Janet Daby

The prices charged by energy providers are set by the market and are largely determined by the cost of internationally-traded electricity and gas. For default tariffs, where competition has less of an effect on price, Ofgem sets a price cap on suppliers, based on the efficient costs of supply. During its first year the default tariff price cap was estimated to have saved households £1 billion and continues to save consumers £75- £100 a year on average.

The Government sees competition as the best way of securing value and quality service for consumers. The number of domestic gas and electricity suppliers has increased from 10 in 2010 to around 50 now, and customers who switch can save up to £150 a year.

The Government takes the importance of public trust and security in the handling on genomic data seriously.

When an individual is swabbed for a Covid-19 test that specimen will contain human DNA. Any analysis of that DNA without consent from the individual would contravene the provisions of the Human Tissue Act 2004 and the individuals and companies, or agencies would be liable to criminal prosecution.

We are not aware of any discussions with Amazon or other companies on the potential risks of DNA harvesting by state linked companies.

Throughout the national restrictions, we have sought to keep as much of the retail sector open as possible, whilst balancing the need to reduce our day-to-day contact. In doing so, we have taken evidence from SAGE into account when making decisions.

Retailers have been permitted to sell their goods online and for click-and-collect (where possible) throughout the pandemic and, as of Monday 12^th April, the retail sector is now open in its entirety. There has never been a defined list of essential and non-essential goods.

We continually review the impacts of the pandemic on all groups with protected characteristics.

There is no precedent in a Free Trade Agreement for EU Member States offering a single visa for work.

However, in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), the UK and EU did agree a range of facilitations for those travelling temporarily for work (Mode 4). The commitments agreed between the UK and the EU guarantee market access to business travellers in a wide number of sectors, waive work-permits for a range of short-term business visits, and provide for a minimum standard for how service providers should be treated when working in the other Party. We have also agreed commitments that will make it easier for professionals engaged in cross-border trade to apply for visas.

Commitments in the Mode 4 chapter are in addition to the EU already having legislated to allow UK nationals to travel visa-free for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. This will allow UK nationals travelling to, and within, the Schengen Area to undertake a limited range of activities, such as tourism, or attending business meetings, or cultural and sports events.

The Government’s current intervention in the electric vehicle market aims to accelerate upfront price parity between electric and internal combustion engine equivalents, making electric vehicles more affordable for all consumers.

We are supporting R&D to ensure that technologies for electric vehicles are developed and brought to market as early as possible. This includes support for power electronics and motors, and the development of battery technology through the £274 million Faraday Battery Challenge.

We are also incentivising demand to allow those technologies to reach the mass market and scale as early as possible. In addition, government grants for plug-in vehicles continue to help reduce the upfront purchase price of electric vehicles.

Drivers of ultra-low emission vehicles also receive other benefits, including lower tax rates and grants towards the installation of chargepoints. For example, all zero emission models will pay no company car tax in 2020-21 and 1% in 2021-22, before returning to the planned 2% rate in 2022-23 – a significant tax saving for employees and employers.

Local authorities may also provide incentives, such as free parking or exemption from the congestion charge.

We stated in our Road to Zero Strategy that consumer incentives will continue to play a role beyond 2020.

The BBC has a duty to deliver impartial and accurate news coverage and content under its Royal Charter.

It is for the BBC Board to ensure that BBC output meets the highest standards the public expects and for Ofcom to hold the BBC to account on its delivery against the Mission and Public Purposes set out in 2017.

However, in light of the findings of the Dyson Report, the Secretary of State has said that the BBC needs to improve its culture to ensure similar events never happen again which means a new emphasis on accuracy, impartiality and diversity of opinion.

The government will therefore reflect on Lord Dyson’s thorough report and any changes made following the review being conducted. We will then consider whether further governance and regulatory reforms at the BBC are needed in the upcoming mid-term Charter review.

We take the issue of dis- and misinformation very seriously and DCMS leads work across Government to tackle it. We engage regularly with social media companies to encourage the introduction of systems and processes that promote authoritative sources of information, and to help them identify and take action to remove dis- and misinformation, in line with their terms and conditions.

It is a Government priority to protect the UK against foreign interference. We know that certain states routinely use disinformation as a foreign policy tool and have seen evidence of this happening in other countries. We monitor for disinformation campaigns so that we can be ready to respond to them quickly and effectively. We work closely with international partners to share information to better understand and then develop approaches to counter the threat from disinformation.

The Government is legislating on these issues. The Counter State Threats Bill will provide the Security Services and Law Enforcement Agencies with the tools they need to tackle the evolving threat from hostile activity by states and actors. The legislation will make the UK a harder environment for states to conduct hostile activity in, and increase the cost to them of doing so.

We have also published the draft Online Safety Bill, which will bring in a legal duty of care and give companies clear legal responsibilities to improve user safety. The new laws will have robust and proportionate measures to deal with disinformation that could cause significant physical or psychological harm to an individual, such as anti-vaccination content and falsehoods about COVID-19.

Regrettably we do not believe the sector’s visa waiver proposal is viable. The Commission would be likely to argue that any EU-wide visa waiver agreement can only be part of a wider package with a binding non-discrimination clause and a reciprocal visa waiver agreement covering all current and future Member States, as they proposed in negotiaions. This remains incompatible with our manifesto commitment to take control of our borders.

The UK took an ambitious approach during negotiations that would have ensured that touring artists and their support staff did not need work-permits to perform in the EU. Regrettably, our proposals were rejected by the EU, but our door remains open if the EU wants to reconsider its position.

UK performers, artists, and musicians are of course still able to tour and perform in the EU, and vice versa. As the Secretary of State has said, we have moved at pace and with urgency and have provided much greater clarity about the current position.

We have published guidance on GOV.UK, signposting to official information provided by EU countries about their business travel routes. And through our bilateral discussions with EU Member States, we have established that in at least 17 out of 27 Member States some touring activities are possible without visas or work-permits. The UK has significantly more generous arrangements for touring professionals than many Member States, and should they be willing to change their rules to more closely align with ours we will have those discussions and encourage them to do so.

The Government is clear that it expects the cultural sectors to represent our diverse society in their artistic talent, workforce and audiences. As the national development agency for art and culture, Arts Council England (ACE) has a responsibility to ensure that public money benefits all of the public.

ACE ensures there is diversity in audiences, leaders, producers and creators of arts and culture. Their Inclusivity and Relevance principle sets out how organisations in receipt of public funding, including galleries, can work towards this objective across their workforce and governing bodies, the programmes they present, and the audiences they engage with.

ACE has also developed a set of accessible resources which are available online to support organisations to develop their ambitions of becoming more inclusive, including addressing any barriers faced for example by disabled people and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

DCMS does not play a role in the creative or curatorial decisions of Britain’s major galleries.

Major galleries present both male and female artists within their permanent collections and curators seek to increase representation where needed. Major galleries, including the National Gallery Tate, and National Portrait Gallery also run exhibitions focused on displaying female artists.

The BBC is operationally and editorially independent from the government and the government cannot intervene in the BBC’s day-to-day operations. The assessment of the effect on access to BBC services from technical changes is therefore a matter for the BBC.

The BBC addresses the issue of device compatibility with BBC iPlayer on its website. More information can be found here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/help/questions/supported-devices/use-mobile-tablet

On 5 July, the government announced a major £1.57 billion support package for key cultural organisations to help them through the coronavirus pandemic. This funding will provide targeted support to organisations across a range of sectors, including performing arts and theatres, museums and galleries, heritage sites, live music venues and independent cinema.

In line with our obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty, my department and its Arm’s Length Bodies have considered equalities impacts during the policy development process, and will continue to do so during delivery. Organisations in receipt of funding will also be expected to demonstrate progress in diversity and outreach over the coming years in return for this investment into their futures.

We appreciate that the Covid-19 pandemic presents a huge challenge to the music industry and the freelancers and the self-employed workers within it. The Government’s response has been one of the most generous and comprehensive in the world, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, the Bounceback Loan Scheme and business rates reliefs. In addition, the Government has adapted the welfare system so that the self-employed can access Universal Credit in full, to help people get quicker and more generous support when they need it most.

On Sunday 5 July 2020, the Secretary of State announced a major £1.57 billion support package for key cultural organisations to help them through the coronavirus pandemic. This funding will provide targeted support to organisations across a range of cultural and creative sectors, including music.

We are working closely with DCMS’ Arm’s Length Bodies to develop guidance indicating who can apply for the different elements of this funding, and we will publish detailed guidance as soon as possible.

In order to support the sustainability of the Arts sector, including independent festivals, DCMS has worked closely with Arts Council England (ACE) to provide a tailored package of financial support. In March, ACE announced a £160m emergency response package to complement the financial measures already announced by the Government, and provide financial support for Arts organisations and individuals so they can better sustain themselves, and their work, in the coming months. More than 9000 individuals and organisations have been successful in applying for this emergency funding.

The Secretary of State, myself and officials continue to consult the sector extensively to ensure we fully understand the financial impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on the sector. On the basis of that engagement, DCMS and ACE are continuing to work closely to consider the additional measures that are needed to ensure the long-term recovery and growth of the cultural sector.

Alongside this, I chair the Cultural Renewal Taskforce which is supported by 8 ministerially-chaired working groups that include representatives from key sector bodies and organisations. The working groups will produce sector-led guidance for the safe reopening of events and businesses across the arts and creative industries sectors.

Membership of the Entertainment and Events Working Group, chaired by the Minister for Digital and Culture, includes the Association of Independent Festivals and the National Outdoor Events Association.