Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what support her Department plans to make available through the Creative Foundations Fund for grassroots music venues; and how she plans to consider their needs in funding decisions.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Creative Foundation Fund (CFF) will support arts and cultural organisations across England to resolve urgent issues with their estates. This is part of this government’s ongoing commitment to ensure arts and culture are fit for the future and to ensure everyone has access to high quality institutions in the places they call home. The fund will support organisations to continue delivering creative or cultural activity, support growth and increase opportunities to develop creative skills and engage in high-quality creative work.
Funding will be distributed to arts and cultural organisations across England following an open application process led by Arts Council England (ACE). All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their full application and funding committed by Arts Council England by 31 March 2026. The fund has been designed to address the varying scales of need being experienced by different organisations, with funding being distributed to ensure maximum impact across the country. We expect the fund to support a mix of projects of varying sizes across the English regions, subject to applications received.
This fund is specifically designed to support not-for-profit arts organisations within the funding remit of Arts Council England. Eligible organisations must be not-for-profit and show that their primary aims are cultural and their activities fall within the remit of ACE. They must have delivered cultural activity in the last 12 months and be able to demonstrate that the investment is business-critical to delivering creative or cultural activity. Full eligibility details in the guidance can be found on ACE’s website.
We understand that there are varying needs across the music sector, and the Creative Foundations Fund is one of the ways that we are supporting music venues. We are continuing to support ACE’s Supporting Grassroots Music Fund by providing £2.5 million funding in 2025-26. This provides grants to grassroots music organisations, including those that host or promote electronic music.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what (a) nightclubs and (b) electronic music organisations her Department (i) consulted in the development of the Arts Everywhere Fund and (ii) is consulting in the development of the 12-point plan for music.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The £270 million Arts Everywhere Fund is made up of multiple funds which will support arts venues, museums, libraries and the heritage sector. The Creative Foundations Fund will invest £85 million to support arts and cultural organisations across England to resolve urgent issues with their estates. This fund is specifically designed to support not-for-profit arts organisations within the funding remit of Arts Council England. Eligible organisations must be not-for-profit and show that their primary aims are cultural and their activities fall within the remit of ACE. They must have delivered cultural activity in the last 12 months and be able to demonstrate that the investment is business-critical to delivering creative or cultural activity. Full eligibility details in the guidance can be found on ACE’s website. The fund was developed in partnership with Arts Council England (ACE), drawing on its knowledge of the arts and culture sector.
We are continuing to support ACE’s Supporting Grassroots Music Fund by providing £2.5 million funding in 2025-26. This provides grants to grassroots music organisations, including those that host or promote electronic music.
The Government’s industrial strategy is prioritising the creative industries, and we will publish a Creative Industries Sector Plan to set out measures to drive growth in the sector. DCMS is developing a music plan which will build on the Creative Industries Sector Plan, and on which we will work in partnership with representatives from across the music sector.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding her Department allocated for the preservation of historic sites in Fylde in the last 12 months.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Over the past five years Historic England, an Arms Length Body of DCMS, has provided a total of £1,545,946 to support the Kirkham High Street Heritage Action Zone, delivered by. The final payment of £358,835 was made in July 2024.
The Kirkham programme revitalised the town's historic center by restoring 7 traditional shopfronts, conservation of a historic building, and enhancing the high street’s visual character. The programme also fostered community engagement through 5 events, and delivered 2 construction skills training training activities sessions to support local skills development, and created 3 town guides and heritage trails to help residents and visitors explore Kirkham’s unique heritage.
13 claims have been paid to 7 Listed Places of Worship in the Fylde constituency area through the Listed Places of Worship Grant scheme between June 2024 to May 2025 totalling £42,778.43.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund has not made any awards in Fylde in the last 12 months. However, since 1994, the Heritage Fund has awarded a total of £6.7m to 36 projects of all types in the constituency of Fylde.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
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 improve water safety in coastal areas.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Responsibilities for water safety sit with various government departments and agencies including the Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs and the Health and Safety Executive, which has produced the Prevention of drowning document (link). In addition, The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is responsible for enforcing the safety of boats used in navigation, including people on them, and the safety of the crew. Together with the Department for Transport they produced the Maritime Safety Action Plan (link).
The National Governing Bodies are responsible for providing advice and guidance for how to participate in their sports safely. The Government provides support to these organisations through funding from Sport England.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the pub sector on tourism to the UK.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
DCMS recognises that pubs are an integral part of the UK’s cultural heritage and tourism offer. While no recent assessment has been made, pubs supports local economies particularly in rural and historic areas, by encouraging longer stays and increased visitor spending. In the Autumn Budget in October 2024, the Government announced an extension of the business rate relief scheme for retail, hospitality, and leisure worth over £1.5 billion in 2025/26. DCMS continues to work closely with the industry to ensure support for such an important part of our nation's history.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
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 support local sports (a) clubs and (b) initiatives in (i) Fylde and (ii) Lancashire.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
This Government recognises that grassroots sports clubs and initiatives are central to communities up and down the country.
The Government provides the majority of funding for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding each year. In 2024/25, Sport England invested £11,750 in Fylde constituency and £2,765,589 was invested in Lancashire.
The Government has committed to continued funding for grassroots facilities. £100 million will be invested into grassroots sport facilities across the UK through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to increase funding levels for grassroots sports facilities in (a) Fylde and (b) other rural areas.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of where they live, has access to and benefits from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.
The Government provides the majority of funding for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England - which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding in areas of greatest need to tackle inactivity levels through community-led solutions.
In March, DCMS confirmed an additional £100 million investment in new and upgraded facilities across the UK as part of our Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme. Our delivery partner for the programme in England is the Football Foundation, who plan their investment pipeline using Local Football Facility Plans (LFFPs), which are developed in partnership with local authorities so as to understand the needs of each community. These plans are currently being updated to better reflect demand in 2025.
Future funding is subject to the ongoing Spending Review process, with further details to follow in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding her Department plans to provide for sports facilities in Fylde in the next 12 months.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of where they live, has access to and benefits from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.
The Government provides the majority of funding for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England - which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding in areas of greatest need to tackle inactivity levels through community-led solutions.
In March, DCMS confirmed an additional £100 million investment in new and upgraded facilities across the UK as part of our Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme. Our delivery partner for the programme in England is the Football Foundation, who plan their investment pipeline using Local Football Facility Plans (LFFPs), which are developed in partnership with local authorities so as to understand the needs of each community. These plans are currently being updated to better reflect demand in 2025.
Future funding is subject to the ongoing Spending Review process, with further details to follow in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of funding available through the Supporting Grassroots Music Fund for (a) non-electronic and (b) electronic music venues in each English region.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is providing Arts Council England (ACE)’s Supporting Grassroots Music Fund with £2.5 million funding in 2025-26. This supports grassroots music venues, festivals, promoters and recording and rehearsal studios, all for both non-electronic and electronic music, across England. Applicants can apply for grants of up to £40,000 to develop new revenue streams, make repairs and improvements, and enhance the live music experience for fans.
The fund does not draw a distinction between electronic and non-electronic music.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2025 to Questions 46950 on Night-time Economy: Finance, what assessment her Department has of the potential impact of the Creative Foundations Fund on contemporary culture.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
DCMS meets regularly with all parts of the music industry, including the nightclub sector. In developing the Supporting Grassroots Music Fund, we engaged with the sector to ensure that the expanded fund caters for all grassroots music organisations, including those that host or promote electronic music. Through Arts Council England we continue to engage with the industry through targeted webinars and events to promote the Fund to the club sector and encourage applications.
The government’s work to review the licensing framework has brought together representatives from government, industry, police and local government, including key stakeholders from the nightclub sector. This Taskforce will make recommendations that will deliver effective change in the licensing framework that fosters vibrant hospitality, night-time economy, and creative and cultural industries.
The Creative Foundations Fund, delivered by Arts Council England, will invest £85 million to support arts and cultural organisations across England to resolve urgent issues with their estates. This will ensure buildings and infrastructure are fit for future generations to benefit from, and will increase access to culture for all and drive cultural, community and economic growth. Historic England considers there to be currently in the region of 45 listed nightclubs in England.