Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport

Paragraph 45 of the Corporate Governance Framework refers to full, part time or fee-paid employment with a gambling licensee or an applicant for a licence, and may relate to consultancies that advise the gambling industry. It is one of a number of provisions of relevant codes of conduct and employment terms which may govern post-employment activity.

The Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 requires all local authorities in England to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service. Each local authority is responsible for assessing the needs of their local communities and designing and maintaining a library service to meet those needs within their available resources.

DCMS has held no specific discussions with Stockport Council regarding Reddish library's condition. Building maintenance is an operational matter for the local authority. DCMS only engages with local authorities on this kind of matter where representations allege that the condition of the library building is impacting delivery of library services, meaning the local authority is not delivering its statutory duty.

DCMS remains in the design stages of the Better Futures Fund (BFF), therefore, the amount of funding allocated to different delivery partners across England remains subject to development. However, the BFF will be place-based and the Government is committed to ensuring the Fund provides adequate coverage across England. This should include providing appropriate opportunities for local authorities not currently covered by a Mayoral Strategic Authority to apply for BFF funding.

VisitBritain publishes International Passenger Survey data which contains estimates of the number of inbound visitors to Great Britain and their spend. This data reveals that inbound visitors to Great Britain spent: £28.448 million in 2019; £4.344 million in 2020; £5.646 million in 2021; £26.497 million in 2022; £31.075 million in 2023; and £31.912 million in 2024.

The Economic Value of Tourism Report, published by VisitBritain in January 2026, estimates that in total, direct and indirect tax impacts of UK tourism reached £52 billion in 2024. This figure excludes induced impacts, driven largely by consumption taxes. Out of the total £52 billion in taxes, VisitBritain estimated £14 billion came as a result of inbound travel, or 27%.

VisitBritain publishes International Passenger Survey data which contains estimates of the number of inbound visitors to Great Britain and their spend. This data reveals that inbound visitors to Great Britain spent: £28.448 million in 2019; £4.344 million in 2020; £5.646 million in 2021; £26.497 million in 2022; £31.075 million in 2023; and £31.912 million in 2024.

The Economic Value of Tourism Report, published by VisitBritain in January 2026, estimates that in total, direct and indirect tax impacts of UK tourism reached £52 billion in 2024. This figure excludes induced impacts, driven largely by consumption taxes. Out of the total £52 billion in taxes, VisitBritain estimated £14 billion came as a result of inbound travel, or 27%.

I am working closely with HM Treasury and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in relation to the potential impact of the introduction of a visitor levy and was pleased to join the Exchequer Secretary, Daniel Tomlinson, for a roundtable with industry leaders on this in March. My officials are also working closely with colleagues across government on this matter and have engaged with the tourism sector throughout the consultation process, including at a series of sector roundtables.

The power to introduce a visitor levy will be given to local leaders who best understand their region, allowing them to tailor investment towards growing the local economy, bearing in mind its needs, including those of the tourism industry. Mayors will need to decide whether to implement a levy and, if so, they will need to consult on specific proposals. I’m sure Mayors will engage constructively with businesses and their communities to hear any concerns throughout the consultation period and beyond.

DCMS remains in the design stages of the Better Futures Fund (BFF). We are aware of the need to consider the views of areas that will become Mayoral Strategic Authorities over the lifetime of the Fund, and will determine how best to do this in due course.

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

The ongoing responsibility of providing access to public leisure facilities lies at local authority level, with funding levels set as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement. The Government encourages local authorities to make investments which offer the right opportunities and facilities for the communities they serve.

In June last year, we committed £400 million to transform sports facilities, including public leisure, over the next four years. We are working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, before setting out further plans on how future funding will be allocated.

I am the Minister for Youth.

This government recognises the scale of the challenges facing young people and is fully committed to addressing them.

That is why we published the ‘Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy’ which sets out a 10-year plan to ensure every young person has somewhere to go, someone who cares for them and a community they feel part of. It is underpinned by extensive research and insights, including a national survey and The Big Ambition Analysis for the National Youth Strategy. We will hold yearly national hearings on the progress of the Strategy and publish an interim delivery report in 2027.

We recognise that some of the challenges impacting young people have a systemic nature and the government is conducting specific reviews and consultations on key cross-cutting challenges. This includes the independent Milburn review analysing drivers of youth inactivity, the consultation on children’s use of technology as well as the reforms to the SEND system.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, should have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.

The constituency of Newcastle-under-Lyme has received a total of £1,194,497 through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme. Staffordshire has received a total of £4,508,388 through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme.

We are now working closely with the sport sector stakeholders, including the Football Foundation, and local leaders to develop plans for funding for a range of sports across the country based on what each community needs. We will keep stakeholders and the wider sport sector updated as this work progresses, and we will announce plans once they have been fully developed.

The ongoing responsibility of providing access to public leisure facilities lies at local authority level, with funding levels set as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement. The Government encourages local authorities to make investments which offer the right opportunities and facilities for the communities they serve.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring public access to swimming facilities, including lidos, which are great spaces for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy, and play an important role within communities. I was pleased to respond to the recent Westminster Hall debate on this issue.

In June last year, we committed £400 million to transform sports facilities, including public leisure, over the next four years. We are working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, before setting out further plans on how future funding will be allocated.

This government recognises the importance of celebrating heritage and the arts all across the country, including the significant heritage of Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire. Funding is administered through the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s (DCMS) Arms-Length Bodies.

Since 1994, the National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded more than £101m to 771 projects in Staffordshire. Of this, more than £5.9m has been awarded to 92 projects in Newcastle-under-Lyme. This includes £99,900 awarded in September 2024 to support Brampton Museum to become more financially and environmentally sustainable, ensuring that Newcastle’s unique heritage will remain accessible, valued and in good condition for future generations.

Similarly, Historic England has provided funding and advice in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire, including a grant of £39,946 for project development works to Tamworth Castle in 2025. This enabled the council to apply for a grant from DCMS’ Museum Estate and Development Fund. Historic England provided a project development grant of £1.7million.

Arts Council England invests in Staffordshire with regular funding through its National Portfolio Organisations (NPO) and Creative People and Places (CPP) programmes, as well as with one-off funding through programmes such as the Creative Foundations Fund (CFF) and National Lottery Project Grants (NLPG), an open access programme for arts, libraries and museums projects. Across Staffordshire, eight NPOs receive £2.3 million per year, with two CPPs receiving more than £839,000 per year to support creativity in communities across Stoke-on-Trent and the Staffordshire Moorlands.

In Newcastle-under-Lyme specifically, ACE supports the New Vic theatre and Partners in Creative Learning (PiCL) as part of their National Portfolio, and Appetite as part of the Creative People and Places programme. Earlier this year, the New Vic received £295,308 through our new Creative Foundations Fund to update essential control wiring throughout the auditorium and backstage areas. Since 2023, ACE has offered funding through nine NLPGs in the area, totalling more than £218,000.

All gambling operators in the UK must comply with robust advertising codes, which are enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) independently of Government. These codes apply across all advertising platforms, including broadcast, online and social media. The codes are regularly reviewed and updated and include a wide range of provisions designed to protect children and vulnerable adults from harm.

In addition, the Gambling Commission has introduced a range of new advertising regulations. This includes a ban on cross-marketing multiple gambling products within one incentive, requirements for new and existing customers to “opt-in” to the specific types of marketing they receive, and a cap on wagering requirements.

Since the Budget, the Government has also renewed efforts to tackle illegal gambling advertising, which poses the most immediate risk to the young and vulnerable.

We will continue to monitor a wide range of evidence regarding gambling advertising when making future policy decisions.

Since April 2024, the Gambling Commission has significantly increased its disruption activity and has focused on finding innovative ways to tackle the illegal market. The Crime and Policing Bill, once passed, will give the Gambling Commission greater powers to more quickly take down illegal websites. At the budget the Gambling Commission received £26 million across three years to increase investment, resources and capacity to tackle the illegal market. We have also set up an Illegal Gambling Taskforce with key stakeholders, which considers how to tackle illegal payments, advertising, and maximising cross-agency collaboration.

We announced in February 2026, an intention to consult on cracking down on unlicensed sponsors in sport. This will ban unlicensed gambling operators from sponsoring sports in Great Britain.

The Gambling Commission regulates gambling, including online gambling. Gambling operators advertising in the UK must comply with advertising codes, which ensure that gambling advertising is not targeted at children. When operators fall short, the ASA can take action or refer them to the Gambling Commission for possible enforcement action. We continue to work with a wide range of stakeholders to further strengthen protections.

Keeping children safe online is a priority for this government. As outlined in the Online Safety Act, in scope social media companies and search services are required to protect children from harmful content. Ofcom has robust enforcement powers to use should services not comply with their duties. Our children's wellbeing consultation seeks views on how we can go further, including exploring if age-restrictions should be applied to addictive features, such as algorithms.

We take the issue of children being directed to illegal gambling sites very seriously.

AI chatbots covered by the Online Safety Act must protect all users from illegal content. We continue to work with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure these rules keep pace with technology and will not hesitate to go further if there is evidence to do so.

More broadly, the Government is committed to tackling illegal gambling through the Illegal Gambling Taskforce. We will therefore consider examples of chatbots promoting illegal sites to children, in conjunction with other issues, when deciding on the best next steps to increase protections against illegal gambling.

Keeping children safe online is a priority for this government. We continue to work with a wide range of stakeholders including social media platforms to further strengthen protections. As outlined in the Online Safety Act, in scope social media companies and search services are required to protect children from harmful content. Ofcom has robust enforcement powers to use should services not comply with their duties. Our children's wellbeing consultation seeks views on how we can go further, including exploring if age-restrictions should be applied to addictive features, such as algorithms.

The 2025 Young People in Gambling Survey demonstrated that gambling activity by under-18s increased from 27% to 30% compared with the previous year. This was driven by a 3% increase in unregulated gambling, such as private betting between friends and family, to 18%.

Three members of Gambling Commission staff have left the Commission in the last twelve months (up to 31 March 2026) to take up employment in or related to the gambling industry.

All Gambling Commission employees are subject to strict rules of conduct when applying for or taking up roles in the gambling sector after leaving the Commission. The Commission’s Corporate Governance Framework requires former employees to maintain safeguards against conflicts of interest for six months after their departure. This Framework is publicly available on the Gambling Commission’s website: https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/policy/corporate-governance-framework/code-of-conduct-for-employees.

In January, the DCMS Secretary of State announced a historic £1.5 billion funding package for culture over this parliament, £160 million of which is earmarked for local museums around the country. This includes further rounds of the Museum Estate and Development Fund (MEND), which has funded essential infrastructure projects around the country, including a £1.7m grant for Tamworth council announced last year. We have also delivered a new £20 million Museum Renewal Fund, supporting 75 museum organisations in 2025 to maintain public access and programming. This included awards for Ford Green Hall and Tamworth Borough Council in Staffordshire. Guidance on our new Museum Transformation Fund and the next round of MEND funding, both delivered by Arts Council England (ACE), will be published in May.

This investment doubles the £44 million that Arts Council England (ACE) invests annually in museums through their core funding programmes, including core funding for over 200 National Portfolio museum sites. In total, ACE has awarded just over £10 million in government and lottery funding to Staffordshire since 2021, through the National Portfolio and other grants, with the number of National Portfolio Organisations funded in Staffordshire quadrupling since 2023. As a designated Priority Place, Stoke-on-Trent is an area of particular focus for ACE for continued development and investment to boost local cultural opportunities in Staffordshire.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, should have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities. This means delivering a range of facilities across the country based on what each local community needs.

On 17 September, the Government confirmed £5 million investment in 2026/27 towards both indoor and outdoor basketball and basketball-led multi-sport facilities in England in 2026/27. This dedicated funding for basketball will be matched by the NBA, who will invest £5 million in grassroots programmes through to 2028.

We provide the majority of support for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. Sport England provides long term investment of £12.6 million to Basketball England between 2022 and 2029 to support grassroots basketball.

The Government is committed to ensuring a healthy and plural local media for the benefit of communities and citizens across the UK, and recognises the vital role that local press plays in scrutinising local institutions, and reflecting communities’ views and perspectives.

Our recently published Local Media Action Plan will support local media organisations across the country to innovate and adapt their business models for the online world, while incentivising and encouraging the production of high quality, trustworthy news. Our overarching goal is to empower communities through a thriving local media which highlights the issues that matter to them, helping to drive community wellbeing, social cohesion and local growth.

In the Action Plan we have made a series of commitments which will help local media, including: investing up to £12m in a new Local News Fund, which will help local media outlets adapt to commercial and technological changes and revive a local news presence in areas where it has retreated; more than doubling community radio funding to £1m a year; launching a new campaign starting in the North West to encourage more young people into journalism careers; and creating a new Regional Media Forum in the West of England, to develop a framework for best practice in scrutiny of local decision-making and public services.

We are not planning any initiatives relating to the production of school newspapers. However, we do want to ensure that young people continue to have access to trustworthy and high quality news online from a range of sources. We are working with industry to promote and improve the ‘Newspapers for Schools’ News Library, an existing platform offering digital access to 150 local and national news titles for all state-funded primary and secondary schools in the country.

The Government is committed to ensuring a healthy and plural local media for the benefit of communities and citizens across the UK, and recognises the vital role that local press plays in scrutinising local institutions, and reflecting communities’ views and perspectives.

Our recently published Local Media Action Plan will support local media organisations across the country to innovate and adapt their business models for the online world, while incentivising and encouraging the production of high quality, trustworthy news. Our overarching goal is to empower communities through a thriving local media which highlights the issues that matter to them, helping to drive community wellbeing, social cohesion and local growth.

In the Action Plan we have made a series of commitments which will help local media, including: investing up to £12m in a new Local News Fund, which will help local media outlets adapt to commercial and technological changes and revive a local news presence in areas where it has retreated; more than doubling community radio funding to £1m a year; launching a new campaign starting in the North West to encourage more young people into journalism careers; and creating a new Regional Media Forum in the West of England, to develop a framework for best practice in scrutiny of local decision-making and public services.

We are not planning any initiatives relating to the production of school newspapers. However, we do want to ensure that young people continue to have access to trustworthy and high quality news online from a range of sources. We are working with industry to promote and improve the ‘Newspapers for Schools’ News Library, an existing platform offering digital access to 150 local and national news titles for all state-funded primary and secondary schools in the country.

The Government is committed to ensuring a healthy and plural local media for the benefit of communities and citizens across the UK, and recognises the vital role that local press plays in scrutinising local institutions, and reflecting communities’ views and perspectives.

Our recently published Local Media Action Plan will support local media organisations across the country to innovate and adapt their business models for the online world, while incentivising and encouraging the production of high quality, trustworthy news. Our overarching goal is to empower communities through a thriving local media which highlights the issues that matter to them, helping to drive community wellbeing, social cohesion and local growth.

In the Action Plan we have made a series of commitments which will help local media, including: investing up to £12m in a new Local News Fund, which will help local media outlets adapt to commercial and technological changes and revive a local news presence in areas where it has retreated; more than doubling community radio funding to £1m a year; launching a new campaign starting in the North West to encourage more young people into journalism careers; and creating a new Regional Media Forum in the West of England, to develop a framework for best practice in scrutiny of local decision-making and public services.

We are not planning any initiatives relating to the production of school newspapers. However, we do want to ensure that young people continue to have access to trustworthy and high quality news online from a range of sources. We are working with industry to promote and improve the ‘Newspapers for Schools’ News Library, an existing platform offering digital access to 150 local and national news titles for all state-funded primary and secondary schools in the country.

The Government is committed to ensuring a healthy and plural local media for the benefit of communities and citizens across the UK, and recognises the vital role that local press plays in scrutinising local institutions, and reflecting communities’ views and perspectives.

Our recently published Local Media Action Plan will support local media organisations across the country to innovate and adapt their business models for the online world, while incentivising and encouraging the production of high quality, trustworthy news. Our overarching goal is to empower communities through a thriving local media which highlights the issues that matter to them, helping to drive community wellbeing, social cohesion and local growth.

In the Action Plan we have made a series of commitments which will help local media, including: investing up to £12m in a new Local News Fund, which will help local media outlets adapt to commercial and technological changes and revive a local news presence in areas where it has retreated; more than doubling community radio funding to £1m a year; launching a new campaign starting in the North West to encourage more young people into journalism careers; and creating a new Regional Media Forum in the West of England, to develop a framework for best practice in scrutiny of local decision-making and public services.

We are not planning any initiatives relating to the production of school newspapers. However, we do want to ensure that young people continue to have access to trustworthy and high quality news online from a range of sources. We are working with industry to promote and improve the ‘Newspapers for Schools’ News Library, an existing platform offering digital access to 150 local and national news titles for all state-funded primary and secondary schools in the country.

The Government is committed to ensuring a healthy and plural local media for the benefit of communities and citizens across the UK, and recognises the vital role that local press plays in scrutinising local institutions, and reflecting communities’ views and perspectives.

Our recently published Local Media Action Plan will support local media organisations across the country to innovate and adapt their business models for the online world, while incentivising and encouraging the production of high quality, trustworthy news. Our overarching goal is to empower communities through a thriving local media which highlights the issues that matter to them, helping to drive community wellbeing, social cohesion and local growth.

In the Action Plan we have made a series of commitments which will help local media, including: investing up to £12m in a new Local News Fund, which will help local media outlets adapt to commercial and technological changes and revive a local news presence in areas where it has retreated; more than doubling community radio funding to £1m a year; launching a new campaign starting in the North West to encourage more young people into journalism careers; and creating a new Regional Media Forum in the West of England, to develop a framework for best practice in scrutiny of local decision-making and public services.

We are not planning any initiatives relating to the production of school newspapers. However, we do want to ensure that young people continue to have access to trustworthy and high quality news online from a range of sources. We are working with industry to promote and improve the ‘Newspapers for Schools’ News Library, an existing platform offering digital access to 150 local and national news titles for all state-funded primary and secondary schools in the country.

The Government is committed to ensuring a healthy and plural local media for the benefit of communities and citizens across the UK, and recognises the vital role that local press plays in scrutinising local institutions, and reflecting communities’ views and perspectives.

Our recently published Local Media Action Plan will support local media organisations across the country to innovate and adapt their business models for the online world, while incentivising and encouraging the production of high quality, trustworthy news. Our overarching goal is to empower communities through a thriving local media which highlights the issues that matter to them, helping to drive community wellbeing, social cohesion and local growth.

In the Action Plan we have made a series of commitments which will help local media, including: investing up to £12m in a new Local News Fund, which will help local media outlets adapt to commercial and technological changes and revive a local news presence in areas where it has retreated; more than doubling community radio funding to £1m a year; launching a new campaign starting in the North West to encourage more young people into journalism careers; and creating a new Regional Media Forum in the West of England, to develop a framework for best practice in scrutiny of local decision-making and public services.

We are not planning any initiatives relating to the production of school newspapers. However, we do want to ensure that young people continue to have access to trustworthy and high quality news online from a range of sources. We are working with industry to promote and improve the ‘Newspapers for Schools’ News Library, an existing platform offering digital access to 150 local and national news titles for all state-funded primary and secondary schools in the country.

The Government is committed to ensuring a healthy and plural local media for the benefit of communities and citizens across the UK, and recognises the vital role that local press plays in scrutinising local institutions, and reflecting communities’ views and perspectives.

Our recently published Local Media Action Plan will support local media organisations across the country to innovate and adapt their business models for the online world, while incentivising and encouraging the production of high quality, trustworthy news. Our overarching goal is to empower communities through a thriving local media which highlights the issues that matter to them, helping to drive community wellbeing, social cohesion and local growth.

In the Action Plan we have made a series of commitments which will help local media, including: investing up to £12m in a new Local News Fund, which will help local media outlets adapt to commercial and technological changes and revive a local news presence in areas where it has retreated; more than doubling community radio funding to £1m a year; launching a new campaign starting in the North West to encourage more young people into journalism careers; and creating a new Regional Media Forum in the West of England, to develop a framework for best practice in scrutiny of local decision-making and public services.

We are not planning any initiatives relating to the production of school newspapers. However, we do want to ensure that young people continue to have access to trustworthy and high quality news online from a range of sources. We are working with industry to promote and improve the ‘Newspapers for Schools’ News Library, an existing platform offering digital access to 150 local and national news titles for all state-funded primary and secondary schools in the country.

The Government is committed to ensuring a healthy and plural local media for the benefit of communities and citizens across the UK, and recognises the vital role that local press plays in scrutinising local institutions, and reflecting communities’ views and perspectives.

Our recently published Local Media Action Plan will support local media organisations across the country to innovate and adapt their business models for the online world, while incentivising and encouraging the production of high quality, trustworthy news. Our overarching goal is to empower communities through a thriving local media which highlights the issues that matter to them, helping to drive community wellbeing, social cohesion and local growth.

In the Action Plan we have made a series of commitments which will help local media, including: investing up to £12m in a new Local News Fund, which will help local media outlets adapt to commercial and technological changes and revive a local news presence in areas where it has retreated; more than doubling community radio funding to £1m a year; launching a new campaign starting in the North West to encourage more young people into journalism careers; and creating a new Regional Media Forum in the West of England, to develop a framework for best practice in scrutiny of local decision-making and public services.

We are not planning any initiatives relating to the production of school newspapers. However, we do want to ensure that young people continue to have access to trustworthy and high quality news online from a range of sources. We are working with industry to promote and improve the ‘Newspapers for Schools’ News Library, an existing platform offering digital access to 150 local and national news titles for all state-funded primary and secondary schools in the country.

The Government is committed to ensuring a healthy and plural local media for the benefit of communities and citizens across the UK, and recognises the vital role that local press plays in scrutinising local institutions, and reflecting communities’ views and perspectives.

Our recently published Local Media Action Plan will support local media organisations across the country to innovate and adapt their business models for the online world, while incentivising and encouraging the production of high quality, trustworthy news. Our overarching goal is to empower communities through a thriving local media which highlights the issues that matter to them, helping to drive community wellbeing, social cohesion and local growth.

In the Action Plan we have made a series of commitments which will help local media, including: investing up to £12m in a new Local News Fund, which will help local media outlets adapt to commercial and technological changes and revive a local news presence in areas where it has retreated; more than doubling community radio funding to £1m a year; launching a new campaign starting in the North West to encourage more young people into journalism careers; and creating a new Regional Media Forum in the West of England, to develop a framework for best practice in scrutiny of local decision-making and public services.

We are not planning any initiatives relating to the production of school newspapers. However, we do want to ensure that young people continue to have access to trustworthy and high quality news online from a range of sources. We are working with industry to promote and improve the ‘Newspapers for Schools’ News Library, an existing platform offering digital access to 150 local and national news titles for all state-funded primary and secondary schools in the country.

The Government is committed to ensuring a healthy and plural local media for the benefit of communities and citizens across the UK, and recognises the vital role that local press plays in scrutinising local institutions, and reflecting communities’ views and perspectives.

Our recently published Local Media Action Plan will support local media organisations across the country to innovate and adapt their business models for the online world, while incentivising and encouraging the production of high quality, trustworthy news. Our overarching goal is to empower communities through a thriving local media which highlights the issues that matter to them, helping to drive community wellbeing, social cohesion and local growth.

In the Action Plan we have made a series of commitments which will help local media, including: investing up to £12m in a new Local News Fund, which will help local media outlets adapt to commercial and technological changes and revive a local news presence in areas where it has retreated; more than doubling community radio funding to £1m a year; launching a new campaign starting in the North West to encourage more young people into journalism careers; and creating a new Regional Media Forum in the West of England, to develop a framework for best practice in scrutiny of local decision-making and public services.

We are not planning any initiatives relating to the production of school newspapers. However, we do want to ensure that young people continue to have access to trustworthy and high quality news online from a range of sources. We are working with industry to promote and improve the ‘Newspapers for Schools’ News Library, an existing platform offering digital access to 150 local and national news titles for all state-funded primary and secondary schools in the country.

The Government is committed to ensuring a healthy and plural local media for the benefit of communities and citizens across the UK, and recognises the vital role that local press plays in scrutinising local institutions, and reflecting communities’ views and perspectives.

Our recently published Local Media Action Plan will support local media organisations across the country to innovate and adapt their business models for the online world, while incentivising and encouraging the production of high quality, trustworthy news. Our overarching goal is to empower communities through a thriving local media which highlights the issues that matter to them, helping to drive community wellbeing, social cohesion and local growth.

In the Action Plan we have made a series of commitments which will help local media, including: investing up to £12m in a new Local News Fund, which will help local media outlets adapt to commercial and technological changes and revive a local news presence in areas where it has retreated; more than doubling community radio funding to £1m a year; launching a new campaign starting in the North West to encourage more young people into journalism careers; and creating a new Regional Media Forum in the West of England, to develop a framework for best practice in scrutiny of local decision-making and public services.

We are not planning any initiatives relating to the production of school newspapers. However, we do want to ensure that young people continue to have access to trustworthy and high quality news online from a range of sources. We are working with industry to promote and improve the ‘Newspapers for Schools’ News Library, an existing platform offering digital access to 150 local and national news titles for all state-funded primary and secondary schools in the country.

The Government is committed to ensuring a healthy and plural local media for the benefit of communities and citizens across the UK, and recognises the vital role that local press plays in scrutinising local institutions, and reflecting communities’ views and perspectives.

Our recently published Local Media Action Plan will support local media organisations across the country to innovate and adapt their business models for the online world, while incentivising and encouraging the production of high quality, trustworthy news. Our overarching goal is to empower communities through a thriving local media which highlights the issues that matter to them, helping to drive community wellbeing, social cohesion and local growth.

In the Action Plan we have made a series of commitments which will help local media, including: investing up to £12m in a new Local News Fund, which will help local media outlets adapt to commercial and technological changes and revive a local news presence in areas where it has retreated; more than doubling community radio funding to £1m a year; launching a new campaign starting in the North West to encourage more young people into journalism careers; and creating a new Regional Media Forum in the West of England, to develop a framework for best practice in scrutiny of local decision-making and public services.

We are not planning any initiatives relating to the production of school newspapers. However, we do want to ensure that young people continue to have access to trustworthy and high quality news online from a range of sources. We are working with industry to promote and improve the ‘Newspapers for Schools’ News Library, an existing platform offering digital access to 150 local and national news titles for all state-funded primary and secondary schools in the country.

The Government is committed to ensuring a healthy and plural local media for the benefit of communities and citizens across the UK, and recognises the vital role that local press plays in scrutinising local institutions, and reflecting communities’ views and perspectives.

Our recently published Local Media Action Plan will support local media organisations across the country to innovate and adapt their business models for the online world, while incentivising and encouraging the production of high quality, trustworthy news. Our overarching goal is to empower communities through a thriving local media which highlights the issues that matter to them, helping to drive community wellbeing, social cohesion and local growth.

In the Action Plan we have made a series of commitments which will help local media, including: investing up to £12m in a new Local News Fund, which will help local media outlets adapt to commercial and technological changes and revive a local news presence in areas where it has retreated; more than doubling community radio funding to £1m a year; launching a new campaign starting in the North West to encourage more young people into journalism careers; and creating a new Regional Media Forum in the West of England, to develop a framework for best practice in scrutiny of local decision-making and public services.

We are not planning any initiatives relating to the production of school newspapers. However, we do want to ensure that young people continue to have access to trustworthy and high quality news online from a range of sources. We are working with industry to promote and improve the ‘Newspapers for Schools’ News Library, an existing platform offering digital access to 150 local and national news titles for all state-funded primary and secondary schools in the country.

The Government is committed to ensuring a healthy and plural local media for the benefit of communities and citizens across the UK, and recognises the vital role that local press plays in scrutinising local institutions, and reflecting communities’ views and perspectives.

Our recently published Local Media Action Plan will support local media organisations across the country to innovate and adapt their business models for the online world, while incentivising and encouraging the production of high quality, trustworthy news. Our overarching goal is to empower communities through a thriving local media which highlights the issues that matter to them, helping to drive community wellbeing, social cohesion and local growth.

In the Action Plan we have made a series of commitments which will help local media, including: investing up to £12m in a new Local News Fund, which will help local media outlets adapt to commercial and technological changes and revive a local news presence in areas where it has retreated; more than doubling community radio funding to £1m a year; launching a new campaign starting in the North West to encourage more young people into journalism careers; and creating a new Regional Media Forum in the West of England, to develop a framework for best practice in scrutiny of local decision-making and public services.

We are not planning any initiatives relating to the production of school newspapers. However, we do want to ensure that young people continue to have access to trustworthy and high quality news online from a range of sources. We are working with industry to promote and improve the ‘Newspapers for Schools’ News Library, an existing platform offering digital access to 150 local and national news titles for all state-funded primary and secondary schools in the country.

The Government is committed to ensuring a healthy and plural local media for the benefit of communities and citizens across the UK, and recognises the vital role that local press plays in scrutinising local institutions, and reflecting communities’ views and perspectives.

Our recently published Local Media Action Plan will support local media organisations across the country to innovate and adapt their business models for the online world, while incentivising and encouraging the production of high quality, trustworthy news. Our overarching goal is to empower communities through a thriving local media which highlights the issues that matter to them, helping to drive community wellbeing, social cohesion and local growth.

In the Action Plan we have made a series of commitments which will help local media, including: investing up to £12m in a new Local News Fund, which will help local media outlets adapt to commercial and technological changes and revive a local news presence in areas where it has retreated; more than doubling community radio funding to £1m a year; launching a new campaign starting in the North West to encourage more young people into journalism careers; and creating a new Regional Media Forum in the West of England, to develop a framework for best practice in scrutiny of local decision-making and public services.

We are not planning any initiatives relating to the production of school newspapers. However, we do want to ensure that young people continue to have access to trustworthy and high quality news online from a range of sources. We are working with industry to promote and improve the ‘Newspapers for Schools’ News Library, an existing platform offering digital access to 150 local and national news titles for all state-funded primary and secondary schools in the country.

The Government is committed to ensuring a healthy and plural local media for the benefit of communities and citizens across the UK, and recognises the vital role that local press plays in scrutinising local institutions, and reflecting communities’ views and perspectives.

Our recently published Local Media Action Plan will support local media organisations across the country to innovate and adapt their business models for the online world, while incentivising and encouraging the production of high quality, trustworthy news. Our overarching goal is to empower communities through a thriving local media which highlights the issues that matter to them, helping to drive community wellbeing, social cohesion and local growth.

In the Action Plan we have made a series of commitments which will help local media, including: investing up to £12m in a new Local News Fund, which will help local media outlets adapt to commercial and technological changes and revive a local news presence in areas where it has retreated; more than doubling community radio funding to £1m a year; launching a new campaign starting in the North West to encourage more young people into journalism careers; and creating a new Regional Media Forum in the West of England, to develop a framework for best practice in scrutiny of local decision-making and public services.

We are not planning any initiatives relating to the production of school newspapers. However, we do want to ensure that young people continue to have access to trustworthy and high quality news online from a range of sources. We are working with industry to promote and improve the ‘Newspapers for Schools’ News Library, an existing platform offering digital access to 150 local and national news titles for all state-funded primary and secondary schools in the country.

The Government is committed to ensuring a healthy and plural local media for the benefit of communities and citizens across the UK, and recognises the vital role that local press plays in scrutinising local institutions, and reflecting communities’ views and perspectives.

Our recently published Local Media Action Plan will support local media organisations across the country to innovate and adapt their business models for the online world, while incentivising and encouraging the production of high quality, trustworthy news. Our overarching goal is to empower communities through a thriving local media which highlights the issues that matter to them, helping to drive community wellbeing, social cohesion and local growth.

In the Action Plan we have made a series of commitments which will help local media, including: investing up to £12m in a new Local News Fund, which will help local media outlets adapt to commercial and technological changes and revive a local news presence in areas where it has retreated; more than doubling community radio funding to £1m a year; launching a new campaign starting in the North West to encourage more young people into journalism careers; and creating a new Regional Media Forum in the West of England, to develop a framework for best practice in scrutiny of local decision-making and public services.

We are not planning any initiatives relating to the production of school newspapers. However, we do want to ensure that young people continue to have access to trustworthy and high quality news online from a range of sources. We are working with industry to promote and improve the ‘Newspapers for Schools’ News Library, an existing platform offering digital access to 150 local and national news titles for all state-funded primary and secondary schools in the country.

As part of Amplify: The Local Media Action Plan, the Government is launching a Local News Fund worth £6m in 2026/27 and up to a further £6m in 2027/28, to help ensure the long term provision of local news. Local media faces a complex range of challenges, and funding represents just one aspect of our approach. It will help the industry adapt in the short-medium term, before longer term measures set out in the Plan begin to take effect in helping enable a free, plural and thriving online local media ecosystem.

Funding will be distributed to local media outlets in print, online, radio or television, according to the outcomes of a competitive bidding process. Prospective bidders will need to meet specific qualifying criteria, central to which will be that the provision of local news is a primary purpose of the organisation.

Funding decisions will be supported by an independent Steering Board of external industry experts, to ensure a degree of independence in government decisions about funding media outlets. In accordance with the Government’s wider support for freedom and plurality of local media, we will not be linking grant awards to the provision of certain types of coverage or political impartiality.

Further detail on the Fund will be announced in the coming weeks.

As part of Amplify: The Local Media Action Plan, the Government is launching a Local News Fund worth £6m in 2026/27 and up to a further £6m in 2027/28, to help ensure the long term provision of local news. Local media faces a complex range of challenges, and funding represents just one aspect of our approach. It will help the industry adapt in the short-medium term, before longer term measures set out in the Plan begin to take effect in helping enable a free, plural and thriving online local media ecosystem.

Funding will be distributed to local media outlets in print, online, radio or television, according to the outcomes of a competitive bidding process. Prospective bidders will need to meet specific qualifying criteria, central to which will be that the provision of local news is a primary purpose of the organisation.

Funding decisions will be supported by an independent Steering Board of external industry experts, to ensure a degree of independence in government decisions about funding media outlets. In accordance with the Government’s wider support for freedom and plurality of local media, we will not be linking grant awards to the provision of certain types of coverage or political impartiality.

Further detail on the Fund will be announced in the coming weeks.

As part of Amplify: The Local Media Action Plan, the Government is launching a Local News Fund worth £6m in 2026/27 and up to a further £6m in 2027/28, to help ensure the long term provision of local news. Local media faces a complex range of challenges, and funding represents just one aspect of our approach. It will help the industry adapt in the short-medium term, before longer term measures set out in the Plan begin to take effect in helping enable a free, plural and thriving online local media ecosystem.

Funding will be distributed to local media outlets in print, online, radio or television, according to the outcomes of a competitive bidding process. Prospective bidders will need to meet specific qualifying criteria, central to which will be that the provision of local news is a primary purpose of the organisation.

Funding decisions will be supported by an independent Steering Board of external industry experts, to ensure a degree of independence in government decisions about funding media outlets. In accordance with the Government’s wider support for freedom and plurality of local media, we will not be linking grant awards to the provision of certain types of coverage or political impartiality.

Further detail on the Fund will be announced in the coming weeks.

As part of Amplify: The Local Media Action Plan, the Government is launching a Local News Fund worth £6m in 2026/27 and up to a further £6m in 2027/28, to help ensure the long term provision of local news. Local media faces a complex range of challenges, and funding represents just one aspect of our approach. It will help the industry adapt in the short-medium term, before longer term measures set out in the Plan begin to take effect in helping enable a free, plural and thriving online local media ecosystem.

Funding will be distributed to local media outlets in print, online, radio or television, according to the outcomes of a competitive bidding process. Prospective bidders will need to meet specific qualifying criteria, central to which will be that the provision of local news is a primary purpose of the organisation.

Funding decisions will be supported by an independent Steering Board of external industry experts, to ensure a degree of independence in government decisions about funding media outlets. In accordance with the Government’s wider support for freedom and plurality of local media, we will not be linking grant awards to the provision of certain types of coverage or political impartiality.

Further detail on the Fund will be announced in the coming weeks.