How many 50-metre swimming pools there are. [187891]

Before I answer the question, Mr. Speaker, may I congratulate all our Olympians, who performed incredibly well? We also send our best wishes to our competitors in the Paralympics, which starts next week.

I am sure that all hon. Members congratulate our two Olympic swimming medallists, David Davies and Stephen Parry. It is unfair on our swimmers that only 20 50-metre pools exist in this country, when Germany has 92 and France has 90. Wales contains only one such pool and London has only two, despite the fact that Paris, another capital city, has 19. We should invest more in swimming and build more 50-metre pools, so that people who swim the 1,500 m do not have to do excessive numbers of tumble-turns.

Sport England is committed to eight new 50-metre pools. We currently have 3,648 swimming pools and 1,134 25-metre pools. Since 1995, one sixth of all lottery money, some £279 million, has been invested in swimming. I accept that we must do more for elite swimmers, and we are discussing facilities for our elite athletes with swimming's governing body, but swimming has received major investment in the recent past.

I draw attention to my entry in the Register of Members' Interests. Building more swimming pools up and down the country is surely to be encouraged, but it is not so much a question of size as a question of usage. The villagers of Membury in my constituency know that size is not everything: they have a community swimming pool, which the school uses, and they have an enormous problem with insurance. Last year, the premiums rocketed up, and cover cannot be obtained at all this year, so local people will not be able to use the pool. I contacted the Financial Secretary, who passed the matter on to the Home Office, from which I am yet to hear. Will the Minister indicate how public swimming pools owned by local communities can be insured, so that local people can use them?

I do not know the exact detail of the case raised by the hon. Gentleman, but insurance for sport is a serious issue. In particular, extreme sports find that they cannot get instructors, who allow young people to participate in those sports, because they cannot get insurance. The Home Office, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the industry are examining the problem, and we have also discussed a private Member's Bill on the subject. The issue is being taken seriously, and it concerns not only swimming, but the whole spectrum of sport. If we do not get it right, it will be to the detriment of many young people who want to participate in sport.

Is the Minister aware that if there are eight Sport England swimming pools, we will settle for one in Bolsover? We lost our baths because of subsidence, and, as he knows, we have being trying to replace them for a few years. We do not need a 50-metre pool—we will settle for less—and we will not worry his pretty head about insurance, because we will deal with that. He knows that a hiatus has occurred because of Sport England's refusal to obtain lottery money for us—all that money has gone to the City of London and elsewhere. Will he meet the people of Bolsover to get the show back on the road?

I have been called many things, but never "pretty". The hon. Gentleman knows that I have met Bolsover council, the strategic health authority and the primary care trust to try to find a funding mechanism for that major community facility. I assure my hon. Friend that we will continue those discussions and will hopefully find a funding package for a swimming baths in his constituency, although I do not think that it will be a 50-metre pool.

Will the Minister agree to have a close look at the conditions attached to lottery grants? In my constituency, we are about to open a brand new swimming pool, which we are delighted to have, paid for by lottery funding. Unfortunately, however, there are no 50-metre competition-sized pools in the whole of Greater London. This would have been a wonderful opportunity to have one in my constituency, but the strings attached to the lottery grant meant that the sum had to be dissipated on other ancillary provision; as a result, we must have a six-lane pool with the same water space as the old one. Has not a wonderful opportunity been lost; and would not it have been better to focus the entire funding on providing an eight-lane 50-metre pool?

If we are successful with the Olympics, London could have three 50-metre pools. Construction is already taking place on an aquatic centre where there will be one 50-metre pool; if we are successful with the Olympics, there will be two; and we are discussing with Crystal Palace a major refurbishment that could include a third.

I am sure that we all share the shadow Minister's enthusiasm for swimming—[Interruption.] I am sorry, I mean the Minister's enthusiasm: it is easy to tell it is my first day. However, will he undertake to review the decision taken by two Government bodies—the Institute of Sport and Recreation Management and the Health and Safety Executive—to ban women from taking more than two children under the age of eight into a swimming pool at any one time? Its introduction on 1 May this year, at the start of summer, could not have been worse timed. It deprives young families of vital bonding time and means that young children cannot take the very type of exercise that the Government are encouraging.

I welcome the hon. Gentleman to the post of shadow Minister for Sport and congratulate him on his question—because the answer to it is not in my briefing notes.

What principles will guide the Government in their review of the BBC charter. [187892]

The principle guiding the review of the BBC charter is that the outcome will be a strong BBC, independent of Government. The review process is thorough and extensive. We have already undertaken large-scale consultations with industry and the public, and the process will continue to be characterised by vigorous and open debate.

I am delighted to hear the Minister use the words "independent" and "vigorous", because that is exactly what we need from a public service broadcasting body. Will we get a guarantee that that means that there will be no commercially funded element that may make the BBC dependent on commercial interests?

I thank my hon. Friend for his comments. He probably knows that the BBC is currently undertaking a review of its commercial services and is bound by strict fair trade rules. The governors are obliged to ensure that they are complied with. My hon. Friend's question will be addressed in the course of charter review. The BBC have already preempted that to some extent by taking steps to review the role and extent of commercial services.

I welcome the Secretary of State's commitment to a strong and independent BBC. However, does she acknowledge that one of the functions of independence is political neutrality? What steps will she take to ensure that, in the run-up to the by-election in Hartlepool, during which the Labour party conference will be taking place, there is equal coverage of all the parties—

Order. That has nothing to do with the renewal of the charter.

Does the Secretary of State agree that in 2017, we shall still have a national health service, primary schools and secondary schools and a BBC? Given that we are considering switching from analogue to digital by 2012, is there any sense in having a charter? If so, is there any sense in having it for 10 more years?

That is an important question, which is, in a sense, most relevant during the current charter review because we expect the switch-off of the analogue signal during the period that the next charter covers. A further 10-year charter is likely, but not certain. The independent panel, under the chairmanship of Lord Burns, which is advising me on charter review is considering the matter specifically.

What is the Secretary of State's vision of that digital future? Does she agree with the BBC's statement of values for the charter when it states that it wants everyone in the United Kingdom to have equal access to digital services? How will she achieve that? There are worrying stories that she has abandoned SwitchCo and the source of money that is necessary to achieve the digital switch-over. Which parts of the UK will go first and which will go last?

With great respect, that question was nonsense. There is no question of abandoning SwitchCo or walking away from the money. The broadcasters are considering the timetable and costs of converting the transmission network from analogue to digital. The Government are clear that digital switch-over will take place on a basis that guarantees universal access to people who currently receive analogue. We expect the principal technology to be through digital terrestrial television, but satellite and cable will also have an important role. We expect the broadcasters to bear the major costs, principally of upgrading the transmission network, of achieving the switch-over.

Does my right hon. Friend agree that an increased commitment to the nations and regions should he an important principle that guides the Government when they review the BBC charter, possibly with the relocation of production facilities and channels—for example, Radio 5 Live or BBC 3—to the north of England?

I agree with my hon. Friend. In the past few weeks, the BBC has made some encouraging statements about its intention for substantial relocation of staff and functions out of London. The BBC must reflect the identities and characteristics of the whole UK. It cannot do that if it is principally an operation that broadcasts from London.

Will the Secretary of State accept that one of the fundamental principles that must be upheld in the charter review is that the BBC must be politically impartial and balanced in its coverage? Is not the decision to call a by-election in the middle of the conference season—

Order. I have already ruled on that matter.

What action her Department has taken to promote female professional athletics in the United Kingdom. [187893]

I would like to begin by joining the Minister for Sport and Tourism, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Central (Mr. Caborn), in taking this opportunity to thank all our Olympians, men and women, who performed so magnificently at the Athens Olympics. They inspired and moved us all, and redoubled our determination to try to bring the Olympic games to London in 2012. In addition to thanking and congratulating our athletes, I would also like to thank Team GB and the scores of support staff who made those performances possible. My right hon. Friend and I will also be supporting our athletes at the Paralympics, which start this weekend.

I associate myself with my right hon. Friend's remarks, but I would also like to ask her what proportion of the resources allocated to the Olympics will be allocated to females athletes, so that we can maintain the high standards that we have seen at the recent Olympics?

I thank my hon. Friend for his question. The equality standard to which I referred will be applied by the governing bodies, and will be one of the conditions against which decisions to fund governing bodies will be taken. It is a lever with which the Government can influence the behaviour of those bodies, to ensure that they take seriously the ambitions of women in sport as well as those of men.

May I associate the Liberal Democrats with the Secretary of State's congratulations to Team GB and all its support staff at the Olympics? We also wish our team well in the forthcoming Paralympic games. May I remind her, however, that under this Government, female participation in athletics and sport has declined? Does she agree that this is not helped when television sports coverage of women's sports is only 5 per cent. of the total coverage, and less than 3 per cent. in our tabloid newspapers? Will she therefore lobby the newspapers and broadcasting companies to ensure that they start to give our women a fair deal?

Yes, yes and yes.

Is the Secretary of State aware that, in Crewe, we have a special team of young people who are taking part in the Paralympics, of whom we are inordinately proud and who have produced some very good results in the past? Will she make a special effort not only to encourage these children but to find ways of financing the work that they do, which is tremendously important to them and which needs to be encouraged at every level?

I thank my hon. Friend very much for her question. This is one of the reasons why my right hon. Friend the Minister for Sport and Tourism and I want to go to Athens, to provide the support that our Paralympic athletes deserve.

I am sure that all hon. Members here would like to congratulate the British Olympic team and the Paralympians, and, if so, that they would also like to sign my early-day motion 1602. I hope that they will do so, to double the number who have already signed it. The problem for women's sport in particular is the massive drop-off rate during the teenage years. By the time young women get to the age of 17, the number participating in sport has reduced dramatically. What work is my right hon. Friend doing with the Department for Education and Skills to ensure that girls continue with sports at school, and what role models can those girls look up to when, as the hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Foster) rightly said, there is inadequate media coverage of women's sports? Let us hope that we can use Kelly Holmes and others to ensure that in future more women will want to participate.

I thank my hon. Friend for making that point. Many of our female athletes—Kelly Holmes in particular—take their responsibilities as role models very seriously. Long before their recent Olympic fame, they were in schools providing exactly the kind of leadership that my hon. Friend is talking about. We are very concerned to address the issue that he describes, and the school sport partnerships that are now covering nearly 50 per cent. of schools place a special focus on presenting sport to girls in a way that they can engage with. We recognise the issue, we are determined to tackle it, and we will be judged by our success in doing so.

If she will allow sponsors' names to be used in the titles of Millennium Commission projects. [187895]

The Government do not control the identity of projects supported by the national lottery. The Millennium Commission's grant agreements specify that any change in the name of a project that it funds must be agreed by the commission.

I thank the Minister for that answer. But is it not crazy to fetter the future of some wonderful projects such as the Millennium stadium in Cardiff, which many Members have had the opportunity to visit, and which many more may visit in future, particularly when Wales play England at football next year, by not allowing them to maximise the commercial opportunities in the long term by having a sponsor's name in the title of the project? Will she and her colleagues consider this issue with a view to assisting the long-term future of those important projects?

First, may I share my hon. Friend's enthusiasm for the Millennium stadium? I reiterate, however, that this is a matter not for the Government but for the Millennium Commission. I know, however, that the Millennium Commission is in discussions, and has made it clear that it will consider any proposal that is put to it. That is right. It has also said that when there is lottery money involved a project, that must be made clear to the public and to people who buy lottery tickets. That is why, whatever the title is, it must continue to use the word "Millennium". If my hon. Friend looks a bit further, he will see that the Millennium Commission has allowed naming rights in other projects, such as the Donald Gordon theatre, as part of a much wider project. I do not know what the commission will decide, but it has certainly not said no to considering naming rights. That will be a matter for it and the stadium in the weeks and months to come.

Bearing in mind the fact that the Millennium Commission gets its money from the lottery, what action are the Government taking to ensure that undesirable people are not allowed to buy lottery tickets? The Secretary of State referred to one such case during the summer recess.

First, I understand the hon. Gentleman's comments. Over the summer, people were aghast at the fact that someone who was not able to repay money to victims suddenly came into millions of pounds. To state the obvious, one of the elements of the lottery is chance: there are no criteria in relation to worthy, deserving or non-deserving winners of the lottery. As far as what might happen in the future is concerned, we have no intention of introducing criteria on who should win. If it is legal for someone to buy a ticket, it must be legal for them to take the winnings. The Home Office is considering further what action it may need to take as to the criteria that it decides to impose on who may or may not buy lottery tickets. The gatekeeper is the person who buys the lottery ticket, and there cannot be decisions taken retrospectively when people have bought tickets and won prizes.

When she intends to introduce legislation to reform gambling laws. [187896]

We plan to introduce the gambling Bill as soon as parliamentary time allows. The Bill will modernise the law and provide stronger safeguards. We are considering the second report of the Joint Scrutiny Committee that examined our draft Bill. It made 24 recommendations on regional casinos, and we will consider all those and give our views in the near future.

"As time allows" is very vague, and I am delighted at that. Is the Minister aware that many of us believe that the American-style hard-gambling sheds that will be placed on the edge of towns will adversely affect our communities? We would be strongly opposed to that element of the legislation.

That means that we have cross-party support on that issue. Let me make it perfectly clear: we have been driven into this review, which, as many Members know, goes back to Budd, because of the development of new technology in relation to gambling. Many people are being exposed to online gambling who were not exposed to gambling previously. Let us make no mistake about it: the priority of the Bill is "protection, protection, protection." The world has moved on since the 1960s.

My right hon. Friend, who visited Burnley football club last week, will know that we all think the gambling laws need to be reformed. We have no problem with casinos in places like Blackpool, but as my right hon. Friend will appreciate, there is some anxiety about football clubs, churches and other organisations for which lotteries and other forms of gambling are the main source of income. Does my right hon. Friend think that the reformed laws will ensure that those sources of income are protected for worthy causes?

We have been increasing the limits on charitable lotteries, and have done everything we can for the community. Some of the relaxations in the laws that have already taken place are intended to ensure that any surpluses and profits from that type of gambling are returned to the community. We have just been discussing the protection of the lottery. It is ring-fenced, and in that sense it is a private monopoly; but it is ring-fenced in order to help good causes.

I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for his earlier remarks, but does he agree with the Joint Scrutiny Committee's recommendation that without a reforming Bill, gambling of doubtful legality would continue to increase?

Obviously I welcome all the steps that have been taken, including what has happened with the Jockey Club and the exchanges on the memorandum of understanding that was signed only a few weeks ago. It appears that in the last few weeks cheating has been looked at very carefully in that part of the industry. We need to go much further, though, and I think that the new gambling commission—which will have far more teeth than the Gaming Board currently has—will ensure that the police and other authorities can move in, in a concerted and effective way, to control problem gambling. We want to prevent crime, and also to ensure that vulnerable people, including children, are protected.

My right hon. Friend will know of the research that was presented to the British Association for the Advancement of Science, which concluded that 2 per cent. of the British population are already addicted to gambling and that simply liberalising the laws will make things worse. Will he take account of that research in pursuing his legislation?

A good many reports have been produced, and I do not accept the findings of that one. In fact, the figure is 2 per cent. in Australia and marginally under 1 per cent. here. Nevertheless, the issue is important, which is why Budd recommended the setting up of the Gambling Trust. He wanted us to think not just about how we could mitigate the worst effects, but about some of the causes, and he therefore asked for the establishment of a £3 million fund. The industry has responded effectively to date, and I hope that we shall continue to look at both cause and effect.

Few Bills could have undergone greater or closer scrutiny than the Gambling Bill, under the expert chairmanship of my hon. Friend the Member for Ryedale (Mr. Greenway). I am grateful to the Minister for mentioning that. The Government's report has elicited almost universal support for the Committee's findings. Given the desire of more or less all involved in the industry for the Bill to be introduced as soon as possible, what reasons can the Government have for delaying it?

The reason is parliamentary time. As a seasoned Member of Parliament, the hon. Gentleman will know that such matters are within the gift not of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport but of those who order the business of the House—in which regard, I look to the Whips to my left. However, I can assure you, Mr. Speaker, that we have been pressing very hard on this issue.

If she will make a statement on the launch of Sport England's Active Places online database. [187897]

Active Places is a free-to-use, comprehensive online database of sports facilities in England. It provides details of more than 10,000 facilities, including swimming pools, synthetic pitches, health and fitness centres and ski slopes. Active Places was officially launched on 11 July, and I invited every Member of the House to attend a demonstration of it at Room C at 1 Parliament Street between 10.30 am and 1.30 pm on 14 July. A flyer was also produced, telling Members how to access the database on their constituents' behalf. So every Member was informed, but unfortunately only a few could attend the demonstration. Doubtless it was pressing parliamentary business that prevented them from attending, but I have no doubt that Sport England will set up other demonstrations for any Member who requires one.

This is an excellent database that provides lots of information, but as it is developed, can consideration be given to asking providers of sports facilities to clarify the cost of such facilities, because cost is often a key factor in families, children and young people deciding whether they want to access them?

Very much so, and we shall obviously act on any such constructive suggestions. As I have said, the number of facilities listed on the database—involving some 10,000 locations—is limited, but the database will be continuously updated and we shall add further locations.

I, too, have visited the website. It is excellent in as far as it goes, but it misses out certain key sports—in particular, those that are actively pursued in my constituency. The Minister has visited the skateboarding centre in Weymouth and the sailing centre. Indeed, sailing is the Olympic sport in which we were most successful, and I am lucky enough to represent four of this year's medallists. Is there any prospect of sailing, windsurfing and skateboarding being included on the website?

I thought that my hon. Friend was going to talk about Olympic sailing centres—I think that they are on the website—but he refrained from doing so; nevertheless, I take his point. This is the first attempt to compile a Domesday Book of sporting facilities, so that we know what we have and where it is. We will continue to expand the website, and if any Member wants to write to Sport England explaining where, in their view, there are information deficiencies, please do so. This is a partnership, and we want to ensure that everyone in England has access to all the facilities and to up-to-date information, particularly through the website. Constructive comments and criticism will be welcomed.

What the implications for North Yorkshire will be of London's Olympic bid. [187899]

The hon. Lady will be aware that Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency, encouraged the Government to back the bid for the 2012 Olympics. We will work with it and with RDAs throughout the country to ensure that North Yorkshire and the whole UK will benefit.

I am very grateful to the right hon. Lady for that reply. The constituency of her colleague the Minister for Sport and Tourism is going to get some magnificent facilities, and I wonder what lies in store for North Yorkshire. Can we look forward to a 50 m pool or an athletics track in Thirsk, Bedale, Boroughbridge, Easingwold or perhaps Poppleton? Otherwise, we will have to travel a remarkably long distance: to Sheffield, or indeed to London.

I thank the hon. Lady and I know that there will be an effort, conducted under the auspices of Yorkshire Forward, to bring the whole region together and ensure that it is proactive in marketing its benefits, perhaps attracting holding camps and other facilities for visiting teams. The opportunity for initiative is there to be taken across the whole of the UK. I would urge regional development agencies throughout the UK to take the initiative as Yorkshire Forward has done.

I remind my right hon. Friend that in Euro 1996, during the successful football championships, North Yorkshire was used to house some of the competitors. I urge her to ensure that the RDA and tourism bodies learn the lessons from that particular experience, bearing it in mind that some of the best hotels and facilities are located on the Yorkshire coast.

My hon. Friend is absolutely right that there are opportunities for hosting preparation camps, and enormous wider tourism opportunities, already demonstrated in respect of the north-west on the back of the Commonwealth games. There will be something like 10,000 full-time equivalent jobs generated by the Olympics, and the opportunity extends to firms across the country to tender for that work. The opportunities are there: the important thing, once we know that we have won the bid, is to seed them.

Much as I applaud the lottery funding of athletes in North Yorkshire, may I ask the Secretary of State if she agrees that it is amazing and a disgrace that, here in London, the National Gallery's fantastic east wing project is currently being funded almost entirely by non-UK nationals, while £2.6 billion of unspent cash—

Order. The hon. Gentleman is miles away.

If she will make a statement on the London bid to host the 2012 Olympic games. [187900]

London's presentation to the International Olympic Committee during the games in Athens went very well, and our Prime Minister was the only Head of Government of the 2012 candidate cities to be there. The bid is making excellent progress with planning permission granted last Thursday for the Olympic park in the lower Lea valley. The Olympic applications are some of the largest ever to have been considered in the country, but it took just eight months from the submission time, which is an incredible achievement and an excellent boost for our efforts internationally to sell the case for bringing the games to London.

One problem about the London bid identified by the International Olympic Committee is the lack of enthusiasm in the nations and regions about it. What will the Secretary of State do to ensure that the far-flung nations and regions do not suffer as parts of Greece suffered this year? It was a particularly bad tourist season because people believed that Athens was overbooked, overpriced and overheated.

The hon. Gentleman asks an important question. The bid team has addressed the importance of engaging people right across the UK through the establishment—under the leadership of Charles Allen, who made such a success of the Manchester games—of a nations and regions committee that will do just that. We need to spread the benefits of the bid all around the UK.

Does my right hon. Friend agree that London's bid would be immeasurably strengthened if we highlighted successful world championship events that have been held here in Britain? I draw her attention to the sterling efforts of the Badminton Association of England in rescheduling the world championships last year in Birmingham because of the SARS epidemic. The association demonstrated that even in such inauspicious circumstances a British sporting authority can run a world championship to great applause from everyone who participates, and especially those from countries in Asia. Will she use that example to strengthen our Olympic bid?

I absolutely agree, and I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for the particular efforts that she made to secure those world championships. It is exactly that kind of self-confidence that we need. We are a country whose towns and cities are able to stage world-class sporting events and make them a great success. She is right to say that bringing the badminton world championships here strengthened the prospects of our London bid.

What discussions the Church Commissioners have held recently with the Department of Trade and Industry with regard to the terms of employment of members of the clergy. [187911]

Church of England representatives have played a full part in meetings with the DTI to discuss aspects of the employment status of clergy.

While the establishment of the clergy working group with the DTI is very much to be welcomed, I have personally campaigned on this issue for seven years now, and that is far too long. I urge my hon. Friend to encourage the working group to reach speedy, equitable, early and fair conclusions.

I am sure that when my hon. Friend is dead—but not forgotten—the words "Employment Relations Act 1999, section 23" will be found engraved on his heart. We welcome the way in which he has pushed this issue, as has the Church, for more than seven years. As he knows, the mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceeding small, and we are looking for legislation on the matter during 2005.

I, too, albeit more intermittently, have raised this issue from time to time since 1997. Does my hon. Friend agree that the present status of parish priests is equivalent to self-employed, and as such they have significantly weaker employment rights than do people who are legally employed? Should not we move much more quickly to protect parish priests and others from the vulnerability to which they are currently exposed?

As my hon. Friend will know, the clergy terms of service review group, chaired by Professor David McClean, recommended that clergy should have the employment rights conferred by section 23 of the Employment Relations Act 1999, including protection against unfair dismissal and a new form of tenure for those without freehold. On the issue of employment rights per se, the clergy will retain their offices as officeholders within the terms of the clergy terms of service regulations.

Is not the real problem the erosion of the freehold? Can the hon. Gentleman give the House an assurance that it is no part of the policy of the Church Commissioners to erode the freehold further?

The hon. Gentleman puts a pertinent question. The second report that is being prepared on the basis of the first report by Professor David McClean will develop some of the issues that are in the first report, including the possible application of common tenure to clergy with the freehold. It will also address some of the questions that have been raised during the consultation on the first report.

If he will make a statement on the future of all-postal ballots following the most recent report of the Electoral Commission. [187914]

The commission has produced reports on each of the four all-postal ballots held in June this year, as required by the European Parliamentary and Local Elections (Pilots) Act 2004, and also a separate report that looks more widely at the future use of postal voting across Great Britain. It is now for the Government to respond, and of course for others to comment—including honourable colleagues.

I thank my hon. Friend for his answer. He will be aware that the Electoral Commission said that the trials were marred by complex voting methods, logistical problems and fear of abuse, damaging public confidence. Although the whole House will welcome greater engagement by the electorate in elections—the number of people voting rose by 5 per cent.—does he not feel that the commission may be unwise to say that it is too late to cancel the all-postal election in the north-east?

The commission has certainly recommended that voters be offered greater choice in how they receive and cast their vote, but it does not believe that there are sufficient grounds to stop the referendum in the north-east at this stage, when the formal referendum period has already begun, Parliament has agreed to the referendum proceeding and preparations are under way. The commission has also pointed to the fact that campaigning has begun and that there is public expectation that the vote will go ahead. For future elections and referendums, however, it has made it clear that it would not support the use of all-postal voting.

In this instance, it is difficult not to say to Ministers, "We told you so." Having read the Electoral Commission's pertinent comments, which deal not only with all-postal voting but with postal voting in normal elections, it seems to me that there are some excellent suggestions for changes in primary legislation to deal with new offences, the dispatch of papers, post-election audits and, most important, the declaration of identity. The Electoral Commission says:

"All legislation pertaining to an election … should be in place in time to allow the implementation of proper and robust procurement process."

Yes, the commission took the view in July 2003, on the basis of three series of pilots at local elections, that all-postal voting could be recommended for use in local elections, subject to certain stated conditions. However, following the extensive pilot in June 2004, which also included European parliamentary elections, it has moved to the view that all-postal voting does not provide the best basis for moving forward. Its intention is to develop proposals for what it calls a foundation model for multi-channel elections, as indicated in its recent report, "Delivering Democracy", and to report on a recommended approach before 31 March 2005. The model is expected to build on the benefits of all-postal voting while retaining the use of polling stations. The commission will consult interested individuals, including Members of Parliament and political parties, as the development work gets under way later this year, but it takes the view that it is necessary to do that careful preliminary work before legislation is introduced.

Pursuant to his oral answer of 28 June, Official Report, columns 18–19, on parish priests, how vocations day contributes to the recruitment of rural parish priests. [187915]

As an aside, with your permission, Mr. Speaker, as the hon. Member for Lichfield (Michael Fabricant) is still in the Chamber, may I say how much we shall miss him in our part of Question Time? John Keats wrote the line,

"Just for a handful of silver he left us"—

It was Browning.

I am very grateful for that correction. Hansard will also be grateful. We miss the hon. Member for Lichfield in relation to Lichfield cathedral and other Church matters, and hope that he will soon be back among us.

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for that reply. I know that he shares my concern about the number of rural priests who are approaching retirement. Has he given any more thought to that problem? Mindful of the fact that we have had a particularly harsh summer, with bad weather affecting rural farmers, which has put more pressure on parish priests, how can vocations Sunday help and what specific emphasis are the priests giving?

The Archbishop of York has rendered a signal service to the Church over many years. He will be sadly missed in his role as archbishop, but I am sure that his continued search for the salvation of souls through the parish church is most welcome.

How many (a) women and (b) men are in training for ordination. [187916]

For the year 2003–04, there were 641 women and 659 men in training for ordination.

Bearing in mind the fact that the number of women in ordination training is now almost catching up with the number of men, is it not about time that the Church of England woke up to the fact that there are women who are performing very good jobs in cathedrals and parishes up and down the land, and that it is time we had some on the Bench of Bishops as well?

I am always grateful to my hon. Friend for his questions, and I did, of course, anticipate that one. He will be happy to know that I recently enjoyed a midday service at the Trinity church in New York and an eventide service at Westminster abbey—both were officiated at by women priests, and I enjoyed them both immensely.

What steps the Electoral Commission is taking to improve turnout at general elections; and if he will make a statement. [187918]

Under section 13 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, the Electoral Commission is responsible for promoting public awareness of electoral and democratic systems. It does so through programmes of education and information. The commission aims, through that activity, to contribute to increased electoral participation over time.

Will the hon. Gentleman pass on to the Electoral Commission the congratulations of many hon. Members on the campaign that it mounted before the European elections to publicise people's rights to get involved in politics and participate in elections? Many of us have a sense of embarrassment at the number of people who failed to vote, even in our own constituencies. Will he request the Electoral Commission to consider the possibility of running pilot schemes in the constituencies of Members of all parties to try to discover why people do not vote and what steps we can all take to improve participation in our democracy?

Indeed, evidence seems to indicate that the Electoral Commission's campaigns have had considerable effect, and the hon. Gentleman has taken a keen interest in the subject—and indeed met the chairman of the Electoral Commission this morning.

Is the Electoral Commission considering the issue of Thursdays? We in the United Kingdom have a tradition of voting only on Thursdays and for one day only. Many other countries achieve higher participation in their general elections by voting on more than one day, and in particular at weekends. What consideration is being given to those moves?

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that the Electoral Commission has an open mind on the issue and believes that it requires further study.

Regarding what the hon. Gentleman said about links with education, does he know—if not, will he arrange for a letter to be sent to me afterwards—whether the Electoral Commission has links with curriculum co-ordinators who are responsible for delivering the citizenship curriculum in schools? One role of citizenship lessons in schools is to develop political literacy among young people, and of course young voters are the ones who stay at home the most.

I have no doubt that that is exactly the kind of matter on which the Electoral Commission is active. Rather than attempting to respond at this point, I am sure that the commission would welcome the opportunity to write to the hon. Gentleman with further information.