Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any of Kids Company's former (1) trustees, or (2) chief executives, received any public money to contest the Official Receiver case; and if so, what was the full breakdown of all costs incurred.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
This Government has no record of any such payments to Kids Company’s former trustees or chief executives.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Charity Commission will publish their report into the collapse of Kids Company.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
Owing to the Official Receiver’s investigation, aspects of the Commission’s inquiry were placed on hold pending the outcome of the subsequent High Court proceedings. The High Court issued its detailed judgement on 12 February 2021. The Commission intends to publish its inquiry report as soon as possible.
The Commission’s published guidance CC46 (statutory inquiries into charities) sets out some of the factors that determine the length of a statutory inquiry. These can include, for example, the complexity of the issues involved, and the involvement of other regulators and/or statutory agencies. In the case of Keeping Kids Company, separate High Court proceedings under the Company Directors Disqualification Act have been a factor.
As well as having a direct impact on the charity, its beneficiaries, staff and supporters, the collapse of Kids Company had a wider effect on public confidence in charities, so it is important that lessons are learned for the future.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to support the changing of the British Olympic team name to Team UK instead of Team GB.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
DCMS Ministers have had no discussions with the British Olympic Association (BOA), an independent organisation, about renaming the Olympic team from Team GB & NI to Team UK.
The BOA is the National Olympic Committee (NOC) for Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands and the UK Overseas Territories and is wholly responsible for our national representation at the Games and for any branding of the Olympic team representing Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the level of government funding to the BBC in each of the last five years for (1) the BBC World Service, (2) BBC Media Action, and (3) other funding streams; and what decisions have been made, if any, to provide the BBC with funding to replace EU payments that will or have ceased.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
Since 2016, the FCDO has funded the World2020 Programme which has established 12 new language services and provided enhancements to existing services. The FCDO provided the following funding to the World Service: £34.2m for 2016-17; £85.6m for 2017-18; £85.8m for 2018-19 and 2019-20; and £87.2m for 2020-21.
BBC Media action sets out the levels of government funding within its annual review. They are reported to be £17.8m in 2016/17, £9.3m in 2017/18, £8m in 2018/19 and £10.3m in 2019/20. The 2020/21 report is due to be published.
As part of the UK's withdrawal from the EU, the UK will no longer be participating in the vast majority of EU programmes, and the Government has chosen to look at other ways of supporting the UK sectors.
The BBC sets out its full funding streams within its annual accounts.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much money in each of the past five years was raised by the BBC licensing fee; how such fees were collected; and what was the (1) total collection cost, and (2) average cost per fee of collection.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The BBC is responsible for the collection and administration of the television licence fee, not the government. The government is therefore not involved in TV Licensing operations.
TV licencing sets out the amounts collected within it’s annual review. The 2020/21 report is due to be published.
The total income raised by the TV licence fee is stated as being £3.78bn in 2016/17, £3.8bn in 2017/18, £3.6bn in 2018/19 and £3.5bn in 2019/20.
The total collection cost is stated as being £82.2m in 2016/17, £101m in 2017/18, £102.6m in 2018/19 and £119.5m in 2019/20.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport does not hold information on the average cost per fee of collection. This information may be held by the BBC.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of COVID-19 on junior football leagues; and in particular, the refusal of some local authorities to allow pitches to be used after the normal date for the season to end.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
Government is committed to ensuring that all children and young people have the best opportunities to engage in sport and physical activity. Our Sporting Future strategy sets out how important it is for all children to have a good experience of sport and physical activity while they are young. We want all young people to be healthy and active.
Government has made a £10.1m investment to open school facilities outside the school day to be spent in the Summer term. This is being delivered by Sport England and county-level Active Partnerships. This includes helping schools to make partnerships with local sports providers.
Local authorities have devolved powers and therefore can decide how best to use their land and facilities depending on their assessment of the needs of their local communities.