NAO expects budget overrun in buildup to Olympics
Almost all of the Public Sector Funding Package for the 2012 Games may be required with little scope for further unforeseen costs to emerge in the eight months leading up to the event, according to the National Audit Office (NAO).
The report 'Preparations for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games: Progress Report December 2011: Department for Culture, Media and Sport’ (HC 1596) finds that that the Olympic Delivery Authority remains on course to deliver its work on the Olympic Park on time, within budget and to the standard required, but the whole of the £9.298 billion budget is likely to be required.
Investigation into alleged FIFA Committee misconduct urged
MPs insist on an investigation into the claims of misbehaviour of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Executive Committee during the 2018 World Cup Bid process.
In the report, '2018 World Cup Bid’ (HC 1031), the Culture, Media and Sport Committee says it was appalled by allegations - made in evidence to the Committee - about the conduct of members during the bid.
Restriction urged on sexualised content available to children
An independent review calls for the media and businesses to take more care to prevent children from being exposed to parts of adult culture that could damage the innocence of childhood.
'Letting Children be Children: Report of an Independent Review of the Commercialisation and Sexualisation of Childhood' (Cm. 8078) details that nine out of ten parents believe children are forced to mature too quickly as a result of sexual and commercial content readily available for young people to view.
Transparency of BBC scrutinised by Culture Committee
The Culture, Media and Sport Committee believes that confidence has been lost in the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) since its sudden licence fee settlement with the Government without public and Parliamentary consultation.
The report 'BBC Licence Fee Settlement and Annual Report’ (HC 454), details how the BBC Trust has undermined its commitment to public transparency through the rushed licence fee agreement and reluctance to expose talent salary information.
BBC World Service cuts should be reversed, says Committee
The Foreign Affairs Committee believes that cuts to the British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC) highly valued global radio network should be discarded, as detailed in the report 'The Implications of Cuts to the BBC World Service’ (HC 849).
The BBC World Service promotes British values across the globe and its journalists have played an important part in contributing to the BBC's coverage of recent dramatic events in North Africa. Former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan described the service as “perhaps Britain’s greatest gift to the world”.
BBC makes progress with major IT project through in-house development
The BBC expects to complete its digital media programme by summer 2011 since terminating its contract with Siemens to implement the task in-house.
As detailed in the report 'The BBC's Management of its Digital Media Initiative’ (HC 808), the Digital Media Initiative (the Programme), initially contracted to Siemens with the intention of saving £17.9 million, made a loss of £38.2 million.
Arts groups at risk of closure as a result of spending cuts
Cuts in public spending will have a major impact on arts and heritage organisations and some may be forced to close, as reported in 'Funding of the Arts and Heritage’ (HC 464-I).
The Arts Council has already cut its administration budget by over 50% in recent years and is set to achieve a further 50% as the Government makes savings across the board.
Sport England encourage more young people to exercise
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has set Sport England a new target to involve one million more young people in regular exercise by March 2013, as ‘Increasing Participation in Sport' (HC 22) reports.
Sport England’s, the Department’s delivery body for sports participation main goal is to get more 16 to 30 year olds involved in three 30 minute sessions of moderate intensity sport on a weekly basis.
UK tourism industry examined
Tourism is the UK's fifth largest industry, employing over 1.4 million people and generating over £85 billion for the economy every year.
This Report, 'Tourism' (HC 133-I), examines tourism from a broader perspective, looking at governance, funding, skills, and the environment. An earlier report, 'Structure and Strategy for Supporting Tourism' (HC 65, 2002-03), focused on the structure of the tourism industry.
EC White Paper on Sport examined
The European Scrutiny Committee referred the European Commission (EC) White Paper on Sport, published on 11 July 2007, to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee for an opinion. The White Paper consists of three policy discussions: on the social value of sport; the economic value of sport; and the organisation of sport.
This Report from the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, 'European Commission White Paper on Sport' (HC 347), examines the content of the White Paper - and sport and EU law - in detail.
London 2012 Olympic budget examined
This Report, 'The Budget for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games'
(HC 85), examines the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Olympic Delivery Authority on the budget for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Government responds to 'Ticket Touting' report
This paper, 'Government Response
to the Culture, Media and Sport
Select Committee Report on Ticket Touting' (Cm. 7346), presents the Government's response to the January 2008 Culture, Media and Sport Committee Report 'Ticket Touting' (HC 202).
Manchester 'super casino' plan dropped
In January 2007, Manchester City Council emerged as the
winner of the contest to host Britain's first regional - or 'super' - casino.
It had been expected that Blackpool would be chosen as the location for the
venue. However, following widespread concern over the merits of the regional
casino as a method of regenerating the East Manchester area, the Government
announced in July 2007 that the plan would be reviewed.
'The Categories of Casino
Regulations 2008' specifies how a casino is to be classified for the
purposes of the Gambling Act 2005.
Digital Switchover scheme 'progressing well'
In September 2005 the Government, after consultation with the broadcasting industry and Ofcom, announced a programme to replace analogue television broadcasts with digital television, region by region, between 2008 and 2012.
'Preparations for Digital Switchover' (HC 306) from the National Audit Office considers how this objective is being pursued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, who have joint responsibility for delivering the policy objective.
Regulatory intervention “last resort” against
ticket touts
This publication,
‘Ticket
Touting’ (HC 202), from the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport
Committee examines the subject of secondary tickets sales.
BBC risk management criticised
This Report
‘The BBC's management of risk’
(HC 643) makes recommendations on dealing with a variety of risk factors,
from damage to the Corporation's reputation to personal risk to staff.
Nazi spoliation claim resolved
This Paper, ‘Report
of the Spoliation Advisory Panel in Respect of the Three Rubens Paintings held
by the Courtauld Institute of Art’ (HC 63), examines and resolves a Nazi
spoliation claim regarding three Rubens oil sketches.
Problem gambling 'not increasing'
The
'British
Gambling Prevalence Survey' is a survey of participation in gambling and the
prevalence of problem gambling in Great Britain.
Gambling Act 2005 in force
The
‘Gambling Act 2005’ received Royal Assent in April
2005. It comes fully into force on 1st September 2007, when all current
gambling law for Great Britain will be replaced by the 2005 provisions.
Press Complaints Commission Kate Middleton response
“inadequate”
This Report
‘Self-Regulation
of the Press’ (HC 375) from the Culture, Media and Sport Committee has
been prompted by recent events including the conviction of Clive Goodman, the
royal editor of the News of the World, for interception of communications
without lawful authority and the press pursuit of Kate Middleton, the former
girlfriend of HRH Prince William.
Caring for our museums and galleries
'Caring
for Our Collections' (HC 176-I) examines issues of concern in the museums
and galleries sector, the archives sector and the audiovisual sector, including
funding. Particular reference is given to the adequacy of budgets and the
impact of the London 2012 Olympics on Lottery funding, and acquisition and
disposal policies, including due diligence obligations.
Digital TV switchover scheme to ensure “no one
left behind”
This publication
‘The
Digital Switchover Help Scheme’ (Cm 7118) is an agreement between the
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and the BBC regarding the
switchover from analogue to digital, planned for 2012.
BBC's efficiency assessed in licence fee
settlement
As part of the process of setting the level of the
television licence fee from April 2007, the Department for Culture, Media and
Sport (DCMS) has made an assumption about the level of efficiency savings the
BBC can deliver.
This report by the National Audit Office,
‘How
the DCMS assessed the BBC's as part of the licence fee settlement’ (HC
183), examines whether the Department has reasonable grounds on which to
base its assessment of the BBC's scope for efficiency savings.
New doubts about 2012 Olympics cost and legacy
Doubts have already emerged about the cost of staging the
2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and whether a lasting benefit can be
achieved. While preparations for construction are well advanced, many of the
cost figures contained in the bid are seriously outdated.
The Culture,
Media and Sport Select Committee, in their Report
'London
2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games - Funding and Legacy' (HC 69),
raises concerns that costs have arisen that should have been identified in the
preparation for the bid.
Old Masters seized by Gestapo returned
This report,
‘Report
of the Spoliation Advisory Panel in respect of three drawings now in the
possession of the Courtauld Institute of Art’ (HC 200) deals with a claim
brought on behalf of the heirs of the late Dr Arthur Feldmann in respect of
three drawings now in the possession of the Courtauld Institute of Art.
The claimants contended that they lost possession on 15 March 1939 when the
drawings, together with the rest of Dr Feldmann’s large collection, were seized
by the Gestapo.
Ofcom must regulate call TV quiz shows
Call TV quiz shows are an example of television programmes
provided by commercial broadcasters in order to increase their revenue. The
viewer watches the live broadcast, then sends a text message or makes a premium
rate telephone call in order to take part, with the broadcaster keeping a
proportion of the call revenue.
The Culture Committee has been examining
whether regulation is required, as the programme format is similar to gambling,
and has come to the conclusion that Call TV quiz shows should constitute gaming
under the Gambling Act 2005. This Report,
'Call
TV Quiz Shows' (HC 72), presents their findings.
BBC's efficiency assessed in licence fee
settlement
As part of the process of setting the level of the
television licence fee from April 2007, the Department for Culture, Media and
Sport (DCMS) has made an assumption about the level of efficiency savings the
BBC can deliver.
This report by the National Audit Office,
‘How
the DCMS assessed the BBC's as part of the licence fee settlement’ (HC
183), examines whether the Department has reasonable grounds on which to
base its assessment of the BBC's scope for efficiency savings.
Government information websites to close
The Transformational Government strategy was laid out in
the 2005 publication
"Transformational
government: enabled by technology" (Cm. 6683), outlining a six year
improvement journey for public services.
This is the first
Transformational Government Annual Report, covering progress across the three
main themes of the strategy: customer-centric services, shared services and
professionalism.