Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to include legislative proposals for the full implementation of the Fan Led Review of Football Governance in the forthcoming Queen’s Speech.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Government has endorsed the principle that football requires a strong, independent regulator to secure the future of our national game. We are working at pace to consider the recommendations of the Fan Led Review, and determine the most effective way to deliver an independent regulator. The response to the review, including next steps, will be issued in the coming weeks.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 December 2021 to Question 108456, on Football: Accountability, whether the Government has made an assessment of the adequacy of the current ownership and governance of Birmingham City Football Club.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Government does not assess the ownership or governance arrangements of individual football clubs, but we recognise that they have unique social value and it is vital that they are protected.
The final report of the Fan Led Review of Football Governance is a thorough and detailed examination of the challenges faced by English football now and in the future. The Government welcomes the findings of the review and has endorsed in principle the primary recommendation of the review, that football requires a strong, independent regulator to secure the future of our national game.
The Government is currently considering the detail of all the recommendations, including those made on a new Owners’ and Directors’ test and corporate governance, and is working at pace to determine the most effective way to deliver an independent regulator, and any powers that might be needed.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to help ensure greater accountability to football fans in relation to decisions made by the English Football League.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Government understands the need for fans to have a say in football. That is why we have welcomed the Independent Fan Led Review of Football Governance and have endorsed in principle the primary recommendation of the review, that football requires a strong, independent regulator to secure the future of our national game.
The Government is working at pace to review the report in full, including detailed consideration of the recommendations made on improving fan engagement and accountability across the game.
The Government will continue to engage with stakeholders as we work towards issuing a full response to the report in the Spring.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to provide financial support to (a) smaller and (b) independent media organisations during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by John Whittingdale
Small and independent media organisations provide a vital service - supplying information about local public affairs, holding decision-makers to account, and helping to ensure the healthy plurality of our media.
It has been a priority for the government to support such organisations during this crisis, including local newspapers and commercial and community radio. In terms of financial support, the government brought forward the zero-rating of VAT on e-newspapers to May 2020 and we have also brokered significant support from the transmission operator, Arqiva, for small local commercial radio stations. We have also made available a small grant scheme for commercial stations that do not use Arqiva’s networks. In addition to these financial support measures, some media organisations have benefitted from government advertising campaigns, which is designed to deliver important messages to UK citizens on coronavirus. Over 100 independent newspaper titles are included in the partnership, and the majority of expenditure, 60%, is allocated to regional, local and BAME titles. Government messaging has also been delivered through a targeted partnership with small commercial and community radio stations serving BAME communities.
In addition, small and independent media organisations may have been able to receive support from wider government measures, such as the job-retention scheme which the Government has extended until the end of March 2021.
We continue to work closely with stakeholders from across the media landscape regarding the ways in which the Government can support them through the current crisis and beyond.