The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-05-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, who will represent the Government at the World Economic Forum on Africa in Abuja.
Mark Simmonds
No UK Minister was available to attend the World Economic Forum being held in Abuja on 7 – 9 May. We did propose to send senior officials, but the organisers of the World Economic Forum declined this request.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-06-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of primary pupils of each ethnic background and in total have engaged with (a) theatre activities, (b) music activities, (c) dance and (d) other arts in each year since 2009-10.
Mr Edward Vaizey
Taking Part child survey results for activity by individual art forms are not regularly published broken down by BAME. This requires further analysis of the underlying survey data and we will publish this analysis in the libraries of both Houses.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-06-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent estimate he has made of the amount of philanthropic giving to arts and heritage organisations in each region and constituent part of the UK; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Edward Vaizey
In 2011/12, according to Arts & Business, overall philanthropic giving to the cultural sector grew by 7.6% on the previous year to £660.5 million. The breakdown of this total shows £536 million of private investment in culture in London and £125 million in the non-London English regions. Although London is always likely to attract a greater proportion of philanthropic giving, there are many examples of arts organisations successfully encouraging philanthropy and private investment across the country. DCMS has been working closely with Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund and the cultural sector, through the £100 million Catalyst scheme, to help improve fundraising capacity and ensure organisations have the skills required to cultivate philanthropy.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-06-12.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate he has made of (a) the total amount paid out in film tax relief and (b) the resultant benefit to the UK economy as a result of such tax relief since 2007; and if he will make a statement.
Mr David Gauke
HMRC data indicates that between January 2007 and March 2013, over 1,200 film productions have claimed £1.3bn of tax relief.
According to the Office of National Statistics and the BFI, the film and video production industry generates around 46,000 jobs and film investment is over £1 billion a year.
To support this important sector the Government has modernised film tax relief and extended the relief to animation, high-end television and video games.
The BFI statistics for 2013 show that these reforms are working, with an increase in overall UK film investment, and that the new TV and animation tax reliefs have supported growth in production in the UK.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-04-08.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many children were aged under five in (a) London and (b) each London borough in each of the last five years.
Mr Nick Hurd
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-05-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many and what proportion of pupils in each age group participate in the Cultural Passport scheme; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The Cultural Passport scheme was launched as ‘Artsbox’ in February of this year. The programme is run independently of DCMS by Trinity College London, and therefore the Department does not hold the information requested. DCMS welcomes this initiative which allows children and young people to share their creative work.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-05-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of schools in England provide the minimum level of cultural education proposed in Appendix A of Cultural Education: a summary of programmes and opportunities, published in July 2013; and if he will make a statement.
Elizabeth Truss
The Department for Education does not collect data on the number or proportion of schools in England providing the minimum level of cultural education proposed in Appendix A of Cultural Education: a summary of programmes and opportunities. Nor does the Department collect data on what proportion of pupils, of any age, have received the minimum level of cultural education it proposes.
The levels of cultural education the Appendix proposes are not mandatory, but are included as a point of reference for schools.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-05-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of pupils aged (a) seven, (b) 11, (c) 16 and (d) 18 or 19 years have received the minimum level of cultural education proposed in Appendix A of Cultural Education: a summary of programmes and opportunities, published in July 2013; and if he will make a statement.
Elizabeth Truss
The Department for Education does not collect data on the number or proportion of schools in England providing the minimum level of cultural education proposed in Appendix A of Cultural Education: a summary of programmes and opportunities. Nor does the Department collect data on what proportion of pupils, of any age, have received the minimum level of cultural education it proposes.
The levels of cultural education the Appendix proposes are not mandatory, but are included as a point of reference for schools.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-05-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with UN Women about the abduction of schoolgirls from Chibok in north-eastern Nigeria on 14 April 2014; and if he will make a statement.
Mark Simmonds
Since the abduction of the Nigerian school girls on 14 April, we have focused our efforts on working with the Nigerian Government to locate and secure the release of the girls. We have made no representations to UN Women about the case. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) made a statement condemning the schoolgirls abduction on 16 April.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-05-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to (a) the UN and (b) any UN agency on the abduction of schoolgirls from Chibok in north-eastern Nigeria on 14 April 2014.
Mark Simmonds
Since the abduction of the Nigerian school girls on 14 April, we have focused our efforts on working with the Nigerian government to locate and secure the release of the girls. We have discussed the issue with officials from counterpart members of the UN Security Council in New York. On 7 May, I spoke with UN Special Representatives (SR), Zainab Bangura (UN SR for Sexual Violence) and Leila Zeroughi (UN SR for Children and Armed Conflict), to discuss what more the UN can do to help.