1. If she will make a statement on the privatisation plans for the Tote. [29634]

The Government's objective remains to sell the Tote to a racing trust. We are working closely with the Tote, the shadow Racing Trust and the European Commission to achieve that objective.

It has been six months since the plans to privatise the Tote were referred to the European Commission, which has decided to investigate. The suspended animation of the Tote does no one any good, least of all racing. Will the Secretary of State tell us about her contingency plans should the Commission uphold the complaint?

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. We await the outcome of the Commission's investigation, and discussions will proceed to ensure stability in an uncertain time for the Tote. We are determined to sustain the benefits of the Tote for racing.

My right hon. Friend will recall that the hon. Member for Ryedale (Mr. Greenway) and I have already written to the European Competition Commissioner about this very matter in our capacity as joint chairs of the all-party racing and bloodstock group. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the onward sale of the Tote to a British racing trust at a fair price—"fair" being the operative word—is essential if British horse racing is to continue to thrive in future?

My hon. Friend, who takes a close interest in the issue, is right. It is in the Tote's interest and, we believe, in the interests of racing that the Tote should be sold to a racing trust. The obstacle with the Commission is the issue of a fair price, which is under negotiation. I am sorry that I cannot be more forthcoming, but the Commission's investigations are under way and have not yet reached a conclusion.

The Secretary of State talks about a fair price, but is she aware that no Government have ever put any money into the Tote at all? The Bill that was introduced to sell off the Tote had to nationalise it first, so no Government have ever put any money into the Tote. If the European Commission makes that objection, it is a spurious one. It is many years since the right hon. Member for Blackburn (Mr. Straw) was Home Secretary and announced that the Tote would be sold. In the intervening period, we have had years of uncertainty. The Tote sponsors the Cheltenham gold cup at a meeting that is worth millions of pounds to my constituency, and it does similar things throughout the country. The decision is crucial, so will the right hon. Lady do everything that she can to bring about the sale of the Tote?

I am struck by the extent of support for the Government's position on the Tote on both sides of the House. The spirit of the former Member for Livingston, who was such a powerful advocate for the Tote, is watching over us and willing this to a conclusion. I can give the House an absolute assurance that we will do everything that we can to bring matters to a conclusion, consistent with whatever ruling the European Commission determines, but also in the interests of the Tote and, indirectly, in the interests of racing.

2. If she will visit Halifax constituency to see the effects of the Government's spending on, and protection of, historic buildings in the town. [29635]

Diary commitments mean that I cannot visit my hon. Friend's constituency in the near future. I will visit neighbouring constituencies in the region in the new year.

The Minister will know that since 1997, £10 million has been invested in the historic Shibden hall in Halifax. Is he also aware that, with the exception of Liverpool, Calderdale has more listed buildings than anywhere outside London, and that the unique Piece hall is in desperate need of major investment?

In fact, £12 million has been invested by the Heritage Lottery Fund in Halifax in a short period, and my hon. Friend will be grateful for that money. The Heritage Lottery Fund met the community only last month to discuss how it can give even more support to initiatives in the town centre.

rose—

Order. Halifax is too far from East Londonderry for me to call the hon. Gentleman.

3. If she will make a statement on the timetable for digital switchover in Wales. [29636]

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport announced in September, digital switchover will happen region by region, between 2008 and 2012. For the region covered by the HTV Wales service, switchover will be in 2009.

As the Minister said, Wales will be one of the first regions to experience the digital switchover. Despite that, public awareness in Wales is extremely low. I receive repeated complaints from constituents, particularly those involved in the tourism industry, that they have very little information about what is happening. Can the Minister assure the House that he will introduce a programme of public information that will reassure my constituents?

Wales is the world leader in the proportion of households with digital TV, with 71 per cent.—higher than any other nation. We want to build on that. We have set up Digital UK to promote awareness of switchover around the whole country, and it is working with the Welsh Language Board and other organisations to make sure that its service is available both in Wales, including the hon. Gentleman's constituency, and in England.

May I ask the Minister for reassurance that arrangements will be put in place to help those who, like me, find managing even the digibox extremely difficult, to help them equip their homes for the digital switchover, especially the disabled, the elderly, those with learning disabilities and people like me, who are technophobic?

That is a good point. Digital UK will provide a helpline, advice, leaflets and advertisements. We will also provide extra help for groups that our research has shown have the greatest technical difficulties in fitting new technology, in particular those over 75 and those with disabilities, so I can give my hon. Friend that assurance.

Does the Minister accept that some people in Wales will be unable to receive digital signals even after the switchover, and that that has implications for democracy—at the time of an election, for example, for people wishing to receive information about an election campaign in Wales? What steps can the Government take to remedy that?

We have given a clear guarantee that the coverage of digital transmissions will be at least as great as that of the current system, and we will be working with Digital UK and the broadcasters to ensure that that is the case. Wales has a greater proportion than average of households that cannot receive TV at present, and they will be helped by the switchover.

4. What measures the Government are taking to ensure full use of the powers to review licensing decisions under the Licensing Act 2003. [29637]

Later this week, my Department will issue specific guidance to local residents associations, small businesses and others on the processes for reviewing licensing conditions. The guidance will also cover how to make representations to licensing authorities and appeals.

Like the hon. Member for Witney (Mr. Cameron), I broadly support the new licensing laws, but in my constituency, in, for example, Ormskirk town centre, residents are blighted by alcohol-related nuisance that causes them sleepless nights. Can my hon. Friend offer my constituents assurances that the Licensing Act will also address those problems, so that they can get a good night's sleep?

I can give my hon. Friend that assurance. Those problems are occurring under the current licensing framework. From this Thursday, any resident, any member of the police and local authorities will be able to ask for a review of any premises that are causing problems. From Thursday, any premises selling to people who are under age or to drunks, or holding irresponsible drinks promotions, are on notice that their licences are at risk.

Will the Minister take into account in his review the case of the Grove bowling club in Tunbridge Wells, which has 50 members, mostly pensioners, who like to serve a drink to their members and guests? To do that used to cost a licence fee of £16 for five years. It now costs £910 for five years. Does the Minister agree with the secretary of that club, who thinks that that is a "stupendous" increase in tax?

We will examine that matter in the review that the hon. Gentleman mentioned. The review is independent. It is being conducted by Sir Les Elton and it will examine whether the exact detail of the fees is right. It is worth putting the matter in context: the court system subsidised the licensing system for alcohol to the tune of £25 million, and both sides of the House agreed that that was unacceptable and that the full cost of licensing administration should be borne by those who benefit from it—premises that obtain licences. There was cross-party agreement when the 2003 Act went through.

Will my hon. Friend pass on to Sir Les Elton and his team the thanks of small and medium-sized businesses in my constituency, which have been concerned—obviously, we await the review—about the fee regime? How much money would have been lost by small businesses and hotels if the Opposition parties' suggestion of aborting the second appointed day had been implemented?

It would have lost them about £2 billion over the next 10 years. The 2003 Act is an important piece of deregulation and it is interesting that, when the Conservative party was asked to stand up for deregulation, it failed to do so, which is why we were joined in our desire not to delay the 2003 Act by Action with Communities in Rural England, which represents village halls, the Local Government Association and the police.

Will the Minister accept that many people who have purchased their homes near to pubs and clubs had a reasonable expectation that licensing hours would not be unduly extended? The hours have been extended in a number of cases, which has caused huge concern. If those people's fears are confirmed and the extensions blight their lives, will the Minister guarantee that it will be possible to appeal and obtain redress against such decisions?

The policy has been developed since 1998. As the right hon. Gentleman knows, at the moment anyone who wants to close down rogue premises will find it very difficult—only 0.2 per cent. of premises failed to have their licences renewed last year. From Thursday, if any of his constituents face that worry, it will be easier for them to challenge rogue premises and get them to close down or improve behaviour. We are changing the incentives open to landlords.

Does the Minister agree with this comment:

"I don't think it's sensible to shut every pub in a town at 11 o'clock and throw everyone out on to the streets at the same time. So licensing reform is sensible."?

Those are not my words, but those of the hon. Member for Witney (Mr. Cameron). Does the Minister welcome his support for licensing reform?

I agree with those views and we are glad that the hon. Member for Witney (Mr. Cameron) has joined us in supporting licensing reform. It is important to support the police by giving them greater powers and to treat people like grown-ups where they are drinking responsibly. The Conservative party's position is unclear. The shadow Home Secretary is against licensing reform—

Order. The clarity of the Conservative party's position has nothing to do with the Minister.

In answer to the hon. Member for West Lancashire (Rosie Cooper), the Minister told the House that the views of local residents and councils were taken into account in deciding the new licences, but that is simply not true. Only today, a leading local government organisation said:

"thousands of applications have gone through against the will of the licensing body".

Will the Minister assure us that the views of local residents and councils will be taken into account during the review? Will he also assure us that local people and councils who request a non-vexatious review will not be financially penalised for so doing?

I can give the hon. Gentleman that guarantee on his final point. If he contacts LACORS—Local Authorities Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services—the organisation to which I think that statement was attributed, he will find that it is putting out a statement that makes it clear that that is not its view. In two thirds of cases, applications have been resolved through negotiation and the process is about devolving powers to the local level. We are happy to work with all parties in the House to ensure that local authorities have all the powers that they need, but this is local democracy in action, and not the opposite of that.

May I draw my hon. Friend's attention to areas where the licensing law is working very well? In particular, two or three pubs in my constituency that had very poor records of behaviour have been refused licences under the new legislation. Will he congratulate my local authority on taking those steps?

I congratulate my hon. Friend's local authority on taking those steps, because it has been tough on those pubs, which, I believe, were involved in drug dealing and other offences. That example demonstrates exactly what the 2003 Act is here to do. It was introduced to crack down on irresponsible premises and let the rest of us who behave like grown-ups be treated like grown-ups.

A recent Home Office survey showed that an alcohol-fuelled violent crime takes place every 13 seconds. Does the Minister still believe that extended licensing hours will not lead to a rise in alcohol-related crime?

Our enforcement campaign over the summer resulted in a decrease in serious assaults of about 9 per cent. in the areas where it happened. We are now launching the toughest ever crackdown on alcohol-fuelled violence through the extra powers in the Act. We look forward to similar progress being made through the campaign over Christmas.

I notice that the Minister did not answer my question. Last week, the Government launched a poster campaign against antisocial behaviour fuelled by alcohol. At the weekend, they announced a "one strike and you're out" policy against pubs. We now hear that they are recruiting 1,000 children to identify retailers who sell alcohol to under-age drinkers. Do not those last-minute panic measures show that the Government have finally woken up to what we have been saying all along—that their new licensing laws, 24-hour drinking and extended hours will lead to more problems for local residents living near pubs, more binge drinking and more alcohol-fuelled crime?

No. In fact, the Act is the reason why we can bring forward the poster campaign and the enforcement campaign. The Act introduces tougher powers to deal with alcohol-fuelled violence and that is exactly what we are doing. It is the right hon. Lady who is changing her position at the last minute, because she is refusing to support the position of the candidate whom she is backing for the leadership of the Tory party.

5. What assessment she has made of the opportunities for businesses in Gateshead and Washington arising from the 2012 London Olympic games. [29638]

In excess of 500 contracts will be let in the course of preparing for the Olympics. To ensure that the economic benefits extend throughout the United Kingdom, including, I hope, to my hon. Friend's constituency, we have asked every regional development agency to develop an Olympics business plan.

I will do all that I can to encourage businesses in my constituency to bid for work for the 2012 games. It would benefit my constituency if Gateshead international stadium, which is in my patch, could be used a training camp. I understand that the RDA, together with the central Olympics committee, is contemplating a clearance system to match countries with areas. Is there a timetable for that and, if so, can my right hon. Friend shed any light on it?

I know that many hon. Members are keen to bring preparation camps to their own areas. As my hon. Friend rightly says, the local organising committee is developing plans for those. I am sure that Gateshead will, as usual, be at the forefront in offering its excellent facilities.

If benefits will accrue to Gateshead and Washington in the way that the Secretary of State claims, can she assure me that the good people of that area will share equally in the cost with the benighted people of London?

The right hon. Gentleman would benefit from reading the brief on the funding of the Olympics. Yes, the residents of Gateshead and Washington will contribute to the costs through the lottery. Because the greatest benefit will, beyond doubt, fall to London, it, in common with every other host city, will contribute through a levy on the council tax payer.

Has the British Chambers of Commerce been in touch with its counterparts in Atlanta, Sydney or Athens to get any information about how businesses in those cities were able to use the Olympics, so that we might benefit from such information?

We are drawing on all relevant experience of hosting the Olympic games and we have been directly in touch with, for example, Atlanta and Sydney. Perhaps Sydney is the best example of the way in which careful planning of the economic benefits can bring enormous gains in tourism and other sources of income for the local economy.

I am sure that the stadium in the constituency of the hon. Member for Gateshead, East and Washington, West (Mrs. Hodgson) can play a part. However, will the Secretary of State take careful note of the fact that, in Aldershot, we have the most magnificent sporting facilities? The Army has provided many of them, either at taxpayers' expense or, more likely, at the expense of the regiments, battalions and corps. Will she ensure that the Government take advantage of all those facilities, which are available in close proximity to London, so that businesses in those areas can benefit as much as the young sportsmen and women and the facilities there?

I shall ensure that the local organising committee has its attention drawn to the hon. Gentleman's paean of praise for his constituency.

The business opportunities that my hon. Friend the Member for Gateshead, East and Washington, West (Mrs. Hodgson) identified for the good people of Gateshead could be replicated in any of our constituencies. Does my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State agree that they could be further enhanced if we had a British Olympic football team? The football authorities have some concerns about such a project. Will she agree to meet them to hear at first hand and discuss their concerns?

As my hon. Friend knows, the dispute is long-running and as yet unresolved. It is a matter for the local organising committee and I know that its chairman is as keen as my hon. Friend for a British football team to compete in 2012.

Given that the level of expectation that the hon. Member for Gateshead, East and Washington, West (Mrs. Hodgson) expressed is replicated in constituencies throughout the country, and given the requirement to do so much more about sport and the pressure on the lottery already to pay for the games, is not there a danger that we will simply run out of money? What plans do the Government have to finance all that and so much else that was promised during the bid process?

As the hon. Gentleman knows, and in the spirit of cross-party agreement on the Olympics, we sought to share information with the Opposition parties. The budget is clear and we keep it constantly under review. Of course, circumstances can change in relation to the costs of development and so forth. However, we believe that our budget is sound.

The hon. Gentleman mentioned funding expectation. That is a fair point. Apart from the Olympic budget, £1.5 billion in the next three years will go into school sport and developing sporting talent, and more than that will go into developing sporting infrastructure. The expectation that we are creating is being met by an unprecedented investment in developing the talent of young people who dream of being athletes.

6. Whether she plans to review categories of people required to pay the TV licence fee. [29639]

As indicated in the BBC charter review Green Paper, which was published in March, we believe that the current scope of licence fee concessions is about right. However, we are in the process of re-examining any anomalies in the existing concessions policy and our conclusions will be set out in a White Paper to be published early next year.

The Department has sanctioned a fairly hard-hitting campaign to remind law-abiding students with televisions in their rooms at university or college of the need to hold a TV licence. Will the Under-Secretary explain why those detained in Her Majesty's prisons with televisions in their cells do not have to hold a television licence? He claimed to be tough on crime and the causes of crime. Will he therefore at least treat prisoners in the same way as our young people?

We are considering all the different concessions as part of the review for the White Paper. If the hon. Gentleman writes to me, I will be happy to consider his comments. We will make announcements in due course and at the right time, when we publish the rest of the White Paper.

Will my hon. Friend congratulate Michael Grade, the chairman of the BBC, on ditching the repulsive "Get one or get done" licensing campaign, with its odious combination of threats and snooping, and on replacing it with a much more user-friendly licensing campaign? Will he also thank him for listening to the voices in the House of Commons on this matter?

I will be happy to congratulate the chairman of the BBC on that, but I believe that congratulations are also due to my right hon. Friend's Select Committee, whose members pressed the chairman to make that change in the first place.

The Minister will be aware of the continuing increase in television licence fee evasion in parts of the United Kingdom, especially Northern Ireland. Will he carry out a review of TV Licensing to ensure that it becomes more open about the areas in which evasion occurs and outlines the action that it intends to take to ensure that the evasion ceases?

Evasion has fallen across the rest of the country, but I am aware that there is a problem in the hon. Gentleman's constituency and in the neighbouring areas. I am happy to write to TV Licensing about this problem and then to write to the hon. Gentleman with its views on what it intends to do about it. However, the enforcement of TV licence regulations is a matter for TV Licensing, not for the Government.

When my hon. Friend undertakes his review, will he look carefully at the rights of my constituents and those of my hon. Friend the Member for Wirral, South (Ben Chapman) on the west of the Wirral? No one in those areas can receive public service broadcasting, particularly the news, through the terrestrial services in English. Do not those people have rights? This is not a technical issue but one of expenditure. Perhaps the answer will lie in the digital switchover, but will the Minister ensure that those people's rights are fully met?

I am happy to ensure that the interests of my hon. Friend's constituents are taken fully into account in the switchover. Only by switching off the analogue signal will we be able to increase the coverage of the digital signal that will give people far more choice and access to the services that are relevant to them.

7. Whether the amount of associated investment from the public purse required to establish a super-casino project is taken into account in deciding whether to approve such a project. [29640]

The Gambling Act 2005 allows for one regional casino, which will require a licence from the Gambling Commission and the local authority. It will be for the regional and local planning bodies to address the question of infrastructure provision and any associated costs.

The Minister will know that, on the continent, casino operators contribute massively towards regeneration, in both capital and revenue. Here, the taxpayer is helping to assist the casinos into operation. Does the Minister know how much money the regional development agencies are proposing to spend on assisting the casino developments to become established?

As the hon. Gentleman will know, we have in prospect proposals for one regional casino, eight large casinos and eight small casinos. The location of these casinos is being considered by the independent panel that I established, which will report later next year. One of the issues that it will consider will be the cost of provision, but ultimately it will be for local authorities to decide what, if any, conditions they wish to set on the development of a casino to offset the infrastructure costs to which the hon. Gentleman refers.

The Government are already making a very welcome investment in our local community to regenerate the areas that so badly need regeneration. Will my right hon. Friend liaise with her ministerial colleagues to ensure that any public money, including funding for skills retraining, is linked into the private investment from the casino developers to ensure that there is genuine regeneration in the area in which the new regional casino is to be built?

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The impact on regeneration—of which improving skills levels and employability is a key part—will be one of the issues to be considered by the independent panel that will frame its recommendation on location.

Given that the decision on the location of the one super-casino has been delegated to the independent panel, does the Secretary of State think it right and proper to have held ministerial meetings with Philip Anschutz and other members of the Anschutz Entertainment Group to discuss their plans for such a casino at the millennium dome as part of their redevelopment of the site? Will all other super-casino operators be given similar high-level access, and, if so, why?

I am interested in the hon. Gentleman's question. I am not aware of any ministerial meetings as such having been held. I attended a dinner at which Philip Anschutz was a guest. He certainly talked to me about casinos, but got absolutely no information that was not freely available in the newspapers.

What plans, if any, does the Secretary of State have for super-casinos in Scotland? What negotiations have taken place with the Scottish Executive, and what emphasis will be placed on local authorities and communities' criteria regarding increased employment and regeneration?

As my right hon. Friend will be aware, the independent panel is considering the location of the single regional casino, and I have made it absolutely clear that Ministers have no intention of initiating any proposals for further regional casinos. That being the case, no discussions have been entered into about regional casinos specifically with the Scottish Executive since the Bill's passage. There were certainly discussions with Scottish Ministers as was appropriate before that, but not subsequently.

8. How much lottery money intended for good causes is unallocated. [29641]

Seven lottery distributors have unallocated funds totalling £67 million. I am very pleased that the other eight distributors have committed not just all the money held for them in the national lottery distribution fund, but a further £1.3 billion of future income.

What the figures do not show is that cash for key projects being financed by the lottery is taking far too long to draw down. Projects in my constituency are being delayed and people who buy lottery tickets expect that money to be spent as quickly as possible on good causes. Is it true that Her Majesty's Government have set targets and have those targets been met?

The hon. Gentleman is right that the public want to know that money for good causes will get to the front line quickly and efficiently. Yes, there are targets. They are National Audit Office targets to which the distributors have agreed and we are pleased about that, but it is surprising that the official Opposition are not supporting us in ensuring that we take the reserve power to deal with those balances if distributors do not get on with the job.

I know that it is not for the Minister to decide whether any particular project should or should not receive money from the lottery, but will the Department undertake to research the situation affecting former mining constituencies? If he looks, he will see that, although there was an improvement two or three years ago in the amount of money going to former mining constituencies, in particular for arts and sports projects, thanks to some of the work done by the Government, that has fallen off again recently. I urge him to look at that.

I shall be happy to ask officials to look into that and to get back to my hon. Friend.

The Minister will be aware that many categories of lottery bidders have found their chances hugely reduced by the Government's changes to the distribution bodies. In particular, village halls and other rural community projects in my constituency and others now find their bids much less likely to be successful. In that context, should not the Minister do something effective about the £67 million of unallocated money that he mentioned, so that those categories of bidders who have lost out because the Government do not find them fashionable have a fairer crack of the whip?

The hon. Gentleman knows that it is not about fashion; it is about good causes. No one will suggest that the good work that has been done by the Heritage Lottery Fund has not benefited village halls in shire communities or that the good work that is going on with the Big Lottery Fund has not benefited those communities. All around the country, £17.8 billion has been spent on good causes over the lifetime of the national lottery. He should celebrate that instead of talking down the benefits.

Is the Minister aware that Bolsover has a good cause, although it does not quite fit the categories? It is an ex-mining area, which fits in with what my hon. Friend the Member for Rhondda (Chris Bryant) said. We need a swimming bath. Will he tell Sport England that, if there is any money hanging around, we will spend it straight away? By the way, will he also tell it that we do not want a super-casino? A swimming bath will do.

That is precisely the message that we wanted to convey to the distributors, but, as always, my hon. Friend has put the case extremely well.

I assure the Minister that Conservative Members celebrate the national lottery. After all, we introduced it.

May I repeat the point made by my hon. Friend the Member for North-West Norfolk (Mr. Bellingham)? Funds have been massively over-subscribed in the case of, for instance, applications on behalf of village halls and sports communities. Villages such as Fulbourn in my constituency now realise that the plans that they devised cannot be fulfilled because the funds have been cut. Would it not make sense for the Minister to shift money quickly from under-subscribed funds to areas in which there is clearly an unmet need?

The hon. Gentleman will have ample opportunity to make his case during the consultation on good causes and shares that will take place over the next few months, but I am sure that Sport England would disagree with the suggestion that it is not funding sports facilities throughout the country.

9. What progress has been made on linking educational initiatives for young people with second world war 60th-anniversary activities through the use of lottery funding. [29643]

The veterans reunited initiative is providing £49.3 million of lottery money to help commemorate the events of the second world war and allow new generations to learn from the experience of veterans, and £10 million was made available specifically to provide educational activities for young people and schools.

In my constituency, the Tipton branch of the Royal British Legion and Alexandra high school have united to promote a number of events, including a veterans' trip to Normandy and educational visits to war-related places. The consensus is that not only has the initiative promoted harmony between the generations, but the living history has contributed to educational achievement at the school. Will the Minister assure me that, under the new regime of the Big Lottery Fund, such funding will continue?

My hon. Friend is right. Veterans reunited has widened children's understanding of the role played by ex-servicemen in the second world war and also enabled heroes to return to the battlefields and remember that contribution. I know that he will be pleased to learn that funding will continue not just for projects involving two schools in West Bromwich, but for 23 other projects there. That will ensure that our young people understand the contribution that was made.

Given that a third of young people under the age of 10 believe that we fought France in the second world war, does the Minister think that the money was wisely spent?

The hon. Gentleman will know that the veterans reunited initiative makes an important contribution. He will also know that the work of teachers in our schools, citizenship and other aspects of public policy makes a contribution as well.

I accept that this has been a very good programme, but will my hon. Friend consider using it as a pilot? Lottery money could support the extended school initiative, which enables children to engage in out-of-school activity between 3.30 pm and 6 pm. It could provide a wonderful opportunity to involve young people in the history of their localities.

My hon. Friend makes an interesting point, which I shall draw to the attention of the distributors. He may wish to bring it up in his response to the consultation on good causes.

10. What account will be taken of companies' international performance on workers' rights in the process of tendering and awarding of contracts for the 2012 Olympics. [29644]

Fair employment is included in the draft procurement principles for the Olympic Delivery Authority that were agreed and made available to the public in September this year. The London Development Agency is working to develop a procurement strategy for the ODA which will set out how those 10 principles will be put into practice in the context of European procurement regulations. The strategy will need to be approved both by Government and the Mayor of London in due course.

I thank my right hon. Friend for her answer. She will be aware that a number of global corporations adopt unacceptable labour practices elsewhere in the world. The games provide a good opportunity to exercise leverage over those companies. We are going to enjoy a wonderful games, but does she agree that it should not be at the expense of exploited workers elsewhere in the world?

I am sure that the whole House accepts my hon. Friend's sentiments. I remind him that the Government subscribe to the International Labour Organisation regulations as far as they refer to child labour. The Olympic games will have a tangible legacy with the new stadiums and other projects, but we hope that there will be another kind of legacy: good employment practice and good skills in one of the most deprived parts of the country.

20. If he will make a statement on the availability for sale of cathedral property to existing tenants over the next five years. [29654]

With permission, I shall answer Church Commissioners' questions on behalf of the Second Church Estates Commissioner, my hon. Friend the Member for Middlesbrough (Sir Stuart Bell).

The Church Commissioners have no statutory responsibility for the day-to-day management of cathedral property and do not therefore possess the information requested by the hon. Gentleman.

This will be an easier one. The hon. Gentleman will know that Lichfield cathedral was completed in 1180 and is very much a part of our national heritage, as are other cathedrals, yet they receive no money from Government funding. They do receive money from tenants in cathedral closes. Can he ensure, by discussing the matter with Ministers at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, that cathedrals will not have their property sold off, thus reducing the amount of money received?

I know that the hon. Gentleman has campaigned on behalf of cathedrals for some time. I think that he will know that my hon. Friend the Member for Middlesbrough has said that the Charities Bill may be a vehicle through which to look at that matter. I hope that he will join my hon. Friend in raising that issue as the Bill makes its passage through another place.

Would the hon. Gentleman care to tell the House why it should be that, as my hon. Friend the Member for Lichfield (Michael Fabricant) said, English cathedrals receive not a single penny from the state, yet all five Scottish cathedrals are entirely supported by the state?

Again, from discussions with the Church Commissioners, the hon. Gentleman will know that the money has increased because of what we have been able to do around reclaiming on VAT. He will also be pleased at the £23 million contribution and above that the state is making to our cathedrals.

21. What research the commission has carried out on the likely impact of extending the franchise to 16-year-olds; and if he will make a statement. [29655]

24. What recent representations the Electoral Commission has received on lowering the voting age. [29660]

The Electoral Commission undertook a review of the voting age in 2003–04. As part of the review, it conducted an extensive public consultation exercise and received a wide range of representations. Those were summarised in the commission's report, published in April 2004. The review also drew on academic research on the likely impact of extending the franchise to 16 and 17-year-olds as well as evidence from a review of existing research and literature and a public opinion survey. The commission informs me that it continues to receive representations on the subject from time to time.

Would the hon. Gentleman use his good offices to support me and others who want to press the Government to bring the matter before the House of Commons on a free vote? I recall lobbying the then Home Secretary James Callaghan in the late 1960s to lower the voting age to 18, and he decided then that it was a matter for the House of Commons as a whole and for individual Members to decide. Does the hon. Gentleman not think that, now the Electoral Commission has examined it, this matter should come before the House, so that each and every one of us can decide whether to vote for or against it? I will vote for it.

The Commission informs me that it is not convinced that a persuasive case for change has been made. Its view is that the minimum voting age should, for the time being, remain at 18. However, the Commission welcomes the prospect of parliamentary debate on the issue and it is open to the hon. Gentleman, if he wishes, to seek to move an amendment to the Electoral Administration Bill currently before the House.

Did my hon. Friend see the Electoral Reform Society briefing of 25 October, which made reasoned argument to engage young people, the vast majority of whom are decent citizens, by lowering the voting age to 16? Will he listen to the hon. Member for Thurrock (Andrew Mackinlay), and will he seek to promote a free vote on this matter when the Electoral Administration Bill comes before the House?

The Commission has said that developments in citizenship education and new research information may lead to differing conclusions over time, and the Commission committed itself in 2004 to undertake a further review of the issue within five to seven years. It has also encouraged the Government to consider in the meanwhile initiating a wider review of the age of majority beyond simple electoral matters, largely because of substantial variations in present laws.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that in municipal elections in Austria and Germany, 16 and 17-year-olds can actually vote? In Germany, turnout is higher among that group than it is among 18 to 35-year-olds; and in Austria, turnout of 16 and 17-year-olds is at 90 per cent. Does not that show that 16 and 17-year-olds will, when given the opportunity, actually vote; and is it not time that they were the given that opportunity in the United Kingdom?

I am aware of the hon. Lady's early-day motion on this subject, which has been signed by a significant number of hon. Members. There are very few countries with a voting age lower than 18. In Europe, four regions of Austria reduced the minimum voting for some elections from 18 to 16, but the Commission is unaware of any research into the impact of that change.

Does my hon. Friend not agree that, for once, the Commission has come up with a sensible response to what is, by any account, an utterly absurd proposition? The idea that 16-year-olds should be able to decide who governs the country is so patently absurd that I hope that my hon. Friend will not urge anyone to have a debate on that subject in this place in the foreseeable future.

I am sure that the Electoral Commission will be profoundly reassured to hear my right hon. Friend's comments.

May I put it to my hon. Friend that he ought very clearly to hear the contrary point of view? Given that 16-year-olds can smoke, drink and join the Army, why should they not have the opportunity to participate in our parliamentary democracy? May I also say to my hon. Friend that he should not be over-influenced by my right hon. Friend the Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Mr. Forth) who, despite his very considerable merits, makes Victor Meldrew look like a true moderniser?

Support for lowering the voting age is, of course, more strongly held among younger than older people, but it is a fact that the majority of those over the age of 18 do not believe that a persuasive case has been made for reducing the voting age. Indeed, there is not much indication of very widespread views among 15 to 19-year-olds either. However, the Electoral Commission takes the view that it would be appropriate for it to review the matter in some six or seven years, as I said.

22. What the level of grant for church repairs was in each of the last three years. [29657]

I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Second Church Estates Commissioner, my hon. Friend the Member for Middlesbrough (Sir Stuart Bell).

Grants offered for repairs to places of worship under the joint scheme operated by English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund amounted to £25.6 million for 2002–03, £28.3 million for 2003–04, and £24.3 million for 2004–05.

As the Second Church Estates Commissioner would know, many of us have campaigned to have VAT on church repairs reduced. As the Chancellor of the Exchequer was unable to negotiate that in Europe, it was argued that churches would be allowed to apply for a grant, which, as the Minister has told the House, was cut last year. How can it possibly help churches to give them a reduced grant when they would have been eligible for a lower interest rate if that had been negotiated, as we had hoped, through the European Union?

I have stood in for my hon. Friend on three occasions and the hon. Lady has raised that issue on every single occasion, so I am well aware that she has continued to campaign on it. Yes, there was a reduction last year, but I hope that she will join the Bishop of London in applauding the commitment that the Government have made for additional funds to help with public memorials, which fill so many of our churches and cathedrals. I hope she will also be happy that in my capacity as a Minister at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, I intend to convene a forum in December to discuss English Heritage funding for cathedrals and, in particular, rural churches, with the Churches.

It is lovely that we are going to have a forum, but I think that a little cash might be more use.

Is it not clear that mediaeval buildings, many of which form the centrepieces of our villages and towns, require not only constant maintenance but skilled and extremely expensive maintenance? English Heritage insists on high standards of special materials and skills. Please can we have some rapid action?

My hon. Friend is right: that is why we give English Heritage a grant of £130 million and have made extra funding available this year, particularly to support skills training right across the heritage sector. Stonemasons in particular need support; we need to see the apprentices coming through. That is precisely the sort of issue that I hope to discuss with the Church community over the coming weeks and months.

The Minister will know that the English Heritage annual audit shows that £163 million is needed just for basic repairs to churches in England alone. If he is giving £25 million a year for that, that is clearly far less than what is needed. Will the Minister therefore give thought to how much more money his Department could extract from the Treasury for parish churches, not only as places of worship, but as an essential part of rural England and our rural heritage? This is a heritage issue, and if work is not done now, churches will fall still further into disrepair.

The hon. Gentleman will be aware that my hon. Friend the Member for Middlesbrough has said in this House on a number of occasions how grateful he is for state support. The approximately £25 million that I referred to a few moments ago is in relation to cathedral spend, but the hon. Gentleman is right that rural churches are a particular issue. The Church is in discussion about how to make best use of rural churches and about provision for their maintenance. The hon. Gentleman will also be aware of the heritage protection review that the Government have announced.

23. What assessment the commissioners have made of the likely impact on Church finances of the establishment of diocesan trusts to run local secondary schools. [29659]

The commissioners have made no such assessment. I know that the Church has expressed an interest in the possibility of establishing such trusts, but it would be for dioceses to decide whether to set up a trust, and for schools to decide whether they wished to be associated with the Church in that way.

While I am relaxed about 25 per cent. of state primaries being Church schools, I am very concerned about the planned doubling of Church secondary schools. That could be calamitous for community cohesion, as we have seen in Northern Ireland. Can my hon. Friend the Minister assure me that Church House enthusiasts for the White Paper will be reined back, and that Anglicans will not be complicit in the metropolitan meddling of Andrew Adonis, which could end up with schools being totally segregated from the mainstream society that they are designed to serve?

I can certainly assure my hon. Friend that I will pass on his views to the chief education officer for the Archbishops Council.

25. How much funding will be allocated for the National Audit Office for 2006–07. [29661]

Following recent consideration of the National Audit Office's corporate plan for 2006–07 to 2008–09, the Public Accounts Commission endorsed the NAO's request for £69.9 million for 2006–07. The NAO will use those resources in support of parliamentary scrutiny of Government programmes through the financial audit of about 500 central Departments, the production of 60 major reports across public expenditure programmes and the provision of advice and support for the Public Accounts Committee and for other Select Committees. The Commission will formally approve the funding for 2006–07 when it considers the office's estimate in February 2006.

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for that reply and for the announcement of the increase of £4 million. As Members are aware, for every pound in costs to the NAO there is a saving of £8, and last year, more than £500 million was saved. Does he agree that a little more money would increase the savings greatly?

I thank the hon. Gentleman for what I think were congratulations to the NAO, and I encourage him by saying that as a result of a recent request by the Commission, the NAO has looked at the possibility of increasing the rate of return to the taxpayer from £8 for every pound to £9 for every pound and is hopeful that it will be able to achieve that in 2007, which will mean an extra saving of £70 million a year.

The National Audit Office does an extremely good job of audit, but can the right hon. Gentleman tell us what proportion of the expenditure is set aside for precautionary work? If I may give an example: the Government have proved themselves wholly inept in their lamentable performance in IT procurement over the years, with many programmes going over budget and many simply not working. Has the NAO been brought into the IT strategy recently released by the Cabinet Office, for instance, and will it do better in future?

The NAO has made constant recommendations in relation to Government IT projects, and has experienced considerable frustration—as has the Public Accounts Committee—at the constant failure of some Departments to recognise the recommendations, but they, like me, live in hope.