Asked by: Ben Bradley (Conservative - Mansfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to provide support to local press organisations affected by proposed reductions in BBC funding for local news and radio.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The Government is committed to supporting local and regional news outlets as vital pillars of communities and local democracy. They play an essential role in holding power to account, keeping the public informed of local issues and providing reliable, high-quality information.
To date the Government’s support for the sector has included:
Introducing legislation for a new, pro-competition regime for digital markets, which among many other things will help to rebalance the relationship between news publishers and dominant online platforms;
The delivery of a £2 million pilot innovation fund - the Future News Fund;
The zero rating of VAT on e-newspapers;
The extension of a 2017 business rates relief on local newspaper office space until 2025;
The publication of the Online Media Literacy Strategy.
The BBC is editorially and operationally independent of the Government, and decisions about how it delivers its services are ultimately a matter for the Corporation. However, the Government has been clear that the BBC must make sure it continues to provide distinctive and genuinely local content that reflects and represents people and communities from all corners of the UK. These services are a key part of the BBC’s public service remit and an example of how the BBC can use its licence fee funding to provide content that is directly relevant to audiences, particularly in areas that may be underserved by the market.
The Government expects Ofcom as the BBC’s independent regulator to ensure the BBC is robustly held to account in delivering its public service duties.
Asked by: Ben Bradley (Conservative - Mansfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to ensure that the White Paper on football reform (a) supports English Football League clubs and (b) protects the Premier League.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government will publish a White Paper on Football Governance reforms imminently. The White Paper will set out how football should be reformed to improve the financial stability and governance of football clubs. This will balance allowing the game to thrive and remain a global success story, while effectively tackling harms where they exist.
Asked by: Ben Bradley (Conservative - Mansfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of withdrawing listed status from buildings that have been left derelict for long periods, in order to facilitate regeneration or development.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Secretary of State has a duty under Section1 of the Planning Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas Act 1990 to list buildings of special architectural and historic interest. Buildings that have been left derelict for long periods of time may still meet the statutory criteria for listing. Delisting just in circumstances where a building has been left to disrepair would not be appropriate.
Local Authorities have powers to take action where a designated heritage asset has deteriorated to the extent that its preservation may be at risk. This includes undertaking urgent works and recovering those costs, as well as compulsory acquisition, including provisions for minimum compensation where an owner has deliberately allowed a building to fall into disrepair in order to justify its demolition and secure permission for redevelopment of the site. Listed buildings represent some of our most significant heritage assets and should not be neglected by owners.
Asked by: Ben Bradley (Conservative - Mansfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of requiring defibrillators at sports venues.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Events at UEFA EURO 2020 this summer demonstrated the immense value of access to Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and first aid training for anyone involved in sport. Sports have a responsibility to make the safety and welfare of players their top priority, including through access to life-saving first aid equipment and relevant training and education.
AEDs are already recommended best practice at all sports stadia, as set out in guidance from the Sports Grounds Safety Authority. Local authorities are able to mandate AED provision (at grounds designated under the Safety of Sports Grounds 1975 Act or sports grounds with regulated stands under the Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987 Act) through medical plans included in General Safety Certificates.
At the grassroots level, all capital funding awards for sports venues made by Sport England, the Government’s arm’s length body for community sport, must include AED provision if it is not already available. For football facilities, support over recent years has been provided by The Football Association (The FA) and the British Heart Foundation to help ensure AEDs are available. In June 2021 I welcomed the Premier League’s announcement of their new Defibrillator Fund, which will fund AEDs at thousands of football clubs and facilities across the country. Each grant recipient will be required to have at least one person successfully complete The FA Education Sudden Cardiac Arrest free online course. Sport England is working with the Football Foundation in support of the Premier League initiative to put £3 million into providing AED equipment for grassroots football clubs.
Asked by: Ben Bradley (Conservative - Mansfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to review of the Gambling Act 2005, what powers are currently available to the Gambling Commission to investigate and prosecute offences under section 28 of the Gambling Act 2005.
Answered by John Whittingdale
Section 28 of the Gambling Act 2005 states that the Gambling Commission may investigate whether an offence has been committed under the Act and may institute criminal proceedings for an offence in England and Wales. In Scotland, the power to institute criminal proceedings rests solely with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS). These provisions are tied to specific powers outlined in other subsections of the Act and may be exercised whether in response to information received by the Commission or otherwise.
As a general rule, the Commission will not normally pursue a criminal investigation into a licensed operator, as in most cases the matter under investigation is likely to be dealt with by the exercise of the Commission’s regulatory powers. However, there might be circumstances where the commencement of a criminal investigation is merited. Where the Commission’s investigations uncover evidence that a serious criminal offence may have been committed, which falls outside the Commission’s jurisdiction, the Commission may pass the information it possesses to the police, or another body, for consideration by them.
Asked by: Ben Bradley (Conservative - Mansfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with Ofcom on its proposals to widen the definition of hate speech to include political opinions.
Answered by John Whittingdale
Ofcom, as the UK’s independent television and radio regulator, is responsible for broadcasting regulation. Decisions on updates to Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code are a matter for Ofcom. On 31 December 2020, following consultation, Ofcom implemented changes to the Broadcasting Code to update its definition of hate speech to reflect requirements in the revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive.
Ofcom remains bound by the Human Rights Act 1998 in carrying out its regulatory functions, including giving effect to freedom of expression (which includes political speech). Ofcom has said that the amended definition does not affect the weight Ofcom places on the importance of freedom of expression when considering cases, including issues concerning political opinions or in the public interest.
Asked by: Ben Bradley (Conservative - Mansfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is able to take to protect the right to free speech from censorship by social media platforms.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The UK is committed to upholding freedom of expression online. Our new online safety laws will safeguard pluralism and ensure internet users can continue to engage in robust debate online.
Under the new regulatory framework, both Ofcom and in-scope companies will have duties relating to freedom of expression, for which they can be held to account.The largest social media platforms will be required to have clear and accessible terms and conditions, and to enforce their terms and conditions consistently and transparently. Furthermore, new obligations for transparency and user reporting will enable users to more effectively understand and appeal content removal. This will both empower adult users to keep themselves safe online, and protect freedom of expression by preventing companies from arbitrarily removing content.
Asked by: Ben Bradley (Conservative - Mansfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing additional support for (a) fairgrounds and other outdoor events and (b) the wider events sector during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
My Department has taken a number of steps to support fairgrounds, other outdoor events, as well as the broader events sector through Covid-19.
The events sector has been able to access support such as the Job Retention Scheme, the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme and the Bounce Back Loans scheme. We have also cut the rate of VAT applied on most tourism and hospitality-related activities, including admission to circuses and fairs, from 20% to 5% until March 2021.
On 22 October, the Chancellor increased the reach of the Government’s winter support schemes to further help businesses and workers impacted by COVID-19, including those in the events sector. Measures include doubling the size of the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme Extension Grant so that it covers 40% of previous earnings.
We continue to meet with stakeholders, including through the Visitor Economy Working Group and the Events and Entertainment Working Group, to monitor the ongoing impacts on the sector.
Asked by: Ben Bradley (Conservative - Mansfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to ensure costs incurred by local authorities as a result of the covid-19 outbreak do not lead to reductions in the provision of (a) youth work, (b) youth services and (c) other non-statutory services.
Answered by John Whittingdale
This government has provided local authorities with an unprecedented package of support, including over £4.8bn in funding for?spending?pressures. On Monday 12 October, the Prime Minister confirmed around £1bn of new funding will be made available to councils across England to support them during this unprecedented time.
Local authorities have a statutory duty to secure youth services to young people under the Education and Inspections Act 2006, and the government expects them to fulfil that duty.
Asked by: Ben Bradley (Conservative - Mansfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he has taken to support the fairs and showmen industry during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
My Department has taken a number of steps to support the funfairs industry through Covid-19.
The industry has been able to access support such as the Job Retention Scheme, the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, the Bounce Back Loans scheme. We have also cut the rate of VAT applied on most tourism and hospitality-related activities, including admission to circuses and fairs, from 20% to 5% until March 2021. Travelling fairgrounds can also apply to the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund.
We recognise that Covid-19 has significantly impacted the culture sector and that these are extremely difficult times for organisations such as travelling funfairs. We have met with representatives of the Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain to assess how we can most effectively support the sector through this period.