Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will publish the scientific advice to the Government on the cricket ball being a natural vector of covid-19.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Officials are working very closely with the ECB and their medical experts to understand the unique qualities of cricket. We are working at pace to shape guidance that will allow the safe return of competitive cricket and other team sports. Any shared sporting equipment may risk transmission, but these risks can be mitigated with good hygiene practice as being adopted across a wide range of sectors.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
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 establish a replacement programme for Creative Europe.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
While the Government has taken the decision not to seek participation in Creative Europe’s 2021-27 programme, we remain committed to supporting the UK’s thriving cultural and creative economy. We will continue to invest money directly into the UK's cultural and creative sectors, continuing to support and grow their world-class activity on the international stage. Now we have taken back control of our money, we are able to focus spending on specific UK priorities including on our world class arts, heritage and creative industries. Officials are developing options for domestic alternatives to Creative Europe, which will be considered in line with upcoming fiscal events including the Comprehensive Spending Review.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the number of EU-based musicians that have performed in the UK in each year since 2015.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
No such estimate has been made. However, this Government recognises the important contribution made by EU-based musicians to this country’s live music industry. The UK already attracts world class artists, entertainers and musicians and we will continue to do so in the future. Future reciprocal mobility arrangements are subject to negotiation and DCMS has been working closely with the music industry to inform these discussions.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the number of music tourists from EU countries that have come to the UK in each year since 2015.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
My department has not made a direct estimate of the number of music tourists from EU countries that have come to the UK in each of the last five years.
VisitBritain research shows that in 2017, over 2.6m international visitors attended a live music event while visiting the UK, representing 7% of the total visitors received.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effect on the music industry of applying the Tier 5 Visa rules to members of the music industry who are EEA citizens in the event that immigration rules for EU citizens are retained.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
We intend to discuss mobility arrangements in a defined number of areas as part of negotiations on our future relationship with the EU. A reciprocal agreement based on best precedent will mean that UK citizens will be able to undertake some business activities in the EU without a work permit, on a short-term basis. The same would apply for EU citizens making business visits to the UK. All provisions are subject to negotiation, and we recognise the significance of this to the UK’s world renowned music industry.
These mobility arrangements will only represent what we agree reciprocally with the EU. The UK will set the rules in relation to immigration and mobility where no commitments are taken in negotiations.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department has undertaken an impact assessment on the effect on people who are both deaf and elderly of the decision by the BBC to end teletext pages 102 and 1610.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The BBC is operationally and editorially independent from the government; therefore, the government has no role in deciding whether BBC services, such as the BBC Red Button teletext service, should be continued.
It is the BBC’s responsibility to assess the potential effect of the closure of the BBC Red Button service on deaf and elderly people across the UK. The Government welcomes the BBC's decision to pause the closure of the Red Button service, ahead of its review of the impact of the closure on the most vulnerable including the elderly, and deaf and blind licence fee payers.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department will take to ensure that (a) deaf and (b) elderly BBC licence fee payers will be adequately provided for by the BBC.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The BBC is editorially and operationally independent of the Government and the Government has no say on what programmes or services the BBC provides for deaf or elderly licence fee payers.
However, the Royal Charter requires the BBC to serve all audiences - including deaf and elderly licence fee payers - through the provision of impartial, high-quality and distinctive output and services which inform, educate and entertain.
With regard to elderly licence fee payers, the Government is disappointed with the BBC's decision to restrict the over 75 licence fee concession to only those in receipt of pension credit. We recognise the value of free TV licences for over-75s and believe they should be funded by the BBC.
For deaf licence fee payers, Ofcom is responsible for setting a Code on Television Access Services, which includes guidance which must be observed by the BBC in relation to providing subtitles and signing on its television channels. The Code sets out 10-year statutory targets for the BBC in relation to subtitling (100%) and signing (5%). Ofcom is currently reviewing how the BBC should make its UK Public Services accessible.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with representatives of the BBC on its decision to end BBC teletext pages 102 and 1610.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The BBC is operationally and editorially independent from the government; therefore, the government has no role in deciding whether BBC services, such as the BBC Red Button teletext service, should be continued.
It is the BBC’s responsibility to assess the potential effect of the closure of the BBC Red Button service on the public’s access to information. The Government welcomes the BBC's decision to pause the closure of the Red Button service, ahead of its review of the impact of the closure on the most vulnerable including the elderly, and deaf and blind licence fee payers.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
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 prevalence of (a) sexual harassment and (b) misogynistic abuse against content creators in the digital economy.
Answered by Matt Warman
We have made no specific assessment of this sort of abuse to date. We do recognise that some users are disproportionately affected by online abuse and we are taking action to address unacceptable behaviour online. The Online Harms White Paper, which was published in April this year, sets out the Government's plan to establish a statutory duty of care to make companies take more responsibility for the safety of their users and tackle harm caused by content or activity on their services.
The Law Commission began Phase 2 of their review of abusive and offensive communications online in July 2019. This will review existing communications offences and make specific recommendations about options for reform, to ensure that criminal law provides consistent and effective protection against such behaviour. A final report is expected in early 2021.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of Independent Press Standards Organisation on improving the conduct of the press intruding into the private lives of non-political public figures.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) is part of the strengthened system of independent, self regulation of the press which has developed since the publication of the Leveson Report. IPSO has been subject to external review, and found to have made important achievements in demonstrating itself to be an independent and effective regulator.