Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help support the growth of creative industries in (a) Lincolnshire and (b) the East Midlands.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The UK Government has a clear plan to grow the creative industries by a further £50 billion and support another 1 million jobs by 2030. This was set out in June 2023 in the Creative Industries Sector Vision, which was accompanied by £77 million of new funding to support the sector’s growth. This is on top of a range of tax reliefs introduced or expanded since 2010 covering film, television, animation, video games, orchestras, theatres and more.
Creative Industries GVA grew at more than twice the rate of UK GVA between 2010 and 2022 (50.3% vs 21.5%), and helped support more than a million new jobs since 2010.
Measures in the Sector Vision include the £28.4 million Create Growth Programme (CGP) to support high-growth creative businesses in twelve English regions outside London to scale up and become investment ready. The CGP is being delivered in twelve local area partnerships, including Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership in the East Midlands.
It also includes £950k for the Creative Careers Programme, which raises young people’s awareness of creative careers and pathways by providing specialist advice and information through a range of industry-led engagement. It is delivered in regions around England, including the East Midlands (Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, Leicester and Leicestershire and Greater Lincolnshire).
It includes £50 million announced for the second wave of the Creative Clusters Programme, designed to deliver innovation and R&D funding across the UK. This builds on the original £56 million programme initiated in 2018.
The Arts Council England 2023-2026 Investment Programme is also investing £444 million each year into arts and culture in England and is providing around £22 million per year to cultural organisations in the East Midlands, including Lincolnshire.
Asked by: Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the recent breach of the Advertising Standards Authority codes by DCMS Technical Working Group members Electronic Arts, Jagex, and Hutch Games, what steps they are taking to (1) evaluate, and (2) ensure compliance with, industry-led principles and guidance on the use of paid loot boxes in computer games.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Following our response to the call for evidence on loot boxes in video games, HM Government has welcomed new industry-led guidance to improve protections for all players, including young people.
Measures to protect players should ensure that the purchase of loot boxes is unavailable to all children and young people unless enabled by a parent or guardian, and that all players have access to, and can be aware of, spending controls and transparent information to support safe and responsible playing of games.
We are working closely with the industry and academia to support independent scrutiny of these new measures. The Government has agreed a 12-month implementation period and has asked the industry, co-ordinated by Ukie, to report back to DCMS on the extent to which the new measures have been implemented.
We will continue to keep our position on possible future legislative options under review, informed by academic scrutiny of the industry-led guidance. We will provide a further update following the 12-month implementation period.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to update copyright and intellectual property regulations to better protect the rights of professional creatives and ensure fair compensation, given the challenges posed by artificial intelligence technologies.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
His Majesty’s Government is engaging with people across the relevant sectors to develop an approach on artificial intelligence and copyright which allows this technology and the creative industries to grow in partnership. We want to work closely with right holders and AI developers to deliver this, and engage closely with our international counterparts.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and the Intellectual Property Office are working collaboratively to build on the progress made through the IPO’s working group process, which has now concluded. As set out in the AI White Paper Consultation Response of 6 February, HM Government will continue to engage with the creative industries, the media sector, and AI businesses to understand their views and develop an approach that supports these sectors to thrive.
Apr. 26 2024
Source Page: Yavinder Malhi is reappointed to the Natural History Museum BoardAsked by: Derek Thomas (Conservative - St Ives)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of prohibiting the practice of intentionally rendering commercial videogames inoperable when support ends.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government recognises recent concerns raised by video games users regarding the long-term operability of purchased products. Video games publishers must comply with existing consumer law, including the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA) and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPRs).
The CPRs protect consumers from being given false or misleading information by businesses. If consumers purchased a game on the understanding that it would continue to be playable, even when support ends, then the CPRs may provide recourse.
Under the CRA, consumers have clear rights when buying digital content, such as video games, supplied in digital form. Any digital content the consumer has paid for must be as described and of a satisfactory quality. If digital content does not meet these requirements, the consumer is entitled to a repair or replacement, or a price reduction or refund if the fault cannot be fixed. The CRA has a time limit of up to six years after a breach of contract during which a consumer can take legal action.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the total value was of grant funding awarded from the Heritage High Street Fund to projects in (a) Lincolnshire and (b) the East Midlands since 2019.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government-funded High Streets Heritage Action Zones programme ran from 2019 to 2024. It was administered by Historic England. The programme has funded the transformation and restoration of over 60 high streets, creating economic growth and improving quality of life in these areas.
The total grant funding awarded for programmes in Lincolnshire from 2019 to 2023 was £2,616,859. There were two programmes in Lincolnshire – in Lincoln (£1,971,279) and Grantham (£645,580).
The total grant funding for the East Midlands (excluding Lincolnshire) from 2019 to 2023 was £5,727,564. There were five programmes across the East Midlands – in Buxton (£943,972), Hinkley (£577,868), Leicester (£1,909,237), Kettering (£2,124,417), and Newark (£172,070).
Asked by: Ian Lavery (Labour - Wansbeck)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the Football Association on increasing funding for third and fourth generation playing surfaces.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is committed to delivering top 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 sport facilities across the UK.
Between 2021 and 2025, the UK Government is delivering investment of over £400 million to build or upgrade thousands of grassroots facilities across the UK. The largest component of this funding is the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme, which is investing over £320 million in, among other things, new third generation playing surfaces.
Government recognises the importance of levelling up grassroots facilities across the country and as part of the delivery of the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme, we are analysing the need for future funding and how this will be delivered, taking into account the upcoming Spending Review.
Government has been clear that the Football Association plays an integral role in the funding of grassroots facilities, and investment in both 3G and grass pitches remains a key priority. Government will continue to work with the Football Association to encourage future investment into facilities through the Football Foundation.
Asked by: Ian Lavery (Labour - Wansbeck)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Football Association’s decision not to allow an extension to the season for junior football on clubs.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Maintenance of grass football pitches is the responsibility of individual clubs in conjunction with the FA. Clubs that play at Step 1 to 6 of the National League System and Tiers 1 to 4 of the Women’s Football Pyramid are eligible to apply for grants through the Premier League Stadium Fund in order to make improvements to their grounds. Administration of the grants is managed by the Football Foundation.
Government is also delivering an historic level of direct investment to build or upgrade thousands of grassroots facilities across the UK. This includes £327 million to provide up to 8,000 new and improved multi-sport grassroots facilities and pitches across the whole of the UK between 2021 and 2025.
The Government recognises the logistical difficulties posed by weather-related postponements, and the consequent fixture congestion caused. This is exacerbated for clubs that have been forced to play their home fixtures at an alternative venue where the surface at their home ground is unplayable. However, the decision of whether or not to extend a football season is one that must be made by the FA as national governing body of the sport.
Asked by: Ian Lavery (Labour - Wansbeck)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of playing home games at alternative venues on non-league football clubs.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Maintenance of grass football pitches is the responsibility of individual clubs in conjunction with the FA. Clubs that play at Step 1 to 6 of the National League System and Tiers 1 to 4 of the Women’s Football Pyramid are eligible to apply for grants through the Premier League Stadium Fund in order to make improvements to their grounds. Administration of the grants is managed by the Football Foundation.
Government is also delivering an historic level of direct investment to build or upgrade thousands of grassroots facilities across the UK. This includes £327 million to provide up to 8,000 new and improved multi-sport grassroots facilities and pitches across the whole of the UK between 2021 and 2025.
The Government recognises the logistical difficulties posed by weather-related postponements, and the consequent fixture congestion caused. This is exacerbated for clubs that have been forced to play their home fixtures at an alternative venue where the surface at their home ground is unplayable. However, the decision of whether or not to extend a football season is one that must be made by the FA as national governing body of the sport.
Asked by: Ian Lavery (Labour - Wansbeck)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the Football Association on increasing funding for drainage works on grass pitches.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Maintenance of grass football pitches is the responsibility of individual clubs in conjunction with the FA. Clubs that play at Step 1 to 6 of the National League System and Tiers 1 to 4 of the Women’s Football Pyramid are eligible to apply for grants through the Premier League Stadium Fund in order to make improvements to their grounds. Administration of the grants is managed by the Football Foundation.
Government is also delivering an historic level of direct investment to build or upgrade thousands of grassroots facilities across the UK. This includes £327 million to provide up to 8,000 new and improved multi-sport grassroots facilities and pitches across the whole of the UK between 2021 and 2025.
The Government recognises the logistical difficulties posed by weather-related postponements, and the consequent fixture congestion caused. This is exacerbated for clubs that have been forced to play their home fixtures at an alternative venue where the surface at their home ground is unplayable. However, the decision of whether or not to extend a football season is one that must be made by the FA as national governing body of the sport.