Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
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 the BBC on the impartiality of its news coverage for children.
Answered by John Whittingdale
When speaking to Tim Davie to congratulate him on his appointment as the new Director General of the BBC, the Secretary of State welcomed Tim Davie’s commitment to impartiality at the BBC. In an age of fake news and self reinforcing algorithms, the need for genuine impartiality is greater than ever.
The BBC has a duty to deliver impartial and accurate news coverage and content under its Royal Charter. The BBC is operationally and editorially independent of government, and it is for the BBC Board to ensure that all of the BBC’s output meets the highest standards the public expects. Ofcom is the independent regulator of the BBC, and is responsible for holding the BBC to account in this regard.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will hold discussions with the BBC on their processes for ensuring that BBC journalists and presenters uphold their impartiality.
Answered by John Whittingdale
When speaking to Tim Davie to congratulate him on his appointment as the new Director General of the BBC, the Secretary of State welcomed Tim Davie’s commitment to impartiality at the BBC. In an age of fake news and self reinforcing algorithms, the need for genuine impartiality is greater than ever.
The BBC has a duty to deliver impartial and accurate news coverage and content under its Royal Charter. The BBC is operationally and editorially independent of government, and it is for the BBC Board to ensure that all of the BBC’s output meets the highest standards the public expects. Ofcom is the independent regulator of the BBC, and is responsible for holding the BBC to account in this regard.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
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 BBC on the importance of impartiality.
Answered by John Whittingdale
When speaking to Tim Davie to congratulate him on his appointment as the new Director General of the BBC, the Secretary of State welcomed Tim Davie’s commitment to impartiality at the BBC. In an age of fake news and self reinforcing algorithms, the need for genuine impartiality is greater than ever.
The BBC has a duty to deliver impartial and accurate news coverage and content under its Royal Charter. The BBC is operationally and editorially independent of government, and it is for the BBC Board to ensure that all of the BBC’s output meets the highest standards the public expects. Ofcom is the independent regulator of the BBC, and is responsible for holding the BBC to account in this regard.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what progress has been made on the roll out 5G; and when 5G will be available in North Herefordshire.
Answered by Matt Warman
As part of our commitment to becoming a world leader in 5G, the government has been working to ensure we build the right conditions for commercial investment in 5G. One part of this work has been the significant investment made to establish a nationally coordinated 5G Testbeds and Trials Programme, which continues to build the business case for 5G in Britain.
Another component has been the establishment of the Barrier Busting Task Force, which continues to look to identify barriers to 5G deployment and work with industry, local authorities, and others to overcome them.
This work has contributed to the 5G rollout beginning earlier than expected, with all four Mobile Network Operators having launched their 5G offerings as of last year. Currently a 5G signal is available, from at least one operator, in over 50 major cities and towns across the UK, with a further 18 locations expected to be covered by the end of 2020.
It is important to note that the vast majority of commercial rollout of 5G services will be delivered by industry, according to their own timeframes. As such, it is difficult to confirm exactly when 5G services will be available in North Herefordshire.
In the interim, government is working closely with the Mobile Network Operators on the Shared Rural Network proposal to provide high quality 4G coverage to 95 percent of the UK.
This proposal will help reduce the amount of partial not spots - area where this is currently only coverage from at least one, but not all operators - and total not spots - areas with no coverage from any operator, ensuring good 4G signal wherever people live, work and travel.
Harder to reach areas, such as rural and remote spots within North Herefordshire, are expected to see the greatest benefit from the proposal.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to increase tourism in North Herefordshire.
Answered by Baroness Morgan of Cotes
On 10th July this year, my department launched the review of the guidance which sets out the statutory duty placed on local authorities to provide appropriate local youth services. Preliminary roundtables were held with youth sector organisations and young people through the Government’s Youth Steering Group, focussing on the strengths and weaknesses of the current guidance. A public call for evidence is the next step of this process and will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
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 make sport more accessible to (a) women and (b) disabled people in the West Midlands.
Answered by Nigel Adams
Government’s strategy for sport and physical activity ‘Sporting Future: A New Strategy for An Active Nation’ aims to create a more physically active nation, where people of all ages and backgrounds can enjoy the benefits that sport and physical activity can provide. The strategy focuses on people in groups that are currently less likely to take part in sport and physical activity, such as women and girls and disabled people.
Our national sport council, Sport England’s strategy ‘Towards an Active Nation’ aims to deliver the aims of Sporting Future and has funded a number of projects aimed at supporting women and disabed people to be active in the West Midlands, including:
In addition, the Government is supporting the delivery of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, which will have the biggest para sport and women’s sport programme in Commonwealth Games history. It is the first time any major multi-sport competition will have more medal events for women than men. It builds on the incredible growth of women’s sport in recent years and offers a fantastic opportunity to further increase the profile of para sport.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps he has to support the arts in the West Midlands.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Over the last 18 months, Arts Council England (ACE) has invested over £87 million into arts projects and organisations in the West Midlands. This has included £5 million to develop the Dance Hub Birmingham, with £3 million for the creation of a production and administrative space, and the remaining £2 million supporting additional dance activity, firmly placing Birmingham on the map as a national and international centre for dance. ACE has also invested £5 million of National Lottery Funding in Coventry UK City of Culture 2021, which will support the Coventry City of Culture Trust in delivering a year of cultural events and celebrations across the city.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to review the ten-year commitment for the BBC to pay for the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
Answered by Margot James
The Government has no plans to review the BBC's commitment to fund and administer the Local Democracy Reporting scheme, which forms part of the BBC Royal Charter. The impact of the scheme may be considered by Dame Frances Cairncross as part of the review she is carrying out on behalf of the government into the sustainability of high-quality journalism in the UK.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
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 representatives of the BBC to ensure that the BBC's local democracy reporting service scheme stories are available to all licence-fee payers.
Answered by Margot James
Ministers and officials have regular discussions with the BBC on a range of matters, including Local Democracy Reporter Service.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, by what mechanism Local Democracy Reporter Service journalists are held accountable to BBC standards of impartiality.
Answered by Margot James
The organisations which employ Local Democracy Reporter Service reporters are contractually obliged to produce and supply content and services to the BBC. In doing so they must adhere to a number of criteria including adherence to the Editors’ Code and the BBC Guidelines, which include impartiality.