Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to improve access to sports facilities for disabled people in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is dedicated to making sport in this country accessible and inclusive for everyone. The Government has announced a further £100 million in funding to deliver new and improved multi-sport grassroots facilities and pitches across the whole of the UK. The Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme’s aims include regular, weekly use by under-represented groups, including disabled people, so that everyone has the opportunity to participate. In 2024/25 the programme invested £3,389 in South Holland and the Deepings, and £12,931 in Lincolnshire.

Sport England, the Government’s Arm’s Length Body for grassroots sport, is committed to increasing participation in sport and physical activity for disabled people and improving their access to sport facilities. Sport England runs specific initiatives like the 'We are Undefeatable' campaign, impacting directly on disabled people, and those with a long-term health condition. Sport England also has partnerships with organisations such as Disability Rights UK, Activity Alliance, Aspire, and Sense, to help more disabled people get active.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the listed events regime on levels of participation in grassroots sport.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring free-to-air access to sporting events of national interest so that they can be enjoyed by a wide audience and can inspire more people to be active and participate in grassroots sport.

The Government believes that the current list of events works well and that it strikes an appropriate balance between access to sporting events and allowing sports to maximise broadcasting revenue.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 27 March 2025 to Question 40390 on Data, Statistics and Research on Sex and Gender Independent Review, what steps her Department is taking to implement the recommendations of the Sullivan Review.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The government has now published the independent review of data, statistics and research on sex and gender commissioned by the previous government. We are considering the findings in light of ongoing policy work in this area.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the planned changes to the Listed Places of Worship grant scheme on listed places of worship.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

DCMS Ministers received advice on changes to the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, including consideration of the potential impacts of various options to scale the scheme.

The changes announced were necessary given the tight fiscal challenges we inherited from the previous government and considering competing financial demands in other parts of the heritage and cultural sector.Will continue the widest distribution of the scheme’s benefits within the available means. Based on previous scheme data, we expect 94% of claims to be unaffected by this change.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the remarks by the World Heritage Committee in the State of Conservation report 2021 about the impact of the Holocaust Memorial Centre on the outstanding universal value of the Palace of Westminster.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The independent planning Inspector who considered the planning application for the proposed Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre, took into account all evidence; including pre-application advice from Historic England in its capacity as statutory advisor, guidance from (International Council on Monuments and Sites - heritage advisors to UNESCO) and statements from the World Heritage Committee.

The assessment in the Inspector’s 2021 report was that: “…the proposed UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre would not result in compromise to the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage Site because it does not harm it or its setting, thus conserving it.” Whilst the inspector's assessment pre-dates the Committee's decision relating to the 2021 State of Conservation Report, there was no substantive change in the Committee's position which reiterated earlier statements.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many black and white television licences have been issued in each of the past five years.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The BBC publishes information about the number of licences in force in its Annual Report and Accounts. For the years 2019/2020, 2020/2021, 2021/2022, 2022/2023, and 2023/2024 there has consistently been approximately 4,000 monochrome licences in force.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the UK Youth Poll 2025.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

We are co-producing the National Youth Strategy in partnership with young people and cross-sector experts. As part of this, we have launched a national survey to ask young people about their needs and priorities. This will build on the findings from the UK Youth Poll 2025, providing further insights on young people's issues including democracy, financial security and employment.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of by-laws in the Royal Parks on the operations of policing services.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Royal Parks are Crown Land managed on behalf of the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport by The Royal Parks Charity (TRP). The current principal regulations relating to the parks are The Royal Parks and Other Open Spaces Regulations 1997. These help balance the needs of all park users and support the maintenance and conservation of the parks’ natural and built environments.

The operation of policing services in the Royal Parks and enforcement of by-laws and regulations, was undertaken by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), through a dedicated Parks Operational Command Unit (OCU). As part of wider changes to MPS operations, an option to close the OCU is being considered. TRP are working directly with the MPS to understand any implications arising from the potential closure of the OCU, on the enforcement of by-laws within the Royal Parks.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that more people from disadvantaged backgrounds take up journalism courses and training.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

It is key that the public feel represented and reflected by the media. Journalism plays an invaluable role in the fabric of our society and we are committed to supporting a free, sustainable and plural media landscape. Encouraging more people from disadvantaged backgrounds to enter the industry may have a positive impact on the sustainability of the industry where it helps news publishers improve their appeal to currently underserved and under-represented audiences. Government believes that we need routes into journalism that are open to everyone, wherever they grow up.

High-quality apprenticeships available to support employers and learners in the news sector, including the Level 5 Journalist apprenticeship standard, are a means to help enable this. DCMS is working closely with DfE on their work to reform the growth and skills levy. The new growth and skills offer, with apprenticeships at the heart, will deliver greater flexibility for learners and employers in England, and will be aligned with the Industrial Strategy to create routes into good skilled jobs.

This support complements the industry’s own efforts, and we welcome the National Council for the Training of Journalists’ (NCTJ) recent launch of the new phase of the Community News Project, a major initiative to strengthen local journalism and improve local newsroom diversity across the UK through apprenticeship placements. This project demonstrates the type of industry collaboration which can help secure the future of local journalism, which we want to further encourage through our Local Media Strategy.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will make an assessment of the sustainability of local news outlets in (a) Greater Manchester and (b) North West of England.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Sustainability of local journalism across the country is an area of particular concern for this Government, including in Greater Manchester and the North West of England. We are developing a Local Media Strategy, in recognition of the importance of this vital sector. Our vision is a thriving local media that can continue to play an invaluable role as a key channel of trustworthy information at local level, reporting on the issues that matter to communities, reflecting their contributions and perspectives, and helping to foster a self-confident nation in which everyone feels that their contribution is part of an inclusive national story.

We are working across Government and with other stakeholders as the Strategy develops, and we recently held a roundtable discussion with local news editors from across the country, including from Manchester Evening news, to discuss our planned approach and explore further collaboration on the Strategy. We will announce further details in due course.

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 Welsh Government on (a) the long-term sustainability of Welsh National Opera’s full-time orchestra and (b) ensuring the continuation of its touring programme across England and Wales.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

On behalf of the Secretary of State, last year I held a series of productive meetings with the Wales Office, Welsh Government, Arts Council England, and Welsh National Opera (WNO) to understand the issues in more detail and to see how, within the parameters of the arm’s length principle, DCMS can best help ensure a strong and secure future for the WNO.

Across all these meetings there was a recognition of the value of the WNO and its work - both for the people of Wales, and for people elsewhere in the UK. It was clear that all partners were keen to achieve a positive long-term future for the organisation.

Everyone wants to sustain the WNO, and so I was pleased to see additional funding of £755,000 allocated by the Arts Council of Wales to WNO last December. Funding decisions are of course for the Arts Council of Wales and Arts Council England, however, I welcome the tenure of the new joint CEOs and General Directors at WNO, and I am confident that they are now in a strong place to succeed.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support British musicians touring in the EU.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

We are working closely with the music industry to tackle the challenges facing UK musicians and their support staff when touring in the EU. We remain in open and constructive dialogue with the EU, with a view to improve arrangements across the European continent without seeing a return to free movement. Most recently, on 7 April, I attended the Informal Meeting for EU Culture Ministers in Warsaw as a guest of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. This is the first time a UK minister has been invited since Brexit. Our aim is to identify practical solutions to ensure that UK artists can continue to perform across Europe with minimal barriers while respecting the regulatory frameworks on both sides.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make it his policy to consult on any changes to (a) actors' and (b) performers' employment rights within the cultural sector.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

We are committed to giving British creators increased security at work, and providing the creative industries with a regulatory and fiscal environment where imagination and innovation can flourish. To support this aim, DCMS is working closely with the sector to understand the implications of the Government’s Plan to Make Work Pay on the Creative Industries.

The Plan to Make Work Pay will represent the biggest upgrade in employment rights in a generation, bringing the UK back into line internationally. It tackles poor working conditions and job security, and by making work more flexible and more family-friendly, will support our wider programme across employment, health and skills policy to get Britain working.

This includes a commitment to consult on a simpler, two-part framework for employment status. Some reforms in The Plan to Make Work Pay will take longer to undertake and implement, and we see this consultation as a longer-term goal.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department has taken to assess the impact of the proposed streamlining of workers definitions on the creative industries.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

We are committed to giving British creators increased security at work, and providing the creative industries with a regulatory and fiscal environment where imagination and innovation can flourish. To support this aim, DCMS is working closely with the sector to understand the implications of the Government’s Plan to Make Work Pay on the Creative Industries.

The Plan to Make Work Pay will represent the biggest upgrade in employment rights in a generation, bringing the UK back into line internationally. It tackles poor working conditions and job security, and by making work more flexible and more family-friendly, will support our wider programme across employment, health and skills policy to get Britain working.

This includes a commitment to consult on a simpler, two-part framework for employment status. Some reforms in The Plan to Make Work Pay will take longer to undertake and implement, and we see this consultation as a longer-term goal.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what advice her Department provides to creative industries considering the use of legal recourse when artificial intelligence has been used in breach of copyright.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

It would be inappropriate for the Government to provide direct legal advice to individual creators or organisations, but we fully recognise the serious and evolving challenges posed by the use of copyrighted material in AI development.

The current UK Copyright Framework enables creative rights holders to prevent the unauthorised use of protected works, but this can be very difficult to implement in the context of AI, especially for individual firms and creators. We encourage rights holders who believe their work has been used unlawfully to seek independent legal advice.

More broadly, the Government is working to ensure that copyright and intellectual property frameworks remain robust and fit for purpose in the age of AI. We have received over 11,500 responses to our consultation, principally from creators. It is only right that we take the time to read and understand those responses and use them to shape our approach. We have been clear that AI developers must be more transparent about the content they use to train their models and that rights holders should have effective control of their works.

Addressing this is an urgent priority for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, but no decisions will be taken until we are absolutely confident we have a practical plan that delivers for the creative industries.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will hold discussions with the BBC on ensuring that the programmes it commissions reflect the views of people from across the UK.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

As a public service broadcaster that matters hugely to public life, the BBC must be responsive to viewers and listeners and tell inclusive stories about the lives of all people, in all parts of the UK. Under the current Charter, the BBC has an obligation to ‘reflect, represent and serve the diverse communities of all of the United Kingdom’s nations and regions’. The BBC is operationally and editorially independent of the Government in determining how it meets that obligation, and it is for the independent regulator Ofcom to hold the BBC to account.

As part of the next Charter Review, the Government will engage with the BBC and others to consider how to ensure the BBC thrives well into the next decade and beyond. This will include discussions on a range of important issues and will start a national conversation to make sure the BBC truly represents and delivers for every person in this country

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to increase access to grassroots sports in local communities.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government recognises the vital role that grassroots sports provide for people across the UK, including the physical and mental health benefits of participating in sport and how grassroots clubs can foster a sense of community cohesion and pride in place.

The Home Nation’s sports councils are responsible for the majority of investment in grassroots sport across the UK. However, DCMS is committed to improving the provision of high-quality grassroots sports facilities across the whole of the UK to enable as many people as possible to get active.

On 21 March, we announced an additional £100 million to be invested through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme. £3 million of this additional funding is to be invested in Northern Ireland through the Irish Football Association. This funding is designed to benefit the areas most in need, with 50% of investment going to the 30% most deprived areas in the UK. There will also be a strong focus on increasing provision for under represented groups, such as women and girls, ethnic minorities groups and disabled players. At least 40% of funded projects will also have a multi-sport offer, ensuring more can participate and get active across a variety of sports.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to improve access to outdoor sports facilities during school holidays.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Everyone, including children and young people, should have the opportunity to play sport and do regular physical activity. The Government has committed to continued funding for grassroots facilities which will ensure that communities have access to high-quality, inclusive facilities, no matter where they live.

The Government recently announced £100 million additional funding for the UK-wide Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme which funds new and upgraded pitches, facilities, and equipment, so that sites can provide a more inclusive and sustainable offer throughout the year, including the school holidays.

More widely, the Government has confirmed more than £200 million of funding for the Holiday, Activities and Food (HAF) programme over the 2025/26 financial year. The HAF programme provides healthy meals, enriching activities and free childcare places to children from low-income families over the school holidays, benefiting their health, wellbeing and learning.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will help fund the (a) repair and (b) reopening of Deepings Leisure Centre in Deeping St James.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring public access to leisure facilities which are vital spaces for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy, and which play an important role within communities.

The ongoing responsibility of providing access to public leisure facilities lies at local authority level. We share your ambition to ensure that people in Deeping St James can benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities. The Government encourages local authorities to make investments which offer the right opportunities and facilities for the communities they serve, investing in sport and physical activity with a place-based approach, to meet the needs of individual communities.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage the video game industry to increase (1) diversity of characters shown in games, and (2) the diversity of main characters in games.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government has announced £5.5 million funding for the UK Games Fund (UKGF) for 2025/26, which will provide grants to early-stage studios across the UK to develop prototypes and new intellectual property, and run development programmes for new graduates. The Fund includes diversity criteria in its assessment process for grant funding and encourages applicants to consider the British Film Institute’s Diversity Standards

Video games companies can also benefit from the Video Games Expenditure Credit, and can access support from the Create Growth Programme and UK Global Screen Fund, all of which require applicants to consider diversity criteria.

In January, the British Business Bank also committed to increase its support for the UK’s Creative Industries, including video games, to help them realise their full growth potential.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve access to investment and funding for video game developers in the UK, particularly those from under-represented groups.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government has announced £5.5 million funding for the UK Games Fund (UKGF) for 2025/26, which will provide grants to early-stage studios across the UK to develop prototypes and new intellectual property, and run development programmes for new graduates. The Fund includes diversity criteria in its assessment process for grant funding and encourages applicants to consider the British Film Institute’s Diversity Standards

Video games companies can also benefit from the Video Games Expenditure Credit, and can access support from the Create Growth Programme and UK Global Screen Fund, all of which require applicants to consider diversity criteria.

In January, the British Business Bank also committed to increase its support for the UK’s Creative Industries, including video games, to help them realise their full growth potential.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to encourage young children to participate in sports, and (2) to emphasise the benefits of physical activity.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government puts children and young people at the heart of our priorities. This includes breaking down barriers to opportunity for every child to realise the benefits of and access high-quality sport and physical activity, especially those who are less likely to be active.

The independent, expert-led review of the school curriculum will ensure that all children can engage with a broad range of subjects, including PE and sport.

The Government recently announced £100 million additional funding for the UK-wide Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme which funds new and upgraded pitches, facilities, and equipment. Funding will ensure that sites can provide a more inclusive and sustainable offer throughout the year for local communities, including for children and young people.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Lambeth Council, Friends of the Wall, and other volunteer groups about the ongoing maintenance of the National Covid Memorial Wall, and what assessment they have made of ongoing maintenance costs.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government recognises the significance of the National Covid Memorial Wall in London and its special role in supporting bereaved families to remember their loved ones. Its preservation was specifically recommended by the UK Commission on Covid Commemoration.

The Government is working closely with local partners including the Friends of the Wall and Lambeth Council, and other key partners to consider options, including the likely costs, for the longer term preservation of the Wall. We will respond to the report by the UK Commission in due course.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to designate the National Covid Memorial Wall as a national monument to commemorate those who died during the pandemic.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government recognises the significance of the National Covid Memorial Wall in London and its special role in supporting bereaved families to remember their loved ones. Its preservation was specifically recommended by the UK Commission on Covid Commemoration.

The Government is working closely with local partners including the Friends of the Wall and Lambeth Council, and other key partners to consider options, including the likely costs, for the longer term preservation of the Wall. We will respond to the report by the UK Commission in due course.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will hold discussions with Ofcom on encouraging competition in broadcast news media.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Department regularly engages with Ofcom on a range of issues including the importance of a competitive and diverse broadcasting sector.

Ofcom has a statutory duty under the Communication Act 2003 to secure and maintain a sufficient plurality of providers of different TV and radio services. Ofcom also has a duty to review the operation of media ownership rules across TV, radio and press every three years. Ofcom published their latest review on 15 November 2024.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what elite-level training facilities are used by British Cycling to support mountain bike (a) cross-country and (b) downhill.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

British Cycling has a dedicated elite training facility at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester.

Whilst not all disciplines use centralised facilities, all riders on the Olympic and Paralympic world class programme are supported by world-class coaching and support staff according to their specific needs.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what elite-level training facilities are used by British Cycling to support BMX (a) freestyle and (b) racing.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

British Cycling has a dedicated elite training facility at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester.

Whilst not all disciplines use centralised facilities, all riders on the Olympic and Paralympic world class programme are supported by world-class coaching and support staff according to their specific needs.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what elite-level training facilities are used by British Cycling to support (a) road cycling and (b) cyclocross.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

British Cycling has a dedicated elite training facility at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester.

Whilst not all disciplines use centralised facilities, all riders on the Olympic and Paralympic world class programme are supported by world-class coaching and support staff according to their specific needs.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will hold discussions with media production companies on producing more content to promote positive male role models.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government recognises the important positive contribution made by our creative industries, including our public service broadcasters, in informing, educating, and entertaining audiences. However, editorial decisions are ultimately a matter for individual production companies.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, for what reason the Imperial War Museum has decided to close the exhibition of VC and GC medals in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery; and whether Ministers were consulted.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Victoria and George Crosses tell stories of bravery and courage which form an important part of our national history. The Lord Ashcroft Gallery, which houses Lord Ashcroft’s personal collection of these medals along with others belonging to the Imperial War Museum and other private owners, has been well-loved since its creation in 2010.

I was informed of the decision to close the Gallery shortly before it was made public. Ministers were not consulted on the decision as national museums are operationally and curatorially independent from the Government. Since that announcement, I have spoken with both the Museum’s leadership and with Lord Ashcroft himself. I continue to support Lord Ashcroft to try and find a new permanent home for his remarkable collection.

The Museum has made the decision to use the space for a new gallery focusing on conflict since the Second World War. It is common practice for museums to update their galleries and displays periodically in order to make the most of the wide range of collection items they hold, and to explore new ways of communicating vital histories to the public.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when Ministers were informed by the Imperial War Museum of the closure of the Lord Ashcroft Gallery.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Victoria and George Crosses tell stories of bravery and courage which form an important part of our national history. The Lord Ashcroft Gallery, which houses Lord Ashcroft’s personal collection of these medals along with others belonging to the Imperial War Museum and other private owners, has been well-loved since its creation in 2010.

I was informed of the decision to close the Gallery shortly before it was made public. Ministers were not consulted on the decision as national museums are operationally and curatorially independent from the Government. Since that announcement, I have spoken with both the Museum’s leadership and with Lord Ashcroft himself. I continue to support Lord Ashcroft to try and find a new permanent home for his remarkable collection.

The Museum has made the decision to use the space for a new gallery focusing on conflict since the Second World War. It is common practice for museums to update their galleries and displays periodically in order to make the most of the wide range of collection items they hold, and to explore new ways of communicating vital histories to the public.

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 Imperial War Museum on its decision to close the Lord Ashcroft Gallery.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Victoria and George Crosses tell stories of bravery and courage which form an important part of our national history. The Lord Ashcroft Gallery, which houses Lord Ashcroft’s personal collection of these medals along with others belonging to the Imperial War Museum and other private owners, has been well-loved since its creation in 2010.

I was informed of the decision to close the Gallery shortly before it was made public. Ministers were not consulted on the decision as national museums are operationally and curatorially independent from the Government. Since that announcement, I have spoken with both the Museum’s leadership and with Lord Ashcroft himself. I continue to support Lord Ashcroft to try and find a new permanent home for his remarkable collection.

The Museum has made the decision to use the space for a new gallery focusing on conflict since the Second World War. It is common practice for museums to update their galleries and displays periodically in order to make the most of the wide range of collection items they hold, and to explore new ways of communicating vital histories to the public.

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 (a) Chancellor of the Exchequer on Government funding and (b) Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on planning requirements for the England and Wales Cricket Board's proposed indoor test cricket venue.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport regularly engages with the Chancellor and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on a range of issues.

The responsibility for planning requirements and permission lies with local planning authorities (LPA) through the local authority.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help (a) preserve and (b) promote traditional boat building as a heritage craft.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

We recognise how important our craft industry is and we are committed to supporting future growth in the sector. The creative industries have been identified as one of the governments eight growth-driving sectors, with the craft industry a contributor.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports traditional craft skills and training in a variety of ways, including funding projects that train people in traditional crafts and skills. It also runs a Heritage Crafts programme which offers bursaries to help people train in heritage crafts or develop their skills.

The importance of the crafts sector was a key driver for the Government in ratifying the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Heritage last year. Our first step in implementing the Convention is to create inventories of living heritage in the UK which will help promote items that could include traditional boat building. We will open the public call for submissions to the inventories later this year.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Spring Statement of 26 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to her Department's planned budget for the 2025-26 financial year on support for the creative industries.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

DCMS’ budget for the 2025-26 financial year was confirmed by HM Treasury at Autumn Budget 2024, not at the Spring Statement.

The creative industries are one of the government’s eight priority Industrial Strategy sectors. At the Creative Industries Growth Summit in January, we announced a £60 million package of support for the sector, providing a major boost to the wider economy. We also set out new commitments from the British Business Bank, the UK’s economic development bank, and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) in January to strengthen their support for the creative industries, in addition to making shorter apprenticeships available from August 2025, building towards a more flexible growth and skills levy. These first steps in delivering on our ambitions for the creative industries will be expanded upon with the publication of the Sector Plan.

The government recognises the importance of cinemas as part of the UK’s film industry and as community assets. The Government’s tax incentives, including the new Independent Film Tax Credit, are bolstering the slate of films available to be shown in British cinemas. The BFI’s Film Audience Network (BFI FAN) is a collaboration of 8 film hubs, managed by leading film organisations and venues around the UK which provides support to cinemas on a local level.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Spring Statement of 26 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to her Department's planned budget for the 2025-26 financial year on support for independent cinemas.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

DCMS’ budget for the 2025-26 financial year was confirmed by HM Treasury at Autumn Budget 2024, not at the Spring Statement.

The creative industries are one of the government’s eight priority Industrial Strategy sectors. At the Creative Industries Growth Summit in January, we announced a £60 million package of support for the sector, providing a major boost to the wider economy. We also set out new commitments from the British Business Bank, the UK’s economic development bank, and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) in January to strengthen their support for the creative industries, in addition to making shorter apprenticeships available from August 2025, building towards a more flexible growth and skills levy. These first steps in delivering on our ambitions for the creative industries will be expanded upon with the publication of the Sector Plan.

The government recognises the importance of cinemas as part of the UK’s film industry and as community assets. The Government’s tax incentives, including the new Independent Film Tax Credit, are bolstering the slate of films available to be shown in British cinemas. The BFI’s Film Audience Network (BFI FAN) is a collaboration of 8 film hubs, managed by leading film organisations and venues around the UK which provides support to cinemas on a local level.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the increase in employer National Insurance contributions on charitable organisations; and what steps she plans to take to fiscally support those organisations.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

DCMS Ministers have met with representatives from the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector and are aware of their concerns about the National Insurance contributions (NICs) changes. We recognise the need to protect the smallest businesses and charities, which is why we have more than doubled the Employment Allowance to £10,500, meaning that more than half of businesses (including charities) with NICs liabilities will either gain or see no change next year.

We are expanding eligibility of the Employment Allowance by removing the £100,000 eligibility threshold, to simplify and reform employer NICs so that all eligible employers now benefit. Employers will also continue to benefit from employer NICs reliefs including for hiring those under 21 and apprentices under 25, where eligible.

The government has taken a number of difficult decisions on tax, welfare, and spending to fix the public finances, fund public services, and restore economic stability. The need to raise income required the government to make this tough financial choice; the Chancellor was clear in her open letter to the voluntary sector that raising the rate of employer NICs was one of the most difficult decisions in the budget.

Within the tax system, we provide support to charities through a range of reliefs and exemptions, including reliefs for charitable giving. The tax reliefs available to charities are a vital element in supporting charitable causes across the UK, with more than £6 billion in charitable reliefs provided to charities and their donors. The biggest individual reliefs provided are Gift Aid at £1.6 billion and business rates relief at nearly £2.4 billion.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Spring Statement of 26 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to her Department's planned budget for the 2025-26 financial year on listed places of worship.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

There have been no changes to the budget for this Scheme for financial year 2025-26 as a result of the Spring Statement. As announced in January, the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme has been extended for one year with an overall budget of £23 million, until 31 March 2026.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, for what reason it is her policy to place a mandatory gambling levy on society lotteries while not requiring the National Lottery to make a mandatory problem gambling contribution.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Under the terms of the fourth licence, the National Lottery operator, Allwyn, is required to make a £1.6million annual contribution to socially responsible purposes such as research and treatment.

Society lotteries will be charged the levy at the lowest rate of 0.1%, in recognition of the comparatively low rates of harm associated with participation in society lotteries and the important benefits they bring to good cause fundraising.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the economic contribution of (a) zoos and (b) aquariums to the tourism sector.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The government acknowledges the significant impact that zoos and aquariums have on the Visitor Economy. Iconic and cultural attractions like Chester zoo, which was the third most visited paid attraction in England in 2023, draw in visitors from across the country and beyond, play a significant role in attracting families, supporting local tourism, and contributing to conservation efforts.

While policy responsibility for the welfare and management of animals kept by zoos and aquariums, as well as the conservation work zoos and aquariums are required to undertake, sits with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), we remain engaged on cross-cutting matters where relevant to the UK’s visitor economy. Rather than moving things between departments, we believe it is better to get departments to work together.

This includes ensuring the UK’s diverse visitor offer is promoted effectively through national tourism bodies, including VisitEngland and VisitBritain.

Similarly, aquariums such as the 14 Sea Life Centres across the UK, including prominent sites in Blackpool and Scarborough, attract thousands of visitors to rural and coastal areas each year. The Sea Life Center London alone welcomes around 1 million visitors annually and serves as a key attraction for visitors.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what (a) financial and (b) other support her Department provides to (i) zoos and (ii) aquariums.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The government acknowledges the significant impact that zoos and aquariums have on the Visitor Economy. Iconic and cultural attractions like Chester zoo, which was the third most visited paid attraction in England in 2023, draw in visitors from across the country and beyond, play a significant role in attracting families, supporting local tourism, and contributing to conservation efforts.

While policy responsibility for the welfare and management of animals kept by zoos and aquariums, as well as the conservation work zoos and aquariums are required to undertake, sits with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), we remain engaged on cross-cutting matters where relevant to the UK’s visitor economy. Rather than moving things between departments, we believe it is better to get departments to work together.

This includes ensuring the UK’s diverse visitor offer is promoted effectively through national tourism bodies, including VisitEngland and VisitBritain.

Similarly, aquariums such as the 14 Sea Life Centres across the UK, including prominent sites in Blackpool and Scarborough, attract thousands of visitors to rural and coastal areas each year. The Sea Life Center London alone welcomes around 1 million visitors annually and serves as a key attraction for visitors.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of her Department taking responsibility for (a) zoos and (b) aquariums.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The government acknowledges the significant impact that zoos and aquariums have on the Visitor Economy. Iconic and cultural attractions like Chester zoo, which was the third most visited paid attraction in England in 2023, draw in visitors from across the country and beyond, play a significant role in attracting families, supporting local tourism, and contributing to conservation efforts.

While policy responsibility for the welfare and management of animals kept by zoos and aquariums, as well as the conservation work zoos and aquariums are required to undertake, sits with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), we remain engaged on cross-cutting matters where relevant to the UK’s visitor economy. Rather than moving things between departments, we believe it is better to get departments to work together.

This includes ensuring the UK’s diverse visitor offer is promoted effectively through national tourism bodies, including VisitEngland and VisitBritain.

Similarly, aquariums such as the 14 Sea Life Centres across the UK, including prominent sites in Blackpool and Scarborough, attract thousands of visitors to rural and coastal areas each year. The Sea Life Center London alone welcomes around 1 million visitors annually and serves as a key attraction for visitors.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2025 to Question 34451 on Center for Countering Digital Hate, whether (a) her Department and (b) the National Lottery has previously funded the Center for Countering Digital Hate.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not provided funding to the Center for Countering Digital Hate, either directly or through National Lottery funding.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of press regulation.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

In the UK, there exists an independent, self-regulatory system for the press and the Government therefore does not intervene in or oversee the work of press regulators. We are also clear, however, that with this freedom comes responsibility, and newspapers must operate within the bounds of the law. This includes ensuring access to clear, timely and effective routes to redress.

Having a press that is completely separate from the Government is important for press freedom and to ensure the public have access to accurate and trustworthy information from a range of different sources. An independent self-regulatory regime is important to ensure the press adheres to clear and high standards and the Government currently has no plans to change the present system of press regulation.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to enhance press regulation.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

In the UK, there exists an independent, self-regulatory system for the press and the Government therefore does not intervene in or oversee the work of press regulators. We are also clear, however, that with this freedom comes responsibility, and newspapers must operate within the bounds of the law. This includes ensuring access to clear, timely and effective routes to redress.

Having a press that is completely separate from the Government is important for press freedom and to ensure the public have access to accurate and trustworthy information from a range of different sources. An independent self-regulatory regime is important to ensure the press adheres to clear and high standards and the Government currently has no plans to change the present system of press regulation.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the enforcement by the Gambling Commission of legislation on preventing unlicensed online gambling operators from being advertised by Premier League football clubs.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Gambling Commission has been clear that sports organisations must diligently and continuously ensure that they are not advertising illegal gambling. Under current rules, sports organisations who engage in sponsoring and advertising arrangements with unlicensed gambling operators are at serious risk of committing the offence of advertising unlawful gambling under Section 330 of the Gambling Act 2005. The Commission has warned relevant club officials that they may be liable to prosecution and, if convicted, face a fine, imprisonment or both if they promote unlicensed gambling businesses that transact with consumers in Great Britain. Sports organisations engaging in such arrangements with an unlicensed brand must ensure that online gambling activity for that unlicensed brand is blocked and inaccessible to consumers in Great Britain.

In such instances, the Commission will seek assurance from clubs that they have carried out due diligence on their gambling partners and that consumers in Great Britain cannot transact with the unlicensed websites. The Commission will also take steps to independently verify effective blocking measures are in place.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she has taken to improve funding available for youth sports competitions.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

This Government puts children and young people at the heart of our priorities. This includes breaking down barriers to opportunity for every child to access high-quality sport and physical activity, especially those who are less likely to be active. We are committed to protecting time for physical education in school and supporting the role grassroots clubs play in expanding access to sport.

The School Games Organisers are essential in ensuring that all children have the opportunity to take part in local and accessible sport and physical activity competitions. In the 2023/24 academic year, the country-wide network of 450 SGOs provided 2.3 million opportunities for school children to engage in local and inclusive sporting competitions across 40 different sports and activities. The Government has confirmed funding for the School Games Organisers until the end of the 25/26 Financial Year.

We provide the majority of our funding for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England - which invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding each year and funds National Governing Bodies and sport organisations to deliver a range of local, accessible sport for young people, including competitions.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Spring Statement of 26 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to her Department's planned budget for the 2025-26 financial year on the National Youth Strategy.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

This Government fully recognises the importance of youth services to help young people live safe and healthy lives, and we remain committed to giving all young people the chance to reach their full potential. That is why we are developing a National Youth Strategy to set out a new vision for young people and an action plan for delivering this.

In 2025/26, has committed to funding over £85 million of capital funding to create fit-for-purpose spaces in places where it is most needed, which includes £26 million for youth clubs to buy new equipment and do renovations under the Better Youth Spaces Fund. We will be launching the Local Youth Transformation pilot this year, which will support local authorities to build back capability to improve local youth offers. Further funding allocations for specific youth programmes will be set out in due course.

We will publish the Strategy this summer, following the Spending Review.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Spring Statement of 26 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to her Department's planned budget for the 2025-26 financial year on access to sport for young people.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Access to sport and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health and this Government is committed to ensuring everyone, no matter their age, background or ability, should be able to play sport and be active. The majority of grassroots sport funding is provided by our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, that will invest in excess of £250 million of exchequer and lottery funding through 2025/26.

We are also supporting more people in getting active wherever they live through continuation of the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme. On 21 March the Government announced £100 million funding to be delivered through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme during 2025/26, supporting high-quality, inclusive facilities across the UK.

The Government puts children and young people at the heart of our priorities. This includes breaking down barriers to opportunity for every child to access high-quality sport and physical activity, especially those who are less likely to be active. We have committed to protecting time for physical education and supporting the role grassroots clubs play in expanding access to sport. The expert-led review of the school curriculum will ensure that all children can engage with a broad range of subjects, including PE and sport.

Sport England is also committed to increasing participation in sport and physical activity for disabled people and improving their access to sport facilities. Sport England runs specific initiatives like the 'We are Undefeatable' campaign, impacting directly on disabled people, and those with a long-term health condition. Sport England also has partnerships with organisations such as Disability Rights UK, Activity Alliance, Aspire, and Sense, to help more disabled people get active.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Spring Statement of 26 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to her Department's planned budget for the 2025-26 financial year on access to sport for disabled people.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Access to sport and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health and this Government is committed to ensuring everyone, no matter their age, background or ability, should be able to play sport and be active. The majority of grassroots sport funding is provided by our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, that will invest in excess of £250 million of exchequer and lottery funding through 2025/26.

We are also supporting more people in getting active wherever they live through continuation of the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme. On 21 March the Government announced £100 million funding to be delivered through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme during 2025/26, supporting high-quality, inclusive facilities across the UK.

The Government puts children and young people at the heart of our priorities. This includes breaking down barriers to opportunity for every child to access high-quality sport and physical activity, especially those who are less likely to be active. We have committed to protecting time for physical education and supporting the role grassroots clubs play in expanding access to sport. The expert-led review of the school curriculum will ensure that all children can engage with a broad range of subjects, including PE and sport.

Sport England is also committed to increasing participation in sport and physical activity for disabled people and improving their access to sport facilities. Sport England runs specific initiatives like the 'We are Undefeatable' campaign, impacting directly on disabled people, and those with a long-term health condition. Sport England also has partnerships with organisations such as Disability Rights UK, Activity Alliance, Aspire, and Sense, to help more disabled people get active.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of establishing mandatory independent press regulation.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government currently has no plans to establish mandatory press regulation.

This Government is committed to an independent and free media. Having a press that is completely separate from the Government is important to ensure the public have access to accurate and trustworthy information from a range of different sources. An independent self-regulatory regime is important to ensure the press adheres to clear and high standards. We are also clear, however, that with this freedom comes responsibility, and newspapers must operate within the bounds of the law. This includes ensuring access to clear, timely and effective routes to redress.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Spring Statement of 26 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to her Department's planned budget for the 2025-26 financial year on access to sport.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Access to sport and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health and this Government is committed to ensuring everyone, no matter their age, background or ability, should be able to play sport and be active. The majority of grassroots sport funding is provided by our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, that will invest in excess of £250 million of exchequer and lottery funding through 2025/26.

We are also supporting more people in getting active wherever they live through continuation of the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme. On 21 March the Government announced £100 million funding to be delivered through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme during 2025/26, supporting high-quality, inclusive facilities across the UK.

The Government puts children and young people at the heart of our priorities. This includes breaking down barriers to opportunity for every child to access high-quality sport and physical activity, especially those who are less likely to be active. We have committed to protecting time for physical education and supporting the role grassroots clubs play in expanding access to sport. The expert-led review of the school curriculum will ensure that all children can engage with a broad range of subjects, including PE and sport.

Sport England is also committed to increasing participation in sport and physical activity for disabled people and improving their access to sport facilities. Sport England runs specific initiatives like the 'We are Undefeatable' campaign, impacting directly on disabled people, and those with a long-term health condition. Sport England also has partnerships with organisations such as Disability Rights UK, Activity Alliance, Aspire, and Sense, to help more disabled people get active.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many days each Minister has spent in her Department's Manchester office since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Ministers visit the DCMS office in Manchester as their diaries permit. Most recently, all four DCMS Ministers visited the Manchester office on 10 April.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of including the Six Nations as part of the listed events regime.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring access to sporting events, including the Six Nations, so that they can be enjoyed by a wide audience. However, this must also be balanced with the ability of sports national governing bodies to generate essential broadcast revenue to invest in their sports at all levels.

The Six Nations is listed under the Broadcasting Act 1996 Act as a “Group B” protected event, meaning secondary coverage must be offered to free-to-air broadcasters.

The Government believes that the current list of events works well and that it strikes an appropriate balance between access to sporting events and allowing sports to maximise broadcasting revenue.

I am pleased that Six Nations Rugby have recently agreed a deal to broadcast the Six Nations on free-to-air broadcasters until 2029.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to provide support to theatres in Gloucester.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The government primarily supports theatres predominantly through Arts Council England (ACE). Through their main funding programme, the 2023-2027 National Portfolio Investment Programme, ACE is providing over £100 million in grants per year to around 195 theatres across the country. Across all their funding programmes, including lottery schemes, for the financial year 2024-25, ACE awarded around £300 million to theatres/theatre based organisations.

From 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2025, ACE will have invested a combined total of £455,613 across two 'Theatre' awards in the constituency of Gloucester - to Complicite, an internationally renowned touring theatre company who have recently relocated to Gloucester, and Strike a Light, a theatre organisation homegrown in Gloucester.

Theatres also benefit from the support that the government provides the sector through Theatre Tax Relief, and has also recently announced over £270 million investment for our arts venues, museums, libraries and our heritage sector.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of generative artificial intelligence on employment in the creative industries.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

AI is increasingly being used as a tool in the creative process, from music and film production to publishing, architecture and design. As of September 2024 more than 38% of Creative Industries businesses said they have used AI technologies, with nearly 50% using AI to improve business operations.

It may foster innovation and efficiency but may also disrupt the sector.We are working with the creative sector and committed to ensuring our brilliant artists benefit in working with the AI sector to harness the opportunities this technology provides.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2025 to Question 40119 on Members: Correspondence, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of a reduction in access to UK’s National Trails on the work of (a) VisitBritain and (b) VisitEngland.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

DCMS has not specifically undertaken a formal assessment of the impact of any potential reduction in access to the UK’s National Trails on the work of VisitBritain or VisitEngland.

However, we recognise that access to National Trails plays a role in supporting rural tourism and promoting the natural and cultural assets of England, which are central to the work of VisitEngland. VisitBritain also promotes outdoor and nature-based tourism as part of its international marketing activity to showcase the UK’s diverse visitor offer.

While responsibility for public access and National Trails policy rests with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), DCMS continues to work closely with Local Visitor Economy Partnerships, including Experience Oxfordshire, to ensure England’s natural landscapes can support the growth of a sustainable and resilient visitor economy.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps she has taken to help increase the number of tourists from Canada.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The UK Government is committed to strengthening tourism ties with Canada, recognising its importance as a key inbound market. Travellers from Canada made 37.2 million outbound visits in 2023, with a total international tourism expenditure of US$38.3 billion. In 2023, the UK welcomed a record 1.0 million visits from Canada. During the travellers’ visits, their total expenditure was a record £969.6 million, with an average spend of £966 per visit.

DCMS works closely with VisitBritain, the national tourism agency, to promote the UK as a top destination for Canadian visitors. For example, VisitBritain has launched a new international marketing campaign this year - Starring Great Britain - to ensure that tourism remains a key driver of economic growth across the country.

Additionally, the UK’s expansion of the Youth Mobility Scheme with Canada from 2024 allows more young Canadians to live and work in the UK, generating deeper cultural connections and encouraging repeat visits.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department plans to take to help promote maritime tourism for both (a) ferry and (b) cruise markets.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The UK is a leading hub for the global cruise industry, with ports such as Southampton, Dover, Greenock and Liverpool welcoming more than 3 million passengers annually.

The Department regularly engages with a range of stakeholders across the tourism sector, including the cruise industry, to understand their perspectives and challenges. As an example, the Cruise Lines International Association is a member of the Government’s Visitor Economy Advisory Council to ensure that we maximise the potential of maritime tourism to deliver growth. DCMS remains committed to maximising the benefits of cruise and ferry tourism for the UK, noting the sector’s significant contribution to the UK economy.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the recovery of the film and TV industry since the strikes in 2023.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The current market is very challenging for the film and TV sector, including broadcasters and independent producers, but we have high ambitions for the industry and are already taking steps to incentivise production activity.

We have brought in a 5% tax relief uplift for UK visual effects costs in film and high-end TV, confirmed the 40% business rates relief for film studios until 2034, and brought in the 53% independent film tax relief to support British filmmakers. This is in addition to our existing audio-visual tax reliefs; our investment in infrastructure; and investing £7 million to continue the UK Global Screen Fund for 2025/26.

Film and High End TV production spend in the UK reached £5.6 billion in 2024. Whilst this was down on the peak of £6.3bn in 2022 when post-Covid demand was surging, it shows a promising level of recovery following the US Guild strikes of 2023 when spend dipped to £4.3bn. https://www.bfi.org.uk/news/official-bfi-statistics-2024

As part of the government’s Industrial Strategy, eight ‘growth-driving’ sectors have been identified, including the Creative Industries. DCMS will produce a Creative Industries Sector Plan, which will be published in late spring alongside the Industrial Strategy and aligned to the Spending Review. Film and TV are sub-sectors of the Creative Industries with strong growth potential and therefore will be a focus in the forthcoming Sector Plan which will inform next steps for the sector and its sustainability for the coming years.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had on a (1) bilateral basis, or (2) EU-wide basis, about cabotage for UK musicians who are touring in the EU.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

We are working closely with the music industry, and engaging with the EU and EU Member States to tackle the challenges facing UK musicians and their support staff, including reduced access due to restrictions on the number and type of permitted transport movements when touring in the EU. Our aim is to identify practical solutions to ensure that UK artists can continue to perform across Europe with minimal barriers while respecting the regulatory frameworks on both sides.

On 7 April, Sir Chris Bryant attended the Informal Meeting for EU Culture Ministers in Warsaw as a guest of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. This is the first time a UK minister has been invited to such a meeting since the UK’s exit from the EU. The Minister used the opportunity to forge closer, more cooperative ties with his EU counterparts, including on matters related to touring. The Minister and senior DCMS officials have previously engaged the EU on this matter bilaterally, including during an introductory call with EU Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Culture, Youth and Sport Glenn Micallef and in recent engagements with Polish, French, German, Italian, Danish and Swedish counterparts.

The UK Government remains in constructive dialogue with the EU on this and other EU reset priorities. Cabinet Office Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds and Maroš Šefčovič have been tasked with moving discussions forward and leaders will take stock at the UK-EU Summit in May.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2025 to Question 35700 on Tower of London, whether the Government has had discussions with UNESCO on the potential impact of the planning application for a new Chinese Embassy at the Royal Mint on the Tower of London World Heritage site.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

On 28 February 2025, DCMS submitted a ‘paragraph 172 notification’ letter to the World Heritage Centre that included updated information on a range of developments relating to the Tower of London World Heritage Site.

The letter included an update on the planning process for the redevelopment of the Royal Mint Court, noting that Historic England does not disagree with the conclusions of the Heritage Impact Assessment that any impacts on the Tower of London World Heritage Site from the proposed development would be minimal.

As the Heritage Impact Assessment has been submitted to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and since the Public Inquiry has closed, DCMS as State Party has not requested further specific advice from ICOMOS (the advisors to UNESCO).

Found: Interests • Creative culture: cofounded Land of Hope and Story movement, 2024 • New media: Expert for DCMS

Found: statistics/economic-estimates-earnings-2023-and-employment-october-2022-to-september- 2023-for-the-dcms-sectors-and-digital-sector

Found: I also talk to DCMS and they would say that there are 70 creative clusters; I do not think there are

Found: example, the team working on creative industries—is working hand in glove at working levels with DCMS

Found: example, the team working on creative industries—is working hand in glove at working levels with DCMS

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2025 to Question 31685 on Public Consultation: Young People, what his planned timetable is for the publication of the long term strategy for communities; and what policy areas it will cover.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Young people were invited to participate via DCMS-funded youth programmes. Participants represented a range of age groups and communities from across the country.

The government continues its work to deliver for communities and is currently developing its longer-term strategy. We will set out next steps in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2025 to Question 31685 on Public Consultation: Young People, how the young people for the two round tables on the long term strategy for communities were selected.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Young people were invited to participate via DCMS-funded youth programmes. Participants represented a range of age groups and communities from across the country.

The government continues its work to deliver for communities and is currently developing its longer-term strategy. We will set out next steps in due course.

Found: number of Select committees including Welsh Affairs, EFRA, Political & Constitutional Reform and DCMS

Found: Sport 1st Floor 100 Parliament Street London SW1A 2BQ E: enquiries@dcms.gov.uk www.gov.uk/dcms