolio of regularly funded organisations.

The Arts Council did not hold any consultation about these criteria specifically. However, it held a public value inquiry, the Arts Debate, between October 2006 and September 2007. The inquiry considered how people think and feel about the arts in England and their priorities for public funding. The Arts Council are incorporating the results of the enquiry into their corporate planning.

The Arts Council have said the following in response to requests to see the names of the organisations listed in their proposals:

“Our proposals for non-renewal of funding cannot be made available until our National and Regional Councils make final decisions. This information is considered confidential and commercially sensitive during the response period. This is especially so in the case of a recommendation that might be overturned by the National Council or a Regional Council. Regularly funded organisations who have a right to respond to our recommendation, should be able to do so freely without fear that our intention to reduce or stop their funding is potentially unnecessarily, and without their consent, released into the public domain. A full announcement will be made at the beginning of February.”

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many fixed-odds betting terminals there are in use; and how much tax revenue was generated by such machines in each of the last three tax years. (184381)

The Gambling Commission annual report 2006-07 reported that there were 24,500 fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs) located in licensed betting offices in 2006. These are the latest available figures.

FOBTs are now classified as category B2 gaming machines under the Gambling Act 2005. Casinos can offer B2 gaming machines, as part of their entitlement to a maximum of 20 category B gaming machines. We do not hold figures for the number of B2 gaming machines that casinos make available.

Tax revenue generated by gaming machines is a matter for HM Treasury.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the merits of audio description on television programmes for people with a visual impairment; and if he will make a statement. (183332)

[holding answer 31 January 2008]: The Communications Act sets minimum targets for audio description of programmes by broadcasters. However, it is the responsibility of Ofcom to ensure that these requirements are met

Ofcom have responsibility for assessing audio description usage on television programmes. Guidance and best practice for broadcasters on providing access services, which include audio description, is set out in Ofcom’s Code on Television Access Services.

Ofcom’s Television Access Services Review, published in 2006, stated that audio description was highly valued by those that had used it and had the potential to benefit many more people than those who currently used it. An Audio Description Awareness Campaign facilitated by Ofcom will be launched by television broadcasters and the RNIB on 1 February 2008 to encourage take up of this valuable service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will (a) take steps to ensure broadcasters are aware of the benefits of audio description to viewers with a visual impairment and (b) encourage broadcasters to provide more audio-described programmes. (183333)

[holding answer 31 January 2008]: The Communications Act sets minimum targets for audio description of programmes by broadcasters. However, it is the responsibility of Ofcom to ensure that these requirements are met.

It is also Ofcom’s duty to ensure broadcasters are taking effective steps to publicise awareness of their audio description services. In this regard, we welcome the Audio Description Awareness Campaign facilitated by Ofcom that will be launched by television broadcasters and the RNIB on 1 February 2008. During the six-week campaign, more than 70 television channels will broadcast promotions explaining how to find out more about this valuable service.

Ofcom’s most recent report on the provision of access services shows that most channels continue to exceed (in many cases substantially) their obligations to provide audio description.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether his Department met the target in the sustainable operations on the government estate to reverse the then upward trend in carbon emissions by April 2007. (176926)

The Department has a detailed energy plan which identifies potential carbon savings of 562 tonnes by March 2009. We hope this will help us to be more successful in ensuring sustainability as we have not met the target set for April 2007.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether personal data for which his Department is responsible is (a) stored and (b) processed overseas; and if he will make a statement. (176023)

My Department (a) does not store or (b) process any personal data overseas, nor does it have any plans to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what audits his Department and its agencies have carried out in relation to personal data and IT equipment in each of the last 10 years. (176482)

This information could not be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many ministerial residences were available to his Department's Ministers in each of the last 10 years. (183184)

The Department has not had any ministerial residences in the last 10 years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received on establishing a television channel to provide information on the digital switchover. (178745)

A proposal for a rolling television service was mentioned in the Ofcom Consumer Panel report, ‘Going digital: supporting consumers through digital switchover’, published December 2007, which my predecessor, the right hon. Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (James Purnell), received.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will ensure that the experience of people with a visual impairment is taken fully into account in the preparations for digital switchover and that (a) access to the necessary support and equipment and (b) accessible information on services is provided and broadcasters are informed of steps they can take to improve programme accessibility. (183331)

[holding answer 31 January 2008]: The Government and Digital UK have consulted the RNIB to understand any issues of concern to people with visual impairments and how best to communicate with them and help them through the switchover process. We will continue to do so as the switchover programme is rolled out.

Blind or partially sighted people are one of the groups eligible for the Digital Switchover Help Scheme which provides help with equipment, installation and aftercare support. Audio Description (AD), an additional narration on TV programmes that describes on-screen action, is accessible through the equipment provided by the scheme. Help is free of charge to those on income support/pension credit. Others will pay a £40 charge.

Guidance and best practice on how broadcasters can improve programme accessibility is given in Ofcom’s Code on Television Access Services, which includes information on audio description.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which English Heritage sites (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have visited since appointment; and on what dates. (181949)

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State has not yet visited any English Heritage sites in the short time since he took office. On his second day as Culture Secretary, he visited the International Slavery Museum which is situated on Liverpool’s Albert Dock, part of the Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City World Heritage Site. His predecessor, the right hon. Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (James Purnell) visited the Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College, part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, on 31 October 2007 for the launch of Heritage Counts.

I visited Castle Acre Priory on 8 July 2007 and Stonehenge on 6 September 2007. I have, of course, visited a number of sites in my personal capacity.

My hon. Friend the Minister for Sport has not visited any properties owned or managed by English Heritage in his official capacity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to help community football clubs develop facilities and membership in West Lancashire; and if he will make a statement. (183412)

Since 2002, Sport England has awarded almost £70.2 million to the Football Foundation to support grassroots capital and revenue projects. This includes £11.7 million from the Community Club Development Programme (CCDP) which helps community sports clubs to develop their sports facilities. We do not hold details of CCDP awards made specifically in West Lancashire, however, in Lancashire, £1.6 million has been awarded to community football clubs.

Over 4,500 community sports clubs are also benefiting from tax relief through the Community Amateur Sports Club initiative. This has saved sports clubs an estimated £22.8 million over the last five years—allowing clubs to put money back into sport, including for sports facilities. In Lancashire, 97 sports clubs, including 12 football clubs, have benefited to date.