Oral Answers to Questions

Lindsay Hoyle Excerpts

Thursday 27th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lisa Nandy]

As, I think, the first black MP ever to represent Liverpool, my hon. Friend’s achievement is absolutely noted in this House. The way in which she has carried that work forward into this House, to ensure that she may be the first, but she certainly will not be the last, and that the voices of all people will be heard, is something that I deeply admire, and I know many other Members feel the same.

My hon. Friend is right to say that the vibrancy of the Liverpool city region has always been built on the most diverse range of music, voices and experiences. That most quintessentially British band, the Beatles, drew on their Irish heritage, Indian influences and the experience of black Americans from the south, and brought that vibrant music scene to Liverpool. I am working with the Mayor of the Liverpool city region and others to make sure that we continue that tradition and that the widest range of voices from across Liverpool are heard as part of that. I would be delighted to meet her to discuss that further.

[Mr Speaker]

I want to try to get to Question 10.

[Jess Brown-Fuller (Chichester) (LD)]

I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests, as I am the chair of the all-party parliamentary group for performing arts education and training— I said that as quickly as I could!

The music and dance scheme funds exceptional schools that train the next generation of artists who will go on to lead the industry, both on and off the stage. Those schools nurture talent regardless of wealth, and are the very definition of social mobility, but some are now at risk of closure because the fund is not guaranteed beyond next year. Will the Minister guarantee secure, ringfenced funding so that those vital institutions can continue to increase access to an industry that has been identified as a leading area of growth?

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[Mr Speaker]

Have a youth zone.

[Stephanie Peacock]

Indeed, Mr Speaker; we have a brilliant one opening in Barnsley very shortly. My hon. Friend makes an incredibly powerful point. This Government are taking a new approach to youth services, which is why we will be launching our national youth services strategy shortly.

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[The Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts (Ian Murray)]

It is of course important to support our music industry, including studios, and that is at the heart of what we are trying to do through the music growth fund, which has £30 million in it. The music levy goes straight into grassroots music, supporting studios.

[Mr Speaker]

I call Greg Smith.

[Greg Smith]

Thank you, Mr Speaker, and apologies for making it just in time. Chiltern Railways are entirely to blame.

I thank the Minister for that answer, however a couple of weeks ago I met my constituent Dom, who runs a small music studio. The cost pressures on the music industry coming from this Government are unsustainable at the moment, not least from business rates—even after yesterday’s announcement—employer national insurance and the minimum wage. With so many small music studios having closed in recent years in this country, how will the Government ensure that our music industry has a solid future?

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[Stephanie Peacock]

We support all aspects of sport for women and girls, and we are working alongside the sport sector and local leaders to develop a place-based approach to funding. We launched our women’s sport taskforce to drive a decade of change in women’s sport. We will ensure that we deliver facilities that each area needs, so that women and girls can participate in sport in Greater Manchester and across the UK.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Mr Louie French (Old Bexley and Sidcup) (Con)]

I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests.

Sport England’s role as a statutory planning consultee promotes participation in grassroot sports, including by girls and women, by protecting vital playing fields across the country from development, including in Greater Manchester. However, this Labour Government are aiming to bulldoze protections, and concrete over grassroots provisions for young people. How will removing the protections in place for playing fields help to improve participation by girls in grassroots sport?

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[Lisa Nandy]

In terms of the resale of concert tickets, we have taken a decision after a long period of consultation to cap the resale at the original price. The hon. Gentleman mentions some examples, and there are others; just recently, I looked at some Radiohead tickets that were on sale originally for £100 and were being resold on one of these platforms for more than £1,000. That is an absolute rip-off for fans and has gone on in plain sight for far too long, which is why we have announced that tickets will be resold for the original price. Time is up for the ticket touts.

[Mr Speaker]

What did you pay for your Oasis tickets, Jim?

[Sir John Whittingdale (Maldon) (Con)]

10. What discussions she has had with the BBC on renewal of the charter.

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[Mr Speaker]

I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

[Anna Sabine (Frome and East Somerset) (LD)]

The BBC removed a part of Rutger Bregman’s Reith lecture in which he alleged that Donald Trump was the most openly corrupt President in US history, doing so only after legal advice prompted by Mr Trump’s lawsuit against it. The threat of legal action is creating a dangerous precedent for media censure. If the national broadcaster cannot air robust and defensible claims even in a series of lectures designed to spark debate on contemporary issues, what hope is there for any part of our free press effectively to challenge power? We know that the Prime Minister has spoken directly with Mr Trump since the lawsuit was filed, so can the Secretary of State confirm whether the PM raised the issue of the BBC and insisted that Trump drop his ridiculous lawsuit?

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[Mr Charters]

Away tickets cost £45 at championship Coventry and £30 at league one Mansfield Town. Even some national league games are getting close to £30 for York City fans, when premiership clubs Arsenal, Liverpool and United all have a £30 cap. Does the Secretary of State support extending an away ticket cap across all leagues as a ceiling, not a target?

[Mr Speaker]

Or watch rugby league.

[Lisa Nandy]

“Or watch rugby league”, says Mr Speaker. Football is nothing without the fans, and my hon. Friend is right to say that it must be affordable for people across the country. The Premier League has shown enormous leadership through the £30 away cap—that is an excellent example of that principle. This is precisely why this Government wasted no time in passing the Football Governance Act 2025 with the permission of both Houses, which implements minimum engagement standards, including requiring clubs to consult fans on ticket prices.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Secretary of State.

[Nigel Huddleston (Droitwich and Evesham) (Con)]

Happy Lancashire Day, Mr Speaker. May I join the Secretary of State in expressing congratulations to Scotland?

At Department for Culture, Media and Sport oral questions in September, the former tourism Minister, the hon. Member for Rhondda and Ogmore (Chris Bryant), said that the Government have “no plans” to bring in a tourism tax and admitted that the tourism sector is already “taxed enough”, yet this week the Government announced that they are bringing in a tourism tax. When did they start planning for this tax? Was any form of impact assessment carried out before they decided that whacking up taxes on a sector that has already lost 90,000 jobs because of increases in last year’s Budget is such a great idea?

[Mr Speaker]

It is topicals. Come on.

[Lisa Nandy]

I think the hon. Gentleman united us all, wishing a happy Lancashire Day, but perhaps that was the beginning and end of the cross-party unity. I am enormously proud that this Government have finally acted on the calls from mayors across the political spectrum—including one Boris Johnson in 2013 when he was the Mayor of London—to implement a visitor levy on short-term overnight accommodation. We have not just done that: we have handed the power to regions themselves to implement it. The shadow Secretary of State talks about the burden on industry. He will know full well that the levy will be paid by visitors, not by the tourism industry. It surely cannot be right that England is the only country in the G7 where a national Government prevent their local authorities and mayors from implementing tourist levies.

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[Several hon. Members rose—]

[Mr Speaker]

Sorry, folks, but we have run out of time. We really do need an hour for Culture, Media and Sport questions, and I know the Secretary of State agrees with me. It would be much more wonderful.

The hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, was asked—

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[Sir Alan Campbell]

I certainly will do that. The Archbishop’s delegation also visited the west bank, where he met Christian Palestinian families affected by settler violence and faced a tense stand-off with armed settlers before being ordered to leave by the Israeli police. We must not lose sight of Gaza and the west bank. The ceasefire is not peace. Land disputes are rising in frequency. Ancient olive groves are being uprooted, and in Gaza food, fuel, medicine and aid remain critically short. The Archbishop commented on his return:

“They do feel let down and forgotten by the rest of the world, and, as Palestinian Christians, by the churches of the world, that here in the land of the Holy One, those who follow him are being squeezed out of existence and forced from their homes. I promised those women I would tell their story and enable their voices to be heard.”

I thank my hon. Friend for making sure that those voices are being heard today.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the Father of the House.

[Sir Edward Leigh (Gainsborough) (Con)]

I agree with everything the Leader of the House has just said. The fact is, the pressure by illegal settlers on Christians and Muslims in Jerusalem and the west bank is absolutely appalling, particularly in Taybeh, the last Christian town on the west bank. I have been to the west bank and have seen for myself what is going on. The pressure on the Armenians in Jerusalem and the raising of the issue of the church property tax by the Mayor of Jerusalem —this has to stop. The whole country and the Church—all the Churches—must speak out and say that Palestinian Christians and Muslims have a right to live in peace, justice and security in their homeland.