Asked by: Lord Fearn (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what support has been given to the British Olympic team during the years 2014 and 2015.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
UK Sport’s investments in sports are made on a quadrennial rather than yearly basis, with all investment decisions and levels reviewed annually.
In the current 2013-17 Rio Olympic and Paralympic cycle, UK Sport are investing around £350 million in the Summer Olympic and Paralympic sports, and a further £31 million in the Winter Olympic and Paralympic sports, targeting success in PyeongChang 2018 and Tokyo 2022.
Asked by: Lord Fearn (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of how many community projects the football pools have supported or promoted in the years (1) 2004, (2) 2005, and (3) 2015.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
According to the website of Sportech PLC, which owns the Football Pools, as of 2015, "the pools" have contributed £1.3 billion, at today's value, to football, other sports, the arts and charitable initiatives in the UK, in recent decades. More information is available at http://www.sportechplc.com/our-business/football-pools/football-pools-donations-map.
Asked by: Lord Fearn (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many English piers have received government grants in (1) 2013, (2) 2014 and (3) 2015.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
There a number of grant programmes, funded by the taxpayer and the lottery, from which England’s 43 surviving piers can benefit. There is no central record of all government grants awarded to piers in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
It is clear that grants from initiatives such as the Coastal Communities Fund and the Coastal Revival Fund as well as the Heritage Lottery Fund, have been invaluable in assisting with restoration works and creating new businesses and jobs. Such grants help to preserve our heritage and increase visitor numbers.
At Hastings Pier, which will reopen to the public this spring, a £14 million restoration project was awarded funding through the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Coastal Communities Fund and from DCLG, among other sources. The new visitor centre, arts centre and restaurant will provide a boost to tourism and local businesses.
Asked by: Lord Fearn (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the total annual spending of visitors and tourists in the domestic tourism sector in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
According to VisitEngland's Great Britain Tourism Survey, GB residents spent £22.7 billion on overnight trips taken across England, Scotland and Wales in 2014. Additionally, the Great Britain Day Visit Survey shows that over the same period, GB residents spent £53.8 billion on day visits across England, Scotland and Wales.Asked by: Lord Fearn (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the annual spending by inbound tourists to the UK and which countries are the 10 largest source markets from which those tourists come.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
According to the Office for National Statistics International Passenger Survey, inbound visitors to the UK spent £21.85 billion in 2014. The top ten inbound markets by spend last year are set out in the following table.
Top 10 inbound markets by value 2014
From | Spend (£m) | |
1 | USA | £2,944 |
2 | Germany | £1,478 |
3 | France | £1,434 |
4 | Australia | £1,224 |
5 | Spain | £1,082 |
6 | Italy | £922 |
7 | Irish Republic | £870 |
8 | Netherlands | £701 |
9 | Norway | £548 |
10 | Sweden | £503 |
More information can be found on the VisitBritain website -https://www.visitbritain.org/inbound-tourism-trends
Asked by: Lord Fearn (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the annual value of tourism to the UK economy.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Office for National Statistics has estimated that tourism was worth £59.6 billion Gross Value Added to the UK economy in 2014.Asked by: Lord Fearn (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which shipwrecks are known to exist in the River Mersey and its estuary taking in the beaches of Formby, Ainsdale, Birkdale and Southport.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
There are a total of 1,141 wreck records in the River Mersey geographical box bounded to the west by the Wirral, to the east by Widnes, to the north by Southport, and to the south by Ellesmere Port. The majority of these will be documented wreck events for which no archaeology exists or which have only been tentatively identified with archaeology. There are 890 records in this category. The earliest recorded wreck in this area dates from 1246.
The remaining 251 records comprise wreck sites, including nine recorded hulk assemblages in riverbank or estuarine contexts (one or more vessels abandoned in an unseaworthy condition, sometimes for environmental purposes). Wreck sites may be positively identified, tentatively identified with a possible relation to a documented wreck event, or not identified at all.
The majority of wreck sites will have been dispersed. The Mersey Docks and Harbour Board (MDHB) was active in the River Mersey and Liverpool Bay in the dispersal of wrecks from the mid-19th century onwards, typically flattening them level with the river- or seabed, and many more were dismantled in situ where they stranded. English Heritage wreck records do not contain the dispersal data for every vessel.
The best source of dispersal information would be the MDHB records held at Merseyside Maritime Museum. Further information about specific shipwrecks on the River Mersey and its estuary can be found on the English Heritage PastScape webpage: http://www.pastscape.org/
Asked by: Lord Fearn (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assistance is available to communities that seek to improve their First and Second World War memorials.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The DCMS-run Memorial Grant Scheme can be used by charities and faith groups to reclaim the VAT paid on repairs and maintenance to war memorials.
War Memorials Trust website offers a wealth of information on available grants and advice for communities planning to repair and conserve their war memorials.
The Government has just announced that it will give the War Memorials Trust up to £3 million over the First World War centenary period to boost the funds available to local communities for the repair and conservation of war memorials. English Heritage, Imperial War Museums and Civic Voice will together be given £1.5 million over the same period to deliver better protection through Listing, a greater pool of specialist skills, a national register of war memorials, and a network of trained volunteers.