Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues on improving access to creative education for children and young people from lower income families.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
Ensuring all children and young people can access high-quality creative education is a government priority. The Secretary of State and Ministers regularly engage with colleagues at the Department for Education (DfE) to deliver the shared mission of breaking down barriers to opportunity.
The Government is committed to revitalising arts education through a reformed curriculum and support for teachers, including via the new National Centre for Arts and Music Education, due to be established by September 2026, and through continued investment in Music Hubs. To increase access to enrichment opportunities across culture, sport, and wider youth sectors for disadvantaged young people, the Every Child Can programme, backed by £132.5 million in dormant assets through the National Lottery Community Fund, will fund activities within school and in communities at weekends and in the holidays, ensuring enrichment is a common entitlement for all. In strategic partnership with DfE, we will also invest £22.5 million across 3 years to support up to 400 schools in the most deprived areas of England to provide a youth led, tailored enrichment offer, including culture.
In addition, to increase access to creative education, DCMS is providing at least £3.2 million in 2026/27 for the Museums and Schools Programme, Heritage Schools Programme, Art & Design National Saturday Club, and BFI Film Academy.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
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 impact the cost of specialist creative training and auditions has on access to careers in the performing arts.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
Making creative careers accessible is a key priority for this government.
We recognise that specialist creative training can be a popular pathway into a performing arts career, but the Government has not assessed the cost impact for individuals.
Forthcoming research, funded by DCMS and the Creative Policy and Evidence Centre, maps out the current access and demand for specialist creative education provision for 14-19 year olds in England, providing a foundation for future work in this area.
To support access to creative careers we have committed £9 million to a refreshed creative careers service, which breaks down barriers for young people. Additionally the Government recognises 12 World Leading Specialist Providers of Creative and Performing Arts, who in 2025/26 received a share of c.£45 million from DfE's Strategic Priority Grant to support the delivery of world-leading specialist teaching in creative subjects.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the Creative Industries Council regarding skills shortages and creative education pathways.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
DCMS works closely with the Creative Industries Council (CIC), and in particular its Talent and Skills working group, to support government and industry’s work to address skills shortages and develop creative education pathways, furthering our Sector Plan ambition to build a resilient and highly skilled workforce that is responsive to the needs of the sector.
Recent discussions with the CIC have focused on the forthcoming Creative Industries Jobs Plan. The Jobs Plan will comprehensively set out the scale of the workforce challenge in the sector and how government, business and trade unions will work together to address this over the next three years. It is informed by the Creative Industries Skills Audits recently published by the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre and Work Advance, with funding from DCMS and the CIC.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
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 merits of establishing a the Cross-Departmental Advisory Group on Creative Education.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
As set out in the Government response to the Independent Review of Arts Council England, The Department for Education and Department for Culture, Media and Sport will work in partnership to ensure there is strategic alignment across government funded programmes, including the Arts Council, to support arts education and enrichment – both in schools and communities.
Our immediate priority is delivering curriculum reform and the National Centre for Arts and Music Education. The Government will consider the advisory group’s role and membership in due course. The advisory group will be designed to complement and add value to existing work on arts education and enrichment.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with Trade Unions from the creative industries regarding skills shortages and workforce development needs.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The Creative Industries Sector Plan sets out the Government’s objective to build a resilient, skilled and diverse workforce fit for the future. To deliver this, we are working in partnership with the sector, including its trade unions, to create the conditions for sustained economic growth.
Recent discussions with trade unions have focused on the development of the Creative Industries Jobs Plan. The Jobs Plan will comprehensively set out the scale of the workforce challenge in the sector and how government, business and trade unions will work together to address this over the next three years.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which central funding pathways are available for places of worship in the devolved regions.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
Heritage funding is devolved. The Places of Worship Renewal Fund is an England-only scheme starting in 2026/27 with a £23m annual budget. The Northern Irish Government received Barnett consequentials through the Spending Review.
We work with other funders to maximise UK-wide opportunities. Between 2024 and 2027, the National Lottery Heritage Fund expects to invest around £100m in places of worship, including £30m a year via their National Lottery Heritage Grants open programme.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether VAT reimbursements are available under the Places of Worship Renewal Fund.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The new Places of Worship Renewal Fund is a capital grant scheme which will operate in England only as Heritage is a devolved matter. Where capital grants have been awarded, VAT on eligible works and costs will be rebated where it is not otherwise reclaimable.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps she has taken on assigning funding and renewing the national contract for the UK Youth Parliament for the 2026-2028 mandate.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
DCMS has confirmed funding the UK Youth Parliament for the next financial year 2026-2027 and will be working with the National Youth Agency to deliver the programme with partners and young people. Over the coming months, DCMS will be working with young people to deliver against the ambitions of the National Youth Strategy and create more opportunities for youth empowerment and democracy.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on ensuring greater prominence of TG4 on Freeview.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
Following representations made by TG4 and by Irish Ministers, we are considering whether to extend prominence for TG4 services broadcasting in Northern Ireland.
We are discussing the request with the Northern Ireland Office and other Cabinet colleagues and will make a statement on this early in the new year.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
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 football clubs through the Grassroots Football Facilities Investment Fund in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government has committed to invest £3 million in Northern Ireland through the Multi Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme in 2025/26 to build and upgrade pitches and facilities.
Between 2021/22 and 2024/25, a total of £6,592,966 was allocated to football clubs in Northern Ireland through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme.
Successful applicants to the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme are published on gov.uk and are regularly updated: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/multi-sport-grassroots-facilities-programme-projects-2021-to-2025. The most recent project list for Northern Ireland can be found here.