Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) visa, (b) work-permit, (c) transport and (d) administrative costs under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement on UK touring artists.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
This government recognises that touring in Europe has become more difficult for UK artists. We closely monitor the impact of current arrangements on the ability of UK performers and their crews to work and tour in Europe, including the additional time, cost and complexity involved in securing visas and permits and transporting equipment and goods between the UK and EU. These barriers make it harder for UK performers to plan and deliver tours, particularly for smaller and emerging artists for whom European tours present a crucial stepping stone to forge professional connections and establish careers.
The UK and EU share a strong interest in ensuring that artists and audiences on both sides continue to benefit from cultural exchange. European audiences gain from the access to British artists, and venues, festivals and business across Europe benefit from the talent, local economic activity and cultural benefits that touring generates.
As agreed at the inaugural UK-EU Summit, we are committed to deepening UK-EU cultural exchange, including the activities of touring artists. We are carefully considering the most effective ways to do this, and continue to engage with the European Commission, European Member States, and the arts and creative sectors.
Addressing the challenges faced by our sectors is a key part of our broader strategy to strengthen and grow the UK’s creative industries, as set out in our Creative Industries Sector Plan.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions her Department has had with major UK-based foundations on aligning private giving with national social impact priorities.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
This government is committed to putting local people, communities and places first, supporting philanthropic growth across the country is an important route to mobilise more private capital to deliver public good.
In partnership with the Chief Secretary of the Treasury, DCMS’ Secretary of State, established the Social Impact Investment Advisory Group earlier this year to advise on how impact capital, including philanthropy, can support the national missions. The group brings together government, socially motivated investors, representatives from civil society and social investment and philanthropy experts. Major UK-based foundations are represented on both the Advisory Group and its working groups.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
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 improve the (a) quality and (b) comparability of impact reporting by charities in receipt of public grant funding.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
DCMS is committed to comprehensive evaluation and impact reporting of our major grant funding programmes, including those delivered by charities. These evaluation reports are published on DCMS’ research page on GOV.UK.
Beyond impact reporting on DCMS’ own grant funding, we are working with civil society to improve the quality and comparability of data and evidence. One mechanism for this is the ‘Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities’ (‘the Charities SORP’) which ensures consistency and transparency across the sector, making charity accounts comparable, understandable and useful for donors, beneficiaries, and the public alike. The UK Charities SORP-making body has recently undertaken a public consultation on improvements to the Charities SORP which include improving information for beneficiaries, donors and the public about how charity resources are stewarded.
DCMS recognises the importance of good quality data and evidence on charities’ work, as well as the challenges charities can face in measuring and reporting on their impact. Through the Civil Society Covenant, published on 17 July, we will work in partnership with the sector to improve data collection and strengthen the sharing of information and best practice. This includes government making the data it collects more accessible and working with civil society organisations to improve transparency and accountability around the money they receive.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to her Department's press release entitled £380 million boost for creative industries to help drive innovation, regional growth and investment, published on 23 June 2025, how she plans to measure the regional economic impact of the fund.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Sector Plan contains ambitious proposals to bolster growth in the creative industries across the UK. It includes a universal offer to drive growth in the creative industries in any place in the UK, outlining new measures to break down barriers such as access to finance, supply of skills, and new support to kickstart innovation.
We've developed a detailed evaluation framework with both sector-wide and sub-sector specific metrics, including GVA growth, employment figures, export values, inward investment, business creation, and diversity of workforce. Progress will be reported annually to Parliament and the Creative Industries Council (CIC), with a major review at the midpoint.
At a regional level, we will measure GVA in high potential places and their share of UK GVA. We will do this using published DCMS estimates of regional GVA and real terms changes in regional GVA.
We also outline a number of metrics we will use to measure the economic impact of the CIs interventions nationally, such as an increase in business R&D expenditure and an increase in CIs exports. Where possible, we will aim to track these metrics on a regional level to ensure the economic benefits of this increased support are being felt in every community across the UK.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding has been allocated to grassroots sports facilities in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes in each of the last five years.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
This Government puts children and young people at the heart of our priorities. This includes breaking down barriers to opportunity for every child to access high-quality sport and physical activity, especially those who are less likely to be active. We are committed to protecting time for physical education in school and supporting the role grassroots clubs play in expanding access to sport.
We provide the majority of our 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 the 2024/25 Financial Year, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes received over £3.9 million from Sport England to enhance sport and physical activity opportunities for local communities.
The expansion of Sport England’s Place Partnerships will invest up to £250 million of National Lottery and Exchequer funding and enhance engagement in areas of greatest need to tackle inactivity levels through community-led solutions. Sport England recently announced Milton Keynes as one of their 53 Place Partnerships.
More widely, the Government recently announced £100 million additional funding for the UK-wide Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme which funds new and upgraded pitches, facilities, and equipment. Funding will ensure that sites can provide a more inclusive and sustainable offer throughout the year for local communities, including for children and young people.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
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 increase participation in youth sport in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
This Government puts children and young people at the heart of our priorities. This includes breaking down barriers to opportunity for every child to access high-quality sport and physical activity, especially those who are less likely to be active. We are committed to protecting time for physical education in school and supporting the role grassroots clubs play in expanding access to sport.
We provide the majority of our 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 the 2024/25 Financial Year, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes received over £3.9 million from Sport England to enhance sport and physical activity opportunities for local communities.
The expansion of Sport England’s Place Partnerships will invest up to £250 million of National Lottery and Exchequer funding and enhance engagement in areas of greatest need to tackle inactivity levels through community-led solutions. Sport England recently announced Milton Keynes as one of their 53 Place Partnerships.
More widely, the Government recently announced £100 million additional funding for the UK-wide Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme which funds new and upgraded pitches, facilities, and equipment. Funding will ensure that sites can provide a more inclusive and sustainable offer throughout the year for local communities, including for children and young people.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps her Department has taken to support the development of local arts and cultural organisations in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Secretary of State announced a new £270 million Arts Everywhere Fund on 20 February. This will include support to museums, arts and music venues across the country and is a critical step that this Government is taking to help create jobs, boost local economies, and expand access to arts and culture for communities.
This is in addition to steps already being taken to support arts and culture via Arts Council England (ACE). In Buckinghamshire, ACE has provided over £19 million of funding between 2021-2025, of which over £11 million has gone to organisations in Milton Keynes.
For example, organisations receiving ACE funding include local 2023-2026 ACE National Portfolio Organisations, such as the Milton Keynes islamic Arts Heritage and Culture Organisation (£195,000 per annum), Milton Keynes Arts Centre (£99,803 per annum) and Milton Keynes Gallery (£390,360 per annum).
The Museum Estate and Development Fund is also part of the support provided by ACE: Bletchley Park received just under £3m from the fund between 2021-2025 towards building modernisation works.
Separately, DCMS has directly supported Discover Bucks Museum through the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund, awarding grants totalling £260,000 between 2018-2024.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many museums have received funding from Arts Council England in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Secretary of State announced a new £270 million Arts Everywhere Fund on 20 February. This will include support to museums, arts and music venues across the country and is a critical step that this Government is taking to help create jobs, boost local economies, and expand access to arts and culture for communities.
This is in addition to steps already being taken to support arts and culture via Arts Council England (ACE). In Buckinghamshire, ACE has provided over £19 million of funding between 2021-2025, of which over £11 million has gone to organisations in Milton Keynes.
For example, organisations receiving ACE funding include local 2023-2026 ACE National Portfolio Organisations, such as the Milton Keynes islamic Arts Heritage and Culture Organisation (£195,000 per annum), Milton Keynes Arts Centre (£99,803 per annum) and Milton Keynes Gallery (£390,360 per annum).
The Museum Estate and Development Fund is also part of the support provided by ACE: Bletchley Park received just under £3m from the fund between 2021-2025 towards building modernisation works.
Separately, DCMS has directly supported Discover Bucks Museum through the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund, awarding grants totalling £260,000 between 2018-2024.