Asked by: Lord Birt (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay on 13 March (HL2878), how the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to safeguard the independence of the BBC should be exercised.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The BBC is operationally and editorially independent of HM Government, and the Government rightly therefore does not interfere in these matters. The licence fee model confers on the BBC a unique responsibility to its audiences to place a particular focus on impartiality, which is the bedrock of trust in the BBC as an institution.
It is right that the Government engages constructively with the BBC to ensure that it upholds these high standards expected by the public. When there is a risk that trust and faith in the organisation may be undermined, that should be of concern to the BBC, of concern to Ofcom, and of concern to the Government and Parliament.
Asked by: Lord Birt (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the comments made by the retiring Chair of the BBC about the increasing frequency of interventions on BBC matters by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The BBC is operationally and editorially independent of the Government. As it is a public service broadcaster funded by licence fee-payers, it is right that the Government engages constructively with the BBC to ensure that it upholds the highest standards expected by the public.
As its sponsor department, DCMS maintains regular contact with the BBC on a number of issues. DCMS is grateful for Dame Elan Closs Stephens's constructive engagement whilst Acting Chairman of the BBC.
Asked by: Lord Birt (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have ascertained that the UEFA has acted on all the recommendations from the Rodrigues Review into the events surrounding the Champions League Final played at the Stade de France in 2022.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
In May 2023, UEFA announced a suite of measures to address recommendations made by the Paris 2022 Independent Review.
We continue to work closely with the Football Association, UEFA, and other operational partners in preparation for the UEFA Champions League Final 2024 to be held at Wembley, as well as preparing to host the UEFA European Championships 2028. All partners, including UEFA, are committed to delivering a safe and secure event, acting on the recommendations set out in the review, as well as our own domestic expertise in sports grounds safety.
The UK is proud of our great track record of hosting major sporting events in the UK; ensuring that they are delivered safely and securely is a priority.
Asked by: Lord Birt (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the findings and recommendations of the Rodrigues inquiry, regarding the experiences of Liverpool FC fans at the Champion's League Final at the Stade de France in 2022, what plans they have to discuss with the government of France the impact on English rugby fans of the crowd control measures in place at the Rugby World Cup match at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille on 9 September.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
After some spectators experienced delays entering the Stade Vélodrome in Marseilles on 9 September, officials from HM Government engaged with the French authorities and their counterparts in the France 2023 Organising Committee and have received reassurance that improvements, including clearer signage, will be in place for future Rugby World Cup 2023 matches.
Improvements were in place for matches on Sunday 10 September. Officials continue to engage with the French authorities on security arrangements for the tournament more broadly.
The safety of all attendees at sporting events is of the highest importance to HM Government and the Secretary of State and the Sports Minister have engaged with their counterparts regularly following the Champions League Final in Paris in 2022. We continue to consider and reflect on the lessons learned from the events in Paris in 2022 to inform planning for the UEFA Champions League Final in 2024 at Wembley, as well as the UK and Ireland’s EURO 2028 bid.
Asked by: Lord Birt (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the recommendations of the Rodrigues inquiry into events at the 2022 Champions League Final were applied by UEFA and the Turkish authorities ahead of and during the 2023 final in Istanbul.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government has always been clear that an independent investigation was needed to establish what happened on the night of the 2022 UEFA Champions League Final.
The Government welcomed the outcome of the independent review, which reflected the experiences of fans that evening, and the action plan published by UEFA to implement the recommendations of that review.
The Minister for Sport, Gambling and Civil Society was in Istanbul to observe the delivery of this year’s Champions League Final by UEFA and the Turkish authorities.
Discussions with fan representatives and others indicate that UEFA’s engagement has improved from last year. We continue to consult UEFA, the FA, fan representatives and others to ensure that we can continue to learn lessons for next year’s final at Wembley, as well as the UK and Ireland bid to host EURO 2028.
Asked by: Lord Birt (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay on 7 November (HL2798) and 24 November (HL3333), whether they have (1) monitored the implementation of all of the recommendations of the report by Baroness Casey of Blackstock into the disorder at Wembley Stadium in the UEFA Euro 2020 Final, or (2) received updates from (a) the Football Association and its key partners, or (b) the Sports Ground Safety Authority, on the implementation of those recommendations; and if so, what progress has been made in respect of each recommendation, and when they expect all the recommendations to have been implemented.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
DCMS has continued to work closely with key parties, including the Home Office, the UK Football Policing Unit, the Football Association, and the Sports Ground Safety Authority, to ensure that the recommendations from Baroness Casey of Blackstock’s report were carefully considered and, where necessary, acted upon.
Our approach with respect to these recommendations is outlined in our evidence to the DCMS Select Committee of the House of Commons’s Inquiry into Safety at Major Sporting Events, a copy of which I have placed in the Library.
In the case of Wembley Stadium, significant work has been undertaken by the Football Association and its key partners following Baroness Casey’s report, as successfully demonstrated during the UEFA Women’s Euros and other high-profile events.
The safety of spectators at sporting events is of the highest importance to His Majesty’s Government.
Asked by: Lord Birt (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay on 24 October (HL2798), by what date they expect appropriate safety measures to be in place for major sports events staged at (1) Wembley, and (2) other major arenas in the UK.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The safety and security of major sporting events across the UK is of paramount importance. Appropriate safety measures are put in place for major sports events, in line with the needs of the event and the venue, according to event-specific schedules. The adequacy of these plans are considered by locally-convened Safety Advisory Groups, and Safety Certificates are issued by the relevant local authority.
In the case of Wembley Stadium, which presents a number of unique challenges, significant work has been undertaken by the Football Association and its key partners since Baroness Casey of Blackstock’s report, as successfully demonstrated during the UEFA Women’s Euros and other high-profile events.
The Sports Grounds Safety Authority continues to offer world-leading expertise to sports venues in their regulatory and advisory capacities.
Asked by: Lord Birt (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether all of the issues of accountability identified in the report by Baroness Casey of Blackstock into the disorder at Wembley Stadium in the UEFA Euro 2020 Final, published on 3 December 2021, have been resolved; whether her recommendations for action have been implemented; and whether His Majesty's Government will publish an overview of all the measures taken by the different parties involved.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The safety of spectators at sporting events is of the highest importance to His Majesty’s Government. We continue to work closely with all relevant authorities to ensure that football fans can continue to enjoy the sport whilst attending matches safely.
This review was commissioned by, and reported to, the English Football Association, with reference made to the Government in four of the recommendations. Our approach with respect to these recommendations is outlined in our evidence to the DCMS Select Committee of the House of Commons’ Inquiry into Safety at Major Sporting Events, a copy of which I will place in the Library.
The action taken by the Government includes extending football banning orders to cover offences of the selling and taking of Class A drugs at football games (under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022), commissioning the Sports Ground Safety Authority to conduct and act on research about the stewarding capacity in the events sector, and working with numerous relevant parties on issues related to Zone Ex, with a particular focus on issues faced at Wembley. The Government is further considering its role in the oversight and co-ordination of major sporting events to inform a revision of the Gold Framework guidance on UK-level support available when bidding for and staging major sporting events.
Asked by: Lord Birt (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether all the recommendations of Baroness Casey of Blackstock's review of events surrounding the UEFA Euro 2020 Final have been acted on.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Her Majesty’s Government continues to work with the relevant authorities to ensure that football fans can enjoy the sport and attend matches safely. This includes working with partners on the recommendations of Baroness Casey of Blackstock’s review into the events surrounding the UEFA Euro 2020 Final.
Although this review was commissioned by and reported to the English Football Association, Her Majesty’s Government was referred to in four of the recommendations and we have been undertaking work to take these forward.
This includes work on extending football banning orders to cover offences of the selling and taking of Class A drugs at football games (under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022). We continue to work with relevant parties on the other issues raised in the review, on stewarding events, clarifying the responsibility of Zone Ex for major events, and ensuring the categorisation of matches is appropriate.
Asked by: Lord Birt (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are monitoring how (1) Google, (2) Facebook, and (3) Twitter, have responded to reported demands by the government of Russia to withhold reports of Russia's armed actions in Ukraine.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
As the Secretary of State set out in her statement on 3 March, we have been engaging regularly with the major platforms, which have taken a number of positive steps in response to the situation.
The Counter Disinformation Unit in DCMS continues to work closely with platforms to flag specific pieces of disinformation and have them removed where they violate a platform's terms of service. Regular engagement with platforms is ongoing, and we are continuing to speak to them about safeguarding features and ways of better protecting civilians who are using their services. We will continue to work closely with them to encourage further action to support the Ukrainian people.