Asked by: Baroness Manzoor (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to use generative AI to combat loneliness, in particular among the elderly.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government does not currently have plans to use generative AI to combat loneliness among the elderly. However, we recognise the importance of using innovative approaches to tackle loneliness. The government-funded Tackling Loneliness Hub recently published this blog; https://tacklinglonelinesshub.org/health-innovation-to-human-connection/ on health innovation and the role of AI in strengthening social connection, and hosts a range of events for members to learn about novel approaches to this issue.
This Government is committed to supporting people at risk of loneliness, including the elderly, to have the social connections they need. Our ambition to strengthen positive social connections is a key part of achieving wider government objectives to create a healthier society and more connected communities across all ages. My department has been working hard to ensure social connection and loneliness are embedded in government policy making, including the recently published Pride in Place strategy, and the upcoming Men’s Health Strategy and National Youth Strategy.
Asked by: Jayne Kirkham (Labour (Co-op) - Truro and Falmouth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department has taken to assess the (a) adequacy of levels of swimming pool provision and (b) long-term factors that might impact future levels of swimming pool provision.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is committed to ensuring that communities across the UK benefit from high-quality sport facilities to help enable people to get active and build pride in place in local communities. We are aware that factors including pressures around energy costs and ageing facilities may impact the future provision of sports facilities, including swimming pools. That is why at least £400 million is to be invested in new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities across the UK over the next four years. This investment will fund projects that promote health, wellbeing and community cohesion, while removing the barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups, such as women and girls, people with disabilities, and ethnic minority communities.
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 to ensure that the use of artificial intelligence in news production and distribution complies with regulated media standards.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
AI is a tool that could help the UK realise its full potential as a global creative powerhouse. While we should be aware of the risks of AI, we should also be positive about its possibilities. DCMS is working closely with DSIT and other departments on tackling harmful misinformation and the role our media sector plays in fostering a healthy online environment.
The independent regulator Ofcom enforces standards on broadcast media through their Broadcasting Code, which includes rules that ensure that broadcast news is duly accurate and impartial. Ofcom has set out guidance around the use of synthetic media, including AI: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/about-ofcom/bulletins/broadcast-bulletins/2023/issue-471/note-to-broadcasters-synthetic-media-including-deepfakes-.pdf?v=329464. This is attached to this answer.
The UK has a self-regulatory system for the press, which was established independently from Government to protect press freedom. The Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) and The Independent Monitor for the Press (Impress) are industry-led regulators for the press. They enforce codes of conduct which provide guidelines on a range of areas, including accuracy. Impress has also published specific guidance regarding best practices when using AI for news content creation: https://www.impressorg.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Impress-Best-Practice-Note-The-Use-of-Artificial-Intelligence-April-2025.pdf).
Asked by: Lord Swire (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have had discussions with Ofcom regarding the editing of President Trump's speech in the Panorama programme Trump: A Second Chance?.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Senior Officials have regular contact with Ofcom leadership, on a variety of matters - the independence of the regulator is nevertheless vital and discussions always respect this distinction. Maintaining the BBC’s editorial standards is also very important, as is the need for the BBC to be accountable.
We support a strong independent BBC. In an age of disinformation, the argument for a robust impartial British news service is stronger than ever. It is important that trust is maintained and that errors are corrected quickly. Tim Davie and Deborah Turness have subsequently both taken responsibility for the mistakes they admit the BBC has made.
As the BBC is independent of Government, it is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator of the BBC, to ensure that the BBC fulfils its obligations to audiences as outlined in the Charter and the Broadcasting Code.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what criteria will be used to determine eligibility for funding under the scheme for the repair and conservation of local war memorials.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government announced on 9 November 2025 the new £2 million fund for the repair and maintenance of war memorials. Further details, including criteria, will be announced in due course.
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, what recent assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of reports that Al-Ikhlas Education Centre in Willesden hosted Scout meetings.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The promotion of extremist views or terrorism in charities is unacceptable. The Charity Commission is alive to the risks of hostile state threats to the charity sector, and works with other agencies to protect the sector from the risks of being exploited. The Charity Commission has consistently been clear that it will respond robustly where there proves to have been wrongdoing and I am confident that it has the ability to do so effectively.
The Government takes the safeguarding of all children seriously and is committed to protecting them from harm across all settings, including out-of-school settings such as Scouts clubs. The Charity Commission has published guidance that explains in which circumstances a report about serious wrongdoing should be made, which details should be provided, and what it will do after receiving a report.
DCMS is planning to strengthen the Charity Commission’s powers to tackle extremist abuse of charities. We will consult on measures to automatically ban individuals convicted of hate crimes from serving as charity trustees or senior managers, and make it easier for the Charity Commission to take action against people promoting terrorism, violence or hatred
Ministers and officials regularly meet with the Charity Commission to discuss a range of issues relating to the regulation of charities.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government is taking to support community libraries.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Local authorities are responsible for assessing the needs of their local communities and designing a library service to meet those needs within available resources, including how community libraries may form a part of that.
Where a community library is part of the Local Authority service statutory network it can benefit from wider government initiatives such as the improved Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025-26, and could also benefit from library specific funding such as the Libraries Improvement Fund.
The Secretary of State announced in February 2025 a further £5.5 million of this Libraries Improvement Fund for 2025-26 to councils across England to invest in their library service and fund a range of projects to upgrade buildings and technology. This can include bids to benefit community managed branches within the statutory network.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2025 to Question 71483 on MHCLG: Government Art Collection, if she will provide this information.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government Art Collection is a working collection, used across government buildings in the UK and the global estate, which means that artworks may change their display location from time to time in response to new display steers and requests.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to announce the future of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme after 31 March 2026.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The future of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme after March 2026 will be announced when the outcome of the Spending Review and business planning processes have completed.
Asked by: Alex Ballinger (Labour - Halesowen)
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 Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the potential merits of including public health officials in the gambling license process.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has not had discussions on this matter with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
There are several ways that public health officials at local authorities contribute to the gambling licensing process. For example, as noted in the Gambling Commission’s Guidance to Licensing Authorities, public health teams can advise licensing authorities on their Licensing Statement of Policy for gambling, to help ensure it reflects current risks and knowledge. Public health teams can also contribute to the development of ‘local area profiles’. These can be used to identify higher-risk areas where gambling premises must implement mitigation measures to address risk, and the Gambling Commission and Local Government Association have encouraged licensing authorities to produce them.
We recognise some stakeholders have noted it is unclear whether the Gambling Act designates public health officials as a responsible authority in the licensing process. We will consider the best available evidence to inform any future decisions in this area.