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Written Question
Arts: Coastal Areas and Rural Areas
Thursday 13th January 2022

Asked by: Bob Seely (Conservative - Isle of Wight)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what support her Department can provide to incentivise major London-based arts institutes to undertake outreach to (a) the Isle of Wight, (b) coastal and (c) rural communities.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

The Government is committed to promoting the arts and culture outside of London, and invests in culture across the country through Arts Council England.

Arts Council England’s ambition to ensure the arts are accessible to all is articulated in its ‘Let’s Create’ Strategy 2020-2030, which can be found on its website. The Arts Council encourages London-based organisations to have national reach and impact. It facilitates relationships across the country where there are synergies and/or particular opportunities, and supports organisations from major cities, including London, to share their work in rural areas. In addition, the Arts Council has identified the Isle of Wight as a priority area for increased engagement and investment.

A number of London-based National Portfolio Organisations (NPOs) work in the Isle of Wight as well as rural and coastal areas. One example includes The Reading Agency, which produces programmes delivered by libraries across the country.

Written Question
Tourism: Coastal Areas
Tuesday 11th January 2022

Asked by: Bob Seely (Conservative - Isle of Wight)

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 further support the tourism industry (a) on the Isle of Wight and (b) in other coastal communities.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

As set out in the government’s Tourism Recovery Plan, we are committed to supporting the tourism industry’s return to pre-pandemic levels across England including the Isle of Wight and other coastal communities.

So far, the government has provided over £35 billion in support to the tourism, leisure and hospitality sectors over the course of the pandemic in the form of grants, loans and tax breaks.

The latest budget announcement also included a new temporary business rates relief for over 90% of eligible retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in England which will cut at least 50% off their business rates bills during the 2022-23 period which is worth almost £1.7 billion.

On 21 December 2021, HMT announced additional support for businesses who have been impacted by the Omicron variant across the UK, including one-off grants of up to £6,000 for hospitality and leisure premises, plus more than £100 million discretionary funding will be made available for local authorities to support other businesses.

VisitBritain (VB) promotes Isle of Wight and other coastal destinations on their websites, social media and through PR activity to ensure that when international travel resumes, visitors are inspired and informed on visiting our coastal towns and cities.

Coastal destinations were also supported via the Discover England Fund as part of the England’s Coast project. This was up to 2021 however VisitBritain continues to support their initiatives, through marketing, PR and business support.

Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 23 Mar 2021
Live Events: Government-backed Insurance

"It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Rosindell. It is also a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Sarah Olney). I agree with one of the critical points that she made, which is about people involved in the arts, and support to the arts, …..."
Bob Seely - View Speech

View all Bob Seely (Con - Isle of Wight) contributions to the debate on: Live Events: Government-backed Insurance
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 30 Nov 2020
Telecommunications (Security) Bill

"It is a pleasure to follow my hon. Friend the Member for Wantage (David Johnston). I noticed that he was speaking without notes, which was very impressive. Sadly, I still rely on mine. I thank the Minister for bringing forward the Bill, and I thank the ministerial team for talking …..."
Bob Seely - View Speech

View all Bob Seely (Con - Isle of Wight) contributions to the debate on: Telecommunications (Security) Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 30 Nov 2020
Telecommunications (Security) Bill

"It was very concerning that those who govern us were calling a part and parcel of the Chinese state a private firm, which it clearly was not.

The Government claimed that Huawei could be safely limited to the periphery of the network. That is a dubious argument that is still …..."
Bob Seely - View Speech

View all Bob Seely (Con - Isle of Wight) contributions to the debate on: Telecommunications (Security) Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 30 Nov 2020
Telecommunications (Security) Bill

"I look forward to being as eloquent and well dressed as my right hon. Friend one day. Before I come to the point that he mentioned on the need for a consistent approach and better understanding, let me say one more thing about Huawei.

A few other Members have touched …..."
Bob Seely - View Speech

View all Bob Seely (Con - Isle of Wight) contributions to the debate on: Telecommunications (Security) Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 30 Nov 2020
Telecommunications (Security) Bill

"I hear what the Minister is saying, but I wish to follow up the point made by my right hon. Friend the Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Sir Iain Duncan Smith). If the debate on this Bill is not the place to discuss human rights, I get that, but …..."
Bob Seely - View Speech

View all Bob Seely (Con - Isle of Wight) contributions to the debate on: Telecommunications (Security) Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 10 Sep 2020
Tourism: Covid-19

"I know that the Minister—an excellent Minister—is listening carefully. I think that we can all agree that the longer the 5% VAT reduction is kept in place, the more we can sustain and develop our tourism economies as we go into the years ahead...."
Bob Seely - View Speech

View all Bob Seely (Con - Isle of Wight) contributions to the debate on: Tourism: Covid-19
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 14 Jul 2020
UK Telecommunications

"I welcome much of what the Minister has said and am grateful to him for coming here. This does look like a long, slow goodbye to Huawei, but does he understand the concerns of some Members that seven years is a very long time in politics and it would be …..."
Bob Seely - View Speech

View all Bob Seely (Con - Isle of Wight) contributions to the debate on: UK Telecommunications
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 10 Mar 2020
Telecommunications Infrastructure (Leasehold Property) Bill

"rose—..."
Bob Seely - View Speech

View all Bob Seely (Con - Isle of Wight) contributions to the debate on: Telecommunications Infrastructure (Leasehold Property) Bill