§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with arts organisations over the timing of legislation to ban tobacco sponsorship. [69294]
§ Mr. Chris SmithPrior to the publication of the Government's White Paper "Smoking Kills" in December 1998, I received written representations from and on behalf of a small number of arts organisations and their sponsors. I also sought advice from the Association for Business Sponsorship of the Arts on the extent of arts sponsorship by tobacco companies.
Through negotiation, the Government ensured that the EU Tobacco Advertising Directive provided a reasonable time for arts and sports organisations to adapt and the White Paper explained that sports and arts organisations would be given the full five-year period allowed under the Directive to find alternative sponsors.
§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the present value to arts organisations of sponsorship by tobacco companies. [69295]
§ Mr. Chris SmithThe Association for Business Sponsorship of the Arts has estimated that the total current financial value of tobacco arts sponsorship in the UK is between £1 million and £1.5 million per annum.