§ Mr. Mark FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how many paying concerts and other events were held in Hyde Park in(a)1999, (b)2000 and (c) 2001; [37877]
(2) how much the paying concerts and other events held in Hyde Park raised as a contribution to the running costs of the Royal Parks in (a)1999, (b)2000 and (c) 2001, net of the costs of repairing damage to the parks caused by the events; [37878]
(3) how many paying concerts and other events are planned for (a)2002, (b)2003 and (c) 2004 in Hyde Park; [37879]
(4) how much of the revenue raised by paying concerts and other events in Hyde Park is spent on Hyde Park itself. [37881]
§ Mr. CabornResponsibility for the subject of these questions has been delegated to the Royal Parks Agency and I have asked its Chief Executive, William Weston to reply.
Letter from William Weston to Mr. Mark Field, dated 28 February 2002:
I have been asked by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about concerts and other events in the Royal Parks, as this is an operational matter which has been delegated to the Royal Parks Agency.In 1999 ten large events were held in Hyde Park, raising £538,216 towards the Agency's running costs; in 2000 eight large events were held, raising £586,021; and in 2001 fourteen such events raised £1,085,000. These figures are net of the cost of repairing damage to the parks caused by the events.All income raised by the Agency is taken into consideration when expenditure budgets are allocated to individual parks. Revenue is not allocated specifically to the park or section that raised it.We are contractually committed to hold thirteen large events in Hyde Park in 2002 and to staging the Prince's Trust concert in 2003. The Prince's Trust concert is the only event planned as yet for future years.