Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether Ofcom has reviewed the compliance of Nation Broadcasting with the original licence conditions of Time 107.5 FM following its (a) rebranding and (b) programming changes.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Local radio is an integral part of the communities it exists within, and local commercial and community radio services can bring localities together by reflecting local experiences and delivering local news and information.
Changes made by the Media Act 2024 remove some regulatory burdens on commercial radio operating on FM licenses, including requirements for commercial stations to deliver particular types of content or to target specific groups. This gives commercial radio stations the freedom to organise its programmes to meet the changing needs of its audiences, particularly as listening increasingly shifts to digital.
At the same time, Part 5 of the Media Act now strengthens protections for the regular broadcast of local news and local information. For example stations will be specifically required to provide news which has been gathered within the locality and the area to which they broadcast. The detailed requirements have been set out in new guidance that Ofcom has published on 1 July.
Ofcom is currently running a consultation on the implementation of these changes to local news provision (closed 22 September), and will in due course publish a new Code of Practice that will set out the detailed requirements for commercial radio stations in delivering local news relevant to their local communities.
Any assessment of compliance with licensing requirements, including the requirements to provide local news, and in light of the changes proposed by Nation Radio following its acquisition of Time 107.5, is a matter for Ofcom as the independent regulator.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to support to the charitable work of the Church of England.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
For millions of people in this country, their faith and belief identity is a crucial part of their lives, and our nation is enriched by our diverse tapestry of faiths and beliefs. This government celebrates the central role of faith, including the Christian faith, in our national life. Churches, such as the Church of England, contain many Christians whose faith guides their moral outlook and inspires them to public service and helping those in need.
This government is committed to harnessing the power of faith for national renewal, helping us to make progress against our missions. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is funding a number of cohesion and interfaith projects this financial year, including the Near Neighbours programme delivered by the Church Urban Fund, a charity affiliated with the Church of England.
Over the last year, my own department has been delivering the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Energy Efficiency Scheme, which is a £25.5 million fund to support VCSE organisations across England to save money on energy bills. The fund was designed to help groups with rising energy costs and was targeted at those delivering key frontline services. Recipients of the fund have included over 40 churches and faith-based organisations.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the sale of Time 107.5 FM to Nation Broadcasting on the provision of (a) local news and (b) community programming in Romford constituency.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Local radio is an integral part of the communities it exists within, and local commercial and community radio services can bring localities together by reflecting local experiences and delivering local news and information.
Changes made by the Media Act 2024 remove some regulatory burdens on commercial radio operating on FM licenses, including requirements for commercial stations to deliver particular types of content or to target specific groups. This gives commercial radio stations the freedom to organise its programmes to meet the changing needs of its audiences, particularly as listening increasingly shifts to digital.
At the same time, Part 5 of the Media Act now strengthens protections for the regular broadcast of local news and local information. For example stations will be specifically required to provide news which has been gathered within the locality and the area to which they broadcast. The detailed requirements have been set out in new guidance that Ofcom has published on 1 July.
Ofcom is currently running a consultation on the implementation of these changes to local news provision (closing 22 September), and will in due course publish a new Code of Practice that will set out the detailed requirements for commercial radio stations in delivering local news relevant to their local communities.
Any assessment of compliance with licensing requirements, including the requirements to provide local news, and in light of the changes proposed by Nation Radio following its acquisition of Time 107.5, is a matter for Ofcom as the independent regulator.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether Ofcom has reviewed the compliance of Nation Broadcasting with the original licence conditions of Time 107.5 FM, following its (a) rebranding and (b) programming changes.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Local radio is an integral part of the communities it exists within, and local commercial and community radio services can bring localities together by reflecting local experiences and delivering local news and information.
Changes made by the Media Act 2024 remove some regulatory burdens on commercial radio operating on FM licenses, including requirements for commercial stations to deliver particular types of content or to target specific groups. This gives commercial radio stations the freedom to organise its programmes to meet the changing needs of its audiences, particularly as listening increasingly shifts to digital.
At the same time, Part 5 of the Media Act now strengthens protections for the regular broadcast of local news and local information. For example stations will be specifically required to provide news which has been gathered within the locality and the area to which they broadcast. The detailed requirements have been set out in new guidance that Ofcom has published on 1 July.
Ofcom is currently running a consultation on the implementation of these changes to local news provision (closing 22 September), and will in due course publish a new Code of Practice that will set out the detailed requirements for commercial radio stations in delivering local news relevant to their local communities.
Any assessment of compliance with licensing requirements, including the requirements to provide local news, and in light of the changes proposed by Nation Radio following its acquisition of Time 107.5, is a matter for Ofcom as the independent regulator.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that local radio stations continue to meet their commitments to locally produced content under the Media Act 2024.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Local radio is an integral part of the communities it exists within, and local commercial and community radio services can bring localities together by reflecting local experiences and delivering local news and information.
Changes made by the Media Act 2024 remove some regulatory burdens on commercial radio operating on FM licenses, including requirements for commercial stations to deliver particular types of content or to target specific groups. This gives commercial radio stations the freedom to organise its programmes to meet the changing needs of its audiences, particularly as listening increasingly shifts to digital.
At the same time, Part 5 of the Media Act now strengthens protections for the regular broadcast of local news and local information. For example stations will be specifically required to provide news which has been gathered within the locality and the area to which they broadcast. The detailed requirements have been set out in new guidance that Ofcom has published on 1 July.
Ofcom is currently running a consultation on the implementation of these changes to local news provision (closing 22 September), and will in due course publish a new Code of Practice that will set out the detailed requirements for commercial radio stations in delivering local news relevant to their local communities.
Any assessment of compliance with licensing requirements, including the requirements to provide local news, and in light of the changes proposed by Nation Radio following its acquisition of Time 107.5, is a matter for Ofcom as the independent regulator.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the sale of Time 107.5 FM to Nation Broadcasting on the provision of (a) local news and (b) community programming in Romford constituency.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Local radio is an integral part of the communities it exists within, and local commercial and community radio services can bring localities together by reflecting local experiences and delivering local news and information.
Changes made by the Media Act 2024 remove some regulatory burdens on commercial radio operating on FM licenses, including requirements for commercial stations to deliver particular types of content or to target specific groups. This gives commercial radio stations the freedom to organise its programmes to meet the changing needs of its audiences, particularly as listening increasingly shifts to digital.
At the same time, Part 5 of the Media Act now strengthens protections for the regular broadcast of local news and local information. For example stations will be specifically required to provide news which has been gathered within the locality and the area to which they broadcast. The detailed requirements have been set out in new guidance that Ofcom has published on 1 July.
Ofcom is currently running a consultation on the implementation of these changes to local news provision (closing 22 September), and will in due course publish a new Code of Practice that will set out the detailed requirements for commercial radio stations in delivering local news relevant to their local communities.
Any assessment of compliance with licensing requirements, including the requirements to provide local news, and in light of the changes proposed by Nation Radio following its acquisition of Time 107.5, is a matter for Ofcom as the independent regulator.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that local radio stations continue to meet their commitments to locally produced content under the Media Act 2024.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Local radio is an integral part of the communities it exists within, and local commercial and community radio services can bring localities together by reflecting local experiences and delivering local news and information.
Changes made by the Media Act 2024 remove some regulatory burdens on commercial radio operating on FM licenses, including requirements for commercial stations to deliver particular types of content or to target specific groups. This gives commercial radio stations the freedom to organise its programmes to meet the changing needs of its audiences, particularly as listening increasingly shifts to digital.
At the same time, Part 5 of the Media Act now strengthens protections for the regular broadcast of local news and local information. For example stations will be specifically required to provide news which has been gathered within the locality and the area to which they broadcast. The detailed requirements have been set out in new guidance that Ofcom has published on 1 July.
Ofcom is currently running a consultation on the implementation of these changes to local news provision (closing 22 September), and will in due course publish a new Code of Practice that will set out the detailed requirements for commercial radio stations in delivering local news relevant to their local communities.
Any assessment of compliance with licensing requirements, including the requirements to provide local news, and in light of the changes proposed by Nation Radio following its acquisition of Time 107.5, is a matter for Ofcom as the independent regulator.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government plans to take to mark the commemoration of VJ Day 2025.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government has delivered a suite of commemorative activities to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day. This included a Service of Remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum delivered in partnership with the Royal British Legion. Their Majesties, together with the Prime Minister attended the event, which included a national two minutes silence and a spectacular tribute to veterans involving 400 members of the Armed Forces, the Red Arrows and historic aircraft from The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
Veterans in attendance included Burma Star recipients, British Indian Army veterans and those involved in the Battles of Kohima and Imphal, as well as Prisoners of War held across the region and veterans stationed in the UK or Commonwealth countries, who contributed to the war effort.
The VJ commemorations commenced with a Downing Street reception to honour veterans, hosted by the Prime Minister. Government buildings and iconic sites were lit up to remember and thank those who fought in Asia and the Pacific during the Second World War.
To honour the significant sacrifices made in the Far East, the Government’s National Engagement Programme continues to run throughout the year. A new film and augmented reality experience and a paper crane initiative was launched by the Imperial War Museums.
The Government is continuing to work with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission on the For Evermore Tour and Arts Council England on funding local community-based commemorative activity around the UK in arts centres, libraries and museums. We will continue to promote a range of educational and cultural activities to help schools and communities to engage with the 80th year of commemoration, including through Our Shared Story, and the National Theatre’s year-long school engagement programme.
I visited Barnsley Civic and The Old Fire Station in Oxford, both contributors to the UK-wide programme in arts centres and libraries that is bringing communities together through creativity to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. To mark VJ Day, I also visited the Tower of London Poppy display and laid a wreath at the sunset ceremony at Memorial Gates.
Events to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of VJ Day will conclude with a reception for veterans at Windsor Castle later in the Autumn
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential of local parish churches to be tourist attractions.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Parish churches are an integral and unique part of our national heritage. They can be and often are significant attractions for both domestic and international visitors, especially where there is an additional historic connection, such as at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon, the most visited parish church in England.
While the Department has not conducted a specific national assessment on this matter, we work closely with our arm's-length bodies to support these vital historic buildings. DCMS also directly funds listed places of worship through the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, with a budget of £23 million for the current financial year. In addition, Historic England, as the Government’s statutory heritage advisor, provides grants, expertise, and guidance to help care for our most significant historic places of worship.
Furthermore, we encourage local areas to consider all their unique heritage assets, including parish churches, as part of their strategic tourism planning through the network of Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs).
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many times she has met with representatives of (a) the Church of England, (b) mainstream Islamic denominations and (c) mainstream Jewish denominations in the last calendar year.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Details of ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.