Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 April 2025 to Question 43101 on Tower of London, whether her Department has received correspondence from (a) ICOMOS and (b) UNESCO in relation to the potential impact of the proposals for a Chinese Embassy at the Royal Mint on the Tower of London World Heritage Site; and if she will place a copy of the paragraph 172 notification letter sent by her Department on 25 February 2025 in the Library.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
No, the Department has not received any correspondence from ICOMOS or UNESCO regarding the potential impact of the proposals on the Tower of London World Heritage Site.
Yes, a copy of the paragraph 172 notification sent by the Department on 28 February 2025 will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department's planned national mandatory registration scheme will apply to (a) second homes and (b) second homes which are let occasionally.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The registration scheme for short-term lets legislated for in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 will apply to specified short-term rental properties in England. The detailed scope of the scheme, including how it will apply to second homes, and second homes which are let occasionally, is still being determined and details will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the press release entitled Multi-billion-pound investment secured as Universal theme park and resort set to be built in Bedford, bringing thousands of jobs, published on 9 April 2025, whether (a) Government funding and (b) bespoke tax relief is being provided to (i) Universal Studios and (ii) the local council to support the deal.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Details of negotiations between private investors and the Government are currently confidential but will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2025 to Question 39015 on Chinese Embassy: Planning Permission, if she will have discussions with Historic England on its approach to engaging with the public inquiry on the Chinese Embassy planning application.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Neither I, nor the Secretary of State, have any plans to discuss this matter with Historic England.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2025 to Question 35700 on Tower of London, whether the Government has had discussions with UNESCO on the potential impact of the planning application for a new Chinese Embassy at the Royal Mint on the Tower of London World Heritage site.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
On 28 February 2025, DCMS submitted a ‘paragraph 172 notification’ letter to the World Heritage Centre that included updated information on a range of developments relating to the Tower of London World Heritage Site.
The letter included an update on the planning process for the redevelopment of the Royal Mint Court, noting that Historic England does not disagree with the conclusions of the Heritage Impact Assessment that any impacts on the Tower of London World Heritage Site from the proposed development would be minimal.
As the Heritage Impact Assessment has been submitted to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and since the Public Inquiry has closed, DCMS as State Party has not requested further specific advice from ICOMOS (the advisors to UNESCO).
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with Historic England on the reasons for which it did not appear at the public inquiry on the Chinese Embassy planning application.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
DCMS Ministers have had no such discussions.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed Chinese Embassy near the Tower of London World Heritage Site on its UNESCO world heritage status.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is the UK State Party to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, but does not make assessments of planning applications and their impact on World Heritage Sites.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Government has submitted a report to UNESCO on the state of the Tower of London World Heritage Site.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
I can confirm that DCMS, as the State Party to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, submitted a State of Conservation Report for the Tower of London World Heritage Site to UNESCO in November 2024, at UNESCO’s request. The executive summary of this report is published online: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/488/documents/
We expect the report to be considered by members of the World Heritage Committee at the annual committee meeting in July 2025.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Answer of 1 December 2020 to Question 119355 on Planning Permission: Local Press, what her Department's policy is on the continued role of statutory notices in local newspapers, in relation to (a) the revenue for local newspapers and (b) bringing matters of importance to the attention of local residents.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Public notices are important for ensuring that the public is kept informed of decisions made by their council which may affect their quality of life, local services or amenities, or their property. The independent 2019 Cairncross Review into sustainable journalism found that public notices are also an important source of revenue for local newspapers. The sector’s Public Notice Portal is a welcome innovation, intended to take advantage of print publishers’ growing digital audiences and provide a centralised resource for all types of public notice. We continue to monitor the progress of the Portal and the effect that it has on the audience reach of public notices.
We also welcome the plans for expansion of the Portal, announced in December and funded by the Google News Initiative, including a fully searchable archive and new consultation functions to help public bodies and commercial entities engage with the public more effectively. We consider this type of industry innovation and collaboration to be integral to securing the sector’s future, and will seek to further support and incentivise it through our Local Media Strategy.
With specific reference to the answer to Question 119355 on 1 December 2020, planning law requires local planning authorities to publicise planning applications through various means, including site notices, advertisements in local newspapers, and publishing information on their website. In addition to these requirements, we are exploring ways to enhance community engagement in the planning system, including by leveraging digital platforms.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to continue to publish statutory notices in local newspapers.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Public notices are important for ensuring that the public is kept informed of decisions made by their council which may affect their quality of life, local services or amenities, or their property. The independent 2019 Cairncross Review into sustainable journalism found that public notices are also an important source of revenue for local newspapers. The sector’s Public Notice Portal is a welcome innovation, intended to take advantage of print publishers’ growing digital audiences and provide a centralised resource for all types of public notice. We continue to monitor the progress of the Portal and the effect that it has on the audience reach of public notices.
We also welcome the plans for expansion of the Portal, announced in December and funded by the Google News Initiative, including a fully searchable archive and new consultation functions to help public bodies and commercial entities engage with the public more effectively. We consider this type of industry innovation and collaboration to be integral to securing the sector’s future, and will seek to further support and incentivise it through our Local Media Strategy.