Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport will focus on supporting culture, arts, media, sport, tourism and civil society across every part of England — recognising the UK’s world-leading position in these areas and the importance of these sectors in contributing so much to our economy, way of life and our reputation around the world.



Secretary of State

 Portrait

Lucy Frazer
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

Shadow Ministers / Spokeperson
Democratic Unionist Party
Ian Paisley (DUP - North Antrim)
Shadow DUP Spokesperson (Culture, Media and Sport)

Scottish National Party
John Nicolson (SNP - Ochil and South Perthshire)
Shadow SNP Spokesperson (Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

Liberal Democrat
Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury (LD - Life peer)
Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Culture, Media and Sport)
Jamie Stone (LD - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

Labour
Lord Bassam of Brighton (Lab - Life peer)
Shadow Spokesperson (Culture, Media and Sport)
Thangam Debbonaire (Lab - Bristol West)
Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Baroness Thornton (Lab - Life peer)
Shadow Spokesperson (Culture, Media and Sport)
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Labour
Stephanie Peacock (Lab - Barnsley East)
Shadow Minister (Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
Barbara Keeley (Lab - Worsley and Eccles South)
Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
Lilian Greenwood (Lab - Nottingham South)
Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
Ministers of State
Julia Lopez (Con - Hornchurch and Upminster)
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State
Stuart Andrew (Con - Pudsey)
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Con - Life peer)
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Scheduled Event
Tuesday 26th March 2024
09:30
Culture, Media and Sport Committee - Oral evidence - Select & Joint Committees
26 Mar 2024, 9:30 a.m.
Grassroots music venues
View calendar
Scheduled Event
Thursday 18th April 2024
09:30
Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
Oral questions - Main Chamber
18 Apr 2024, 9:30 a.m.
Culture, Media and Sport (including Topical Questions)
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Debates
Friday 15th March 2024
Select Committee Inquiry
Monday 5th February 2024
Grassroots music venues

Last year, the UK experienced a net loss of 125 grassroots music venues (GMVs) across the UK, equivalent to over …

Written Answers
Monday 18th March 2024
Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage: Ulster Scots Language
To ask His Majesty's Government, following their announcement of the proposed ratification of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding …
Secondary Legislation
Monday 16th January 2023
Public Lending Right Scheme 1982 (Commencement of Variation) Order 2023
This Order brings into force on 13th February 2023 a variation of the Public Lending Right Scheme 1982 (“the Scheme”) …
Bills
Monday 18th July 2022
Data Protection and Digital Information Bill 2022-23
A Bill to make provision for the regulation of the processing of information relating to identified or identifiable living individuals; …
Dept. Publications
Monday 18th March 2024
16:35

Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Commons Appearances

Oral Answers to Questions is a regularly scheduled appearance where the Secretary of State and junior minister will answer at the Dispatch Box questions from backbench MPs

Other Commons Chamber appearances can be:
  • Urgent Questions where the Speaker has selected a question to which a Minister must reply that day
  • Adjornment Debates a 30 minute debate attended by a Minister that concludes the day in Parliament.
  • Oral Statements informing the Commons of a significant development, where backbench MP's can then question the Minister making the statement.

Westminster Hall debates are performed in response to backbench MPs or e-petitions asking for a Minister to address a detailed issue

Written Statements are made when a current event is not sufficiently significant to require an Oral Statement, but the House is required to be informed.

Most Recent Commons Appearances by Category
Feb. 22
Oral Questions
Mar. 15
Written Statements
Mar. 13
Westminster Hall
Nov. 08
Adjournment Debate
View All Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Commons Contibutions

Bills currently before Parliament

Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport does not have Bills currently before Parliament


Acts of Parliament created in the 2019 Parliament


A Bill to make provision for and in connection with the regulation by OFCOM of certain internet services; for and in connection with communications offences; and for connected purposes

This Bill received Royal Assent on 26th October 2023 and was enacted into law.


A Bill to make provision about the security of internet-connectable products and products capable of connecting to such products; to make provision about electronic communications infrastructure; and for connected purposes.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 6th December 2022 and was enacted into law.


A Bill to amend the Charities Act 2011 and the Universities and College Estates Act 1925; and for connected purposes

This Bill received Royal Assent on 24th February 2022 and was enacted into law.


A Bill to make provision for and in connection with an expanded dormant assets scheme; to confer power to further expand the scope of that scheme; to amend the Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Act 2008; to enable an authorised reclaim fund to accept transfers of certain unwanted assets; and for connected purposes

This Bill received Royal Assent on 24th February 2022 and was enacted into law.


A Bill to make provision about the security of public electronic communications networks and public electronic communications services.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 17th November 2021 and was enacted into law.


A Bill to amend the electronic communications code set out in Schedule 3A to the Communications Act 2003; and for connected purposes.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 15th March 2021 and was enacted into law.


A bill to make provision about the Commonwealth Games that are to be held principally in Birmingham in 2022; and for connected purposes

This Bill received Royal Assent on 25th June 2020 and was enacted into law.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport - Secondary Legislation

This Order brings into force on 13th February 2023 a variation of the Public Lending Right Scheme 1982 (“the Scheme”) made by the Secretary of State.
These Regulations limit the wholesale roaming rates chargeable to mobile phone service providers in certain countries or territories with which the United Kingdom has an international agreement.
View All Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Secondary Legislation

Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Trending Petitions
Petitions with most signatures
Petition Debates Contributed

Make it a legal requirement when opening a new social media account, to provide a verified form of ID. Where the account belongs to a person under the age of 18 verify the account with the ID of a parent/guardian, to prevent anonymised harmful activity, providing traceability if an offence occurs.

In the event of a spike we would like you not to close gyms as a measure to stop any spread of Covid. Also for gyms to not be put in the same group as pubs in terms of risk or importance. Gyms are following strict guidelines and most members are following rules in a sober manner.

We want the government to recognise the importance of gyms, health clubs, leisure centres and swimming pools in empowering people to look after their health and stay fit and for them to open first as we come out of lockdown.

We're also calling for government to fund a Work Out to Help Out scheme.

View All Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Petitions

Departmental Select Committee

Culture, Media and Sport Committee

Commons Select Committees are a formally established cross-party group of backbench MPs tasked with holding a Government department to account.

At any time there will be number of ongoing investigations into the work of the Department, or issues which fall within the oversight of the Department. Witnesses can be summoned from within the Government and outside to assist in these inquiries.

Select Committee findings are reported to the Commons, printed, and published on the Parliament website. The government then usually has 60 days to reply to the committee's recommendations.


12 Members of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee
Giles Watling Portrait
Giles Watling (Conservative - Clacton)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 2nd March 2020
John Nicolson Portrait
John Nicolson (Scottish National Party - Ochil and South Perthshire)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 2nd March 2020
Damian Green Portrait
Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 2nd March 2020
Julie Elliott Portrait
Julie Elliott (Labour - Sunderland Central)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 2nd March 2020
Clive Efford Portrait
Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 2nd March 2020
Steve Brine Portrait
Steve Brine (Conservative - Winchester)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 2nd March 2020
Kevin Brennan Portrait
Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 2nd March 2020
Jane Stevenson Portrait
Jane Stevenson (Conservative - Wolverhampton North East)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 19th October 2021
Simon Jupp Portrait
Simon Jupp (Conservative - East Devon)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 19th October 2021
Rupa Huq Portrait
Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 7th March 2022
Caroline Dinenage Portrait
Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 17th May 2023
Alex Sobel Portrait
Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 15th January 2024
Culture, Media and Sport Committee: Upcoming Events
Culture, Media and Sport Committee - Oral evidence
Grassroots music venues
26 Mar 2024, 9:30 a.m.
At 10:00am: Oral evidence
Jon Collins - Chief Executive at LIVE
Mark Davyd - Chief Executive at Music Venue Trust
John Drury - Chair at National Arenas Association, and Vice-President and General Manager at OVO Arena Wembley
At 10:45am: Oral evidence
Stuart Galbraith - Vice-Chair at Concert Promoters Association, and Chief Executive at Kilimanjaro Live
Anna Moulson - Co-Chair at Association of Independent Promoters
Witness - tbc at PRS for Music
At 11:30am: Oral evidence
Lily Fontaine - vocalist, English Teacher
Kwame Kwaten - Vice Chair at Music Managers Forum
David Martin - Chief Executive at Featured Artists Coalition

View calendar
Culture, Media and Sport Committee: Previous Inquiries
Impact of Covid-19 on the charity sector Impact of Covid-19 on DCMS sectors Combatting doping in sport inquiry Impact of Brexit on UK Creative industries, tourism and The Single Digital Market inquiry Channel 4 Annual Report 2016 inquiry Sport governance inquiry The work of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport inquiry BBC Annual Report and Accounts 2016-17 Disinformation and ‘fake news’ The work of Ofcom inquiry Live music inquiry The social impact of participation in culture and sport inquiry Appointment of the Chair of the Charity Commission Appointment of the Chair of Ofcom Wembley Stadium and the future of English football inquiry Immersive and addictive technologies inquiry Channel 4 Annual Report 2017 inquiry BBC Annual Report and Accounts 2017-18 inquiry The work of the Charity Commission inquiry BBC pay inquiry Channel 4 Annual Report 2018 inquiry Reality tv inquiry The future of English cricket inquiry BBC Annual Report 2018-19 and TV licences for over 75s inquiry The future of the National Lottery inquiry Administration of Football Clubs inquiry Garden tourism inquiry Lessons from the First World War Centenary inquiry Economics of music streaming Sport in our communities Connected tech: smart or sinister? Safety at major sporting events Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and the blockchain Women's sport Gambling regulation Current issues in rugby union Minority languages Appointment of Richard Sharp as Chair of the BBC The future of UK music festivals British Film and High-End Television Grassroots music venues The work of the Charity Commission Broadband and the road to 5G The future of public service broadcasting Concussion in sport Administration of Football Clubs The future of English cricket Disinformation and ‘fake news’ Garden tourism Immersive and addictive technologies Channel 4 Annual Report 2018 BBC Annual Report 2018-19 and TV licences for over 75s Live music The future of the National Lottery The work of Ofcom Reality tv The Social Impact of Participation in Culture and Sport The work of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Lessons from the First World War Centenary

50 most recent Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department

4th Mar 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government, following their announcement of the proposed ratification of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, what steps they will take to ensure that they discharge their obligations under that convention in relation to the Ulster Scots community in a manner that is consistent with the recognition of Ulster Scots as a national minority of the United Kingdom under the Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.

HM Government is taking an inclusive approach to the ratification of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage across the whole UK. We want to engage with everyone, including the Ulster Scots community, and to provide the conditions to allow everyone to express, preserve, and develop their culture and identity within the UK’s implementation of the framework of the 2003 Convention.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
4th Mar 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government, following their announcement of the proposed ratification of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, what is their reason for not proposing a threshold of longevity for recognition of a cultural practice.

HM Government has taken on board guidance from UNESCO which defines Intangible Cultural Heritage as ‘traditional, contemporary, and living at the same time’. In line with this, we want to ensure that newer practices of Intangible Cultural Heritage can be recognised as well as more long-standing ones.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
4th Mar 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk that ratification of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage will promote social fragmentation rather than social cohesion.

HM Government aims to use the ratification of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage to create a discussion about the role that living heritage of all sorts plays in the identity, pride and cohesion of all parts of the UK. To support this, we are taking an inclusive approach to the ratification and seeking to ensure as many people and groups as possible can be involved, which has included launching a public consultation on details of the ratification.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
7th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to respond to the email correspondence of 1 November 2023 from the hon. Member for Sefton Central.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay responded to this correspondence on 14 March 2024. The Department apologises for the delay in responding.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
12th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to publish the Football Governance Bill.

This Government is committed to introducing a new independent regulator for English football, to protect and promote the sustainability of English football for the benefit of fans and the local communities football clubs serve.

The Government is working at pace to establish an Independent Football Regulator on a statutory footing as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
11th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many public appointments she has made since her appointment.

From 7 February 2023 to 12 March 2024 the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has announced 53 new regulated appointments and 48 regulated reappointments; of these 41 new appointments and 32 reappointments were made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport as appointing authority.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
11th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to paragraphs 7.16 and 7.17 of the Ministerial Code, on how many occasions have Ministers in her department informed the Law Officers that they are the defendants in a libel action in (a) their personal capacity, (b) their official position and (c) both since 19 December 2019.

DCMS has no record of the information requested.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
1st Mar 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the film and television industry in England, including the freelance workforce, and to encourage investment from the US, following the industrial action by Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists in 2023.

His Majesty’s Government has set out a clear plan to grow the creative industries by a further £50 billion and to add another 1 million jobs in the sector by 2030. That includes supporting the growth of the television and film industry.

Since 2010, HM Government has introduced a range of tax reliefs across the creative industries, including expanded relief for film and high-end television. Our screen sector tax relief is estimated to be worth more than £13 billion in Gross Value Added to the UK economy.

We have taken a number of additional steps to ensure that British film and television companies are able to invest in production, expand their businesses, and offer opportunities for cast and crew across the UK, in spite of production disruption resulting from the pandemic and the recent strike action in the United States of America.

This includes the £500 million Film and TV Production Restart Scheme and the Culture Recovery Fund for Independent Cinemas. To build on this, and support the industry not only to survive but to thrive, the Government has taken further actions. This includes our support for the British Film Institute and British Film Commission, which has helped drive a near doubling of UK studio capacity, and the £28 million UK Global Screen Fund, which is expanding the global reach of UK independent content. The sector also benefits from the continued success of our screen sector tax reliefs (for film, high-end TV, animation and children’s TV), which in 2021–22 provided £792 million of support for over 1,000 projects.

We recognise the impact of the American strikes on the film and TV workforce. HMRC has a ‘Time to Pay’ policy which may provide some support to affected cast and crew. This policy allows people experiencing temporary financial difficulty to schedule their tax debts in affordable, sustainable, and tailored instalments with no maximum repayment period. These arrangements can be applied to any tax debt and are flexible, so they can be amended if circumstances change.

In the Creative Industries Sector Vision, the Government set out an ambition to improve the job quality and working practices of the sector, including supporting the high proportion of freelancers in the sector. This includes promoting fair treatment and working practices, enhancing support networks and resources for creative freelancers through Creative UK's Redesigning Freelancing initiative. DCMS and the industry will also continue to work together to produce an action plan in response to the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre’s Good Work Review, and proposals include the recent launch of the British Film Institute’s £1.5 million Good Work Programme for screen. The Government will continue to work with the BFI and the newly established screen sector Skills Task Force to support a strong skills pipeline in the sector and attractive careers pathways into the industry.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
6th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department provided funding to the charity Mermaids UK in (a) 2021, (b) 2022 and (c) 2023.

DCMS has provided no funding to the charity Mermaids UK in 2021, 2022, or 2023.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
6th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of gambling advertising on (a) gambling-related harms and (b) levels of (i) at-risk and (ii) problem gambling in young people.

In our approach to gambling advertising, we have struck a balanced and evidence-led approach which tackles aggressive advertising that is most likely to appeal to children, while recognising that advertising is an entirely legitimate commercial practice for responsible gambling firms.

In April last year, HM Government published a White Paper on gambling which outlined a comprehensive package of reforms to make gambling safer following an exhaustive assessment of the evidence, including on gambling advertising. We concluded that further action on advertising was needed, which is why we and the Gambling Commission are introducing measures to tackle the most aggressive and harmful advertising practices by preventing bonuses being constructed and targeted in harmful ways, giving customers more control over the marketing they receive, and introducing messaging about the risks associated with gambling.

This supplements the already robust rules in place to ensure that gambling advertising is socially responsible and that it cannot be targeted at or strongly appeal to children. This includes specific licence conditions for operators, including the requirement to abide by the UK Advertising Codes, which further regulate how gambling operators advertise. The UK Advertising Codes were strengthened in 2022, with new protections for children and vulnerable adults.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
6th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to her letter to the hon. Member for Warrington North dated 5 March 2024, reference INT2024/01623/DC, what funding her Department has invested in grassroots sport facilities in each parliamentary constituency since 2021.

We are committed to ensuring that every child, no matter their background or ability, has the opportunity to play sport and be active.

Between 2021 and 2025, the UK Government is delivering a historic level of direct investment of over £400 million to build or upgrade thousands of grassroots facilities across the UK.

This includes £327 million across the whole of the UK between 2021 and 2025, including £25 million for the Lionesses Futures Fund. All projects are publicly available and can be found by financial year here.

We are also investing £21.9 million to renovate over 3,000 tennis courts across Scotland, England and Wales between 2022 and 2024. Completed projects are publicly available to see here.

In England, we have provided £60 million via the Swimming Pool Support Fund in 2023/24 to support public swimming pool providers with immediate cost pressures, and investment to make facilities sustainable in the longer-term. Phase one projects can be viewed here, with phase two projects to be announced in due course.

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport also wrote to all MPs in early March, detailing the amount of funding and the different projects supported by the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme, the Park Tennis Court Renovation Programme, and the Swimming Pool Support Fund, in their constituency.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
6th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps with Ofcom to undertake a review of the adequacy of guidance to the media on the reporting of (a) assisted suicide, (b) euthanasia and (c) other suicide cases.

Guidance on how broadcasters report assisted suicide, euthanasia and other suicide cases is a matter for Ofcom as the UK’s independent broadcasting regulator. Ofcom are required by law to keep the Broadcasting Code and any accompanying guidance under review.

In the UK, there is an independent self-regulatory regime for the press. The Government does not intervene in what the press can and cannot publish or oversee the work of press regulators.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
29th Feb 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the comments made by the retiring Chair of the BBC about the increasing frequency of interventions on BBC matters by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

The BBC is operationally and editorially independent of the Government. As it is a public service broadcaster funded by licence fee-payers, it is right that the Government engages constructively with the BBC to ensure that it upholds the highest standards expected by the public.

As its sponsor department, DCMS maintains regular contact with the BBC on a number of issues. DCMS is grateful for Dame Elan Closs Stephens's constructive engagement whilst Acting Chairman of the BBC.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
6th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to provide urgent support to grassroots music venues at risk of closure in the context of increased costs.

The Government is committed to supporting our grassroots music venues, which play an absolutely crucial role in our world-leading music sector and developing homegrown talent.

That is why we are supporting live music through a range of measures. This includes an additional £5 million to Arts Council England’s (ACE’s) successful Supporting Grassroots Music fund, as set out in the Creative Industries Sector Vision in June. This expands and extends ACE’s existing grassroots fund, and takes our total investment in grassroots music through the fund to almost £15 million since 2019. This fund will enable venues to increase support for young and emerging artists, improve equipment and physical infrastructure, and support venues to become more financially resilient and develop new income streams.

This is in addition to other Government support including the Culture Recovery Fund, which provided over £200m of support for live music venues, the £800m Live Events Reinsurance Scheme, alongside the cross-sector grants, loans, and reduction of VAT on tickets to 5%. Further, over £3 million was provided during the pandemic from the Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund.

Music venues are also eligible for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Business Rates Relief, with a 75% relief up to a cash cap limit of £110,000 per business. This relief was extended for a further year during the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement. DCMS and DLUHC are also working closely with the sector to revise planning guidelines to ensure that new developments engage with existing music venues before being built.

Industry-led discussions are ongoing regarding increased support for grassroots music venues from larger events and venues, and DCMS actively supports these sector-led initiatives. Ministers and officials continue to engage with industry to understand the challenges and review opportunities to strengthen the financial resilience of the grassroots music sector.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
6th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with representatives of the live music industry on introducing a ticket levy on large scale music arenas to support grassroots live music.

The Government is committed to supporting our grassroots music venues, which play an absolutely crucial role in our world-leading music sector and developing homegrown talent.

That is why we are supporting live music through a range of measures. This includes an additional £5 million to Arts Council England’s (ACE’s) successful Supporting Grassroots Music fund, as set out in the Creative Industries Sector Vision in June. This expands and extends ACE’s existing grassroots fund, and takes our total investment in grassroots music through the fund to almost £15 million since 2019. This fund will enable venues to increase support for young and emerging artists, improve equipment and physical infrastructure, and support venues to become more financially resilient and develop new income streams.

This is in addition to other Government support including the Culture Recovery Fund, which provided over £200m of support for live music venues, the £800m Live Events Reinsurance Scheme, alongside the cross-sector grants, loans, and reduction of VAT on tickets to 5%. Further, over £3 million was provided during the pandemic from the Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund.

Music venues are also eligible for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Business Rates Relief, with a 75% relief up to a cash cap limit of £110,000 per business. This relief was extended for a further year during the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement. DCMS and DLUHC are also working closely with the sector to revise planning guidelines to ensure that new developments engage with existing music venues before being built.

Industry-led discussions are ongoing regarding increased support for grassroots music venues from larger events and venues, and DCMS actively supports these sector-led initiatives. Ministers and officials continue to engage with industry to understand the challenges and review opportunities to strengthen the financial resilience of the grassroots music sector.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
5th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she plans to take to ensure that Ofcom's review of video-on-demand services' (a) age ratings and (b) other audience protection measures, as required by section 32 of the draft Media Bill, is sufficiently thorough.

The Media Bill will give Ofcom an enhanced ongoing duty to assess all video-on-demand providers’ audience protection measures – such as age ratings, content warning, and parental controls – to ensure that the systems put in place are effective and fit for purpose, as they have done with broadcast television.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
5th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress her Department has made on establishing an ombudsman for the gambling sector since publication of the Gambling Review in April 2023.

We are working at pace with industry and all stakeholders in the sector, including the Ombudsman Association, to ensure customers have access to an ombudsman that is fully operationally independent in line with Ombudsman Association standards, and is fully credible in the eyes of customers. As set out in the white paper, it is important that the body adjudicates fairly and transparently all complaints regarding social responsibility or gambling harm issues where an operator is not able to resolve these.

We remain clear that if this approach does not deliver as we expect, or shortcomings emerge regarding the ombudsman’s remit, powers or relationship with industry, the government will actively explore the full range of options to legislate to create a statutory ombudsman.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
6th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to protect television production in the UK.

The Government has set out a clear plan to grow the creative industries by a further £50 billion and add another 1 million jobs by 2030. That includes supporting the growth of television and film production.

Since 2010, the Government has introduced a range of tax reliefs across the creative industries, including expanded relief for film and high-end television. Our screen sector tax relief alone is estimated to be worth more than £13 billion in GVA to the UK economy. The Government’s support for the independent television production sector continues to be underpinned by the hugely successful terms of trade regime. The Media Bill, currently before Parliament, therefore protects and updates the regime, as well as public service broadcasters’ independent production quotas, to reflect changes in technology and the way viewers are watching content.

We have also taken a number of additional steps to ensure that British film and television companies are able to invest in production, expand their businesses and offer opportunities for cast and crew across the UK. This is why in the Spring Budget we have announced a number of generous tax reliefs for the sector, including a 40% relief on business rates for eligible studio spaces in England until 2034 and a 5% increase in tax relief for visual effects costs, which will not be subject to the 80% cap in the High End TV Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit. This will incentivise high-end television productions to remain in the UK for both filming and their visual effects. The Government will continue our wider support for the sector by investing in studio infrastructure, supporting innovation, and promoting independent content through the UK Global Screen Fund.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
6th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of an emergency fund for grassroots music venues to prevent closures.

The Government is committed to supporting our grassroots music venues, which play an absolutely crucial role in our world-leading music sector and developing homegrown talent.

That is why we are supporting live music through a range of measures. This includes an additional £5 million to Arts Council England’s (ACE’s) successful Supporting Grassroots Music fund, as set out in the Creative Industries Sector Vision in June. This expands and extends ACE’s existing grassroots fund, and takes our total investment in grassroots music through the fund to almost £15 million since 2019. This fund will enable venues to increase support for young and emerging artists, improve equipment and physical infrastructure, and support venues to become more financially resilient and develop new income streams.

This is in addition to other Government support including the Culture Recovery Fund, which provided over £200m of support for live music venues, the £800m Live Events Reinsurance Scheme, alongside the cross-sector grants, loans, and reduction of VAT on tickets to 5%. Further, over £3 million was provided during the pandemic from the Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund.

Music venues are also eligible for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Business Rates Relief, with a 75% relief up to a cash cap limit of £110,000 per business. This relief was extended for a further year during the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement. DCMS and DLUHC are also working closely with the sector to revise planning guidelines to ensure that new developments engage with existing music venues before being built.

Industry-led discussions are ongoing regarding increased support for grassroots music venues from larger events and venues, and DCMS actively supports these sector-led initiatives. Whilst we have no current plans to mandate a ticket levy, Ministers and officials continue to engage with industry to understand the challenges and review opportunities to strengthen the financial resilience of the grassroots music sector.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
6th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to require large music venues and arenas to commit to a ticket levy to help fund grassroots music venues.

The Government is committed to supporting our grassroots music venues, which play an absolutely crucial role in our world-leading music sector and developing homegrown talent.

That is why we are supporting live music through a range of measures. This includes an additional £5 million to Arts Council England’s (ACE’s) successful Supporting Grassroots Music fund, as set out in the Creative Industries Sector Vision in June. This expands and extends ACE’s existing grassroots fund, and takes our total investment in grassroots music through the fund to almost £15 million since 2019. This fund will enable venues to increase support for young and emerging artists, improve equipment and physical infrastructure, and support venues to become more financially resilient and develop new income streams.

This is in addition to other Government support including the Culture Recovery Fund, which provided over £200m of support for live music venues, the £800m Live Events Reinsurance Scheme, alongside the cross-sector grants, loans, and reduction of VAT on tickets to 5%. Further, over £3 million was provided during the pandemic from the Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund.

Music venues are also eligible for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Business Rates Relief, with a 75% relief up to a cash cap limit of £110,000 per business. This relief was extended for a further year during the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement. DCMS and DLUHC are also working closely with the sector to revise planning guidelines to ensure that new developments engage with existing music venues before being built.

Industry-led discussions are ongoing regarding increased support for grassroots music venues from larger events and venues, and DCMS actively supports these sector-led initiatives. Whilst we have no current plans to mandate a ticket levy, Ministers and officials continue to engage with industry to understand the challenges and review opportunities to strengthen the financial resilience of the grassroots music sector.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
4th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she is taking steps with her international counterparts to support the digital creative arts.

The Government has set out a clear plan to grow the creative industries by a further £50 billion and add another 1 million jobs by 2030. This builds on our record of introducing tax reliefs across the creative industries, including the digital creative arts.

In order to deliver this, in the Creative Industries Sector Vision we set out a focus on increasing exports. We are therefore taking steps to ensure that the UK’s trade policy reflects industry priorities and delivers access to priority markets. In addition to maximising creative exports, we have committed to increasing creative industries’ international exposure and strengthening global cultural relationships to both unlock these opportunities and tackle key issues facing our creative sectors.

DCMS is working closely with the British Council and the UK cultural sector to promote our digital creative arts internationally. The UK’s leadership in this area is commended by our international counterparts, as well as in multilateral fora such as the G7 and G20.

We also work with international counterparts on a number of fronts to support the creation of a pipeline of talent in the digital arts, including through funding internationally-focused education and skills programmes that foster collaboration across continents and build on our existing relationships overseas. For example, the National Film and Television School (NFTS) programme, Inside Pictures, is supported by DCMS and enables high potential, mid-career TV and film specialists to continue their professional development through an international training programme operating in both London and LA.

DCMS recognises the potential impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the creative industries, including digital creative arts. It is important that while we harness the benefits of AI, we also manage the risks. This includes risks to the creative and cultural sectors and to copyright-holders. As set out in the Government’s AI White Paper consultation response, critical to this work will be close engagement with international counterparts.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
27th Feb 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent under-18s from being exposed to gambling advertisement, sponsorship and marketing on social media and online platforms.

We have struck a balanced and evidence-led approach to gambling advertising which tackles aggressive advertising which is most likely to appeal to children, while recognising that advertising is an entirely legitimate commercial practice for responsible firms.

Last year, HM Government published a White Paper on gambling which outlined a comprehensive package of reforms to make gambling safer. This followed an exhaustive assessment of the evidence, including on gambling advertising. We concluded that further action on advertising was needed, which is why we and the Gambling Commission are introducing measures to tackle the most aggressive and harmful advertising practices by preventing bonuses being constructed and targeted in harmful ways, giving customers more control over the marketing they receive, and introducing messaging about the risks associated with gambling.

This supplements the already robust rules in place to ensure that gambling advertising is socially responsible and that it cannot be targeted at or strongly appeal to children. This includes specific licence conditions for operators, including the requirement to abide by the UK Advertising Codes, which further regulate how gambling operators advertise. The UK Advertising Codes were strengthened in 2022, with new protections for children and vulnerable adults.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
4th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many civil servants in her Department have a criminal conviction.

No civil servants at DCMS hold a criminal conviction.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
4th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the document entitled Draft terms of reference for the Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group, what updates her Department has provided on relevant developments in its area of work to that group since 2019.

Ministers and officials have regular discussions with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities over a range of issues. More broadly, I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 1 March 2024, Official Report, PQ 16019 on tackling anti-Muslim hatred.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
7th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many domestic overnight visits were undertaken by Ministers in (a) her Department and (b) its predecessor Department in each of the last three financial years; and what the cost of those visits was.

The Government publishes on GOV.UK details of the cost of overseas Ministerial travel, including costs of travel, and on other costs (vias, accommodation, meals).

But as has been the case under successive administrations, the Government does not publish granular detail on Ministers’ travel at home or abroad.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
4th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance her Department issues on the use of WhatsApp.

All departments in central government, including arms lengths bodies apply the published guidance: Using non-corporate communication channels (e.g. WhatsApp, private email, SMS) for government business published by Cabinet Office in March 2023. It applies to all individuals in central government (ministers, special advisers, officials, contractors, non-executive board members and independent experts advising ministers). DCMS uses the central guidance and has applied it since March 2023.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
4th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make it her policy to regulate gambling advertising.

In our approach to gambling advertising, we have struck a balanced and evidence-led approach which tackles aggressive advertising that is most likely to appeal to children, while recognising that advertising is an entirely legitimate commercial practice for responsible gambling firms.

Last year, HM Government published a White Paper on gambling which outlined a comprehensive package of reforms to make gambling safer, including on gambling advertising. We concluded that further action on advertising was needed, which is why we and the Gambling Commission are introducing measures to tackle the most aggressive and harmful advertising practices by preventing bonuses being constructed and targeted in harmful ways, giving customers more control over the marketing they receive, and introducing messaging about the risks associated with gambling.

This supplements the already robust rules in place to ensure that gambling advertising is socially responsible, and that it cannot be targeted at or strongly appeal to children. This includes specific licence conditions for operators, including the requirement to abide by the UK Advertising Codes, which further regulate how gambling operators advertise. The UK Advertising Codes were strengthened in 2022, with new protections for children and vulnerable adults.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
4th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of sports pitch provision in Darlington; and whether her Department plans to provide further funding for high-quality sports pitches for communities.

The Government is committed to delivering world class sports facilities across the country, so that everyone can take part in sport and physical activity. As part of this commitment, the Government is delivering an historic level of direct investment to build or upgrade thousands of grassroots facilities across the UK.

Over £363 million has been invested through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme since 2019 to provide new and improved football and multi-sport grassroots facilities across the whole of the UK. Funding is delivered via The Football Foundation’s partnership with the English FA and Premier League.

So far, Darlington has received investment of £1,036,819 across four Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities projects, including a new artificial grass pitch and changing pavilion at Eastbourne Sports Complex. All projects can be viewed here on gov.uk.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
4th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help improve the quality of sports fields in (a) England and (b) Romford constituency.

The Government is committed to delivering world class sports facilities across the country, so that everyone can take part in sport and physical activity. As part of this commitment, the Government is delivering an historic level of direct investment to build or upgrade thousands of grassroots facilities across the UK.

Over £363 million has been invested through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme since 2019 to provide new and improved football and multi-sport grassroots facilities across the whole of the UK. Funding is delivered via The Football Foundation’s partnership with the English FA and Premier League.

So far, Romford has received investment of £10,491 for three projects through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme, as well as £2,500 through the Park Tennis Court Renovation Programme and £174,828 through the Swimming Pool Support Fund. All projects can be viewed here on gov.uk.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
4th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to (a) promote the playing of rugby and (b) support the (i) maintenance and (ii) development of (A) rugby clubs and (B) their infrastructure in (1) England and (2) Romford constituency.

Supporting grassroots sport is a key government priority and we recognise the role of high quality accessible facilities in encouraging people to take part in sport and ensuring participation rates continue to grow. Our new strategy ‘Get Active’ sets out our ambition to build a more active nation, with a target to get 3.5 million more people classed as ‘active’ by 2030 including 1 million more children.

We provide the majority of support for grassroots sport through our arm’s length body, Sport England - which receives £323 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding each year. Sport England has invested £622,606 in the Romford constituency since 2020.

Since 2021, Sport England has provided over £22.6 million of support to programmes which facilitate participation in grassroots rugby league. This includes funding to the Rugby Football League.

In partnership with the National Lottery, Sport England has also supported the ‘CreatedBy’ capital grants programme. This delivered £26.4 million in legacy funding to celebrate England’s hosting of the 2022 Rugby League World Cup, providing investment in facilities and equipment to encourage participation.

Since 2020, Sport England has provided over £14 million of support to programmes which facilitate participation in grassroots rugby union. Additionally, in 2020/21 the Government provided £21,565,000 to rugby union clubs through the COVID-19 Sport Winter Survival Package. In 2022/23 we provided over £12.5 million of system partner funding to the Rugby Football Union to grow and develop the sport between the years 2022 and 2027.

The Government also funds some projects which benefit rugby through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme. Between 2021 and 2025, the UK Government is investing over £325 million to build or upgrade multi-sport grassroots facilities across the UK to ensure every community has the pitches and facilities it needs. Romford has received £10,491 for three projects through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
27th Feb 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what financial commitment they will be making to the building of Casement Park in Belfast.

The Department for Communities in Northern Ireland is responsible for the procurement process for the redevelopment of Casement Park. Funding decisions are therefore for the Northern Ireland Executive to consider.

We are working closely with partners in Northern Ireland to make sure that EURO 2028 leaves a lasting legacy across the whole United Kingdom.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
5th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the England and Wales Cricket Board on (a) racism and (b) discrimination in cricket.

The Government is clear that racism has no place in cricket, sport, or society at large. I regularly meet with the England and Wales Cricket Board to discuss a range of issues, including equality, diversity and inclusion.

It is ultimately for all individual sports’ national governing bodies, to decide on the specific aims, appropriate initiatives and funding to tackle discrimination in their organisations.

The ECB has provided a full response to the 2023 Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket report, and has publicly committed to taking on board the majority of the recommendations to create lasting change across the sport. We welcome the ECB’s commitment to tackle these serious issues and secure a sustainable future for the sport. Government will be monitoring closely to ensure that progress is made.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
5th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help increase participation of (a) girls and (b) women in cricket.

The Government is committed to supporting women's sport at every opportunity including pushing for greater participation.

We are pleased to see the significant progress in the number of women and girls taking up cricket in recent years, and wider developments in the women’s game, as noted by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) report. The England and Wales Cricket Board’s five year plan, Inspiring Generations, launched in 2020 aims to inspire a new generation to believe that ‘cricket is a game for me’. The plan focuses on six priority areas including making cricket gender-neutral with women and girls being properly represented across the whole game.

Initiatives like Chance to Shine, which receives funding from Sport England, play an important role in encouraging girls to play cricket. The project gives all children the opportunity to play, learn and develop through cricket.

The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) report notes that while positive progress has been made in the women’s game, there are still areas of concern where more action is needed.

The ECB has provided a full response to the ICEC report and has committed to taking on board the majority of the recommendations to create lasting change across the sport. We welcome the ECB’s commitment to bring forward a plan to tackle these serious issues and secure a sustainable future for the sport, and look forward to receiving updates on this.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
5th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate she has made of the amount of money lost to fraud and error by her Department and predecessor Department in each of the last three financial years.

The Government is proud of its record in proactively seeking to find and prevent more fraud in the system. We have established the dedicated Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA). In its first year it delivered £311 million in audited counter fraud benefits.

The PSFA produces a Fraud Landscape Report (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cross-government-fraud-landsca pe-annual-report-2022.) This provides data on fraud and error detection, loss and recoveries in central government, outside of the tax and welfare system. The 2020/21 Report was published in March 2023.

DCMS does not annually estimate the level of fraud and error across all its expenditure, instead focusing assurance and measurement activity on higher risk and higher value areas.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
4th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what reports and guidance her Department and its predecessor Department has produced in the last three years; and how much was spent on their (a) printing and (b) distribution.

The requested information is not centrally held, and complying with this request would incur a disproportionate cost to the department. Reports and guidance that the Department has published can be found on gov.uk.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
1st Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proportion of (a) holiday lets and (b) second homes on the availability of affordable housing in coastal areas; and whether she (i) is taking and (ii) plans to take steps to mitigate that impact.

Traditional short-term lets have long provided visitor accommodation to rural and coastal locations, supporting jobs and the local economy. However, it has been highlighted that there is no single, definitive source of data on short-term lets in England with which to make a more detailed assessment on local economies and the impact on housing.

On February 19, the government announced a mandatory national registration scheme for short-term lets. This will help local authorities understand the size of the market and help identify the impact of high numbers of short-term lets. Further details on the scheme will be provided later this year, including our full response to the consultation and an impact assessment.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
1st Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of holiday lets on levels of availability of housing stock; and what steps she (a) is taking and (b) plans to take to help mitigate that impact.

Traditional short-term lets have long provided visitor accommodation to rural and coastal locations, supporting jobs and the local economy. However, it has been highlighted that there is no single, definitive source of data on short-term lets in England with which to make a more detailed assessment on local economies and the impact on housing.

On February 19, the government announced a mandatory national registration scheme for short-term lets. This will help local authorities understand the size of the market and help identify the impact of high numbers of short-term lets. Further details on the scheme will be provided later this year, including our full response to the consultation and an impact assessment.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
28th Feb 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the enforcement of regulations on online sales of age-restricted products.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is not responsible for the general regulation of online sales, or age-restricted products.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
28th Feb 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of her policies to regulate the online order and delivery of age-restricted products or bladed items to self-service lockers.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is not responsible for the general regulation of online sales, or age-restricted products.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
28th Feb 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department plans to take to help ensure that the sporting industry complies with voluntary or self-regulatory measures to prevent gambling harms.

The gambling White Paper, published in April 2023, set out plans for sports bodies to take a responsible approach to gambling sponsorship through the adoption of a cross-sport Code of Conduct. The Code will guarantee a robust minimum standard on gambling sponsorship across all sports, ensuring that when gambling sponsorship does appear, it is done so in a socially responsible way. Work is underway to develop and implement the Code, ensuring that provisions meet the Government’s objectives while being sufficiently tailored to the material differences between sports. We expect compliance with a Code of Conduct to be guaranteed from within sports themselves through enforcement by governing bodies, and we are working together to identify the most effective way to achieve this.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
27th Feb 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has taken steps to help ensure that marketing advertisements with gambling content are not seen by children.

In our approach to gambling advertising, we have struck a balanced and evidence-led approach which tackles aggressive advertising that is most likely to appeal to children, while recognising that advertising is an entirely legitimate commercial practice for responsible gambling firms.

Last year, HM Government published a White Paper on gambling which outlined a comprehensive package of reforms to make gambling safer following an exhaustive assessment of the evidence, including on gambling advertising. We concluded that further action on advertising was needed, which is why we and the Gambling Commission are introducing measures to tackle the most aggressive and harmful advertising practices by preventing bonuses being constructed and targeted in harmful ways, giving customers more control over the marketing they receive, and introducing messaging about the risks associated with gambling.

This supplements the already robust rules in place to ensure that gambling advertising is socially responsible and that it cannot be targeted at or strongly appeal to children. This includes specific licence conditions for operators, including the requirement to abide by the UK Advertising Codes, which further regulate how gambling operators advertise. The UK Advertising Codes were strengthened in 2022, with new protections for children and vulnerable adults.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
29th Feb 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding (a) her Department and (b) its predecessor Department has (i) budgeted for and (ii) spent on advertising in each of the last three financial years.

The department spent the following in each of the last three financial years:

Financial year 2020/21

Financial year 2021/22

Financial year 2022/23

Actual spend

£259,634.17

£666,395.66

£253,813.31

We are unable to provide budget figures as the Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not budget in-year at such a granular level.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
26th Feb 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many staff in Arts Council England have job titles which include the words (a) equality, (b) diversity, (c) inclusion, (d) gender, (e) LGBT and (f) race.

The average number of Arts Council England employees (headcount) during the most recent reported year (2022-23) was 700. 11 members of staff have job titles which include one of these words.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
20th Feb 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to protect spending on public libraries.

Local authorities in England have a statutory duty to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service which meets local needs. It is for each local authority to consider how best to deliver this.

His Majesty’s Government has provided an additional £600 million on top of the £64 billion Local Government Finance Settlement for 2024-25 — an increase of 7.5% in cash terms. This uplift will help to reduce pressure on councils’ budgets, and protect services including public libraries.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
21st Feb 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Mayor of London concerning proposals for a statue for the spare plinth in Trafalgar Square.

HM Government has had no discussions with the Mayor of London concerning proposals for a statue for the spare plinth in Trafalgar Square.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
22nd Feb 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what financial commitments they have made towards the redevelopment of Casement Park in Belfast.

The Department for Communities in Northern Ireland is responsible for the procurement process for the redevelopment of Casement Park. Funding decisions are therefore for the Northern Ireland Executive to consider.

His Majesty’s Government is working closely with partners in Northern Ireland to make sure that EURO 2028 leaves a lasting legacy across the whole United Kingdom.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
21st Feb 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to their white paper High Stakes: Gambling Reform for the Digital Age, published on 27 April 2023, what steps they have taken to create a Government working group, due to commence in summer 2023, to "strengthen informational messaging including on the risks associated with gambling".

The Policy Research Unit in the National Institute for Health and Care Research has been commissioned by the Department for Health and Social Care to undertake a project using the best available evidence, theory, and collaboration with interested parties including different population groups to develop recommendations for (a) where, what, how, and for whom messaging is best used; (b) message design (content); and (c) delivery strategy (channels of communication). Further details of the project can be found on the institute’s website.

This project will report shortly and will be an invaluable contribution to ensuring that the messaging we develop is evidence-led, effectively targeted, and appropriately delivered.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
29th Feb 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will hold discussions with the National Citizen Service Trust on ensuring that young people across all parts of the UK receive the opportunity to participate in the UK Year of Service in 2024-2025.

DCMS is providing £750,000 in 2024/25 to co-fund the next cohort of the UK Year of Service alongside the National Citizen Service Trust, providing work placements for young people who are furthest from the labour market, giving them a chance to be set on a positive path towards long-term employment, education or training. The placements for the next cohort will be targeted in the North East, North West and Yorkshire and Humber, and we will continue to look at how we can best support initiatives like this in the future.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
27th Feb 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much her Department (a) paid in apprenticeship levy fees and (b) spent from its apprenticeship levy funds between September 2021 and August 2023.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has contributed £930,182.04 in apprenticeship levy fees between September 2021 and August 2023. During the same period, the department has spent £404,438.47 from its levy pot.

To note, the period requested covers a significant period prior to the Machinery of Government change which took place in 2023 and DCMS still pays the apprenticeship levy on behalf of Building Digital UK as they currently remain on DCMS payroll.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)