Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to continue to fund the UK Youth Parliament programme in 2026–27.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Youth empowerment is at the core of the National Youth Strategy. We have committed to putting young people in the driving seat of their own lives and empowering them to shape the solutions and decisions that impact them. Over the coming months, we are working with young people to create these opportunities for youth empowerment.
The DCMS grant for the UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) programme currently runs until 31st March 2026. Decisions relating to future funding will be communicated in due course.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with Cabinet colleagues on UK representation at the 23rd meeting of the UN Tourism Committee on Tourism and Sustainability in April 2026.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
While the UK is not a member of UN Tourism, we maintain close and constructive working relationships with UN Tourism officials to ensure that UN resolutions relating to tourism appropriately reflect UK interests. DCMS officials work closely with colleagues across Government to align the UK’s tourism and sustainability priorities with wider international discussions and emerging best practice.
DCMS regularly engages in global tourism fora, including Ministerial participation in the UN Tourism Ministerial Summit and EU Sustainability Roundtable at the World Travel Market last year, as well as bilateral engagements with international counterparts, including discussions with the Spanish Minister for Tourism during a recent visit to Spain.
The Government remains committed to supporting sustainable tourism growth through a combination of domestic policy, bilateral engagement and multilateral cooperation, including active participation in relevant international fora where the UK is represented.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Crime and Police Bill 2024-26, what assessment her Department has made of adequacy of training for reporting child sexual abuse for people that organise sporting and related activities for children.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The safety, wellbeing and welfare of everyone taking part in sport is absolutely paramount. National Governing Bodies are responsible for the regulation of their sports and for ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to protect participants from harm, including through adherence to statutory safeguarding guidance.
The Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU), part funded by our arm’s length bodies UK Sport and Sport England, provides guidance and training about the recognition, response, and reporting of abuse, which includes specialised training on the mandatory reporting duty proposed in the Crime and Police Bill. We will continue to work with partners, including Sport England and the CPSU, to ensure appropriate training is available for the sector.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
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 secure adequate funding opportunities for places of worship in Wales.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Places of Worship Renewal Fund is focused solely on England because heritage policy is devolved. Future capital funding for Wales is supported through Barnett allocations, which provide proportional funding to the Welsh Government. As these funds are not ring-fenced, it is for the devolved administrations to determine how this funding is allocated and spent according to their priorities. Therefore, we do not plan to assess the impact of this capital funding for places of worship in Wales.
This contrasts with the previous Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme (LPWGS), which operated UK-wide as a VAT-rebate scheme. Tax policy is not devolved.
To ensure continued support across the UK, we are working closely with sector funders to maximise opportunities for all nations. The National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) remains a vital resource, offering grants across the UK and investing £100 million over three years in places of worship. This includes a strategic initiative designed to provide targeted support and build capacity, ensuring that places of worship in Wales have access to investment.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of recently announced changes to capital funding for places of worship on places of worship in Wales.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Places of Worship Renewal Fund is focused solely on England because heritage policy is devolved. Future capital funding for Wales is supported through Barnett allocations, which provide proportional funding to the Welsh Government. As these funds are not ring-fenced, it is for the devolved administrations to determine how this funding is allocated and spent according to their priorities. Therefore, we do not plan to assess the impact of this capital funding for places of worship in Wales.
This contrasts with the previous Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme (LPWGS), which operated UK-wide as a VAT-rebate scheme. Tax policy is not devolved.
To ensure continued support across the UK, we are working closely with sector funders to maximise opportunities for all nations. The National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) remains a vital resource, offering grants across the UK and investing £100 million over three years in places of worship. This includes a strategic initiative designed to provide targeted support and build capacity, ensuring that places of worship in Wales have access to investment.
Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help strengthen public confidence in safeguarding within the Church of England.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
All charities should be safe and trusted spaces for everyone; whether employees, volunteers or members of the public.
The Charity Commission for England and Wales recently issued a Regulatory Action Plan to the Archbishops' Council of the Church of England. This followed concerns that the charity's trustees were taking too long to implement reforms to safeguarding in the Church of England.
The Charity Commission has also recently issued Official Warnings to two Church of England diocesan boards of finance for failures in how safeguarding allegations were handled.
The Commission is monitoring the Church charities' compliance with the respective Action Plan and Official Warnings, and will take any steps it considers necessary and within its regulatory remit to hold trustees of Church charities to account.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what evidence her has received on the challenges facing independent hoteliers.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is committed to supporting the hospitality sector as a valuable contributor to the UK economy. While DBT oversees the wider hospitality industry, DCMS holds policy responsibility for accommodation including hotels so I am replying as the Minister responsible. Both departments receive industry evidence through direct stakeholder engagement and through the Visitor Economy Advisory Council (VEAC) and the Hospitality Sector Council respectively. Following a recent VEAC meeting at the IHG Kimpton Fitzroy, I was pleased to visit the hotel and see firsthand the excellence and professionalism of our hotel sector.
The Government is providing a number of targeted support measures for hospitality businesses, including permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year and will benefit over 750,000 properties.
The Government has set out a package of five pro-growth regulatory changes for the retail and hospitality sectors. The Government has also committed to reviewing the methodologies by which pubs and hotels are valued for business rates purposes and will, if necessary, make changes to ensure these valuations accurately reflect the rental market for these properties at the next revaluation.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her is taking to help support the independent hotelier sector.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is committed to supporting the hospitality sector as a valuable contributor to the UK economy. While DBT oversees the wider hospitality industry, DCMS holds policy responsibility for accommodation including hotels so I am replying as the Minister responsible. Both departments receive industry evidence through direct stakeholder engagement and through the Visitor Economy Advisory Council (VEAC) and the Hospitality Sector Council respectively. Following a recent VEAC meeting at the IHG Kimpton Fitzroy, I was pleased to visit the hotel and see firsthand the excellence and professionalism of our hotel sector.
The Government is providing a number of targeted support measures for hospitality businesses, including permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year and will benefit over 750,000 properties.
The Government has set out a package of five pro-growth regulatory changes for the retail and hospitality sectors. The Government has also committed to reviewing the methodologies by which pubs and hotels are valued for business rates purposes and will, if necessary, make changes to ensure these valuations accurately reflect the rental market for these properties at the next revaluation.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what evidence her has received on the role of independent hoteliers.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is committed to supporting the hospitality sector as a valuable contributor to the UK economy. While DBT oversees the wider hospitality industry, DCMS holds policy responsibility for accommodation including hotels so I am replying as the Minister responsible. Both departments receive industry evidence through direct stakeholder engagement and through the Visitor Economy Advisory Council (VEAC) and the Hospitality Sector Council respectively. Following a recent VEAC meeting at the IHG Kimpton Fitzroy, I was pleased to visit the hotel and see firsthand the excellence and professionalism of our hotel sector.
The Government is providing a number of targeted support measures for hospitality businesses, including permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year and will benefit over 750,000 properties.
The Government has set out a package of five pro-growth regulatory changes for the retail and hospitality sectors. The Government has also committed to reviewing the methodologies by which pubs and hotels are valued for business rates purposes and will, if necessary, make changes to ensure these valuations accurately reflect the rental market for these properties at the next revaluation.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent progress she has made on establishing a programme to guarantee a library space in every primary school.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
We have allocated £12.5 million from the Dormant Assets Scheme to ensure every primary school has a library space by the end of this Parliament. The National Lottery Community Fund is working to develop more of the programme details, including which schools will receive funding.