Asked by: Antony Higginbotham (Conservative - Burnley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support lower league clubs with maintaining stable finances.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government published its response to the recommendations made by the Independent Fan-Led Review of Football Governance in April 2022. The Government recognises the need for the long-term financial sustainability of football clubs, including those in the lower leagues. The Government will publish a White Paper on Football Governance reforms imminently, to set out our detailed plans to improve the financial stability and governance of football clubs across all leagues.
In addition, throughout the pandemic the Government offered substantial financial support to many football clubs at the National League level through the Sports Survival Package, to ensure their survival throughout the difficult period. Many clubs would have failed without that support.
Asked by: Antony Higginbotham (Conservative - Burnley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to encourage more investment in the emerging blockchain gaming industry.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government’s ambition is to make the UK a global hub for cryptoasset technology and investment. In April 2022, the Government set out a number of reforms which will see the regulation and aspects of tax treatment of cryptoassets evolve.
The Government is committed to supporting the growth of the UK’s games sector. As part of a wider package to support the growth of the creative industries, the Government has committed to an £8 million expansion of the UK Games Fund. The UK Games Fund will continue to provide valuable support to early-stage games development and talented graduates throughout the UK. In addition, the Video Games Tax Relief continues to make the UK one of the leading destinations in the world for making video games.
Asked by: Antony Higginbotham (Conservative - Burnley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
What steps his Department is taking to help gyms, health spas and similar businesses to reopen safely as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
We are committed to reopening facilities as soon as it is safe to do so including indoor gyms and health spas. BEIS published guidance on 23 June to help spas prepare for reopening.
The Government is also in discussions with representatives from the sport and physical activity sector about the steps required to reopen these facilities, hopefully from mid-July.
As with all aspects of the Government’s response to Covid-19, we will be guided by science to ensure that as restrictions are eased people can return to these facilities safely.
Asked by: Antony Higginbotham (Conservative - Burnley)
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 improve access for children to music, film, dance and theatre.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
Arts Council England (ACE) funds a number of national music and cultural education programmes across the country focused on children and young people.
For example, DCMS works closely with DfE to deliver Music Education hubs which help hundreds of thousands of young people learn to play an instrument in whole classes every year. Alongside this, ACE supports a range of organisations that provide cultural programmes specifically aimed at children.
DCMS has also committed £2m to the Creative Careers Programme: an industry-designed and led initiative to raise awareness amongst children and young people of opportunities for work across the creative economy.