Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information her Department holds on how many buildings containing (a) the National Archives, (b) other UK national archives, (c) local archives and (d) specialist archives contain reinforced autoclave aerated concrete (RAAC).
Answered by John Whittingdale
The Standing Committee on Structural Safety issued a safety alert on the failure of RAAC planks on 1 May 2019. Since then, individual organisations have been surveying properties and taking action in line with Institution of Structural Engineers guidance.
Government Departments have been asked to report on the current picture of suspected and confirmed RAAC on their estates as soon as possible. This will be updated on a regular basis as new buildings are identified and surveying and remediation are carried out. This work is being co-ordinated by the Office of Government Property.
The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland and the National Records of Scotland are both under the jurisdiction of their respective devolved administrations, and their work is not overseen by the UK Government.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with television providers on ensuring that Channel 7 and 8 on Freeview will be allocated to local TV once current licences end in 2025.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The Government recognises the important contribution and impact that local TV services make to our broadcasting ecosystem, and officials from my department meet regularly with both local TV providers and platforms.
In the Broadcasting White Paper, we announced our intention to consult on our approach to the renewal or relicensing of the 34 local TV services whose licences expire in November 2025. Subject to the outcome of that consultation, the Government has no plans to change the status of local TV services under the current linear prominence regime set out in section 310 of the Communications Act 2003 (as modified by the Local Digital Television Programme Services Order 2012). Under that regime, the providers of regulated electronic programme guides must give appropriate prominence to local TV services.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 July 2021 to Question 33894 on Streaming: Disability, when she plans to respond to the recommendations on improving the accessibility of video on demand services for people with sight or hearing loss following publication of Ofcom’s report entitled Further Statement: Making on-demand services accessible, published on 9 July 2021.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
As set out in our response to question 33894 on 20 July 2021, the government is giving careful consideration to the Ofcom recommendations on improving the accessibility of video on demand services for people with sight or hearing loss published on 9 July 2021 and will set out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
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 report by Ofcom published on 9 July 2021, entitled Further Statement: Making on-demand services accessible, Informing requirements to make On-Demand Programme Services more accessible to disabled people, when he plans to respond to the recommendations in that report.
Answered by John Whittingdale
Under the Communications Act 2003, the Secretary of State has the power to impose requirements on service providers regulated in the UK, for the purpose of ensuring that Video-on-Demand services are accessible to people with disabilities.
As part of the implementation process, the Government asked Ofcom to provide recommendations on how legislation could make on-demand services more accessible. Ofcom published an initial report in December 2018, and published further recommendations on 9 July 2021, following a request from DCMS. We will give Ofcom’s latest proposals careful consideration and will set out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to tackle online homophobia, biphobia and transphobia.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The government is committed to tackling homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, including the spread of such content online. On 12 May 2021, we published the draft Online Safety Bill, which sets out new expectations on companies to keep their users safe online. Under a new legal duty of care, in-scope companies, including social media, will need to tackle misogynistic, homophobic, biphobic and transphobic content and activity that is illegal, if it is on their services.
In addition, companies with the largest audiences and with high-risk features will need to assess the risk to adults of legal but harmful content on their services. They must also set clear terms and conditions stating what legal but harmful material they accept (and do not accept) on their service. Companies will have to do this for both priority harms which the government will set out in secondary legislation and for any emerging harms they identify in their risk assessments.
These duties will apply to homophobic, biphobic and transphobic hate speech, which do not meet the threshold of a criminal offence. Companies will need to enforce their terms and conditions consistently and transparently, and could face enforcement action if they do not. All companies in scope will be required to have effective and accessible user reporting and redress mechanisms.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many applications to the Culture Recovery Fund from applicants in the East Midlands have been (a) received, (b) accepted and (c) rejected.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The Culture Recovery Fund (CRF) has now awarded over £500million in grant funding to organisations across England. The attached table details the number of CRF applications (a) received (b) accepted and (c) rejected for recovery grants and capital grants by region.
This data does not include applications for which decision-making is yet to conclude, including some applications to the BFI’s Culture Recovery Fund for Independent Cinemas (which closed to applications on 31st October) and some capital grants.
The Government has always been clear that this funding would not be enough to help every organisation, and that it is important there was a robust set of criteria which applicants had to meet. This included applicants being able to show that they have a sustainable, viable plan, and that this funding would help them to continue trading.
Further announcements about CRF allocations will be made in the coming weeks as we provide additional financial support to assist England’s culture, heritage, arts and creative industries.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many applications to the Culture Recovery Fund have been (a) received, (b) accepted and (c) rejected by region in England.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The Culture Recovery Fund (CRF) has now awarded over £500million in grant funding to organisations across England. The attached table details the number of CRF applications (a) received (b) accepted and (c) rejected for recovery grants and capital grants by region.
This data does not include applications for which decision-making is yet to conclude, including some applications to the BFI’s Culture Recovery Fund for Independent Cinemas (which closed to applications on 31st October) and some capital grants.
The Government has always been clear that this funding would not be enough to help every organisation, and that it is important there was a robust set of criteria which applicants had to meet. This included applicants being able to show that they have a sustainable, viable plan, and that this funding would help them to continue trading.
Further announcements about CRF allocations will be made in the coming weeks as we provide additional financial support to assist England’s culture, heritage, arts and creative industries.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of Operation Sleeping Beauty funding he plans to allocate to productions in (a) London, (b) regions outside London and (c) the East Midlands.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
Operation Sleeping Beauty aims to bring some theatre and Panto back by Christmas and support local theatres whilst they face a very challenging backdrop. As part of this, the National Lottery has teamed up with Qdos Entertainment for a promotional event and provided £6m of funding to support a number of panto productions to get up and running this winter across the country. This promotional activity is in addition to the ongoing support the National Lottery provides to good causes through the National Lottery Distribution Fund. Approval of National Lottery promotional spend is a matter for the Gambling Commission. DCMS does not hold a decision making role in the allocation of the funds.
We welcome this announcement from the National Lottery, who have found innovative ways to support sectors that have been hit hardest by Covid.
The National Lottery funding is in addition to the £1.57billion support the Government is already providing the arts through the Cultural Recovery Fund.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the criteria are for applications to the Operation Sleeping Beauty fund.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
Operation Sleeping Beauty aims to bring some theatre and Panto back by Christmas and support local theatres whilst they face a very challenging backdrop. As part of this, the National Lottery has teamed up with Qdos Entertainment for a promotional event and provided £6m of funding to support a number of panto productions to get up and running this winter across the country. This promotional activity is in addition to the ongoing support the National Lottery provides to good causes through the National Lottery Distribution Fund. Approval of National Lottery promotional spend is a matter for the Gambling Commission. DCMS does not hold a decision making role in the allocation of the funds.
We welcome this announcement from the National Lottery, who have found innovative ways to support sectors that have been hit hardest by Covid.
The National Lottery funding is in addition to the £1.57billion support the Government is already providing the arts through the Cultural Recovery Fund.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether not-for-profit productions are eligible to apply for the Operation Sleeping Beauty fund.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
Operation Sleeping Beauty aims to bring some theatre and Panto back by Christmas and support local theatres whilst they face a very challenging backdrop. As part of this, the National Lottery has teamed up with Qdos Entertainment for a promotional event and provided £6m of funding to support a number of panto productions to get up and running this winter across the country. This promotional activity is in addition to the ongoing support the National Lottery provides to good causes through the National Lottery Distribution Fund. Approval of National Lottery promotional spend is a matter for the Gambling Commission. DCMS does not hold a decision making role in the allocation of the funds.
We welcome this announcement from the National Lottery, who have found innovative ways to support sectors that have been hit hardest by Covid.
The National Lottery funding is in addition to the £1.57billion support the Government is already providing the arts through the Cultural Recovery Fund.