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  • Jack Lopresti – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Jack Lopresti – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jack Lopresti on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure that mortgage lenders are aware of the Armed Forces Help to Buy scheme.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    As announced by the Secretary of State for Defence in September 2013, the Forces Help to Buy scheme was launched on 1 April 2014. The Department has worked closely with the Council of Mortgage Lenders throughout the development and roll-out of the scheme. There have also been consultations with a range of other bodies, such as the Building Societies Association, the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries and the Financial Conduct Authority, as well as with individual mortgage lenders.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Bridget Phillipson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential utility of the MQ-4C Triton drone; and whether his Department plans to procure any of those aircraft.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Among other options, the potential utility of systems representative of the MQ-4C Triton in addressing the UK’s potential wide area maritime surveillance requirement is currently under review as part of the Air ISTAR Optimisation Study (AIOS), which will provide analysis in support of potential decisions in the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review.

  • Graeme Morrice – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Graeme Morrice – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graeme Morrice on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what evaluation his Department has undertaken of the roll out of superfast broadband in rural communities in (a) the UK and (b) Scotland.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The results of an impact study on the Government’s broadband programmes published in November 2013 showed that the programmes would achieve a return by 2024 of £20 for every £1 invested. The study did not disaggregate these results across the UK but 89 per cent of the programme benefits were expected to accrue to areas outside London and the South East of England. Funding of £100.8 million of the Government’s initial £530 million superfast broadband programme has been allocated to Scotland and the Government announced an indicative funding allocation of a further £20.99 million for Scotland from the additional £250 million programme in February 2014.

  • Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 April 2014, Official Report, column 311W, on public expenditure, what the (a) actual 2010-11 income and (b) projected 2015-16 income is for the Heritage Lottery Fund.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    In 2010/11, the Heritage Lottery Fund’s net income from the National Lottery (after its contribution to the Olympics had been deducted) was £217 million. Based on the current level of ticket sales, HLF income from the Lottery in 2015/16 is estimated to be £360 million.

  • Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many paintings, artefacts and other objects were lent from the collections of grant-in-aid funded national museums and galleries to regional museums and galleries in each year since 2010-11.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has collected and published the following data about the number of venues in the United Kingdom to which the sponsored national museums have lent objects from their collections.

    Number of UK loan venues

    Institution

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    British Museum

    178

    162

    169

    Imperial War Museum

    90

    376

    104

    National Gallery

    17

    35

    35

    National Maritime Museum

    71

    74

    81

    National Museums Liverpool

    193

    228

    239

    Science Museum Group 1

    164

    185

    240

    National Portrait Gallery

    133

    118

    118

    Natural History Museum

    182

    131

    32

    Royal Armouries

    107

    106

    120

    Sir John Soane’s Museum

    7

    3

    4

    Tate Gallery

    153

    147

    128

    Victoria and Albert Museum

    241

    262

    242

    Wallace Collection 2

    N/A

    N/A

    N/A

    1 From 2011-12, the total includes figures for the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, following its merger with the Science Museum Group.

    2 The Wallace Collection cannot lend items under terms of its bequest.

  • Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2014, Official Report, column 145W on consultants, how much spending on consultancy was spent on (a) Olympic delivery, (b) the broadband delivery programme and (c) other consultancy spending.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    DCMS has spent the following amounts on consultancy services since 2010-11:

    Financial Year

    2010-11

    2011-12

    2012-13

    2013-14

    Cost Directly Related to The Olympics

    101,712

    103,293

    92,753

    BDUK Consultancy Costs

    2,041,495

    3,983,283

    3,304,915

    Other Consultancy

    247,860

    133,771

    297,835

    109,536

    Total

    349,572

    2,278,559

    4,373,871

    3,414,451

    The figures for 2013-14 are currently unaudited. The figures now include the expenditure on external legal advice related to programme support, but excludes spending on legal services from the Treasury Solicitor and the providers of recruitment services. This has been done in order to arrive at figures that more directly relate to the providers of consultancy.

  • Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the budget of Arts Council England for library development is in 2013-14; and how many staff that body employs to work on its library responsibilities.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The budget set by Arts Council England (ACE) for library development in 2013/14 was £685,000. 5.5 full time equivalent staff are currently employed on ACE library responsibilities.

  • Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Katy Clark on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to give the Advertising Standards Agency the power to fine advertisers for serious breaches of the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Ofcom already has the power to fine advertisers for serious breaches of the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising. The ASA is responsible for administering the Code of Broadcast Advertising, but is able to refer broadcasters to Ofcom for further action, including imposing fines, if needed. There are no plans to change this system.

  • Mark Menzies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Mark Menzies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Menzies on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to improve mobile internet connectivity in rural areas.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    One of the licences granted in the 2013 4G auction contains a demanding indoor coverage obligation. The owner of this licence, Telefonica O2 UK, is obliged to provide indoor coverage for 4G mobile services to at least 98 per cent of the UK population (and to at least 95 per cent of the population of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales respectively) by the end of 2017. Ofcom expects that this level of indoor coverage will result in approximately 99 per cent outdoor coverage. As a result of the competitive UK telecoms market, all four of the UK mobile network operators have publicly committed to provide this level of coverage by the end of 2015.

    There is also likely to be further improvement in 2G and 3G coverage as a result of increasing roll out of combined 2G/3G/4G equipment by the industry.

    However, sometimes it is not commercially viable for operators to install and operate base stations and associated infrastructure in areas of very low population. On 3 October 2011, the Government announced the Mobile Infrastructure Project (MIP) with up to £150 million funding to extend mobile phone coverage to remote and rural area across the country that currently receive no coverage from any network. The scheme sees Government provide the capital funding for Arqiva as contractors to build the new infrastructure. The four mobile network operators (EE, Telefonica, Three and Vodafone) will provide coverage from the sites and cover operating costs for the twenty year life of the project. The project is currently underway and is expected to deliver by 2015. It is focussed primarily on improving voice coverage but is also likely to improve data coverage. Details of this work can be found on the GOV.UK website: https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/making-it-easier-for-the-communications-and-telecoms-industries-to-grow-while-protecting-the-interests-of-citizens/supporting-pages/improving-mobile-coverage

    Ofcom has also published a plan to improve mobile coverage: http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/2013/11/five-point-plan-to-improving-mobile-coverage/

    “

  • Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many paintings, artefacts and other objects were lent from the collections of grant-in-aid funded national museums and galleries to other grant-in-aid funded national museums and galleries in each year since 2010-11.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has collected and published the following data about the number of venues in the United Kingdom to which the sponsored national museums have lent objects from their collections.

    Number of UK loan venues

    Institution

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    British Museum

    178

    162

    169

    Imperial War Museum

    90

    376

    104

    National Gallery

    17

    35

    35

    National Maritime Museum

    71

    74

    81

    National Museums Liverpool

    193

    228

    239

    Science Museum Group 1

    164

    185

    240

    National Portrait Gallery

    133

    118

    118

    Natural History Museum

    182

    131

    32

    Royal Armouries

    107

    106

    120

    Sir John Soane’s Museum

    7

    3

    4

    Tate Gallery

    153

    147

    128

    Victoria and Albert Museum

    241

    262

    242

    Wallace Collection 2

    N/A

    N/A

    N/A

    1 From 2011-12, the total includes figures for the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, following its merger with the Science Museum Group.

    2 The Wallace Collection cannot lend items under terms of its bequest.