Oral Answers to Questions

Gregory Stafford Excerpts

Thursday 12th November 2026 Commons Chamber

[Lisa Nandy]

I strongly support what the hon. Gentleman says. Less than half of children are getting the recommended 60 active minutes a day, and we as a Government are really concerned about that. I agree that this has to be a whole-of-Government endeavour. In particular, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for Education and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport need to work together much more closely. I have discussed this issue with the new Health Secretary and the new Education Secretary, but I am very keen to discuss it further with the hon. Gentleman and to get his advice as a former Sport Minister on how we might best achieve that.

[Gregory Stafford (Farnham and Bordon) (Con)]

2. If she will ensure that place-based funding for media and creative industries in the regions does not negatively impact London’s media sector.

[The Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Online Safety (Ian Murray)]

Lifting the full potential of our city regions and clusters across the UK is a core objective not just of our modern industrial strategy, but of our plan for growth in every postcode. Place-based funding is helping to ensure that our city regions and high-potential clusters are able to unlock more growth, create more good jobs and continue producing world-class creative content. London is a global creative industries super-cluster, and we are committed to supporting its continued success as one of the 12 priority super-clusters identified in the creative industries sector plan.

[Gregory Stafford]

My constituent Simon has built a media company in the heart of our creative sector in London, but at a recent surgery he told me that the Culture Secretary’s regional funding drive is destroying the creative industry in London and the south-east. Simon and his business partner employ 25 people, and they pay rent, business rates and service charges on top of their wage bill. We should be supporting this industry, not stripping it. What is the Minister doing to support the creative industries in the south of England?

[Ian Murray]

I congratulate Simon on setting up his business. It is true that 67% of all creative industries activity happens in London alone, and an extra 18% in the south-east. The region is a super-cluster, and this Government are doing all we can to ensure that we support the industry right across the United Kingdom. The BBC has built hubs across the country, including in Cardiff, Bristol, Manchester, Newcastle and Glasgow, and they provide the ecosystem that allows companies to thrive. London will remain one of our super-clusters, and the funding that we are putting into the creative industries goes right across the country.