Kevin Brennan Portrait

Kevin Brennan

Labour - Cardiff West

First elected: 7th June 2001

Shadow Minister (Victims and Sentencing)

(since September 2023)

Culture, Media and Sport Committee
2nd Mar 2020 - 15th Jan 2024
Electronic Trade Documents Bill [HL]
14th Jun 2023 - 19th Jun 2023
Equipment Theft (Prevention) Bill
25th Jan 2023 - 1st Feb 2023
Child Support Collection (Domestic Abuse) Bill
7th Dec 2022 - 14th Dec 2022
Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill
9th Mar 2022 - 22nd Mar 2022
Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Disabled Persons) Bill
2nd Feb 2022 - 9th Feb 2022
Cultural Objects (Protection From Seizure) Bill
9th Nov 2021 - 17th Nov 2021
Shadow Minister (Digital, Culture, Media and Sport) (Arts and Heritage)
3rd Jul 2017 - 10th Apr 2020
Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport) (Arts and Heritage)
9th Oct 2016 - 3rd Jul 2017
Shadow Minister (Business, Innovation and Skills)
18th Sep 2015 - 9th Oct 2016
Shadow Minister (Education)
8th Oct 2010 - 18th Sep 2015
Public Administration Committee
12th Jul 2010 - 17th Jan 2011
Shadow Minister (Business, Innovation and Skills)
12th May 2010 - 8th Oct 2010
Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation and Skills) (Further Education, Skills, Apprenticeships and Consumer Affairs) (also Department for Children, Schools and Families)
9th Jun 2009 - 6th May 2010
Minister of State (Department for Children, Schools and Families) (also Department for Business, Innovation and Skills)
9th Jun 2009 - 6th May 2010
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Third Sector)
5th Oct 2008 - 9th Jun 2009
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Children, Schools and Families) (Children, Young People and Families)
29th Jun 2007 - 5th Oct 2008
Lord Commissioner (HM Treasury) (Whip)
5th May 2006 - 28th Jun 2007
Assistant Whip (HM Treasury)
10th May 2005 - 5th May 2006
Public Administration Committee
16th Jul 2001 - 19th Jan 2005


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Kevin Brennan has voted in 703 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
View All Kevin Brennan Division Votes

Debates during the 2019 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Jacob Rees-Mogg (Conservative)
(74 debate interactions)
Penny Mordaunt (Conservative)
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
(42 debate interactions)
Lindsay Hoyle (Speaker)
(24 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Leader of the House
(81 debate contributions)
Cabinet Office
(44 debate contributions)
Home Office
(35 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Kevin Brennan's debates

Cardiff West Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Kevin Brennan has not participated in any petition debates

Latest EDMs signed by Kevin Brennan

25th May 2022
Kevin Brennan signed this EDM on Monday 4th September 2023

Artificial Intelligence in the entertainment industry

Tabled by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
That this House supports Equity’s campaign, Stop AI Stealing the Show, which seeks to strengthen the rights of performers and other creative workers in response to the rapid development of artificial intelligence across the entertainment industry; acknowledges that whilst there are benefits to the use of artificial intelligence for those …
26 signatures
(Most recent: 26 Oct 2023)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 10
Scottish National Party: 4
Liberal Democrat: 4
Plaid Cymru: 3
Independent: 3
Social Democratic & Labour Party: 2
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Alba Party: 1
5th June 2023
Kevin Brennan signed this EDM on Monday 4th September 2023

Honouring Laura Nuttall

Tabled by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
That this House recognises the life of Laura Nuttall; commends her positivity and hope she showed since her diagnosis with a glioblastoma in 2018; acknowledges that more needs to be done to raise awareness of the unmet need for brain tumours and accelerate the development of new treatment options and …
30 signatures
(Most recent: 4 Sep 2023)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 11
Liberal Democrat: 6
Scottish National Party: 4
Plaid Cymru: 3
Democratic Unionist Party: 2
Independent: 2
Alba Party: 1
Conservative: 1
View All Kevin Brennan's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Kevin Brennan, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Kevin Brennan has not been granted any Urgent Questions

1 Adjournment Debate led by Kevin Brennan

Wednesday 18th May 2022

2 Bills introduced by Kevin Brennan


A Bill to create an offence of unauthorised entry at football matches; and to provide for the offence to be listed as an offence for which a football banning order can be imposed following conviction.

Commons - 40%

Last Event - 2nd Reading
Friday 23rd February 2024
(Read Debate)

A Bill to make provision about the rights and remuneration of musicians and other rights holders; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 40%

Last Event - 2nd Reading
Friday 3rd December 2021
(Read Debate)

Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
8 Other Department Questions
29th Mar 2023
To ask the hon. Member for Lancaster and Fleetwood, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what recent discussions the Committee has had with the Electoral Commission on the security of postal votes.

The Speaker’s Committee has not had discussions with the Electoral Commission on the matter referred to.

The Commission has highlighted that voting by post is a safe and popular method of voting, with safeguards in place to protect against from fraud. Postal voters are required to provide their signature and date of birth when applying for a postal vote, and again when casting their vote. Returning Officers are responsible for checking these match.

The Commission also encourages campaigners to follow the voluntary Code of Conduct, which makes clear that political parties and campaigners should not assist in completing a ballot paper, or handle completed ballot papers.

The Elections Act also included additional measures intended to further strengthen protections around postal voting at future elections.

22nd Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential effect that freezing the TV licence fee has had on the BBC’s funding in arts and culture.

The Licence Fee Settlement, announced in January 2022, means the BBC will continue to receive around £3.8 billion in annual public funding. We believe this is a fair settlement for the BBC and for licence fee payers across the UK, that allows the BBC to continue to deliver its Mission and Public Purposes and keep doing what it does best while not placing immediate additional financial pressure on households.

The BBC is operationally and editorially independent, and it is up to the BBC to determine how to use its funding to deliver its Mission and Public Purposes. It should prioritise using its £3.8 billion annual licence fee income as necessary to deliver that remit.

Ofcom as the BBC’s regulator will ensure the BBC is robustly held to account in delivering its Mission and Public Purposes.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
16th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with her counterparts in the United States on that Government's proposals to increase the cost of visas for touring performers.

Whilst US immigration policy is ultimately a matter for the US authorities, the UK Government has engaged with the US authorities on this matter to make clear the concerns that the UK music industry has about the proposed increase in US visa costs.

We are continuing to engage our counterparts in the US on this matter at official and Ministerial level. Most recently, I raised this issue with the US Embassy on 16 March to make clear the concerns that the UK music industry has about the proposed increase in US visa costs. We will continue to engage the US authorities on this matter.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
8th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of making representations to US counterparts on their proposals to increase the costs of short- and long-term visas for touring performers.

My Department regularly engages across Government, and with the music sector, on issues concerning touring professionals. This engagement includes issues such as US visas.

US immigration policy is ultimately a matter for the US authorities, so any decision taken on their visa system will be for them alone. The UK Government cannot interfere in another country’s processes and must respect their systems, just as we expect them to respect the UK’s processes.

The Department for Business and Trade’s Export Support Service (ESS) can provide answers to UK businesses to practical questions about exporting or working abroad. The ESS can be reached by visiting the website: www.gov.uk/ask-export-support-team.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
8th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Cardiff West of 7 September 2022 on the report entitled Let the Music Move: A New Deal for Touring.

We apologise for the delay in responding to the hon. Member and will reply to the correspondence as soon as possible.

The Department has engaged with the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Music on its ‘Let the Music Move – A New Deal for Touring’ report (published in July 2022), including submitting written evidence to the APPG inquiry. The Government continues to engage with the music sector and in Parliament on the important issue of touring.

The Government recognises that the way creative workers work in the EU has changed. We are committed to supporting the sector to adapt to these new arrangements, and we have worked with the sector and directly with Member States to clarify what creative workers need to do.

The majority of EU Member States, including the biggest touring markets such as Spain, France, Germany and the Netherlands, have confirmed they offer visa and work permit free routes for UK performers and other creative professionals. We continue to support the UK's brilliant musicians to adapt to the new arrangements and make touring easier.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
10th Feb 2021
What recent representations she has received on the effect of Government policies on pregnant women during the covid-19 outbreak.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer to Question 910500 on 13 January.

Kemi Badenoch
President of the Board of Trade
13th Jan 2021
What recent representations she has received on the effect of Government policy on pregnant women during the covid-19 outbreak.

The Government knows that the pandemic has been hard for pregnant women, their partners and their families. The NHS continues to work hard to support and care for women safely through pregnancy, birth and the period afterwards, during this pandemic.

Kemi Badenoch
President of the Board of Trade
25th Jan 2022
To ask the Attorney General, whether her Department seeks references for candidates appointed to public positions which fall under the remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of the Crown Prosecution Service is the only position sponsored by the Attorney General’s Office which falls under the remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Andrew Cayley CMG QC is the current Chief Inspector. He was appointed in January 2021 following a fair and open assessment process conducted in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

As set out in the Candidate Pack published on the Cabinet Office Public Appointments website, candidates invited to interview for the position were required to provide two references in advance of the interview.

In addition, as part of the recruitment process Andrew Cayley CMG QC was subject to a pre-appointment hearing with the Justice Select Committee on Thursday 14 January. The committee recommended his appointment and he took up post on 1 April 2021.

Alex Chalk
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
9th Jul 2021
To ask the Attorney General, how many items of written correspondence from hon. Members sent to Ministers of their Department have been (a) received and (b) replied to since 1 April 2020; and how many of those responses were responded to by (i) Ministers and (ii) officials of his Department.

The Government recognises the great importance of the effective and timely handling of correspondence.

The Cabinet Office is currently compiling data on the timeliness of responses to Hon. and Rt Hon. members from Government Departments and Agencies. This data will be released, and made available to Members, in due course.

Lucy Frazer
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
21st Jan 2022
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department seeks references for candidates appointed to public positions which fall under the remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

The Cabinet Office is committed to ensuring that individuals who serve on the boards of our public bodies uphold the highest standards of conduct. Public appointments are made in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

The Governance Code on Public Appointments sets out that Advisory Assessment Panels must satisfy themselves that all candidates for appointment can meet the Seven Principles of Public Life and can adhere to the Code of Conduct for board members of public bodies.

On application, all candidates are asked to declare any relevant interests that they may have. These are discussed with candidates at interview. The department also provides the panel with other information such as open source material that they may wish to consider in reaching a judgement in a fair and open way. References may be taken up depending on the role.

12th Jan 2022
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of monitoring the socio-economic diversity of public appointees.

The government encourages talented people from all backgrounds and from across the UK to apply for public appointments. This is important as part of our levelling-up agenda and to secure the benefits that having a diverse range of experiences and skills brings to boards and will ensure that we get the best services that deliver for everyone.

The Cabinet Office is working on the introduction of a single online application portal for public appointments which will assist in data collection and allow us to expand our understanding of those taking up appointments through analysis across a range of measures, including by socio-economic background.

12th Jan 2022
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will introduce a target for the number of public appointments awarded to individuals from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

The government encourages talented people from all backgrounds and from across the UK to apply for public appointments. This is important as part of our levelling-up agenda and to secure the benefits that having a diverse range of experiences and skills brings to boards and will ensure that we get the best services that deliver for everyone.

The Cabinet Office is working on the introduction of a single online application portal for public appointments which will assist in data collection and allow us to expand our understanding of those taking up appointments through analysis across a range of measures, including by socio-economic background.

12th Jan 2022
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will introduce a target for the number of public appointments awarded to individuals with a declared disability.

The government encourages talented people from all backgrounds and from across the UK to apply for public appointments. This is important as part of our levelling-up agenda and to secure the benefits that having a diverse range of experiences and skills brings to boards and will ensure that we get the best services that deliver for everyone.

The Cabinet Office is working on the introduction of a single online application portal for public appointments which will assist in data collection and allow us to expand our understanding of those taking up appointments through analysis across a range of measures, including by socio-economic background.

15th Sep 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment he has made of the need for additional resources to help expedite investigations by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

The Government is aware that the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) is currently experiencing a backlog of complaints due to the increased casework from the pandemic and the pressure this has put on the Health Service.

As an independent organisation, the Ombudsman receives its funding directly through the Parliamentary Vote. It is my understanding that the PHSO intends to write to the member to provide more information on its current pressures.

9th Jun 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, when UK-EU reciprocal touring arrangements will be discussed at the Trade and Cooperation Agreement Partnership Council.

At the first UK-EU Partnership Council on 9 June, the UK raised the issues faced by touring performers and noted work under way with Member States to try to resolve the barriers presented by visa and work permit requirements.The UK and EU have not yet agreed a date or agenda for the next Partnership Council. We continue to discuss these issues with all EU Member States to find solutions that work for our great creative industries.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
30th Jun 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 29 June 2020 to Question 64088 on United Kingdom Security Vetting, what his most recent estimate is of the average time taken to process a routine application in the (a) Counter Terrorist Check, (b) Security Check and (c) Developed Vetting categories.

Further details relating to the questions asked will not be disclosed in order to safeguard national security. This is in line with the practice of successive administrations.

30th Jun 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 29 June 2020 to Question 64088 on United Kingdom Security Vetting, how many applications have been received in the (a) Counter Terrorist Check, (b) Security Check and (c) Developed Vetting categories in 2020; and how many of those applications in each of those categories are designated by United Kingdom Security Vetting as non-routine.

Further details relating to the questions asked will not be disclosed in order to safeguard national security. This is in line with the practice of successive administrations.

30th Jun 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 29 June 2020 to Question 64088 on United Kingdom Security Vetting, if he will publish statistics of the (a) numbers of applications processed and (b) average processing times of those applications in the categories of (i) Counter Terrorist Check, (ii) Security Check and (iii) Developed Vetting for each month since January 2019.

Further details relating to the questions asked will not be disclosed in order to safeguard national security. This is in line with the practice of successive administrations.

24th Jun 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his most recent estimate is of the average time taken to process applications to United Kingdom Security Vetting.

The average time to process a routine application across all vetting activity is 66 days gross as at 25 June 2020. This combines average times across CTC, SC and DV applications. Like many government services, vetting has been impacted by COVID-19. The Vetting Reform Programme is intended to improve performance.

24th Jun 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to reduce the average time taken to process applications for security clearance to United Kingdom Security Vetting.

The average time to process a routine application across all vetting activity is 66 days gross as at 25 June 2020. This combines average times across CTC, SC and DV applications. Like many government services, vetting has been impacted by COVID-19. The Vetting Reform Programme is intended to improve performance.

20th Jan 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish an updated list of Ministerial responsibilities.

Details of Ministerial responsibilities can be found on GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers).


The List of Ministerial Responsibilities was last updated in October 2019.

5th Jan 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has made an assessment of the impact of private copy levy schemes on the creative sector in the European Union.

The Government has made no recent assessment of the impact of private copy levy schemes on the creative sector in the European Union.

The 3rd Trade Specialised Committee on Intellectual Property under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement discussed Private Copying Levies on 23 October 2023 and the Minutes were published on gov.uk here.

Saqib Bhatti
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
14th Sep 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she plans to invite representatives from creative industries to the London AI Summit.

The UK believes that the dangers of frontier AI risks are increasingly urgent. This includes risks such as biosecurity and cybersecurity, including from the potential misuse of models by non-state actors. This will be the focus of the AI Safety Summit and the invitee list will reflect this theme. The Government is working on wider AI-related risks including those associated with the creative industries through the Creative Industries Sector Vision and via work with the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) to get the balance right in supporting Government’s ambitions on AI innovation without critically undermining value for rights holders.

The government set out its ambitions for the Summit in greater detail at the start of September, and we look forward to sharing more details in due course.

12th Jul 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the oral evidence of the Prime Minister to the Liaison Committee on 4 July 2023, HC1602, what steps her Department is taking to implement the (a) reporting and (b) licensing of large training runs for artificial intelligence.

It is clear that the right guardrails must be in place to manage the risks AI poses. Our proportionate regulatory framework, underpinned by a set of principles and supported by tools like AI assurance techniques and technical standards, sets out a responsible approach to AI innovation. The Government also made it clear in our AI regulation white paper that our approach must be adaptable. As we now look to implement the new regulatory regime, we are considering how the framework will apply to the various actors in the AI development and deployment lifecycle, with a particular focus on foundation models.

This is supported by the £100 million Foundation Model Taskforce led by Ian Hogarth, as well as a new central risk function and international leadership on AI safety through the AI summit.

Our proposed central functions, including risk analysis, horizon scanning, and monitoring and evaluation, will keep the wider landscape under constant review to inform policy. They will capture emerging risks, including risks arising from increasingly powerful foundation models. The Foundation Model Taskforce will meanwhile advance vital safety research, laying the groundwork for the safe adoption of AI across the UK economy, ensuring we are at the forefront of this pivotal technology.

The UK will host the first major global summit on AI safety this autumn. The Summit will bring together key countries, as well as leading technology companies and researchers, to drive targeted, rapid international action to guarantee safety and security at the frontier of this technology.

As the Prime Minister told the Liaison Committee, the Government continues to analyse a range of safety features and guard rails that we could put in place. These could include new measures for the reporting and licensing of large training runs. But it is vital that the effectiveness of any proposals are rigorously evaluated before they are implemented. This is why we welcome the wide range of stakeholders that provided insights to our consultation on the AI regulation white paper. We are currently considering all evidence sent to the consultation and we will provide an update through the Government's response later in the year.

12th Jul 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she hold discussions with her international counterparts on the use of unlicensed data to train artificial intelligence models at the global summit on Artificial Intelligence.

The UK will host the first major global Summit on AI safety this autumn.

The Summit will bring together key countries, as well as leading technology companies and researchers, to drive targeted, rapid international action to guarantee safety and security at the frontier of this technology.

The Summit will seek to agree on the safety measures needed to evaluate and monitor the most significant risks emerging from the newest developments in AI technologies.

Decisions are ongoing regarding the agenda for the Summit and we look forward to updating the House further as our preparations continue.

With regards specifically to data and AI, as a government, we want to make the UK a world leader in research and AI innovation, whilst ensuring that the UK copyright framework continues to promote and reward investment in creativity. To enable that, the government is supporting the growth of the creative industries through a number of IP-related initiatives, including the IPO’s Counter Infringement Strategy, to ensure IP rights are protected online.

12th Jul 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent estimate she has made of when the Intellectual Property Office will publish its code of conduct on copyright and artificial intelligence.

The working group on copyright and AI has asked the Intellectual Property Office for more time to prepare a draft code of practice. A progress update will be published on GOV.UK shortly.

15th Jul 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many meetings he has held with representatives of the creative industries in relation to the Government’s decision to expand the text and data mining exception.

The Government conducted a full public consultation on Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property 29 October 2021-7 January 2022, which included options on text and data mining. Creative industry views were well represented in the responses, but little quantitative evidence of impact was received. Creative industry representatives attended two of the six roundtable meetings which were held with different sectors as part of the consultation exercise. Other attendees included representatives of civil society, researchers and the tech sector.

The former minister for Science, Research and Innovation also discussed the exception with representatives of the Alliance for Intellectual Property at a meeting on 6 July.

13th Jul 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many meetings he held with the creative industries before deciding to expand the text and data mining exception.

The Government conducted a full public consultation on Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property 29 October 2021-7 January 2022, which included options on text and data mining. Creative industry views were well represented in the responses, but little quantitative evidence of impact was received. Creative industry representatives attended two of the six roundtable meetings which were held with different sectors as part of the consultation exercise. Other attendees included representatives of civil society, researchers and the tech sector

13th Jul 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the potential financial impact on the UK music industry of his decision to expand the text and data mining exception.

The Government asked specific questions about impact in the consultation on AI and IP, but received very limited quantitative evidence. An impact assessment will be published alongside the legislation when laid. The proposed exception will be targeted to limit negative impacts, and the government welcomes further evidence from rights holders on how to best achieve this

20th Jan 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department seeks references for candidates appointed to public positions which fall under the remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

The Governance Code on Public Appointments sets out that advisory assessment panels must satisfy themselves that all candidates for appointment can meet the Seven Principles of Public Life and adhere to the Code of Conduct for board members of public bodies.

In accordance with the Governance Code, BEIS requires that candidates declare relevant interests at the point of application and these are discussed at interview. Where appropriate, BEIS has on occasion sought references for candidates appointed to public positions which fall under the remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.We also provide the panel with other information, for example open source material, that they may wish to consider in reaching a judgement in a fair and open way.

5th Jul 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many items of written correspondence from hon. Members sent to Ministers in his Department have been (a) received and (b) replied to since 1 April 2020; and how many of those responses were responded to by (i) Ministers and (ii) officials.

In the period 1 April 2020 to 6 July 2021, 21,594 items of written correspondence from Hon. Members were received by Ministers in the Department. This figure includes 4,415 items that fell outside the Department’s remit and were successfully transferred to the correct department for a response. Of the remaining items, 16,158 were replied to by Ministers and 529 were replied to by officials (and the remainder are still open cases).

Amanda Solloway
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
30th Jun 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what meetings the chief executive officer of the Intellectual Property Office has had with representatives of the recorded music industry in 2021.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Intellectual Property Office has met with representatives of the recorded music industry two times in 2021 so far.

Amanda Solloway
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
13th Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the 2015 Paris climate change agreement, what recent progress he has made on submitting the UK’s post-2020 Nationally Determined Contributions by the deadline of 31 December 2020.

Under the Paris Agreement, all Parties have committed to communicating or updating Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by 2020 and every five years after that. We are considering the UK's NDC and will set this out by the Climate Ambition Summit on 12 December 2020.

20th Apr 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that business sectors which have been unable to access Government-backed finance in the past are able to access the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans Scheme and other Government-backed loan schemes.

The Government has responded to helpful feedback to ensure that companies feel the full benefits of available support.

The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) is open to eligible businesses operating in most sectors. Unlike Enterprise Finance Guarantee, road haulage, fishery, aquaculture and agriculture businesses can access facilities up to the maximum of £5m available. Fishery, aquaculture and agriculture businesses may not qualify for the full interest and lender-levied fee payment paid by government.

The Government has:

  • Extended the scheme so that all viable small businesses affected by Covid-19, and not just those unable to secure regular commercial financing, are now eligible if the lender believes they need finance to see them through these unprecedented times.
  • Removed the requirement that the relevant applicant not be a business, employer, professional, religious or political membership organisation or a trade union in order to be eligible for CBILS.
  • Announced the launch of the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme to support all larger viable businesses with an annual turnover of £45 million and above.
20th Apr 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many businesses in the (a) creative and (b) music sectors have received support under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans Scheme to date.

As of 21 April, over £2.8bn worth of loans have been issued under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, to over 16,600 businesses. At this time we cannot provide a breakdown of funding by sector, as we have given lenders a temporary dispensation from uploading their data to the British Business Bank’s system in order to let them focus on issuing new loans. This is a pragmatic step that reflects the urgency of getting loans issued. We are working with the British Business Bank, HM Treasury and lenders on regular and transparent data publication going forward.

6th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with representatives of the live music industry on introducing a ticket levy on large scale music arenas to support grassroots live music.

The Government is committed to supporting our grassroots music venues, which play an absolutely crucial role in our world-leading music sector and developing homegrown talent.

That is why we are supporting live music through a range of measures. This includes an additional £5 million to Arts Council England’s (ACE’s) successful Supporting Grassroots Music fund, as set out in the Creative Industries Sector Vision in June. This expands and extends ACE’s existing grassroots fund, and takes our total investment in grassroots music through the fund to almost £15 million since 2019. This fund will enable venues to increase support for young and emerging artists, improve equipment and physical infrastructure, and support venues to become more financially resilient and develop new income streams.

This is in addition to other Government support including the Culture Recovery Fund, which provided over £200m of support for live music venues, the £800m Live Events Reinsurance Scheme, alongside the cross-sector grants, loans, and reduction of VAT on tickets to 5%. Further, over £3 million was provided during the pandemic from the Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund.

Music venues are also eligible for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Business Rates Relief, with a 75% relief up to a cash cap limit of £110,000 per business. This relief was extended for a further year during the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement. DCMS and DLUHC are also working closely with the sector to revise planning guidelines to ensure that new developments engage with existing music venues before being built.

Industry-led discussions are ongoing regarding increased support for grassroots music venues from larger events and venues, and DCMS actively supports these sector-led initiatives. Ministers and officials continue to engage with industry to understand the challenges and review opportunities to strengthen the financial resilience of the grassroots music sector.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
6th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to provide urgent support to grassroots music venues at risk of closure in the context of increased costs.

The Government is committed to supporting our grassroots music venues, which play an absolutely crucial role in our world-leading music sector and developing homegrown talent.

That is why we are supporting live music through a range of measures. This includes an additional £5 million to Arts Council England’s (ACE’s) successful Supporting Grassroots Music fund, as set out in the Creative Industries Sector Vision in June. This expands and extends ACE’s existing grassroots fund, and takes our total investment in grassroots music through the fund to almost £15 million since 2019. This fund will enable venues to increase support for young and emerging artists, improve equipment and physical infrastructure, and support venues to become more financially resilient and develop new income streams.

This is in addition to other Government support including the Culture Recovery Fund, which provided over £200m of support for live music venues, the £800m Live Events Reinsurance Scheme, alongside the cross-sector grants, loans, and reduction of VAT on tickets to 5%. Further, over £3 million was provided during the pandemic from the Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund.

Music venues are also eligible for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Business Rates Relief, with a 75% relief up to a cash cap limit of £110,000 per business. This relief was extended for a further year during the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement. DCMS and DLUHC are also working closely with the sector to revise planning guidelines to ensure that new developments engage with existing music venues before being built.

Industry-led discussions are ongoing regarding increased support for grassroots music venues from larger events and venues, and DCMS actively supports these sector-led initiatives. Ministers and officials continue to engage with industry to understand the challenges and review opportunities to strengthen the financial resilience of the grassroots music sector.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
17th May 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with Cabinet colleagues on consulting with technology and music industry stakeholders on the design and implementation of a code of conduct for the use of artificial intelligence in the music industry.

The Government recognises the enormous potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to deliver better public services, high quality jobs and opportunities, and enable future high growth industries. As set out in the recent AI white paper, our goal is to ensure that the UK becomes an AI superpower.

However, it is important that while we harness the benefits of AI, we also manage the risks. This includes particular risks to creative sectors and rights holders, notably the music industry.

As set out in the Government response to the Pro-innovation Regulation of Digital Technologies Review, we are working with users and rights holders to develop a code of practice on text and data mining, a process used in the development and training of AI models. To inform the code of practice, the Government is convening a group of AI firms and rights holders, in the music industry and other parts of the creative sector, to identify barriers faced by users of data mining techniques when accessing copyright materials, and to develop licensing solutions for these.

The Chancellor hosted a Creative Industries conference on 3 May alongside the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport; Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology; and the Secretary of State for Education, to discuss with 80 industry representatives the key challenges and opportunities facing the Creative Industries, including the impact of the use of AI in the music industry. We will continue to engage and work closely with industry on the design and implementation of future reforms.

26th Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the financial viability of recording studios.

In August 2021, DCMS commissioned the consultancy firm, Sound Diplomacy, to assess the state of the music studio market in England.

Evidence found challenges, but showed the market is responding to changes, such as technological innovation, and is maintaining or growing sources of income.

As a result, the report found the music studio market was not in need of specific government intervention.

Since then, the Government announced a new Energy Bills Discount Scheme to help support businesses, like recording studios, to tackle rising energy costs.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
10th Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with Ofcom on the upcoming 11.1 percent price increase of wholesale broadband in April 2023.

The regulation of wholesale prices in the fixed telecoms market is a matter for Ofcom, the independent regulator. Through our Statement of Strategic Priorities we have instructed Ofcom to regulate in a way that encourages both competition and investment in telecoms infrastructure. Following this guidance, Ofcom developed its Wholesale Fixed Telecoms Market Review (WFTMR) which allows Openreach prices to increase in line with inflation.

Thanks to this approach, there is now a thriving market of over 80 providers investing £35bn rolling out gigabit broadband all over the UK. Today, nearly 73% of premises can access gigabit-capable networks, up from just one in ten in November 2019.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
27th Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when she will publish a White Paper on the implementation of the Fan-led Review of Football Governance.

The Government published its response to the recommendations made by the Independent Fan Led Review of Football Governance in April 2022.

The Government recognises the need for football to be reformed to ensure the game’s sustainability in the long term. We remain committed to publishing a White Paper in due course, setting out our detailed response to the Fan Led Review of Football Governance.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
18th Jul 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what her planned timetable is for bringing forward legislative proposals for the Media Bill as announced in the Queen's Speech 2022; and what progress her Department has made on developing proposals relating to the (a) online prominence of Welsh language Public Service Broadcasting content and (b) remit of S4C.

The Government set out its programme for the third session in the Queen’s speech on 10th May 2022 which included a commitment to legislate for a Media Bill.

Regional and minority language broadcasting has an important role to play in the UK’s broadcasting ecology, providing not only an opportunity for speakers to access content in a language familiar to them, but as a means of cultural expression for communities across the UK.

In recognition of this, the government set out its intention in the Broadcasting White Paper - Up Next - to legislate to introduce a new prominence regime which would require designated TV platforms to give appropriate prominence to PSB online services, including S4C. We will also legislate to update the public service remit of S4C to reflect the growth of digital and online services, and remove the current geographical broadcasting restrictions to allow S4C to broaden its reach by offering its content on a range of new platforms in the UK and beyond.

The Government will introduce this legislation when Parliamentary time allows.

15th Jul 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answers of 14 July 2022 to Question 33716 and 33717 on Social Media: Public Service Broadcasting and Question 33718 on Internet: Public Service Broadcasting, whether exemptions for recognised news publisher content in regulations requiring social media companies to remove specific content will extend to the non-news content of public service broadcasters.

Where a public service broadcaster qualifies as a ‘Recognised News Publisher’ as per clause 50 of the Bill, all their content will be exempt from online safety regulation, including any non-news content that they publish. This includes all content from the British Broadcasting Corporation and Sianel Pedwar Cymru among others.

13th Jul 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing additional funding for local authorities to help them manage the impact of rising energy prices on the operating costs of swimming pools in public leisure centres.

We recognise the importance of ensuring public access to leisure facilities, including swimming pools, which are great spaces for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy, and which play an important role within communities.

We also recognise the impact rising energy prices will have on businesses of all sizes. Ofgem and the government are in regular contact with business groups and suppliers to understand the challenges they face and explore ways to protect consumers and businesses.

The ongoing responsibility of providing access to public leisure facilities lies at Local Authority level, and the government continues to encourage Local Authorities to invest in leisure facilities. Sport, and local authorities, are devolved matters, therefore investment decisions concerning them in Wales are the responsibility of the relevant administration.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
13th Jul 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing capital funding to support the transition of swimming pools in public leisure centres to renewable energy sources.

We recognise the importance of ensuring public access to leisure facilities, including swimming pools, which are great spaces for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy. We are committed to supporting these facilities to transition to renewable energy sources.

The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme provides grants for public sector bodies to fund heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency measures. The scheme supports the aim of reducing emissions from public sector buildings by 75% by 2037, as set out in the Heat and Buildings Strategy and the Net Zero Strategy in October 2021. For example last year, during Phase 3a, Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council was awarded £1,728,500 to decarbonise the swimming pool at Todmorden Sports Centre.

The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme and the Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Fund are open to public sector bodies in England and areas of reserved public services across the UK. Sport, and Local Government, are devolved matters, therefore investment decisions concerning them in Wales are the responsibility of the relevant administration.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)