Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
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 support the British Legion's Poppy appeal.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport works closely with the Royal British Legion (RBL) on the organisation and delivery of the National Service of Remembrance and the DCMS broadcasts the service, with over 8,000 watching this year’s service.
All participants and volunteers are encouraged to support the Poppy Appeal by wearing a RBL poppy, which are made available alongside a donation point in DCMS HQ during the appeal period.
I attended the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on invitation from the Royal British Legion. Both myself and the Secretary of State attended the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph, as well as attending a number of constituency events in Barnsley.
The Department has been delighted to lead on the VE/VJ 80 commemorations.
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, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2025 to Question 79081 on Tourism, what her Department's objectives are for the Local Visitor Economy Partnership programme; and how her Department plans to measure the effectiveness of the programme (a) locally and (b) nationally.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The purpose of the LVEP programme is to attract investment and ultimately drive growth, training, and help places tell their own unique stories to visitors. Through a collaborative approach that unites local authorities, businesses and regional partners, LVEPs enhance the quality of the visitor offer and ensure that the positive impacts of tourism are distributed widely across communities. economy together.
37 Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) are currently accredited across England, covering a broad mix of urban, rural and coastal destinations. In some other places, such as Bedfordshire, LVEPs are still in development. These areas are still working through how best to organise their destination management functions, align multiple local authorities, and secure the long-term funding and governance arrangements required for accreditation.
The current geographical distribution reflects a strong spread of partnerships across regions, and the Department continues to work with VisitEngland to provide guidance, regional development support and resources to all destinations. VisitEngland offers dedicated assistance through Regional Development Leads and programme tools to help local areas strengthen governance, build capability and work towards accreditation. This support is available to both accredited and aspiring LVEP areas, including Bedfordshire.
LVEP performance is monitored locally through delivery plans and nationally through evaluation by VisitEngland. VisitBritain/VisitEngland’s Business Plan 2025-26 allocated £1.5 million to supporting regional and local growth. This includes working with LVEPs to achieve local growth strategies and supporting the LVEP structure. VisitEngland’s regional leads and the regional pilots in the NorthEast and West Midlands have also benefited from a direct £1.35 million funding boost in 2025/26 to help the regions attract even more tourists and investment to the UK.
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, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2025 to Question 79081 on Tourism, how much funding her Department has allocated to support the (a) development and (b) operation of Local Visitor Economy Partnerships in the 2025-26 financial year.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The purpose of the LVEP programme is to attract investment and ultimately drive growth, training, and help places tell their own unique stories to visitors. Through a collaborative approach that unites local authorities, businesses and regional partners, LVEPs enhance the quality of the visitor offer and ensure that the positive impacts of tourism are distributed widely across communities. economy together.
37 Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) are currently accredited across England, covering a broad mix of urban, rural and coastal destinations. In some other places, such as Bedfordshire, LVEPs are still in development. These areas are still working through how best to organise their destination management functions, align multiple local authorities, and secure the long-term funding and governance arrangements required for accreditation.
The current geographical distribution reflects a strong spread of partnerships across regions, and the Department continues to work with VisitEngland to provide guidance, regional development support and resources to all destinations. VisitEngland offers dedicated assistance through Regional Development Leads and programme tools to help local areas strengthen governance, build capability and work towards accreditation. This support is available to both accredited and aspiring LVEP areas, including Bedfordshire.
LVEP performance is monitored locally through delivery plans and nationally through evaluation by VisitEngland. VisitBritain/VisitEngland’s Business Plan 2025-26 allocated £1.5 million to supporting regional and local growth. This includes working with LVEPs to achieve local growth strategies and supporting the LVEP structure. VisitEngland’s regional leads and the regional pilots in the NorthEast and West Midlands have also benefited from a direct £1.35 million funding boost in 2025/26 to help the regions attract even more tourists and investment to the UK.
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, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2025 to Question 79081 on Tourism, how many Local Visitor Economy Partnerships have been accredited; and what assessment she has made of the adequacy of their geographic distribution.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The purpose of the LVEP programme is to attract investment and ultimately drive growth, training, and help places tell their own unique stories to visitors. Through a collaborative approach that unites local authorities, businesses and regional partners, LVEPs enhance the quality of the visitor offer and ensure that the positive impacts of tourism are distributed widely across communities. economy together.
37 Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) are currently accredited across England, covering a broad mix of urban, rural and coastal destinations. In some other places, such as Bedfordshire, LVEPs are still in development. These areas are still working through how best to organise their destination management functions, align multiple local authorities, and secure the long-term funding and governance arrangements required for accreditation.
The current geographical distribution reflects a strong spread of partnerships across regions, and the Department continues to work with VisitEngland to provide guidance, regional development support and resources to all destinations. VisitEngland offers dedicated assistance through Regional Development Leads and programme tools to help local areas strengthen governance, build capability and work towards accreditation. This support is available to both accredited and aspiring LVEP areas, including Bedfordshire.
LVEP performance is monitored locally through delivery plans and nationally through evaluation by VisitEngland. VisitBritain/VisitEngland’s Business Plan 2025-26 allocated £1.5 million to supporting regional and local growth. This includes working with LVEPs to achieve local growth strategies and supporting the LVEP structure. VisitEngland’s regional leads and the regional pilots in the NorthEast and West Midlands have also benefited from a direct £1.35 million funding boost in 2025/26 to help the regions attract even more tourists and investment to the UK.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
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 16 May 2025 to Question 50630 on Local Visitor Economy Partnership, whether her Department is providing specialised support to areas without a Local Visitor Economy Partnership.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The purpose of the LVEP programme is to attract investment and ultimately drive growth, training, and help places tell their own unique stories to visitors. Through a collaborative approach that unites local authorities, businesses and regional partners, LVEPs enhance the quality of the visitor offer and ensure that the positive impacts of tourism are distributed widely across communities. economy together.
37 Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) are currently accredited across England, covering a broad mix of urban, rural and coastal destinations. In some other places, such as Bedfordshire, LVEPs are still in development. These areas are still working through how best to organise their destination management functions, align multiple local authorities, and secure the long-term funding and governance arrangements required for accreditation.
The current geographical distribution reflects a strong spread of partnerships across regions, and the Department continues to work with VisitEngland to provide guidance, regional development support and resources to all destinations. VisitEngland offers dedicated assistance through Regional Development Leads and programme tools to help local areas strengthen governance, build capability and work towards accreditation. This support is available to both accredited and aspiring LVEP areas, including Bedfordshire.
LVEP performance is monitored locally through delivery plans and nationally through evaluation by VisitEngland. VisitBritain/VisitEngland’s Business Plan 2025-26 allocated £1.5 million to supporting regional and local growth. This includes working with LVEPs to achieve local growth strategies and supporting the LVEP structure. VisitEngland’s regional leads and the regional pilots in the NorthEast and West Midlands have also benefited from a direct £1.35 million funding boost in 2025/26 to help the regions attract even more tourists and investment to the UK.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
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 potential impact of youth councils on young people.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
We recognise the important role youth councils can play in young people’s lives and youth services. This includes empowering them to propose ideas, connecting them with local decision-makers, and enhancing a sense of community belonging and connection.
Each youth council is different to reflect the needs of the local area or setting. Youth councils assist government and local authorities in designing services and support that meet their needs. The best youth councils are invited to co-create youth provision or wider services focused on young people locally, ensuring public money is spent wisely in a way that addresses their needs.
This year, DCMS is running the Local Youth Transformation Pilot which will support local authorities to build back capacity in the youth space and improve local youth offers.
DCMS is committed to enabling effective youth empowerment, involving young people in decision making at all levels. We are co-producing the National Youth Strategy in partnership with young people, drawing together the voices of over 14,000 young people who engaged in the National Youth Strategy Survey. We will publish the National Youth Strategy later in the year.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
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 14 May 2025 to Question 50272 on Local Visitor Economy Partnerships, whether her Department plans to provide support to areas without Local Visitor Economy Partnerships.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The purpose of the LVEP programme is to attract investment and ultimately drive growth, training, and help places tell their own unique stories to visitors. Through a collaborative approach that unites local authorities, businesses and regional partners, LVEPs enhance the quality of the visitor offer and ensure that the positive impacts of tourism are distributed widely across communities. economy together.
37 Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) are currently accredited across England, covering a broad mix of urban, rural and coastal destinations. In some other places, such as Bedfordshire, LVEPs are still in development. These areas are still working through how best to organise their destination management functions, align multiple local authorities, and secure the long-term funding and governance arrangements required for accreditation.
The current geographical distribution reflects a strong spread of partnerships across regions, and the Department continues to work with VisitEngland to provide guidance, regional development support and resources to all destinations. VisitEngland offers dedicated assistance through Regional Development Leads and programme tools to help local areas strengthen governance, build capability and work towards accreditation. This support is available to both accredited and aspiring LVEP areas, including Bedfordshire.
LVEP performance is monitored locally through delivery plans and nationally through evaluation by VisitEngland. VisitBritain/VisitEngland’s Business Plan 2025-26 allocated £1.5 million to supporting regional and local growth. This includes working with LVEPs to achieve local growth strategies and supporting the LVEP structure. VisitEngland’s regional leads and the regional pilots in the NorthEast and West Midlands have also benefited from a direct £1.35 million funding boost in 2025/26 to help the regions attract even more tourists and investment to the UK.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many people have been employed by (a) Arts Council England and (b) UK Sport in each year since 2005.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Annual reports, which include annual budget and number of people employed at both UK Sport and Arts Council England since 2005, have been laid in this House and have been published on the UK Sport and Arts Council England website.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the annual budget was for (a) Arts Council England and (b) UK Sport in each year since 2005.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Annual reports, which include annual budget and number of people employed at both UK Sport and Arts Council England since 2005, have been laid in this House and have been published on the UK Sport and Arts Council England website.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether science and discovery centres fall within the remit of her Department.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Science and discovery centres are vital assets across local communities nationwide. Given the breadth of their mission, they do not fall under the exclusive purview of a single government department. Their work contributes significantly to the objectives of several departments, including the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).
While their full scope extends beyond DCMS's direct remit, key aspects align closely with DCMS policy areas, such as the visitor economy, youth, and museums. For these areas, DCMS takes ownership over their respective policy domain, while collaborating closely with other government departments to support these institutions.