Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many (a) nightclubs, (b) live music venues, (c) festivals and (d) businesses that supply those entertainment businesses have received support from the Government under the second round of the Culture Recovery Fund.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The most up-to-date data available on the second round of the Culture Recovery Fund shows:
(a) 32 successful nightclub applicants
(b) 214 successful live music venue applicants
(c) 100 successful festivals applicants
(d) 230 supply chain applicants
A number of live music venues also offer club nights, but are only counted in the live music venue statistics. In addition, the data for successful supply chain applicants includes those working across the whole of the arts and creative sectors.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with the Advertising Standards Authority on rules on gambling advertising prior to the announcement of the Gambling Review; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government has committed to reviewing the Gambling Act 2005 to ensure that it is fit for the digital age. Further details will be announced in due course.
As set out in the answer to Question 118541, ministers have met with a range of stakeholders ahead of the Gambling Act Review. Details of ministerial meetings are published quarterly on the government’s website at: https://www.gov.uk/search/transparency-and-freedom-of-information-releases?content_store_document_type=transparency&organisations%5B%5D=department-for-digital-culture-media-sport.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport engages regularly with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the UK’s independent regulator of advertising, including on matters relating to gambling advertising. The ASA is currently consulting on proposed changes to the advertising codes aimed at further restricting the potential for gambling adverts to appeal to children or vulnerable people.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with (a) theatres, (b) live music venues, (c) concert halls and (d) arenas on the average capacity that they require to make a profit as the covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
As part of our continued engagement with our sectors, myself and my officials have spoken to many organisations in the arts and culture sectors directly, as well as with our arms-length bodies and sector representatives.
Through this engagement we know that the capacity needed to make a profit varies not just between the sub-sectors, but also between individual organisations and on an even more granular level, depending on what those organisations programme. These considerations, as well as costs relating to staffing, fixed costs, maintenance, production costs, and loans, also impact upon the size of a possible finance gap an organisation may have when considering when and whether to reopen.
We are committed to getting the performing arts sector fully back up and running as soon as it is safe to do so. It is a priority of my department to work with the arts and cultural sectors to address the challenges of reopening. We have released guidance to support the performing arts sector resume activity in line with the roadmap announced by the Secretary of State for Culture last month.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
Whether he plans to deliver a support package for the (a) music industry and (b) culture sector affected by the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
We recognise that these are incredibly challenging times for the music industry and broader culture sector. As well as supporting them through an unprecedented package of Government support for businesses and individuals, DCMS has made available a £160m Emergency Funding Package via Arts Council England, made possible by Government funding.
We are working hard with the sectors to consider the additional support that may be needed to support the long-term recovery of the sector.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Government support packages made available for charities, the tech sector and rugby league, whether the Government plans to provide additional sector-specific support packages during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The Government has announced unprecedented support for business and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency including almost £300 billion of guarantees – equivalent to 15% of UK GDP. Businesses and workers may benefit from the range of support measures including:
The Coronavirus Job Retention (Furlough) Scheme to support employers with 80% of workers’ salaries up to £2,500 a month.
The Self-Employed Income Support Scheme which provides eligible freelance workers with up to £2,500 per month in grants for at least three months.
The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme provide significant access to cash for eligible businesses in need.
The Bounce Back Loan Scheme is a fast-track finance scheme designed to support small businesses.
The Business Support website provides further information about how businesses can access the support that has been made available, who is eligible, when the schemes open and how to apply: https://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support
In addition to the support packages highlighted, DCMS has also worked with its arms-length bodies on a range of measures to help our sectors:
Arts Council England is making £160 million of emergency funding available.
Sport England have launched an economic package of £210m to support the grassroots and community sport sector.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund announced a £50m Heritage Emergency Fund.
Historic England have announced a £2million programme of grants to support smaller, specialist organisations and projects.
Releasing emergency funding to help community radio stations continue to provide programming and outreach projects for the communities they serve. Relevant stations were invited to bid for emergency grants to help meet their core costs through a process administered by Ofcom.
The Government’s economic strategy will be closely coordinated with the public health strategy to ensure a safe return to economic activity. We will continue to monitor developments to understand the economic impacts of COVID-19, including on industries and sectors, and consider how the Government can best support their recovery.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the proportion of self-employed workers in the creative sector that are not eligible for the Self-Employed Income Support scheme.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
No such estimates have been made. However, we appreciate that the Covid-19 pandemic presents a significant challenge to many of DCMS’ sectors including the Creative Industries which is why the Government has announced unprecedented support for business and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency.
To ensure we are assisting the sectors as effectively as possible, regular ministerially-chaired roundtables are held with business representative organisations as well as trade associations from across the Creative Industries. In addition, officials are in regular contact with stakeholders from these sectors, and we continue to speak with HM Treasury colleagues to ensure that the full spectrum of government support reaches the UK's world-leading media and Creative Industries.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the support available for creative sector businesses that are not eligible for the (a) Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund and (b) Small Business Grant Fund.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
No such estimates have been made. However, we appreciate that the Covid-19 pandemic presents a significant challenge to many of DCMS’ sectors including the Creative Industries which is why the Government has announced unprecedented support for business and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency.
To ensure we are assisting the sectors as effectively as possible, regular ministerially-chaired roundtables are held with business representative organisations as well as trade associations from across the Creative Industries. In addition, officials are in regular contact with stakeholders from these sectors, and we continue to speak with HM Treasury colleagues to ensure that the full spectrum of government support reaches the UK's world-leading media and Creative Industries.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing financial support packages for (a) music, (b) arts and (c) other festivals as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
We appreciate that the Covid-19 pandemic presents a significant challenge to many of DCMS’ sectors including the arts, music and other festivals, which is why the government has announced unprecedented support for business and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency.
DCMS is engaging with a range of departments to support the economic response, and ensuring that the needs of its sectors, and those who work in them, are fully understood. DCMS will continue to work with these valuable sectors to understand the difficulties they face and help them access support through these challenging times and through recovery.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of (a) workers and (b) businesses in the creative sector that are not eligible for any of the Government's covid-19- specific financial support packages.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
No such estimates have been made. However, we appreciate that the Covid-19 pandemic presents a significant challenge to many of DCMS’ sectors including the Creative Industries which is why the Government has announced unprecedented support for business and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency.
To ensure we are assisting the sectors as effectively as possible, regular ministerially-chaired roundtables are held with business representative organisations as well as trade associations from across the Creative Industries. In addition, officials are in regular contact with stakeholders from these sectors, and we continue to speak with HM Treasury colleagues to ensure that the full spectrum of government support reaches the UK's world-leading media and Creative Industries.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he has taken to encourage social media platforms to put in place protections to prevent personal details being shared publicly without the consent of the individual concerned.
Answered by Margot James
In May 2018, Parliament passed the Data Protection Act 2018 which, together with the General Data Protection Regulation, imposes strict obligations on data controllers, including social media platforms. Social media organisations must be clear with people how their data is going to be used and only process it where there are lawful grounds to do so. The legislation also strengthens the rights of individuals to access their own data, object to its continued use or seek to rectify, erase or move it. Organisations which fail to comply with the new legislation may be investigated by the Information Commissioner’s Office and subject to increased fines. For those who commit serious breaches there are significant financial penalties including fines up to £18 million or 4% of global turnover that can be applied as well as the backstop of criminal prosecution. We worked closely with the Information Commissioner during the passage of the Bill and in the wake of the Facebook/Cambridge Analytica controversy to make sure she had the powers she needed to investigate complex data breaches in our increasingly digital economy and society.