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Good morning and welcome to live coverage from the House of Commons. | :00:09. | :00:14. | |
There are two urgent questions. First on Southern Cross and the | :00:14. | :00:18. | |
second is on the plans to turn the worst performing primary school us | :00:18. | :00:23. | |
into academies. Sir George Young will announce the upcoming business | :00:23. | :00:28. | |
in that chamber and George Osborne will make a statement on banking | :00:28. | :00:32. | |
reform and the Government's plans to sell off Northern Rock. They | :00:32. | :00:37. | |
will debate the Armed Forces Bill at third reading. Join me for a | :00:37. | :00:47. | |
round-up of the day in the The Record tonight. First, questions | :00:47. | :00:57. | |
:00:57. | :01:10. | ||
for the Secretary of State for Order, order. Questions for the | :01:10. | :01:13. | |
Secretary of State for Culture Olympics Media and Sport. | :01:13. | :01:17. | |
provisions relating to the on line infringement of copyright have been | :01:17. | :01:22. | |
subject to a review. We hope to announce a new timetable for | :01:22. | :01:27. | |
implementation of their measures shortly. We hope the obligations | :01:27. | :01:35. | |
would be fair and effective. Before the general election, his junior | :01:35. | :01:39. | |
coalition partners campaigned fiercely to oppose Blair but | :01:39. | :01:43. | |
disconnection as part of the Act pledging to take disconnection of | :01:43. | :01:48. | |
the statute book. Now the coalition Government are looking to see if | :01:48. | :01:51. | |
the provisions are technically unworkable. Does that mean the | :01:51. | :01:54. | |
Government are OK with the principle of internet disconnection | :01:54. | :02:04. | |
:02:04. | :02:05. | ||
and what other -- and what are the findings? I think the honourable | :02:05. | :02:10. | |
gentleman is referring to the provisions to block websites. As he | :02:10. | :02:20. | |
:02:20. | :02:21. | ||
quite rightly said, Ofcom have repaired -- prepared a report. | :02:21. | :02:24. | |
Would the Minister join with me in congratulating that great academic | :02:24. | :02:31. | |
centre of learning, Bournemouth University. They have expanded | :02:31. | :02:39. | |
their digital economy steadies. -- studies. Half the people that | :02:39. | :02:45. | |
worked on the film, avatar, are graduates of Bournemouth University. | :02:45. | :02:51. | |
I would certainly join him in congratulating them. I have visited | :02:51. | :02:56. | |
Bournemouth University when I was the opposition spokesman. I am | :02:56. | :03:02. | |
happy to join him in congratulating them. It is over a year since this | :03:02. | :03:09. | |
House back to the economy Act bed days no sign of the measures being | :03:09. | :03:13. | |
implemented. Why doesn't he faced down his critics and put in a | :03:13. | :03:18. | |
programme and get this Act implemented? That is what we intend | :03:18. | :03:24. | |
to do. Further to the minister's early answer, the Lib Dems argues | :03:24. | :03:28. | |
that the proposals in relation to wear but blocking wouldn't work. | :03:28. | :03:33. | |
Has the Minister come to the same conclusion and will he accept it is | :03:33. | :03:38. | |
vital we find ways of protecting the I P of creators from illegal | :03:38. | :03:45. | |
websites? Can he tell us what will happen? We will announce our | :03:45. | :03:51. | |
proposals shortly and we asked Ofcom to give an indication -- | :03:51. | :03:55. | |
independent report to block websites. We will publish that | :03:55. | :04:04. | |
following that report. I am grateful. We have implemented | :04:04. | :04:10. | |
the electron met -- electronic communications framework relating | :04:10. | :04:18. | |
to disabilities. We continued to work closely with of, and we fully | :04:18. | :04:22. | |
support their current review of really services for deaf and | :04:22. | :04:27. | |
hearing impaired telecoms users, including British sign language | :04:27. | :04:34. | |
users. Deaf connections tummy there is an urgent need to introduce | :04:34. | :04:42. | |
video relay technology to create access to kept -- telecoms. Ofcom | :04:42. | :04:47. | |
are about to publish their 11th communication looking at this issue. | :04:47. | :04:57. | |
:04:57. | :04:59. | ||
We he meet with of comp to discuss the progress for users? If -- and | :04:59. | :05:04. | |
will he meet. It is not strictly accurate to say this is the 11th | :05:04. | :05:12. | |
Ofcom review. We look forward to that review and may well be | :05:12. | :05:18. | |
publishing a consultation document in the summer. -- they will be | :05:18. | :05:25. | |
publishing. I thank the Minister. Excuse me, | :05:25. | :05:31. | |
number three. I will answer this question with Question 9 and 16. | :05:32. | :05:37. | |
When we came to office 230 million had been allocated to broadband | :05:37. | :05:42. | |
roll-out. That has been increased to 830 million. It is still not | :05:43. | :05:46. | |
enough thought we are determined to do what we can. If I know the | :05:46. | :05:53. | |
people of Wiltshire welcome the fact they are to receive money. The | :05:53. | :05:58. | |
high-speed super-fast broadband raises the spectre and parents are | :05:59. | :06:05. | |
worried that children will be able to access inappropriate material | :06:05. | :06:15. | |
:06:15. | :06:16. | ||
much easier. Is he prepared to regulate to keep our children safe? | :06:16. | :06:19. | |
I can confirm that the Government takes this issue incredibly | :06:19. | :06:24. | |
seriously. The Bailey review on the socialisation of youth is one | :06:24. | :06:29. | |
indication. We have a meeting with the trade body this week to take | :06:29. | :06:33. | |
the issue further. We believe strongly that internet service | :06:34. | :06:37. | |
providers need to behave in a socially responsible way to do what | :06:37. | :06:44. | |
they can to protect children. We support what she's saying. What | :06:44. | :06:48. | |
assessment has the Minister made of how the roll-out of super-fast | :06:48. | :06:53. | |
broadband could support the introduction of universal and the R | :06:53. | :06:59. | |
S, video relay service, which will ensure deaf sign language jewellers | :06:59. | :07:06. | |
-- Duke -- users can have access? Those kind of services are exactly | :07:06. | :07:15. | |
the reason why it is important that we have a very ambitious programme. | :07:15. | :07:20. | |
Ofcom art reviewing the matter he talks about during the summer. I | :07:20. | :07:25. | |
would urge him in encouraging the party opposite to get behind the | :07:25. | :07:32. | |
agenda for super-fast broadband. They are committed to super-fast | :07:32. | :07:41. | |
broadband. In a small village in my constituency, a local organisation | :07:41. | :07:45. | |
has ensured 200 subscribers receive broad bands using a microwave | :07:45. | :07:51. | |
network. Would my honourable friend confirm that under UK funding | :07:51. | :08:00. | |
guidelines, such technology will be covered for villages? It I am | :08:00. | :08:05. | |
prepared to confirm that. Our policy is technology neutral. We | :08:05. | :08:09. | |
are asking local authorities to come forward with a broad and plan | :08:09. | :08:19. | |
that will secure 100 % coverage. -- broadband plan. How they do that | :08:19. | :08:26. | |
what is up to them. 8% of constituents are living in spots | :08:26. | :08:30. | |
where they have no broadband access at all and 13 % in houses where | :08:30. | :08:40. | |
:08:40. | :08:44. | ||
there is less than to make a Many consumers of removing their | :08:44. | :08:49. | |
lines and using mobile telephone need to access the internet. I've | :08:49. | :08:52. | |
written to the Secretary of State to say that because of the delay to | :08:53. | :09:02. | |
the spectrum, there is a loss to the Exchequer of �316 million. | :09:02. | :09:05. | |
Given that O'Toole are threatening action, is the Secretary of State | :09:05. | :09:10. | |
going to consider it using his powers to make sure this happens | :09:10. | :09:15. | |
sooner rather than later? We are committed to proceeding with the | :09:15. | :09:25. | |
:09:25. | :09:27. | ||
auction is as soon as possible. Another point, we think that mobile | :09:27. | :09:35. | |
is going to play and -- a vital part in super-fast broadband. The | :09:35. | :09:40. | |
amount of internet mobile data is tripling every year. We need to get | :09:40. | :09:44. | |
their mobile data to a fixed line. As quickly as possible if we are | :09:44. | :09:54. | |
:09:54. | :09:56. | ||
going to deal with the 26 fold increase in mobile internet data. | :09:56. | :09:58. | |
The Secretary of State clarified that the 530 million from central | :09:58. | :10:03. | |
Government will have to be matched by local authorities for the roll- | :10:03. | :10:07. | |
out of super-fast broadband. Can who say where he expects this money | :10:07. | :10:14. | |
to come from and whether this will be enough to deliver 90 % of super- | :10:14. | :10:19. | |
fast broadband? We have done a scientific study which we will be | :10:19. | :10:24. | |
publishing shortly which shows the number of areas in each local | :10:24. | :10:29. | |
authority area where there is to be either no access or slow access or | :10:29. | :10:34. | |
there are areas where we think the market will not provide access. We | :10:34. | :10:38. | |
know the costs involved in making that excess possible. We are | :10:38. | :10:44. | |
confident that local-authority his will support this agenda, and like | :10:44. | :10:51. | |
her own front bench. We had seven pilots in which local authorities | :10:51. | :10:55. | |
have shown that enthusiasm, including Wiltshire which was | :10:55. | :11:01. | |
mentioned earlier. We on this side were delighted that the Secretary | :11:01. | :11:06. | |
of State has woken up to recognise that there is huge interest in the | :11:06. | :11:13. | |
delivery of broadband services. Why then has he put back Labour's | :11:13. | :11:19. | |
commitment to universal broadband by a for three years so that rural | :11:19. | :11:22. | |
constituencies which are represented by the members opposite, | :11:22. | :11:27. | |
we lose out in the race for growth and jobs by having a Government | :11:27. | :11:32. | |
that doesn't commit to providing the right infrastructure? Many | :11:33. | :11:38. | |
welcome the gentleman to the dispatch box. -- May I a welcome. | :11:38. | :11:41. | |
The reason why we had to put it back three years is that there | :11:41. | :11:48. | |
wasn't enough money in the could she. That is something the former | :11:48. | :11:53. | |
Chief Secretary was prepared to write down. We haven't did just | :11:53. | :11:56. | |
that moment, we have said we will deliver it within this Parliament | :11:56. | :12:06. | |
:12:06. | :12:06. | ||
and we have gone further. It isn't about two megabytes. We want him to | :12:07. | :12:11. | |
get behind his commitment to 90 % commitment to its super-fast | :12:11. | :12:21. | |
:12:21. | :12:23. | ||
I have met with the chief executive of the Rugby Football League many | :12:23. | :12:32. | |
talents and we have recently seen the video launch for the bumpy | :12:32. | :12:42. | |
:12:42. | :12:42. | ||
World Cup. -- for the Rugby World Cup. Does the Minister agree that | :12:42. | :12:48. | |
the World Cup gives an opportunity for us to promote a sport that is | :12:48. | :12:53. | |
fairly friendly and in which there is little trouble off the pitch and | :12:53. | :12:59. | |
where it is cheaper for families to access on the weekend? Does he also | :12:59. | :13:04. | |
agree there is an opportunity to encourage visitors to some of our | :13:04. | :13:09. | |
northern towns? Will he pledged to do all that he can to use the World | :13:09. | :13:19. | |
:13:19. | :13:22. | ||
Cup in order to promote these tens? For -- to promote these players? | :13:22. | :13:27. | |
For any major sports event is a fantastic opportunity to drive | :13:27. | :13:34. | |
Lunny into the local economy. -- driver money into the local economy. | :13:35. | :13:44. | |
:13:45. | :13:51. | ||
I am sure this will be a terrific success. There will be a forum for | :13:51. | :13:57. | |
her for members to boost competitiveness and to remove be | :13:57. | :14:03. | |
areas where appropriate. Bristol is to be home to one of these new | :14:03. | :14:09. | |
local enterprise zones with a focus on creative industries. Will the | :14:09. | :14:13. | |
focus be on practical assistance in making those enterprise zones a | :14:13. | :14:20. | |
success? Will it deliver results on the ground? I was lucky enough to | :14:20. | :14:25. | |
visit Bristol and the astonishing success of the creative industries | :14:25. | :14:31. | |
there is a wonder to behold. We have set up four or five work | :14:31. | :14:39. | |
streams which I hope will be relevant in Bristol. UK music has | :14:39. | :14:48. | |
established that the industry generates �5 billion per year for | :14:48. | :14:55. | |
its this country. Can the Minister assure the House that the work of | :14:55. | :15:03. | |
the Creative Industry Council will set an increase? I recently met | :15:03. | :15:11. | |
with important industry fears for two - a growth I recently met with | :15:11. | :15:17. | |
-- I recently met with its important industry executives about | :15:17. | :15:23. | |
this issue. For is the Minister aware of the devastating impact of | :15:23. | :15:33. | |
:15:33. | :15:43. | ||
the cuts agenda uncreative industry? Is he aware for a special | :15:43. | :15:49. | |
abroad is he aware as that he is bidding at risk -- is he aware that | :15:49. | :15:53. | |
he is but think many creative industries at risk? The huge | :15:53. | :15:58. | |
cultural vibrancy um this country is why I will be -- ing in this | :15:58. | :16:08. | |
:16:08. | :16:12. | ||
country is why I will be going into Labour pool -- Liverpool. Does my | :16:12. | :16:18. | |
honourable friend agree that one of the key determinants is the strong | :16:18. | :16:22. | |
protection of intellectual property? Is he considering | :16:22. | :16:30. | |
following the example of President Obama in appointing its... And does | :16:30. | :16:38. | |
he agree that it is sending the wrong signal in the enforcement in | :16:38. | :16:48. | |
:16:48. | :17:00. | ||
the action against piracy. I have met President Obama's South adviser | :17:00. | :17:09. | |
and when these -- advisers on these issues. It's to continue the trend | :17:09. | :17:16. | |
we need to make sure that the courses that we are teaching in our | :17:16. | :17:20. | |
higher education establishments are truly robust. Will the Minister | :17:20. | :17:24. | |
pledged to work with the education department to make sure that they | :17:24. | :17:31. | |
are fully recognised and really worthwhile courses? In an earlier | :17:31. | :17:39. | |
answer I praised Bournemouth University. I tried to make sure | :17:39. | :17:43. | |
that our courses are fit for purpose and I would like to | :17:43. | :17:47. | |
congratulate the people who worked on that project for their hard work. | :17:47. | :17:52. | |
The government makes available around �2 billion to British banks | :17:52. | :17:56. | |
to support the creative industries. Music industry representatives have | :17:56. | :18:02. | |
told me that only two music companies have been successful in | :18:02. | :18:09. | |
raising loans for and so one experienced music manager was on | :18:09. | :18:19. | |
:18:19. | :18:23. | ||
Lee helped on his 9th attempt -- only held on his late attempt. | :18:23. | :18:27. | |
understand the issue to which she is referring and I want to educate | :18:27. | :18:30. | |
the banks on how these schemes cancer would music industries. | :18:30. | :18:36. | |
There are important changes in the Budget which will help our creative | :18:36. | :18:46. | |
:18:46. | :18:49. | ||
industries. I am just trying to get to the point. I would like to tell | :18:49. | :18:57. | |
you that the TD's whichever is on track and is going extremely well. | :18:57. | :19:07. | |
-- the television at switch over. Many of my constituents are | :19:07. | :19:10. | |
concerned about the impending switch over in the northeast | :19:10. | :19:16. | |
Midlands. Can the Minister assure my constituency that these issues | :19:16. | :19:21. | |
have been addressed and that areas will receive the right regional | :19:21. | :19:29. | |
news for their area which is not currently the case in some places? | :19:30. | :19:39. | |
For in regards to regional news his consistency fair share grow | :19:39. | :19:48. | |
constituency... The BBC has -- constituency... The BBC has had | :19:49. | :19:55. | |
proceeded with Digital's whichever in a very smooth way - are groped | :19:55. | :20:05. | |
:20:05. | :20:08. | ||
digital switch over. I -- digital switch-over. We know that the | :20:08. | :20:18. | |
:20:18. | :20:18. | ||
digital switch over is a good thing but it is not a Utopia. Rupert | :20:18. | :20:26. | |
Graves has a virtual monopoly not just of first -- were bought up for | :20:26. | :20:30. | |
has a virtual monopoly. What is he going to do to make sure that my | :20:30. | :20:36. | |
constituents get a fair deal was worked I would be happy to meet | :20:36. | :20:46. | |
with the Honourable Gentleman to discuss coverage in South Wales. | :20:46. | :20:51. | |
know that Mr Murdoch will have taking a note of Ofcom's | :20:51. | :21:01. | |
:21:01. | :21:11. | ||
recommendations. I discussed... I have been talking about video games | :21:11. | :21:21. | |
:21:21. | :21:28. | ||
in a report about power for growth. I do not have high-speed broadband. | :21:28. | :21:32. | |
I am sure the minister will appreciate that is not what I was | :21:32. | :21:42. | |
:21:42. | :21:43. | ||
looking for. He should be aware that many staff have gone to Canada. | :21:43. | :21:48. | |
Will he we assure me and the house and our constituents that the | :21:48. | :21:53. | |
assessments for creative industries will be carried out as a matter of | :21:53. | :21:57. | |
priority before more harm is done to this very important industry? | :21:57. | :22:04. | |
am reminded of your desire to crack through the bonnet paper. I | :22:04. | :22:10. | |
congratulate the Honourable Member on his work in the video games | :22:10. | :22:14. | |
industry. There had been measures in the Budget that will help the | :22:15. | :22:21. | |
video games industry. I will continue with my vocal support of | :22:21. | :22:31. | |
:22:31. | :22:32. | ||
that industry. I am currently considering responses to the | :22:32. | :22:36. | |
consultation on undertakings and I will announce my decision when the | :22:36. | :22:46. | |
:22:46. | :22:51. | ||
process is complete. It seems that there is unfit control of the | :22:51. | :22:56. | |
British media. This is an issue about legally - record media | :22:57. | :23:04. | |
plurality. I cannot discuss -- about legality. I cannot discuss | :23:04. | :23:11. | |
these issues. I think he would be perhaps convinced by his own front | :23:11. | :23:21. | |
bench. The Shadow Home Secretary has said that these issues are not | :23:21. | :23:27. | |
relevant to the phone hacking issue. The Secretary of State promised a | :23:27. | :23:31. | |
resolution to this matter on 25th April and we are still waiting. | :23:31. | :23:37. | |
Does he understand that people think he has no integrity when he | :23:37. | :23:43. | |
has taken the unprecedented step of personally overseeing negotiations | :23:43. | :23:47. | |
covering the legal and financial arrangements involved in | :23:47. | :23:51. | |
establishing Sky News as a stand- alone company? He is currently | :23:51. | :23:56. | |
taking lessons in how to be a football referee. I assume he | :23:56. | :24:04. | |
understands that the job of a referee is to be used for and not | :24:04. | :24:09. | |
to help one of the teams bundle the ball over the line. -- useful. | :24:09. | :24:13. | |
have been accused of rushing the decision and now I am taking as | :24:13. | :24:19. | |
long as it takes because we want the right decision. I am not | :24:19. | :24:22. | |
personally overseeing the negotiations. That is being done by | :24:23. | :24:29. | |
Ofcom. I am receiving from them written advice which I will be | :24:29. | :24:35. | |
publishing ended when it comes to the question of dithering, -- band | :24:35. | :24:44. | |
when it comes to the question out dithering, I am still waiting to | :24:44. | :24:50. | |
hear whether there is support for my decision or not. Is it not the | :24:50. | :24:53. | |
case that the development of the media market in this country is | :24:53. | :25:02. | |
such that newsprint and mobile platforms are coming together as a | :25:02. | :25:07. | |
matter of drift of policy. Would it be wrong to hold that policy and a | :25:07. | :25:14. | |
pose that development because of the hatred of a single individual? | :25:14. | :25:21. | |
We want to have media policies that allow convergence. Our current | :25:21. | :25:26. | |
television policy is an example of that. This particular issue is | :25:26. | :25:31. | |
about media plurality. It is about making sure that no one has to much | :25:31. | :25:41. | |
:25:41. | :25:43. | ||
power. That is the prism through which we have to look at it. | :25:43. | :25:53. | |
:25:53. | :25:57. | ||
have had 140 responses to our Trust -- about our switch-over. Does he | :25:57. | :26:07. | |
:26:07. | :26:12. | ||
agree with me that TV is successful in places like Brighton and Hove. | :26:13. | :26:22. | |
agree with that. I met the publisher of a magazine in | :26:22. | :26:28. | |
Brighton's -- in Brighton and this person has shown that he has an | :26:28. | :26:38. | |
:26:38. | :26:39. | ||
interest in running a television station in Brighton. I would | :26:39. | :26:43. | |
appreciate a bit of extra information. This has widespread | :26:43. | :26:49. | |
support from local communities and universities. The only organisation | :26:49. | :26:59. | |
:26:59. | :27:02. | ||
that is not supporting it is the Now the Secretary has been forced | :27:02. | :27:06. | |
to abandon the national TV East buyer, his plans are in disarray. | :27:06. | :27:14. | |
Does he agree that there would be serious ethical concerns a few | :27:14. | :27:19. | |
words attempting to take fending from them for his vanity project? | :27:19. | :27:25. | |
With these cuts, the BBC will only be required to spend �25 million of | :27:25. | :27:30. | |
licence fee payers of money on supporting local TV if it can be | :27:30. | :27:36. | |
proved to be sustainable and good value for money? For far from being | :27:36. | :27:42. | |
in disarray, we published plans for 10 local TV stations. We were hoped | :27:42. | :27:45. | |
-- we hope we would have trouble that number by the time this | :27:45. | :27:51. | |
process is complete. ITV is capable of looking after itself they let | :27:51. | :27:57. | |
him be consistent because his own Government was planning to take �40 | :27:57. | :28:02. | |
million from the licence fee to support two regional TV channels. | :28:02. | :28:06. | |
We are taking much less money and we are going to get far more local | :28:06. | :28:11. | |
TV stations. I would urge his backbenchers to encourage their | :28:11. | :28:14. | |
front bench to get behind this initiative because their | :28:14. | :28:22. | |
constituents will support this wholeheartedly. Any future bid for | :28:22. | :28:31. | |
a FIFA World Cup is some time away. Probably not a bad thing. Probably | :28:31. | :28:39. | |
not until 2013. I would expect there to be a far greater degree of | :28:39. | :28:43. | |
transparency and accountability in Fifa before we can consider any | :28:43. | :28:49. | |
future bid. Would he agree, without reform of Fifa to give it greater | :28:50. | :28:54. | |
transparency, any England bid is likely to fail in the world of | :28:54. | :29:00. | |
double-dealing and self interest that it has become under Sepp | :29:00. | :29:05. | |
Blatter. I think it is clear from our | :29:05. | :29:10. | |
experience of the last bid and what has happened to that it is an | :29:10. | :29:16. | |
organisation in need of structural reform. The principles must govern | :29:16. | :29:22. | |
that. The newly elected president has said -- has set a process in | :29:22. | :29:26. | |
motion and until that is complete, I doubt we would consider a future | :29:26. | :29:31. | |
bid. Accountability and transparency are an issue in | :29:31. | :29:36. | |
domestic football. Does he agree that it is disappointing that the | :29:36. | :29:41. | |
Premier League have withdrawn their funding for supporters direct, an | :29:42. | :29:45. | |
organisation committed to transparency and football. He is | :29:45. | :29:50. | |
quite right, transparency and accountability is an issue and we | :29:50. | :29:55. | |
await the report from the Select Committee with interest. I am sure | :29:55. | :29:59. | |
he will agree with me that the language used by the chief | :29:59. | :30:03. | |
executive was phial of an entirely different order. It was acceptable | :30:03. | :30:08. | |
from somebody who holds a position of that sort. There should not | :30:08. | :30:12. | |
detract from the organisation generally. There is a meeting | :30:12. | :30:21. | |
Scheduled for Friday and the hope that will come to a conclusion. | :30:21. | :30:24. | |
We have protected funding for the World Service with an efficiency | :30:24. | :30:28. | |
saving and accountability to Parliament will continue through | :30:28. | :30:32. | |
the foreign affairs select committee. Does he agree with me | :30:32. | :30:36. | |
that Britain's place in the world and Britain's contribution to the | :30:36. | :30:41. | |
world is enhanced by the work of the BBC World Service? I have seen | :30:41. | :30:47. | |
this in relation ship -- in relation to Somali land. Is he | :30:47. | :30:51. | |
concerned about the fragility of the service world wide and what can | :30:51. | :30:56. | |
he do to satisfy s that Parliament would be fully involved and that | :30:56. | :31:06. | |
:31:06. | :31:06. | ||
the service is safe in his hands? - - satisfied at us. I think it is an | :31:07. | :31:13. | |
incredible jewel in our crown. It the moving of the World Service | :31:13. | :31:18. | |
directly into the core BBC has tremendous opportunities. Able | :31:18. | :31:23. | |
strengthen the BBC World Service independence and allow for | :31:23. | :31:28. | |
efficiency savings to be made which will mean that more can be invested | :31:28. | :31:35. | |
in programming. It will mean that there are potential improvements to | :31:35. | :31:41. | |
the television service which is long overdue. At aim is to reduce | :31:42. | :31:46. | |
the administrative spend by the Department by 50 %. We have also | :31:46. | :31:53. | |
reduced the pay bill by �3 million for a voluntary redundancy scheme | :31:53. | :31:57. | |
and under the programme is in place to bring further savings. What | :31:57. | :32:00. | |
Mathers have been brought in to expose further efficiencies that | :32:00. | :32:06. | |
have not been identified. -- what measures. We keep everything under | :32:06. | :32:13. | |
review. We have identified a number of particular points. They are | :32:13. | :32:18. | |
ministers not using Government car service which will save �250,000 a | :32:18. | :32:26. | |
year. Cutting spent on travel by a �30,000. We will continue to | :32:26. | :32:35. | |
My right honourable friend, the Secretary of State, discusses his | :32:35. | :32:45. | |
:32:45. | :32:46. | ||
is with his cabinet colleagues. The media training prop broke -- | :32:46. | :32:49. | |
programmes play an important role in rehabilitating prisoners. When | :32:49. | :32:54. | |
we see these models, like the present media centre's project run | :32:54. | :32:58. | |
by people in my constituency in Brighton Pavilion, we should be | :32:58. | :33:02. | |
rolling them out more widely. We have talks to ensure their is a | :33:02. | :33:12. | |
:33:12. | :33:13. | ||
national roll-out of those schemes? -- will he have. As a imagine that | :33:13. | :33:18. | |
we will have more ideas on how we can encourage these programmes | :33:18. | :33:28. | |
around the country. I am grateful. My department and the Arts Council | :33:28. | :33:34. | |
continue to monitor the impact of the portfolio announcements. People | :33:34. | :33:37. | |
and successful will continue to receive support during the | :33:37. | :33:42. | |
financial year. This will allow them to look at alternative areas | :33:42. | :33:50. | |
of support. Given that the cut of 74 % in arts funding this year for | :33:50. | :33:54. | |
young people, committees and schools, can it Secretary of State | :33:54. | :33:58. | |
tell the House what the Government is doing to widen access to arts | :33:58. | :34:02. | |
and cultural activities for young people and under-represented | :34:02. | :34:06. | |
groups? The Arts Council has proposals to continue to support | :34:06. | :34:11. | |
cultural education in schools and we have asked the managing director | :34:11. | :34:21. | |
:34:21. | :34:26. | ||
of Classic FM to build on his With permission, I will have much | :34:26. | :34:30. | |
progress to report on our five priority areas over the next few | :34:31. | :34:35. | |
weeks including broadband applications for local authorities, | :34:35. | :34:40. | |
next steps for the awarding of local TV licences, pilots of the | :34:40. | :34:44. | |
school games 2012, a policy to promote financial resilience for | :34:44. | :34:51. | |
the arts. The House will want to congratulate Andy Murray on his | :34:51. | :34:58. | |
success at Queen's on Monday and wish him success at Wimbledon. | :34:58. | :35:02. | |
am sure the Secretary of State supports the idea that they will be | :35:02. | :35:06. | |
an independent licences for all four parts of the UK. At the moment, | :35:06. | :35:12. | |
how can he justify a effect that Scottish Television is not | :35:12. | :35:16. | |
recognised as an independent producer and therefore is denied | :35:16. | :35:21. | |
access to 25 % of the production available through the system? They | :35:21. | :35:27. | |
are treated like other small independents. Surely it must be an | :35:27. | :35:31. | |
in defend -- independent qualified producer. The only point I would | :35:31. | :35:38. | |
make to him is the success of broadcasting industry has been | :35:38. | :35:41. | |
based on the division between broadcasters and producers. That | :35:41. | :35:45. | |
has benefits for Scotland as it does for the whole of the UK. Under | :35:45. | :35:50. | |
our local TV programme, we hope to award many more licences for other | :35:50. | :35:54. | |
areas. My honourable friend will be aware that the Government has been | :35:54. | :35:59. | |
allocated 9,000 tickets for the 2012 Olympic Games. Will my right | :35:59. | :36:01. | |
honourable friend reassure the House that none of those tickets | :36:01. | :36:06. | |
will be provided as free perks either to Government employees in | :36:06. | :36:12. | |
general or UK politicians in particular? I am happy to reassure | :36:12. | :36:15. | |
my honourable friend about the details of those tickets. 3,000 of | :36:15. | :36:20. | |
those have been allocated to staff SECC with the project. They will be | :36:20. | :36:25. | |
purchased and are available through a ballot. 2,400 of those tickets | :36:25. | :36:29. | |
are being made available to host towns and cities and will be | :36:29. | :36:35. | |
purchased. 2,900 tickets will be made available to guests of the | :36:35. | :36:37. | |
Government including international business guests and dignitaries, to | :36:38. | :36:42. | |
make sure we secure an applicant -- economic level to the Olympics. 450 | :36:43. | :36:50. | |
tickets will be allocated as prizes in the school games to which 6,000 | :36:50. | :36:57. | |
schools have current League signed up. Thank you. I think the House | :36:58. | :37:01. | |
will be grateful for the Secretary of State's clear expedition. I am | :37:02. | :37:09. | |
sure that is widely publicised. I hope that the House will join me in | :37:09. | :37:12. | |
welcoming to our proceedings today, a delegation from the Dutch Olympic | :37:12. | :37:21. | |
Committee. As London prepares to welcome the world's to our Olympic | :37:21. | :37:29. | |
Games next year, when he recognise the limited scope for the | :37:29. | :37:34. | |
International Olympic Committee, to do more than issue at invitations | :37:34. | :37:38. | |
to countries around the world, to the National Olympic committees of | :37:38. | :37:46. | |
countries around the world? Will he give the sensitivity of what we | :37:46. | :37:51. | |
would describe it -- described as pariah regimes, assure the House | :37:51. | :37:55. | |
that all necessary and relevant diplomatic intervention will be | :37:55. | :38:01. | |
taken at the appropriate time to prevent participation in the games | :38:01. | :38:10. | |
of heads of such? I entirely agree with the vital marble lady. What | :38:10. | :38:14. | |
was apparent yesterday in dealing with the Libyan regime, was how | :38:14. | :38:18. | |
much easier it is to do with these situations if they are the subject | :38:18. | :38:23. | |
of EU banning orders. It is a huge help if they are subject to the | :38:23. | :38:27. | |
living sanctions. I would like to extend a welcome to the Dutch | :38:27. | :38:33. | |
Olympic Committee. They are close allies of Alice in the cause of | :38:33. | :38:39. | |
full bore reform and I hope they have a successful trip. -- allies | :38:39. | :38:44. | |
of hours. Following the Public Accounts Committee hearing on Ofcom | :38:44. | :38:50. | |
and thirties I gave him, can he confirm whether Ofcom will use | :38:50. | :38:55. | |
present value estimates of long- term investments in their 22 when | :38:55. | :38:59. | |
it/11 Annual Accounts and whether this will apply with the | :38:59. | :39:06. | |
principles? I don't know so I will write to the honourable gentleman. | :39:06. | :39:09. | |
Supporters direct haven't just been helping involvement in football | :39:09. | :39:12. | |
clubs, they have been advising on the bid for the Walthamstow dog | :39:12. | :39:18. | |
track in helping to involve the community. We he meet with me in | :39:18. | :39:27. | |
how we can promote this and a range of sports. That is the first case | :39:27. | :39:32. | |
we have had on dog racing. In the circumstances, the best thing to | :39:32. | :39:36. | |
say is I would be delighted to meet the on ability and hear more about | :39:36. | :39:46. | |
us. -- honourable lady. I welcome his comments in the broad band roll. | :39:46. | :39:49. | |
Does he recognise the imbalance in a market where some people have | :39:49. | :39:59. | |
:39:59. | :40:01. | ||
better access to better a band whiff. -- better band width? What | :40:01. | :40:08. | |
really recognise -- what we recognise his there has to be a | :40:08. | :40:11. | |
competitive market in broadband and it would be damaging for the | :40:11. | :40:15. | |
broadband market if we didn't have a competitive market in mobile | :40:15. | :40:20. | |
provision. Ofcom are working hard to structure the spectrum auction | :40:20. | :40:25. | |
is to make sure that happens. he still believe in localism and if | :40:25. | :40:30. | |
he does, why is he undermining local radio up and down the country, | :40:30. | :40:36. | |
reducing morality? Why he's the attacking the third sector art | :40:36. | :40:39. | |
organisations that are collapsing up and down the country because of | :40:39. | :40:44. | |
lack of funding? For we are not. I don't know where he gets his | :40:44. | :40:50. | |
information from. We published the media strategy for many years that | :40:50. | :40:57. | |
gives away for what a thought for local radio stations. We are | :40:57. | :41:01. | |
supporting community radio stations. With local arts groups, we have put | :41:01. | :41:05. | |
in a big package to encourage and help arts organisations to be | :41:05. | :41:11. | |
resilient in very difficult financial times. If the Crewe | :41:11. | :41:16. | |
Alexander girls centre of excellence has a enviable record in | :41:16. | :41:21. | |
producing first-class players. It has a reputation across the | :41:21. | :41:25. | |
footballing community, built over many years. The FA has awarded | :41:25. | :41:29. | |
their success by deciding to close the centre, leaving many gifted | :41:29. | :41:34. | |
players and their parents feeling dumbfounded and devastated. Can he | :41:34. | :41:41. | |
look into this matter urgently and take it up personally with that the | :41:41. | :41:46. | |
chairman of the FA? I think that question gives me the opportunity | :41:46. | :41:51. | |
that everyone will wish to undertake to wish the England | :41:51. | :41:55. | |
football team good luck. As far as his question is concerned, I will | :41:55. | :42:05. | |
:42:05. | :42:07. | ||
take it up if he sends me the The minister replied earlier to the | :42:07. | :42:15. | |
Honourable Lady talking about the efforts to persuade the ISPs to | :42:15. | :42:19. | |
create a system so that families can be protected from pornography | :42:19. | :42:26. | |
on their computers. Is it not for them for him to use the stick of | :42:26. | :42:30. | |
regulations so we can protect families from pornography flowing | :42:30. | :42:36. | |
into the home? That is what we are doing. We are telling people that | :42:36. | :42:40. | |
if they do not comply with measures we are bringing forward and we will | :42:40. | :42:50. | |
:42:50. | :42:54. | ||
regulate. -- deal with that. Kennedy Mr update on who is going | :42:54. | :43:00. | |
to benefit from the ticket share -- care and the minister update on who | :43:00. | :43:10. | |
:43:10. | :43:11. | ||
is going to benefit from the ticket scheme? To there are tickets | :43:11. | :43:17. | |
available for -- there will be some tickets made available if. I would | :43:17. | :43:22. | |
like to think the minister for Creative Industries for having a | :43:22. | :43:28. | |
protective -- productive meeting with meets about the trouble that | :43:28. | :43:35. | |
UK musicians have been getting a visa and to go to the US. Will the | :43:35. | :43:41. | |
Minister assure me that he will do everything he can to help with | :43:41. | :43:47. | |
this? For I am sure that was a successful meeting and we are going | :43:47. | :43:53. | |
to do everything weekend to idea out the bumps in the road. - never | :43:53. | :44:03. | |
:44:03. | :44:16. | ||
everything we can to I and -- I agree that this is a celebration | :44:16. | :44:22. | |
of world sport. It is important that where there are machines that | :44:22. | :44:26. | |
we do not wish to invite to this country that there are sanctions to | :44:26. | :44:31. | |
back that up. It is one of the ironies that the ban that was put | :44:31. | :44:39. | |
in place in the 1980 Olympics... There were two people who did not | :44:39. | :44:46. | |
abide by that and now they for are involved heavily with the Games. | :44:46. | :44:54. | |
The BBC is in discussions about changes to the value test. He and | :44:54. | :44:58. | |
the Minister assure me that no television channels will be allowed | :44:58. | :45:05. | |
to close? I cannot give that guarantee because the BBC operates | :45:05. | :45:08. | |
at an arm's length from the government and has editorial | :45:08. | :45:13. | |
discretion as to what it does or does not do. When we negotiated the | :45:13. | :45:20. | |
licence fee last October it was only understanding that the 16 % | :45:20. | :45:24. | |
saving in real terms on the least since -- licence-fee was an | :45:25. | :45:29. | |
efficiency savings and we were not expect the BBC to be unable to | :45:29. | :45:39. | |
:45:39. | :45:51. | ||
offer any of its core services Outside the Secure eerie at the | :45:51. | :45:58. | |
house hold a long leash on a residential flat at Rochester Road | :45:58. | :46:04. | |
which has an annual rent of �440. There is a freehold property | :46:04. | :46:09. | |
followed in the street that is used as her -- hostel style overnight | :46:09. | :46:19. | |
:46:19. | :46:19. | ||
accommodation for staff and that is valued at �600,000. For I could | :46:19. | :46:25. | |
press the Honourable Gentleman that given that we now have far few | :46:25. | :46:30. | |
sittings End after the election we will have fewer colleagues -- and | :46:30. | :46:34. | |
after the election we will have your colleagues then perhaps now | :46:34. | :46:39. | |
would be the time to move the beds into the estate so we could make | :46:39. | :46:45. | |
real savings. The commission is a very alive to seeking savings | :46:45. | :46:49. | |
within the accommodation budget and there are a number of possibilities | :46:49. | :46:55. | |
which may arise in the future and these are kept under active | :46:55. | :47:05. | |
:47:05. | :47:09. | ||
consideration. It's for - a group the house sits for 139 days a year | :47:09. | :47:15. | |
-- the house sits for 139 days a year. Members were encouraged to | :47:15. | :47:20. | |
come on Monday evening and leave Wednesday night. If we are going to | :47:20. | :47:25. | |
restore parliament to the fulcrum of our democratic process we must | :47:25. | :47:29. | |
restore Thursdays to being a full business day. Does the Leader of | :47:29. | :47:35. | |
the House agree? I certainly agree that the bash regret but they | :47:36. | :47:40. | |
should be a part of the parliamentary week. -- that | :47:41. | :47:48. | |
Thursday should be a part of the parliamentary week. My honourable | :47:48. | :47:53. | |
friend has indicated that he would like my other honourable friend to | :47:53. | :48:00. | |
be present. There is business on a Thursday that requires a division. | :48:00. | :48:05. | |
There has been a good turn out by members of parliament. I do not | :48:05. | :48:12. | |
agree with his view that the estate is not a fully paid day of the week. | :48:12. | :48:17. | |
Surely the question put forward by my fellow member is about | :48:18. | :48:21. | |
establishing when a day every week in the parliamentary calendar as a | :48:21. | :48:26. | |
backbench day. That is helpful to the leader of the house and the | :48:26. | :48:31. | |
business managers and the Government can schedule business | :48:31. | :48:40. | |
around us as backbench business. Mike and the view is that it is the | :48:40. | :48:45. | |
advantage -- my own view is that the house has the advantage of its | :48:45. | :48:53. | |
current arrangements. In paragraph 214 it says that it could be left | :48:53. | :49:02. | |
open to a process of negotiation as to which day of the week will be on | :49:02. | :49:07. | |
devoted - rare crow which will be devoted to backbench -- which will | :49:07. | :49:16. | |
be devoted to backbench business. Can I remind my Right Honourable | :49:16. | :49:21. | |
Friend that during his thankfully unsuccessful bid for your seat, Mr | :49:21. | :49:31. | |
Speaker, he wanted to move the being accused to Thursday himself. | :49:31. | :49:38. | |
-- the Prime Minister's Questions to Thursday himself. I am grateful | :49:38. | :49:43. | |
to my right honourable friend. When I was on the backbenches I could do | :49:43. | :49:49. | |
some blue-sky thinking. My horizons are now more constrained. I say to | :49:49. | :49:52. | |
my honourable friend that the Prime Minister is more than satisfied | :49:52. | :49:57. | |
with the current arrangement for Prime Minister's Questions. Isn't | :49:57. | :50:01. | |
the real reason that the leader cannot and its small time for a | :50:01. | :50:05. | |
backbench business for give as the date for the end of the session is | :50:05. | :50:10. | |
that the Government is running into trouble with its own legislation? | :50:10. | :50:15. | |
The public bodies Bill has been defeated end he has often been | :50:15. | :50:23. | |
defeated armed commissioners. -- defeated on the commissioners. Why | :50:23. | :50:27. | |
does the Government not simply stop rushing into this ill-thought-out | :50:27. | :50:36. | |
legislation and allow more scrutiny? That would improve the | :50:36. | :50:41. | |
health bill. I would make no criticism from members opposite | :50:41. | :50:44. | |
about the way we handle the parliamentary programme. We are | :50:44. | :50:51. | |
given far more time than the previous government bid. We have on | :50:51. | :50:55. | |
several occasions allowed two days on report for bills including this | :50:55. | :51:01. | |
week. We have extended the session also the house has more time to | :51:01. | :51:06. | |
consider the legislative programme. I entirely reject that we are | :51:06. | :51:15. | |
rushing legislation through the house. My Right Honourable Friend | :51:15. | :51:21. | |
and I have received no representation on the matter. | :51:21. | :51:25. | |
think one of the problems that we have with opposition day debate is | :51:25. | :51:33. | |
the late notification received both on the topic and the motion. This | :51:33. | :51:36. | |
deprives the numbers on their sights of an opportunity to prepare | :51:36. | :51:41. | |
speeches. Could he have a word with his opposite number to see how we | :51:41. | :51:45. | |
might improve the procedure and help improve a debate on all sides | :51:45. | :51:53. | |
of this house? I have to say that I think the Honourable Gentleman is | :51:53. | :51:58. | |
absolutely right. It is a pin to the opposition to table the subject | :51:58. | :52:06. | |
for debate immediately after the date is set. It would be a courtesy | :52:06. | :52:10. | |
for the house to be given an appropriate length of time to know | :52:10. | :52:20. | |
them, if they wish, to put forward amendments. Is the Honourable | :52:20. | :52:25. | |
Gentleman satisfied with the amount of time that Labour get for | :52:25. | :52:29. | |
opposition day. Surely all the time that was afforded to the Liberals, | :52:29. | :52:39. | |
:52:39. | :52:42. | ||
why didn't have that come... We seem to get half a day every decade. | :52:42. | :52:46. | |
The Honourable Gentleman might be right to -- like to look at the | :52:46. | :52:49. | |
borders and suggest whether others may wish to change it. At the | :52:49. | :52:59. | |
:52:59. | :53:03. | ||
moment we can only do as is required by standing order. Since | :53:03. | :53:06. | |
the general election the Government has established a backbench | :53:06. | :53:10. | |
business committee and increase the amount of time for a tub go | :53:10. | :53:15. | |
questions and were making many more statements than the previous | :53:15. | :53:18. | |
government. I think is the increased level of coverage of | :53:18. | :53:23. | |
debates that we have seen in the media is testament to beat a local | :53:23. | :53:32. | |
nature of this place. A key step in making proceedings were top goal | :53:32. | :53:38. | |
would be to launched work topics on the floor of the house. What | :53:38. | :53:48. | |
progress is being made on this issue? That is a good idea. My | :53:48. | :53:51. | |
Right Honourable Friend will be writing shortly to the cheers of | :53:51. | :54:00. | |
the backbench business committee seeking their views to on a short | :54:00. | :54:10. | |
:54:10. | :54:14. | ||
days it's. We have seen better ago are there any plans for a question | :54:14. | :54:21. | |
terms do not Basra road that do not have to go questions? --? Times | :54:21. | :54:31. | |
:54:31. | :54:36. | ||
that do not have topical questions's -- questions? For we | :54:36. | :54:39. | |
will always entertain requests in the future but there are no plans | :54:39. | :54:49. | |
:54:49. | :55:03. | ||
to do so. I think the Honourable Gentleman has raised an interesting | :55:03. | :55:06. | |
point and it is something that he might like to put to the procedural | :55:06. | :55:16. | |
:55:16. | :55:21. | ||
committee were there consideration. It would be useful for them. This | :55:21. | :55:25. | |
matter was last considered shortly before the 80,000 by general | :55:25. | :55:31. | |
election. The House received advice that accounting -- before the | :55:31. | :55:36. | |
general election. The House received advice and for that reason | :55:36. | :55:41. | |
the charitable donation was not pursued and the assets were resold | :55:41. | :55:46. | |
after having data are removed. I take my Honourable Friend for his | :55:46. | :55:51. | |
response but is he aware that the House of Lords does allow the | :55:51. | :55:55. | |
redistribution of equipment to charities? Would he ask the | :55:55. | :56:01. | |
committee to reconsider its decision from 2007? I would like to | :56:01. | :56:09. | |
point out that the total relating to redistributed equipment was | :56:09. | :56:17. | |
�75,000. The House of Lords have a far less -- have far less equipment | :56:17. | :56:21. | |
of far less that you and take a different view. We will consider | :56:21. | :56:28. | |
the matter at the end of this Parliament. Curly all appears have | :56:28. | :56:35. | |
access to some -- go quietly all peers have access to see some | :56:35. | :56:40. | |
places in this house. The house have Lloyd's has a reciprocal | :56:40. | :56:50. | |
:56:50. | :56:51. | ||
arrangement for a numbers in this house. For the Rees and | :56:51. | :56:55. | |
administration would words on catering and retail services in the | :56:55. | :57:00. | |
House make some recommendations for widening access to Piers especially | :57:00. | :57:10. | |
:57:10. | :57:33. | ||
at dining rooms in lesser Used We have dedicated members of | :57:33. | :57:37. | |
parliament for and another 100 Members would make life for their | :57:38. | :57:41. | |
as elected members are very difficult. And as I understand | :57:41. | :57:49. | |
these reports it is a suggestion rather than a full recommendations. | :57:49. | :57:52. |