§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions(a) she, (b) other Ministers in her Department and (c) officials in her 58W Department have had with Ministers and officials in other Government Departments to ensure that the costs of (i) public liability insurance and (ii) applying for road closures do not prevent members of the public from celebrating the Golden Jubilee. [31084]
§ Tessa Jowell[holding answer 28 January 2002]: Discussions are held with colleagues in other relevant Government Departments on a wide range of issues relating to the Golden Jubilee celebrations.
Public liability insurance is available at reasonable cost in the commercial markets. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State at the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions is responsible for road traffic regulations policy. The impact of this policy on the Golden Jubilee celebrations is being assessed. We expect to make a statement shortly.
§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what events(a) she is and (b) other Ministers in her Department are planning to attend as part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations; and what events her Department is planning to arrange to celebrate the Golden Jubilee. [33260]
§ Tessa Jowell[holding answer 4 February 2002]: Invitations to the majority of events taking place as part of the queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations, including the national events in central London over the Jubilee weekend of 1-4 June 2002, have not yet been issued. It is also too soon for invitations to have been sent out for the Commonwealth Games. However, my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, Ministers from other Departments and I expect to attend events including the National Service of thanksgiving at St. Paul's Cathedral on 4 June and the Commonwealth Games in Manchester from 25 July to 4 August.
It is my Department's role, working with all the interested parties including other Government Departments, to support the planning for Golden Jubilee celebrations in a way that embraces the six themes for the Jubilee: celebration; giving thanks; service; involving the whole community; looking forward as well as back; and the commonwealth while adhering to Her Majesty's wish that there should be no undue expenditure from public funds. It is not the role of government to arrange events. It is for local communities to decide how they wish to celebrate the Golden Jubilee.
We will publish a comprehensive list of events that Ministers will be attending nearer the time.