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 public libraries she has visited since the start of this Parliament.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Secretary of State's support of the public library sector was demonstrated in February 2025 when she announced a fourth round of the Libraries Improvement Fund worth £5.5 million to enable public library services across England to upgrade their physical and digital infrastructure to adapt to changing user needs.
The Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism, Sir Chris Bryant MP, was the Minister with responsibility for libraries from 26 July 2024 to 31 March 2025. He contributed to the 25th anniversary of the Reading Agency’s Summer Reading Challenge, as well as The British Library’s National StartUp Day.
After a change in the ministerial portfolios within DCMS, from 1 April 2025, Baroness Twycross has now taken up the role as Minister with responsibilities for libraries and she recently visited Harlesden and Willesden Green libraries.
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 the process was for deciding the allocation of seating in the VIP box for the VE concert at Horse Guards Parade on 8 May 2025.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) managed the allocation of seating for the VE Day 80 concert on Horse Guards Parade.
For the VIP area, DCMS prioritised representatives from key stakeholder organisations, including veterans' groups, the Armed Forces, Parliament, and partners involved in the VE Day 80 commemorations. Consideration was also given to accessibility and operational requirements, protocol, ensuring appropriate and inclusive representation from across the UK and Commonwealth.
Allocations in the Royal Box followed established protocol and precedence and included members of the Royal Household, veterans and their companions, senior Cabinet Ministers, Service Chiefs and other senior delivery partners.
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 considered providing funding for the creation of a Covid-19 memorial in Romford constituency.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The UK Commission on Covid Commemoration consulted on how to commemorate the COVID-19 pandemic and mark this distinctive period in our history at a national and community level. This Commission made a number of recommendations, including the importance of local memorials in commemorating the Covid-19 pandemic in providing a place to grieve and remember their loved ones. Since the publication of the Commission’s report, a number of COVID-19 memorials have been developed across the country by local Government, local businesses and community groups.
This government wants to carefully consider all the Commission's recommendations, working closely with Bereaved Family groups, wider stakeholders and the Devolved Governments to do justice to the hard work of the Commission, and will publish a response, including to the recommendation around the creation of new memorials, in due course.
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 public libraries have closed in each of the last ten years.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
DCMS estimates the number of static libraries that have permanently closed (and not been replaced by or relocated to a new static library) in England in each of the last 10 years is as follows:
Calendar Year | Estimated Permanent Static Library Closures |
2014 | 7 |
2015 | 19 |
2016 | 20 |
2017 | 35 |
2018 | 26 |
2019 | 17 |
2020 | 14 |
2021 | 17 |
2022 | 17 |
2023 | 9 |
This data is DCMS estimates based upon Arts Council England’s basic library dataset for 2023. The ACE dataset details the status (statutory and non-statutory) and operational models of each library including whether they are local authority run, community run, commissioned by the local authority to a separate trust or organisation, or delivered by alternative methods. The dataset can be found at the following link: https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/supporting-arts-museums-and-libraries/supporting-libraries
ACE’s 2024 basic library dataset is due to be published shortly.
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 she is taking to celebrate the feast day of Saint George in 2025.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
I refer the Hon member to my answer to PQ 38000 answered on the 26th March. In addition to the regular annual celebrations of St George’s Day, this year St George’s Day marked the 250th anniversary of the birth of Joseph Mallord William Turner, which has been celebrated in many museums and galleries up and down the country.
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 she has taken to celebrate the feast day of Saint Patrick in 2025.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
I refer the Hon member to my answer to PQ 38000 answered on the 26th March. In addition to the regular annual celebrations of St George’s Day, this year St George’s Day marked the 250th anniversary of the birth of Joseph Mallord William Turner, which has been celebrated in many museums and galleries up and down the country.
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 she has taken to celebrate the feast day of Saint Andrew in 2025.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
I refer the Hon member to my answer to PQ 38000 answered on the 26th March. In addition to the regular annual celebrations of St George’s Day, this year St George’s Day marked the 250th anniversary of the birth of Joseph Mallord William Turner, which has been celebrated in many museums and galleries up and down the country.
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 she has taken to celebrate the feast day of Saint David in 2025.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
I refer the Hon member to my answer to PQ 38000 answered on the 26th March. In addition to the regular annual celebrations of St George’s Day, this year St George’s Day marked the 250th anniversary of the birth of Joseph Mallord William Turner, which has been celebrated in many museums and galleries up and down the country.
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 she is taking with local authorities to help improve swimming facilities in (a) Romford constituency and (b) England.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government recognises that sports facilities, in communities up and down the country, help to support more people to get active wherever they live.
The ongoing responsibility of providing access to public leisure swimming facilities lies at local authority level. We are committed to supporting Local Government, recognising the significant financial challenges faced by the sector and by ensuring that funding goes to the places that need it most through the Local Government Finance Settlement.
The Government encourages local authorities to make investments which offer the right opportunities and facilities (including swimming pools) for the communities they serve, investing in sport and physical activity with a place-based approach, to meet the needs of individual communities. This is complemented by the support and guidance available through the Government’s Arm’s Length Body, Sport England.
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 information her Department holds on the number of TV license payers in each of the last five years.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The BBC is responsible for collection of the TV licence via TV Licensing. TV Licensing publishes the number of licences in force in its Annual Review, which can be found here: https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/about/our-performance-AB6