Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how long there has been a vacancy on the BBC Board for a member from Northern Ireland; and when they expect this vacancy to be filled.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
This role has been vacant since the Board was formed in 2017. It was not possible to make an appointment to the board at that time due to the dissolution of the Northern Ireland Executive. A process to appoint a Northern Ireland Member was run in 2021, but Ministers decided to restart the process due to an insufficiently diverse and broad longlist.
The executive search company Odgers Berndtson was hired to support a new campaign, which is currently underway and closed to applications on 6 June 2022. An appointment will be made in due course, in line with the Code of Governance for Public Appointments and the BBC Royal Charter.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the British Olympic Association about renaming Team GB to Team UK.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government met the British Olympic Association as part of a wider National Governing Body meeting in February but did not discuss renaming the Olympic team from Team GB & NI to Team UK.
The British Olympic Association is the National Olympic Committee 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 the United Kingdom of 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 is their position on the British Olympic team being called Team GB.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government met the British Olympic Association as part of a wider National Governing Body meeting in February but did not discuss renaming the Olympic team from Team GB & NI to Team UK.
The British Olympic Association is the National Olympic Committee 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 the United Kingdom of 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 when they last met the British Olympic Association.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government met the British Olympic Association as part of a wider National Governing Body meeting in February but did not discuss renaming the Olympic team from Team GB & NI to Team UK.
The British Olympic Association is the National Olympic Committee 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 the United Kingdom of 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 is the timetable for filling the vacant position of BBC Member for Northern Ireland to the BBC Board.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The process to appoint a new Northern Ireland Member to the board of the BBC will be a fair and open competition, run in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.
The role has been vacant since the Board was formed in 2017. It was not possible to make an appointment to the board at that time due to the dissolution of the Northern Ireland Executive. A process to appoint a Northern Ireland Member was run in 2021, but Ministers decided to restart the process due to an insufficiently diverse and broad longlist. The process will launch this month.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the reason for the delay in appointing the BBC Member for Northern Ireland to the BBC Board.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The process to appoint a new Northern Ireland Member to the board of the BBC will be a fair and open competition, run in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.
The role has been vacant since the Board was formed in 2017. It was not possible to make an appointment to the board at that time due to the dissolution of the Northern Ireland Executive. A process to appoint a Northern Ireland Member was run in 2021, but Ministers decided to restart the process due to an insufficiently diverse and broad longlist. The process will launch this month.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how individuals in Northern Ireland can express their views on the BBC’s output pending the appointment of the BBC Member for Northern Ireland to the BBC Board.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The best way for audiences in Northern Ireland, and in all parts of the UK, to express their views on the BBC’s output is to contact the BBC directly. This is not affected by the current vacancy of a Board member for Northern Ireland.
The BBC’s website sets out the routes through which members of the public can contact the BBC to raise issues or complaints, or provide feedback. More information can be found on the BBC website.
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 - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for 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 - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for 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 - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for 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.