Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether indoor play centres and other children’s activities in venues for that purpose can commence from 12 April 2021 as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The ‘COVID-19 Response - Spring 2021’ published 22 February advises that indoor entertainment and visitor attractions can resume at Step 3, which will commence no earlier than 17 May. This includes indoor play centres.
The timings outlined in the roadmap are indicative, and the Government will be led by data, rather than fixed dates. Before taking each step, the Government will review the latest data and will only ease restrictions further if it is safe to do so. The indicative, ‘no earlier than’ dates in the roadmap are all contingent on the data and subject to change.
Each full step of the roadmap will be informed by the latest available science and data and will be five weeks apart in order to provide time to assess the data and provide one week’s notice to businesses and individuals.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he plans to take to ensure that the consultation on Remote customer interaction published by the Gambling Commission aligns with the Government’s forthcoming review of the Gambling Act 2005.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Gambling Commission requires operators to monitor play and to intervene where players may be at risk of harm. Its consultation and call for evidence on Remote Customer Interaction is considering whether further requirements are needed for how operators identify and interact with customers who may be at risk.
The Commission will be led by the evidence it receives in deciding its next steps, and its findings may also inform its advice to government on the Review of the Gambling Act 2005. Following a one month extension to allow extra evidence to be submitted, the deadline for submissions was 9 February.
The government launched the Review of the Gambling Act 2005 in December with a Call for Evidence, which runs until 31 March. The Review aims to strike the right balance between preventing harm and respecting consumers’ freedom of choice. More information about the Call for Evidence and how to make a submission is available here:
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what further funding will be made available to support small charities affected by the covid-19 outbreak, in addition to the £750 million announced in April 2020.
Answered by John Whittingdale
Small charities play an invaluable role in this country in providing public services and the government recognises the challenges and uncertainty that some small charities are dealing with, particularly those organisations that rely on trading or fundraised income
which have been hit by the covid-19 national restrictions.
The £750 million package will continue to support charities’ and social enterprises’ vital work in the fight against the coronavirus crisis over the winter period. In addition to this, an unprecedented package of measures across the economy has been set up to support people and businesses through this period of financial uncertainty. For example, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been, and continues to be a lifeline to a multitude of organisations, including charities. The Chancellor has announced that the government is extending the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme until 31 March 2021 to support individuals and businesses who are impacted by disruption caused by COVID-19 this winter. More details on all of the business support measures and eligibility details are available on GOV.UK.
Government is continuing to work closely with the civil society sector to understand the ongoing impact of the crisis on small charities, and to consider what additional policy measures might be appropriate in the months ahead. This includes working with the Institute of Fundraising to publish guidance on how to fundraise safely as an important source of income for small charities. To support this work we have set up a cross government network to share intelligence on challenges facing critical organisations and sub-sectors.