Asked by: Earl of Clancarty (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they will provide an update on the status of the listed places of worship grant scheme.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme will close on 31 March 2026 or when the budget for the year is spent.. As we look towards a new fiscal period and the evolving needs of our community, it is essential that government support is deployed to the areas where it can have the greatest impact and where it is needed most. Our evaluation of the Scheme showed that while it had many benefits, 80% of respondents said that they would still have carried out the work without the rebate. There will therefore not be further funding rounds of the current scheme.
However, on 21 January we announced the new Places of Worship Renewal Fund. This will have an annual budget of £23m starting in 2026/27. This provides certainty for the remaining years of the Spending Review until 2029/30, providing £92m over the period. Support will be targeted at places of most need. Further details regarding the eligibility criteria and application process, will be published in due course.
Asked by: Earl of Clancarty (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government which departments have responsibility for the heritage crafts sector and associated skills; and whether they plan to consider the appointment of an expert to coordinate policy in that area.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Department of Education, and the Department for Works and Pension have overall responsibility for devising and delivering skills policy across Government. The Department for Culture Media and Sport works across Government to ensure heritage crafts and skills are appropriately considered in policy.
Historic England, Government’s advisor on heritage and Arms Length Body of DCMS, advises the Government on heritage skills and craft policy and contributes to a number of cross Government working groups, including the Construction Skills Delivery Group. DCMS has no plans to appoint further experts.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much COVID-19 loan support is outstanding from Premiership Rugby Union clubs.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
DCMS acted to support Premiership Rugby during the COVID-19 pandemic when their need was most acute. Loan financing was provided on favourable terms to applicant organisations, and DCMS is now collecting those repayments as intended. DCMS is not able to comment on the specifics of individual loans given their commercial sensitivity.
Sport England, in their role as DCMS’s Loan Agent, regularly engages with borrowers to monitor their financial position, and works with them to help ensure that the loans are repaid, and that borrowers comply with the terms of their loans.
I have met with the RFU and Prem Rugby previously to discuss the long-term financial sustainability of professional rugby union, and my officials regularly engage with the RFU and Prem Rugby on this issue.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much their department spent on X and xAI since July 2024.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Paid advertising on X was suspended in April 2023 following a SAFE Framework assessment. X is currently used only for organic (non-paid) content to communicate policies and public services.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has spent a total of £481 since July 2024 on an X Premium Plus subscription.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the financial position of Premiership Rugby Union clubs in meeting COVID-19 loan repayment obligations.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
DCMS acted to support Premiership Rugby during the COVID-19 pandemic when their need was most acute. Loan financing was provided on favourable terms to applicant organisations, and DCMS is now collecting those repayments as intended. DCMS is not able to comment on the specifics of individual loans given their commercial sensitivity.
Sport England, in their role as DCMS’s Loan Agent, regularly engages with borrowers to monitor their financial position, and works with them to help ensure that the loans are repaid, and that borrowers comply with the terms of their loans.
I have met with the RFU and Prem Rugby previously to discuss the long-term financial sustainability of professional rugby union, and my officials regularly engage with the RFU and Prem Rugby on this issue.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with Premiership Rugby clubs and governing bodies on sustainable repayment plans for COVID-19 loans.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
DCMS acted to support Premiership Rugby during the COVID-19 pandemic when their need was most acute. Loan financing was provided on favourable terms to applicant organisations, and DCMS is now collecting those repayments as intended. DCMS is not able to comment on the specifics of individual loans given their commercial sensitivity.
Sport England, in their role as DCMS’s Loan Agent, regularly engages with borrowers to monitor their financial position, and works with them to help ensure that the loans are repaid, and that borrowers comply with the terms of their loans.
I have met with the RFU and Prem Rugby previously to discuss the long-term financial sustainability of professional rugby union, and my officials regularly engage with the RFU and Prem Rugby on this issue.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress she has made on the repayment of COVID-19 loans provided to Premiership Rugby Union clubs.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
DCMS acted to support Premiership Rugby during the COVID-19 pandemic when their need was most acute. Loan financing was provided on favourable terms to applicant organisations, and DCMS is now collecting those repayments as intended. DCMS is not able to comment on the specifics of individual loans given their commercial sensitivity.
Sport England, in their role as DCMS’s Loan Agent, regularly engages with borrowers to monitor their financial position, and works with them to help ensure that the loans are repaid, and that borrowers comply with the terms of their loans.
I have met with the RFU and Prem Rugby previously to discuss the long-term financial sustainability of professional rugby union, and my officials regularly engage with the RFU and Prem Rugby on this issue.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to increase the competitiveness of the (a) visual effects and (b) animation industry.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government has prioritised film and television as a high-growth sub-sector in the Industrial Strategy and Creative Industries Sector Plan.
Many of the interventions in the £75 million Screen Growth Package we announced in the Sector Plan will benefit VFX and animation. For example, we are scaling up the UK Global Screen Fund to £18 million per year, which will include a new majority co-production strand for UK animation. Through the Sector Plan, we will ensure that the UK continues to develop world-class talent, facilities and innovation in animation and VFX, including through £10 million to expand capacity and apprenticeships at the National Film & Television School, and £25 million for five new CoSTAR labs advancing augmented reality and motion capture technologies.
In addition, we continue to offer generous and stable tax credits - including the new credit for VFX costs in film and TV we introduced last year, and recent changes to R&D credits which now better recognise artists' roles in addressing scientific and technological challenges. In addition, the British Business Bank is increasing financial backing for the Creative Industries opening new opportunities for screen businesses and IP creators.
DCMS remains in close contact with UK Screen Alliance and Animation UK on the sector's opportunities and challenges.
Asked by: Baroness Freeman of Steventon (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Minister for Museums, Heritage and Gambling currently attends the Construction Skills Mission Board; and if not, whether she plans to do so in the future to ensure that heritage building craft skills are represented.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Minister for Museums, Heritage Gambling is not a member of the Construction Skills Mission Board (CSMB). The CSMB is an industry-led group, consisting of construction senior leaders, small business representatives, and union representatives. Officials representing five supporting departments (the Department for Work and Pensions, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Department for Business and Trade, Department for Education, and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero) observe meetings of the Board with relevant ministers joining when necessary. Historic England, Government advisors on the historic environment, advises the board on consideration on heritage skills via the CSMB sub committee on Repair, Maintenance and Infrastructure.
Asked by: John Whittingdale (Conservative - Maldon)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to encourage greater consistency in age ratings and content warnings across streaming services to help parents ensure age-appropriate viewing for their children.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We note the findings of Ofcom’s Review of Audience Protection Measures on On-Demand Programme Services. The Government will shortly be designating mainstream video-on-demand services, bringing them under enhanced regulation by Ofcom. Ofcom will then consult on a new Standards Code for these services, similar to the Broadcasting Code. This will give the public an important opportunity to set out their views directly on the use of age ratings and content warnings.