Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had with the Home Secretary on improving the movement rights of musicians and performers to work in the EU.
Answered by Oliver Dowden - Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Ministers have regular discussions with their Cabinet Colleagues on a wide range of issues, including cross-border labour mobility with the EU for musicians and other creative professionals.
The Government recognises the importance of touring for UK musicians and other cultural and creative practitioners, and their support staff. Officials from across government engaged with the performing arts sector extensively throughout negotiations. That engagement has continued since the announcement of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement to ensure they are aware of new requirements. Going forward, we will continue our close dialogue with the creative and cultural sectors to ensure they have the support they need to thrive.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the print industry; and what support he is providing to that sector.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
We appreciate that the Covid-19 pandemic presents a significant challenge to many of DCMS’ sectors including the publishing industries. Through regular ministerial-led roundtables, working groups and contact with DCMS officials, we will continue to work with the publishing sector to assess and understand the difficulties it faces in these challenging times and through recovery.
The Government has provided unprecedented support for business and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency. The Government’s response has been one of the most generous and comprehensive in the world, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme and the Bounceback Loan Scheme and business rates reliefs. The publishing sector has also benefited from the government's introduction of a zero rate of VAT to e-publications, which will make it clear e-publications are entitled to the same VAT treatment as their physical counterparts.
The Chancellor has announced the Winter Economy Plan to protect jobs and support businesses over the coming months, once the existing Self-Employment Income Support Scheme and Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme come to end.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what support his Department plans to provide to UK musicians touring in the EU after the end of the transition period.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The Government is continuing to engage with the creative sectors to ensure that freelancers, organisations and businesses know what they need to do to prepare for changes at the end of the transition period.
On 1st September 2020, the Government launched a comprehensive communications campaign to help the UK prepare for the end of the transition period. This includes guidance on customs and mobility procedures important to professionals in the live music industry, including freelance musicians and touring artists. My department will continue to engage with the music sector on the specific issues they may face.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in EU countries on protecting and supporting UK musicians touring the EU after the end of the transition period.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The Government recognises the importance of touring for UK musicians. We are seeking a reciprocal agreement with the EU that could allow UK citizens to undertake some business activities in the EU without a work permit, on a short-term basis. We are unable to comment on the detail of these arrangements as discussions are ongoing.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the answer of 13 May 2020 to Question 41511 on Gambling: Video Games, when he plans to publish a response to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee’s Report on Immersive and Addictive Technologies.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The government’s response to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee’s Report on Immersive and Addictive Technologies was published on 8th June. Copies were placed in the libraries of the House, and it is also available on gov.uk here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-response-to-the-digital-culture-media-sport-select-committee-report-on-immersive-and-addictive-technologies
Our response includes a commitment to launch a call for evidence on loot boxes and to lead work on developing a framework to support future independent research on video games’ impacts on behaviour.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
What steps he is taking to reduce gambling-related harm.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government published the Review of Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility Measures in May. This set out measures to strengthen protections around gaming machines, including cutting the maximum stake on B2 machines from £100 to £2, and on online gambling and gambling advertising. It also set out action on treatment and support for those who experience harm, including initiatives to improve the evidence on treatment needs and effectiveness, expand access to existing services and strengthen the voluntary system for funding support. We take gambling-related harm very seriously and will work closely across Government and with the Gambling Commission to build on the actions outlined in the Review.Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 November 2017 to Question 112162 on Data Protection: Small Businesses, what steps his Department is taking to inform small and medium-sized enterprises of the support provided by his Department.
Answered by Margot James
The Government and the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) recognise the challenges facing small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) across the UK economy in their preparations for the Data Protection Bill and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The ICO is leading on providing guidance and support to UK organisations and have already published a number of resources on the Commissioner's website (ico.org.uk) to help all organisations prepare. The ICO has: launched a dedicated helpline service for smaller organisations; updated its 'SMEs toolkit' to reflect the requirements of the GDPR; simplified its "12-step" GDPR preparation guidance; and published FAQs for SMEs. To support the ICO the Government delivered an awareness-raising marketing campaign targeted at those organisations and sectors (inc SMEs) most in need of support. There is still more to do in this space and the Government will continue to support the ICO to ensure the UK is prepared.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of Facebook and Twitter on tackling abuse and misogyny on social media.
Answered by Margot James
Ministers and officials have regular meetings and discussions with social media companies on a range of issues including online abuse. Details of ministerial meetings are published quarterly on the Gov.uk website.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what support her Department is providing for small and medium-sized enterprises to prepare for the implementation of the (a) Data Protection Bill and (b) General Data Protection Regulation.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The Government and the Information Commissioner recognise the challenges facing SMEs in their preparations for the Data Protection Bill and GDPR. There are already resources on the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) website (ico.org.uk) to help organisations employing fewer than 250 people prepare for the data protection regime. This month the ICO has launched a dedicated helpline service for SMEs and has updated its SME toolkit to reflect the requirements of GDPR. The ICO will also be simplifying its "12-step" GDPR preparation guidance in response to requests from SMEs and will continue to develop further guidance on both the Bill and GDPR.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Department for Exiting the European Union on the contents of the White Paper entitled The United Kingdom's exit from and new partnership with the European Union, Cm 9417, published in February 2017.
Answered by Matt Hancock
We, and other Departments, are working closely with the Department for Exiting the European Union on all aspects of exiting the European Union.