§ Ms BuckTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the impact of her Department's policies on the constituency of Regent's Park and Kensington, North since 1997. [145419]
§ Mr. CabornThe Department for Culture, Media and Sport seeks to improve the quality of life for everyone through improved access to the best in cultural and sporting activities. The Department also champions the tourism, creative and leisure industries. The Department's policies have had a significant impact on the constituency of Regent's Park and Kensington, North since 1 May 1997. For example, Arts Council England funds a diverse range of arts organisations and projects in the constituency. In 2005–06, regularly funded arts organisations in Regent's Park and Kensington North will receive a total of £813,278—an increase of 12 per cent. from 2003–04. These include
The Union Dance Company and Trust, which will receive an Arts Council award of £250,065 in 2005–06—an increase of 22.1 per cent. from 2003–04;The London Print Studio (LPS), which will receive an Arts Council award of £181,800 in 2005–06—an increase of 5.1 per cent. since 2003–04;Paddington Arts, which will receive an Arts Council award of £50,000 in 2005–06—an increase of 5.9 per cent. since 2003–05.The Regent's Park, one of the eight Royal Parks, lies within this constituency. The park provides a wide range of amenities, including sports pitches for cricket, hockey, softball, football and rounders, tennis courts, golf practice facilities, boating and a running track. The Royal Parks Agency, an executive agency of DCMS, has obtained grants of £780,000 from the Football Foundation and £500,000 from Sport England to reinstate the sports pitches and to build a new pavilion. Work is underway on reinstating the pitches and is expected to be completed by October 2004. This funding also provides for a Sports Development Officer to work with local authorities to involve children from deprived backgrounds from all over London in sporting activities.
The Royal Parks Agency also provides free entertainment every summer between June and September in The Regent's Park. This includes brass bands, music from the Caribbean and North Africa, opera, open air art and photography exhibitions.
In addition to Government spending, the constituency of Regent's Park and Kensington, North has received 398 National Lottery awards since 1 May 1997, with a total value of £39.865 million. The awards include:
A Sport England award of £8,778,720 to the North Kensington Amenity Trust for the extension of facilities at Westway Sports Centre (November 1999);768WA Sport England award of £1,536,069 to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea for a new sports hall and the upgrading of changing and ancillary facilities (May 2000).The residents of Regent's Park and Kensington, North also have ready access to a wealth of national cultural institutions in London, including the English National Opera, the National Gallery and the British Museum.