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, if she will conduct an audit of EU funding to the UK creative sector.
Answered by Matt Hancock
Leaving the EU means we will want to take our own decisions about how to deliver the policy objectives previously targeted by EU funding. We are working closely with stakeholders to review all EU funding schemes in the round, to ensure that any ongoing funding commitments best serve the UK‘s national interest.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will establish an inquiry into the sustainability of local and regional news provision.
Answered by Matt Hancock
Local and regional news is a crucial source of information for communities and a vital part of a healthy democracy. I understand local and regional news providers are facing challenges at the moment, as they adapt to new technology and a changing media landscape.
Earlier this month, we introduced a business rates relief for local newspapers in England. More information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/the-case-for-a-business-rates-relief-for-local-newspapers
The BBC is also working in partnership with the local news industry to support local journalism. Following consultation with providers of local journalism across the UK, the BBC in partnership with the News Media Association, will take forward a range of measures working with local media. More information is available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2017/bbc-news-media-association-partnership
As I set out at the Westminster Hall debate on local and regional news, on 30 March 2017, I do not believe a single inquiry is appropriate at this stage. The business rates relief and the BBC initiative are currently being implemented and we must see how these work in practice. However as I said during the debate, we are keeping this matter under constant review: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2017-03-30/debates/B069F48A-DFC6-48A8-A1BD-BA9AB827E5E9/LocalAndRegionalNews
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has issued guidance on privately owned and operated CCTV cameras overlooking neighbouring property.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The Information Commissioner's Office’s CCTV code of practice provides guidance and advice to CCTV users on how to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998. The guidance can be found at https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisations/documents/1542/cctv-code-of-practice.pdf
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by her Department are non-UK nationals.
Answered by Matt Hancock
All Government Departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules.
Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose.
More broadly, the Government will be consulting in due course on how we work with business to ensure that workers in this country have the skills that they need to get a job. But there are no proposals to publish lists of the number or proportion of foreign workers.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
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 22 July 2014 to Question 206245, if he will meet representatives from BLTV Ltd to discuss its progress on delivering a local television franchise for Birmingham; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Ofcom are currently in contact with the administrator for BLTV about the possibility of transferring the licence to another party in order to launch local services in Birmingham. It would not be appropriate for myself or my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State to meet with BLTV or their representatives while this matter is considered by Ofcom.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will bring forward proposals to enable people who are deaf to receive a discount on their television licence in the same way that people who are registered blind do.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
There are currently no plans to bring forward such proposals.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will bring forward proposals to enable people who are registered blind to receive a discount on their television licence in the same way that people who are deaf do.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Those registered blind/severely sight impaired are eligible for a 50% reduction on the TV Licence Fee (further information on this concession can be found at http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/for-your-home/blindseverely-sight-impaired-aud5). There is currently no concession for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. BBC Charter Review is the point at which government can consider all aspects of the BBC, including the licence fee. The Government will not begin Charter Review within this parliament.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with the BBC Trust on accounting for the BBC's contribution to spending on local television.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
I have had no discussions with the BBC Trust on accounting for the BBC's contribution to spending on local television. DCMS officials are regularly in contact with the Trust on a range of topics, including local television.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when he last met BLTV Ltd to discuss its progress on delivering the local television franchise for the Birmingham area.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
DCMS Ministers have not met representatives from BLTV Ltd.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how long a local television franchise is valid for; and whether BLTV will launch in Birmingham within the period of its existing franchise.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Local TV licences issued by Ofcom expire on 25 November 2025. Successful applicants have two years from the date they were awarded the licence to begin operating services, at which point their licence commences. The Birmingham licence was awarded on 6 November 2012 and the licence holder must be on-air by 6 November 2014. Where a local TV station does not launch within two years, Ofcom’s policy is to re-advertise the licence.