Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she is taking steps to (a) reduce and (b) prevent roaming charges for UK travellers using smartphones in the EU.
Answered by Damian Collins
The UK Government continues to monitor the mobile telecommunications market and promote a competitive marketplace that serves the interests of consumers. Some operators, such as Virgin Media O2, continue to offer surcharge free roaming to consumers, whilst others offer low cost packages. We continue to advise that consumers check with their operators before travelling abroad to the EU.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when she will publish the review of legislation on gambling regulation.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 13 June to Question UIN 13827.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has taken steps in response to the Islamic Centre of England's holding of a vigil in memory of General Qassem Soleimani in June 2020 contravening regulatory advice and guidance set out by the Charity Commission.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Any evidence that a registered charity is engaged in misconduct or mismanagement should be referred to the Charity Commission, as the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales.
In June 2020, the Charity Commission exercised its power under section 75A of the Charities Act 2011 to issue an Official Warning to the Islamic Centre of England as it found the trustees had failed to discharge their legal duties towards the charity, which resulted in misconduct and/or mismanagement. The Charity Commission has an open and ongoing regulatory case into the charity to follow up on compliance with the requirements of the Official Warning.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether people visiting indoor shooting ranges from separate households may participate at the same time when the relevant covid-19 lockdown restrictions are lifted.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Sports and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health, and are a vital weapon against coronavirus. On Monday 22 February, my Rt Hon Friend, the Prime Minister announced a roadmap out of the current lockdown in England.
Step 2 of the roadmap will take place no earlier than 12 April, and will allow indoor leisure facilities - including shooting ranges - to reopen for individual use only except in certain circumstances. These include supervised activities for children which can take place in groups of up to 15.
Shooting ranges are permitted to have people attend their site from separate households providing they are adequately distanced, following covid-secure guidelines including ventilation limits and do not mix with other households. The relevant National Governing Body will be able to provide further guidance on how to undertake these activities in a covid secure manner.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, from 12 April 2021 whether indoor shooting ranges are permitted to have people attend their site from separate households providing they are adequately distanced and following covid-secure guidelines.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Sports and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health, and are a vital weapon against coronavirus. On Monday 22 February, my Rt Hon Friend, the Prime Minister announced a roadmap out of the current lockdown in England.
Step 2 of the roadmap will take place no earlier than 12 April, and will allow indoor leisure facilities - including shooting ranges - to reopen for individual use only except in certain circumstances. These include supervised activities for children which can take place in groups of up to 15.
Shooting ranges are permitted to have people attend their site from separate households providing they are adequately distanced, following covid-secure guidelines including ventilation limits and do not mix with other households. The relevant National Governing Body will be able to provide further guidance on how to undertake these activities in a covid secure manner.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether a negative covid-19 test result will be required for admitting spectators to the pilot projects for re-opening major events which are referred to in the Government's roadmap for lifting covid-19 lockdown restrictions.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
As the Prime Minister set out in the roadmap, the Government will run a scientific Events Research Programme over the Spring. The pilots will run from April onwards across a range of settings.
The series of pilots will use enhanced testing approaches and other measures to run events with larger crowd sizes and reduced social distancing to evaluate the outcomes.
Further details regarding the Events Research Programme will be published in due course.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what pilot projects he plans to establish in relation to re-opening major events as set out in the Government's roadmap for lifting covid-19 lockdown rules.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
As the Prime Minister set out in the roadmap, the Government will run a scientific Events Research Programme over the Spring. The pilots will run from April onwards across a range of settings.
The series of pilots will use enhanced testing approaches and other measures to run events with larger crowd sizes and reduced social distancing to evaluate the outcomes.
Further details regarding the Events Research Programme will be published in due course.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when he plans to begin the pilot projects for re-opening large events as set out in the Government's roadmap for lifting covid-19 restrictions.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
As the Prime Minister set out in the roadmap, the Government will run a scientific Events Research Programme over the Spring. The pilots will run from April onwards across a range of settings.
The series of pilots will use enhanced testing approaches and other measures to run events with larger crowd sizes and reduced social distancing to evaluate the outcomes.
Further details regarding the Events Research Programme will be published in due course.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if the Government will include in its plans for the easing of covid-19 lockdown restrictions a date by which (a) gyms, (b) squash courts and (c) other indoor sports facilities can re-open.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Sports and physical activity providers and facilities are at the heart of our communities, and play a crucial role in supporting adults and children to be active.
On Monday 22 February, the Prime Minister announced a roadmap out of the current lockdown in England. The approach focuses on data, not dates. Each step has a “no earlier than” date, 5 weeks later than the previous step, to allow time to assess the impact of the previous step and provide a week’s notice before changes occur.
Step 2 will take place no earlier than 12 April and as part of this indoor sport facilities including gyms for individual use will reopen. Group exercise and indoor adult sport will be allowed as part of Step 3 of the roadmap which will take place no earlier than 17 May. This will be subject to social contact limits.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Minister for Digital and Culture's response to the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet's Oral Question of 10 December 2020, Official Report, Column 975, what the scope is of the evidence base required by his Department from the festival and events sector to prove that Government support for a covid-19 insurance scheme is needed.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
We are aware of the concerns which have been raised about the potential challenge of securing insurance for live events including festivals.
Understandably, the bar for considering Government intervention is set extremely high, especially in light of other support available including the considerable extension to the furlough. Officials have been working closely with the affected sectors over the last few months to understand the challenges and to keep the situation under review.
Evidence of market failure specific to DCMS sectors must be clearly demonstrated and robust for us to explore whether this is the right vehicle for support at this time.