Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the (a) take up and (b) engagement of televised learning programmes provided to enable children’s learning to continue during the national lockdown.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The BBC is responsible for assessing the take up and engagement of audiences with its services, including those which provide televised learning programmes. However, in its most recent Annual Report, the BBC said that, over the first week of school closures (23-29 March 2020), there were 37.7m iPlayer requests for CBeebies and CBBC.
Education policy and the impact of the national lockdown on learning in England is the responsibility of the Department for Education.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had with (a) the RFU (b) Premiership Rugby on a timeframe for assessing the merits of supporters returning to stadiums to watch football.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the impact that Covid-19 is having on the sporting sector and our multi-billion-pound package of business support has enabled many of our sports clubs to survive. But we know that the decision not to reopen stadia to spectators on 1 October will have economic consequences for sports and clubs across the country who relied on those fans for income, including professional rugby union teams.
I meet regularly with representatives from rugby union, and we will continue to engage directly with both the RFU and with Premiership Rugby as part of this process.
The safety and security of players and spectators remains of paramount importance. Work continues at pace to find solutions that will allow crowds safely back into stadia as soon as possible. The Government will continue to work closely with the Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA) and a whole range of sports to understand the latest thinking that might allow spectators to return. This includes the creation of a new Sports Technology Innovation Working Group of sporting bodies and health experts to analyse new technologies which might support this. Ministers and officials will continue to engage with the RFU and Premiership Rugby as part of this process.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had with the (a) Premier League, (b) EFL and (c) National League on a timeframe for assessing the merits of supporters returning to stadiums to watch football.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
We are committed to getting spectators back into stadiums as soon as it is safe to do so.
We will continue to work closely with a whole range of sporting bodies, including the football authorities, to understand the latest thinking that might allow spectators to return. This includes the creation of a new Sports Technology Innovation Working Group of sporting bodies and health experts to analyse new technologies which might support this.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions hew has had with (a) public health officials and (b) the Rugby Union authorities on the (a) timescale for and (b) safety of admission of spectators to sports stadia during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
DCMS Ministers and officials are in regular discussions with both public health officials and rugby union authorities across a range of matters, including the admission of spectators to sports stadia.
We recognise the news that stadia would not be reopening from 1 October was disappointing to many fans and sports, particularly after all the work on test events and preparations. However we have to take difficult decisions that give us the best chance of containing the virus this winter. The safety and security of spectators and players is of paramount importance.
The Government will also continue to work closely with the Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA) and a whole range of sports to understand the latest thinking that might allow spectators to return. This includes the creation of a new Sports Technology Innovation Group of sporting bodies and health experts to analyse new technologies which might support this.
Ministers and officials will continue to engage directly with both the Rugby Football Union and with Premiership Rugby as part of this process.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
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 through the Entertainment and Events Working Group to ensure that the arts and culture sector can safely reopen as soon as possible as the covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The Secretary of State and DCMS are committed to supporting the cultural sector to reopen as soon as it is safe to do so, and ensure appropriate support and guidance is provided.
To that end, DCMS has established the Cultural Renewal Taskforce and the Entertainment and Events working group which include extensive membership from across the artistic and creative industries sectors. The Taskforce and Working Groups will be focusing on ensuring that COVID-19 secure guidelines are developed in line with the phasing ambitions and public health directions, building on the existing guidance and providing intelligence and sector-specific expert input.
Further details on the Entertainment and Events Working Group can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/cultural-renewal-taskforce-and-supporting-working-groups#entertainment-and-events-members.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he is holding with theatres, cinemas and music venues to ensure that the arts and entertainment sectors can reopen while observing appropriate social distancing measures.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
We are committed to working with the arts and entertainment sectors to reopen their doors as soon as it is safe to do so.
As part of the Government’s roadmap for recovery from Covid-19, DCMS has launched the Cultural Renewal taskforce which will develop plans for reopening across DCMS sectors. Its work is supported by the Entertainment and Events working group, which brings together representatives from key sector bodies and organisations in these sectors.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he is holding with national sports bodies to ensure that mass participation and competitive community sport can recommence following covid-19 lockdown measures.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
It is vital that the sport and physical activity sector is supported to come through this difficult period and it has a crucial role in supporting the nation back into activity once the pandemic has abated and as lockdown measures start to ease.
Both I and the Minister for Sport, Tourism and Heritage are holding regular discussions with a range of sport and physical activity organisations to ensure that the sector is in the best possible place to support a return to physical activity and competitive sport.
On 20 May, the Government established the Cultural Renewal Taskforce which will examine the most effective and creative ways to support the reopening of the recreation and leisure sectors, with membership drawn from those sectors. The Taskforce is being supported by working groups specifically focused on individual sectors, including sport and physical. Further details can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/culture-secretary-announces-cultural-renewal-taskforce.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the tourism industry to ensure the safe resumption of tourism with relevant social distancing measures in summer 2020.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
My officials and I continue to regularly discuss this matter in detail with representatives from across the tourism industry.
My Department has launched the Cultural Renewal Taskforce to help our sectors prepare to reopen when it is safe to do so. To inform this taskforce, we have set up a Visitor Economy Working Group to specifically focus on developing guidance for restarting tourism activity. We remain in regular contact with tourism stakeholders through both this group and the Tourism Industry Emergency Response Group.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
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 that the National Citizens Service continues to operate in 2020 during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by John Whittingdale
Given the uncertainty about how long social distancing restrictions will be in place, the 2020 NCS summer programme will not take place in its traditional format. Instead, the Department is working closely with the NCS Trust, the Government Arms’ Length Body commissioned to deliver the programme, to develop an alternative offer for this summer.
The details of the alternative summer programme are being developed at pace between DCMS and the NCS Trust. Any offer will be fully compliant with Government guidelines in response to COVID-19.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
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 whether the UK’s major broadband companies have effectively supported extra demand for broadband during the early weeks of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Matt Warman
The telecoms sector has undertaken a significant amount of work over recent years to prepare for a pandemic. DCMS is working closely with the main broadband providers to ensure the network remains stable and continues to have sufficient capacity for the increases in home-working and remote learning the country has seen as a part of its response to Covid-19.