Government Plan for Music
Lisa Nandy Excerpts(2 weeks, 5 days ago)
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The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)
Music is the shared language that connects us. It crosses boundaries, bridges divides and helps us understand one another. In a time when it feels too many of us have lost the ability to understand one another, music matters more than ever.
It is woven into the fabric of our national life. In the UK, a live gig or concert takes place every 137 seconds. It accompanies our celebrations and our sorrows, marks our milestones and brings people together.
We are rightly proud that the UK is one of the world’s three largest exporters of music producing artists who light up the world. Music is not simply one of our greatest success stories; it matters deeply to who we are as a nation. That is why, today, we are publishing “Turn It Up: Our plan for music”: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/turn-it-up-our-plan-for-music
But music’s value cannot be measured only by chart success or export figures. It is a civic space—as important as any high street or town hall—where communities come together, where young people discover confidence and creativity, and where new ideas flourish. When someone is excluded from a life animated by music, we all lose. Our culture is poorer, our communities are weaker, and we miss the talent that might otherwise have enriched so many lives.
That is why this plan is rooted in one simple principle: music belongs to everyone. It is broad and inclusive. It should never be the preserve of those whose parents can afford lessons or instruments. Every child deserves the chance to experience the richer, larger life that music can bring.
Nowhere is that more important than for children in care. We are their corporate parents and we should be as ambitious for them as every parent is for their child. Like sport, art, dance and drama, music can be the lifeline that sustains them at the most difficult moments of their lives. We owe it to them to ensure those opportunities are not the exception but the expectation.
We celebrate the artists who represent Britain on the world stage: Ed Sheeran, Adele, Harry Styles, Stormzy, Dua Lipa and so many others. But great artists do not emerge by accident. No man—or woman—is an island. The success of every great artist rests on the support of someone who believed in them—a teacher, a parent, another artist or a friend—great venues, communities who back them, audiences who care.
Every headline act started somewhere, often in the grassroots music venues where they learned their craft. Yet those foundations have come under increasing pressure. In the last decade, creativity has too often been pushed out of classrooms and communities. The number of young people taking arts subjects at GCSE has fallen dramatically. Grassroots venues have struggled to survive, leaving too many towns and cities without the places where musicians develop their skills and audiences discover something new.
As Paul Simon once sang,
“every generation throws a hero up the pop charts”.
But pop is getting posher, and that must change. We are not short of talent, but while talent is everywhere, opportunity is not. So after a decade when culture and creativity were erased from the classroom and the community, we have wasted no time putting music back at the heart of the curriculum, investing in creative careers and rebuilding opportunities for young people in every part of the country.
Through this Government’s new programme, Every Child Can, we will stop at nothing to ensure that every child can find their spark through new measures such as turning our incredible network of libraries into music lending libraries and a creative mentoring programme for children in care. We are strengthening the ecosystem that supports talent from schools to grassroots venues and from rehearsal rooms to recording studios because success depends on every part of that journey.
Thriving music depends on thriving places. These places and spaces are, for us, an integral part of our civic inheritance that should be protected, nurtured and defended. In my town, Wigan, that gave us brass bands, northern soul and The Verve, almost all the venues that bands cut their teeth in have disappeared. This cannot be right. We were the first Government to back a voluntary grassroots levy to support our venues, but we will do more, whether it is defending our venues against noise complaints or reforming the system so more money flows to the grassroots.
To everyone who makes music happen—this Government are on your side. And to the fans who make the UK music scene the best in the world, this plan is for you. We will stamp out ticket touts who are causing misery in the industry and we will always have your back.
Because when everyone has the chance to make, perform and enjoy music, we do more than create great artists. We build stronger communities, broaden opportunity, strengthen our national story and ensure that Britain’s music continues to light up the world for generations to come.
[HCWS227]
National Lottery Good Causes
Lisa Nandy Excerpts(1 month ago)
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The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)
Today the Government are announcing a major call for evidence on national lottery good causes funding: “National Lottery Good Causes: Fund What Matters To You”. When John Major launched the national lottery in 1994 he promised that the new lottery would give
“anyone who has ever burned with the desire to change the face of their town, their village or the whole country a chance to do so.”
Since then, our national lottery has provided more than £53 billion across arts and culture, sport, heritage, and charity. Around 70% of adults in the UK now play the lottery in one form or another, every single year. Funded by the millions of ordinary people who take part every week, the national lottery is not just public money, it is literally the public’s money.
However, not since the brilliant Tessa Jowell in 2002 has anyone asked if we are spending the public’s money the way they actually want it to be spent.
Today’s call for evidence asks precisely that question, and for the first time in decades, brings the public back into the conversation after two decades—and puts people in the driving seat. They will write the next chapter in the story of the national lottery and of our country.
The national lottery has delivered some incredible things. Without it the Lowry would not exist, the People’s History Museum would not be able to thrive and our country would not have won so many record-breaking Olympic gold medals.
Instead, it is about being honest that the model—which sits largely unchanged from its launch over 30 years ago—is showing its age. It is rooted in a different era. Too often decisions are top-down, remote and made in distant rooms hundreds of miles away from the communities who know their needs and ambitions best.
Funding is concentrated in London and the south-east and is weighted to reflect populations, rendering too many towns and villages invisible to decision makers.
The majority of funding is spent on large grants to the detriment of smaller, community-led organisations. Smaller organisations face significant barriers—administrative burdens, digital exclusion and capacity constraints. The system favours those who have the ability to write grants that meet the needs of the system, rather than the system bending to the needs of communities.
It is time to address this and put the national lottery back in the service of all of our people and all of our communities.
As a consequence, our call for evidence will be guided by three simple principles.
First, this funding belongs to the public. The billions that the national lottery invests—£33 million a week—must reflect the modern priorities of the British people—in all communities.
Secondly, decisions must be made by the public. It is time to trust the people who know their streets, their community spaces, and their heritage best.
Thirdly, community ambition should not be met with red tape. We are determined to strip away the bureaucracy that acts as a barrier to community investment, making it easier for grassroots groups to access the funding they need.
We are also clear that this review will not tamper with the principle of additionality.
Heritage, arts, sport and culture belong to us all and it is for the people to determine what that is and what they treasure. They must be the authors of the story we tell ourselves about ourselves as a nation.
That principle will continue to be fiercely advocated by this Labour Government and we will not allow the national lottery to be used to plug day-to-day funding pressures.
Instead, we will equip it for the future, so that every time a player purchases a ticket and chooses their numbers, they will know that their money will go directly towards changing the face of their town, village, or city and living up to the ideal set out by John Major more than three decades ago.
The Government’s call for evidence can be found on www.gov.uk and we invite everyone to share their views on the future of good cause funding over the next 12 weeks.
[HCWS169]
Paramount-WBD Merger: Public Interest Considerations
Lisa Nandy Excerpts(1 month ago)
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The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)
On 27 February 2026 Paramount announced it would acquire Warner Bros Discovery for $110 billion—£83 billion.
Under the Enterprise Act 2002, I can intervene if I have reasonable grounds to suspect that arrangements are in contemplation which, if carried into effect, will result in the creation of a relevant merger situation and I believe that one or more public interest considerations under the Act may be relevant.
Following engagement with the parties and independent research, my Department has today written to the current and proposed owners of Warner Bros Discovery on my behalf to inform them that I am minded to intervene on the following public interest grounds:
The need for, to the extent that it is reasonable and practicable, a sufficient plurality of views in news media in each market for news media in the United Kingdom or a part of the United Kingdom.
The need, in relation to every different audience in the United Kingdom, or in a particular area or locality of the United Kingdom, for there to be a sufficient plurality of persons with control of the media enterprises, or the enterprises providing on-demand programme services or both, serving that audience.
I am conscious that the proposed acquisition is global in nature. In reaching this decision, my focus has been, and will remain, on the UK public interest and the range of services available to UK audiences, including Channel 5, TNT Sports, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, and CNN International, as well as Paramount+ and HBO Max.
The public interest consideration regarding plurality of persons with control of media enterprises, or enterprises providing on-demand programme services, is not currently specified in section 58 of the Act. However, under section 42 of the Act, I may specify a new public interest consideration for Ofcom to consider in relation to the merger, if I consider it ought to be specified in section 58. As the legislation was drafted at a time when viewing was largely via broadcast linear channels, it does not cover the effect of a merger on streaming or video-on-demand services. I believe this ought to be able to be considered in relation to this and all future media mergers given the role on-demand viewing now plays in the market. If I decide to intervene in this merger on that basis, I will bring forward secondary legislation to finalise this public interest consideration as the Enterprise Act requires me to do.
The letters to the parties, and other relevant updates, will be published on gov.uk.
It is important to note that I have not taken a final decision on intervention at this stage. The “minded to” letter invites further representations in writing from the parties and gives them until 6 July to respond.
If I decide to issue an intervention notice, the next stage would be for Ofcom to assess and report to me on the public interest considerations, and for the Competition and Markets Authority to assess and report to me on whether a relevant merger situation has been created, and any impact this may have on competition.
Following these reports, I would need to decide whether to refer the matter for a more detailed investigation by the CMA under section 45 of the Act. I am mindful of the need to reach a final decision in a timely manner, and I will endeavour to do so as appropriate.
I will update Parliament on my final decision at the earliest opportunity.
[HCWS162]
Media Green Paper
Lisa Nandy Excerpts(1 month, 1 week ago)
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Urgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.
Each Urgent Question requires a Government Minister to give a response on the debate topic.
This information is provided by Parallel Parliament and does not comprise part of the offical record
Nigel Huddleston (Droitwich and Evesham) (Con)
(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the publication of the media Green Paper.
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)
I thank the hon. Gentleman for bringing this urgent question to the House and giving us an opportunity to discuss this important advancement. Yesterday the Government published a Green Paper, “Watch this Space”, to set a new strategic direction for media policy in the UK. The way we consume broadcast media is changing, and television is undergoing a profound transformation, having moved away from a system of traditional channels to a far more fragmented system in which people access TV on demand and on video-sharing platforms. Young people, in particular, are far more likely to access media on their phones and tablets through streaming services and platforms, and the Government believe that we are not adequately equipping that generation with access to high-quality media.
There are three key areas where we intend to act. The first is digital prominence, where we are exploring legislative options to require social media platforms and connected TV interfaces to make public service media content, particularly trusted news, highly visible and easy to discover. This is not about promoting Government narratives or only the BBC; it is about ensuring that brilliant journalism from many of our news publishers—both local and national—and broadcasters can get in front of the public. For that reason, we are also opening a conversation about how we define “public service broadcasting” in the modern age.
Secondly, the transition to internet TV is where we are outlining plans for a managed shift away from terrestrial broadcasting to internet-delivered IPTV. We know this is an essential switchover in terms of both access and cost, but we want to ensure that the transition is managed responsibly and that nobody is left behind. We are therefore consulting on two dates for the switchover: 2034, when current licences expire, or 2044, with any date contingent on a full and watertight transition plan.
Finally, we are protecting major sporting events. We will add on-demand and streaming rights for major sporting events such as the world cup and the Olympics to the listed events regime, protecting free universal fan access as viewing habits shift online.
Taken together, these proposals set out a vision for a future TV and media policy in which everyone can access world-leading public service broadcasting content, including children’s and news programming, away from the misinformation and disinformation that has defined too many of our online lives. This Government will ensure that no matter where people access their TV, they are given access to high-quality programming that informs, educates and entertains, and this Green Paper is the next stage of our ambition.
Nigel Huddleston
Thank you for granting this urgent question, Mr Speaker. I agree with much of what the Secretary of State has said, and there is much to be applauded in the media strategy. The overall intent, which is to ensure that everyone has access to trustworthy news and to counter misinformation, is noble. The challenge and its potential danger is how we do that.
Of the positive elements that the Secretary of State mentioned in the strategy, I welcome the Government’s intention to add on-demand rights to the free-to-air listed sports regime, but there are many controversial aspects. As she said, the plan to close down digital terrestrial transmission by 2034 or 2044 is a major concern, especially for those living in remote or rural areas. The strategy also covers interventions to support media literacy and promoting the questioning of the accuracy of news, but pushing such an onus of responsibility on to the media companies themselves may reduce the responsibility on schools or, indeed, parents. What are her thoughts on that?
We then come to the thorny issue of prominence. The Government are proposing interventions to make trustworthy news providers easily discoverable to counter misinformation, and that includes national and local news publishers and broadcasters, but who decides who is a trustworthy news provider and what trusted content is? Will there be an approved list, or will it be an algorithm or a human being? We need to be careful about descending into some kind of Orwellian society. Freedom of speech and freedom of the press are vital to our free society, and the concern of some of the press is that, to qualify for prominence, a newspaper may need to sign up to a state-backed regulator. Can the Secretary of State rule that out?
The proposals in the Green Paper to support our public service broadcasters such as the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 are well intended, especially in an age when there is undeniably so much misinformation online, but a requirement for third-party platforms and social media entities to make such broadcasters’ content prominent is problematic for the obvious reason that their content is not always to be trusted and is not always unbiased either, so who decides whether it is? Many people question the BBC’s coverage of politics in general, of trans rights, of Israel and so on. The BBC doctored a video of President Trump, it fails to call Hamas a terrorist organisation, it has pushed highly questionable content through BBC Arabic and it reprimanded a newsreader for saying “pregnant women” rather than “pregnant people”. There may be plenty of people who like the idea of legislation to push woke or leftie content online, but I am not one of them, and many people agree with me. Can the Secretary of State provide more details about how trusted content will be defined and who will ultimately be the arbiter?
Finally, can the Secretary of State confirm how extensively she has engaged with the industry to come up with these proposals?
Lisa Nandy
I thank the hon. Gentleman for that series of questions, and I will do my best to answer them all as swiftly as I can. First, he rightly talks about the importance of getting the transition right and choosing the date of 2034 or 2044 well. He talks about the particular challenges in remote and rural areas, which this Government recognise. As he knows and as we have discussed before, there are also particular issues for older people, people with disabilities and others. We are working with the industry to put together a watertight plan to help people make that transition and ensure that nobody is left behind. We are asking these questions now precisely to make sure that we are ready and do not leave people behind.
On media literacy, the hon. Gentleman is right to say that the onus cannot just be on media companies alone. There is a responsibility on all of us, including schools and those of us in public life, to make sure we are equipping our young people with the skills they need to be able to navigate a completely transformed media landscape from the one we had in this country when he and I were growing up. I want to reassure him that this is not about pushing all the responsibility on to media companies and letting everybody else off the hook. We all have to work together to achieve this. It is not just about young people, either. There are serious challenges with people from every generation seeing information online that is just simply false.
Who defines trustworthy news—who decides what is trustworthy news and how we decide what is trustworthy—is one of the most challenging aspects of the consultation. The hon. Gentleman will know that the definition of public service broadcasting is set out in law, but trustworthy news is a separate matter and that is precisely why we have asked the question.
I would gently push back on some of the narrative that the hon. Gentleman advanced about the BBC. It is still the most trustworthy source of news not just in this country but across the world. On Monday, I was on “Newsround” explaining the consultation and the social media ban that we are introducing to the generation of children who will be most affected by it. It strikes me that there is no other country in the world that has quality programming like that through their public service broadcaster, so I think we should be careful about not trashing the BBC. He and I have shared serious frustrations about some of the specific issues that he mentioned, and we should always demand the highest quality content, but I still firmly believe that the BBC is one of the best broadcasters in the world.
Dr Rupa Huq (Ealing Central and Acton) (Lab)
I welcome this bold Green Paper, which refers to:
“access to, accurate news, and informative and entertaining content that reflects the diversity of the UK and brings audiences together.”
Will my right hon. Friend do all she can to uphold the practice of independent, rigorously researched journalism in this world of algorithmically driven clickbait content that monetises hate? Given the record fines it has had from Ofcom, is there any way of reining in GB News—and maybe even looking at the effectiveness of Ofcom?
Lisa Nandy
My hon. Friend asks a number of questions and I will try to address them. First, in the Green Paper we have deliberately broadened out access to good quality trusted news and content to potentially include print media as well. It is not lost on me that during the Southport riots people were seeking out the Liverpool Echo and other local news outlets to try to find real information, as opposed to the misinformation and disinformation they were seeing online. She will know that alongside that, one of the things the Government have done is publish the first ever local media strategy to try to support that industry to be able to continue to provide high-quality news.
My hon. Friend mentions algorithms. One reason we are particularly keen to ensure the prominence of quality, trusted and high-quality content online and on platforms such as YouTube is that at the moment the algorithms decide what children, in particular, see. I commend YouTube for its work on YouTube Kids, but we need to see more of that. At the moment, we are putting up with a situation where the older generation tends to watch traditional television on television sets and can easily find good-quality content and trusted news, but the younger generation tend to be on devices online and cannot do so. That is not acceptable.
Anna Sabine (Frome and East Somerset) (LD)
The Green Paper rightly recognises the severe financial challenges facing our public service broadcasters, which have been vividly exposed by recent devastating cuts at the BBC. The Liberal Democrats have long proposed that the BBC World Service should be fully funded directly from Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office budgets, protecting its vital global footprint while freeing up £221 million a year to be reinvested at home. Will the Secretary of State take on board our proposals? What urgent conversations has she had with her Foreign Office colleagues to make that a reality?
Turning to online spaces, the proposal to highlight trusted news sources on social media is welcome, but unfortunately this is just a sticking plaster over the fundamental issue that big social media platforms are already rigged against truth, fairness and impartiality. The real threat to our democracy are the harmful platforms themselves, which use algorithms deliberately engineered to amplify foreign disinformation while systematically choking out trusted journalistic sources. Should the Secretary of State not be focusing the full weight of her Department, and that of her colleagues in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, on cleaning up social media platforms once and for all, rather than fighting a losing battle against bad actors on systems that are built to work against us?
Lisa Nandy
The hon. Lady rightly talks about online regulation. She will know that that is primarily the responsibility of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, but my colleague the Secretary of State and I work very closely together on that. We must ensure that we both take action to deal with the scourge of misinformation and disinformation online, which she rightly talks about, but that we give people access to news they can genuinely trust and that that news is much more readily available. The two things should be seen together.
I apologise, my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing Central and Acton (Dr Huq) also asked me about Ofcom. She will know that we recently appointed a new chair of Ofcom. We believe that Ofcom must do more to act decisively and quickly in this space.
On the BBC World Service, the hon. Member for Frome and East Somerset (Anna Sabine) will know that the Government have already stepped in, with the support of the FCDO, to ensure it continues to be funded, but colleagues across the House will have seen recently the funding cuts that were announced at the BBC.
The hon. Lady rightly says that one of the pressures on such broadcasters is the fact that they are currently trying to broadcast through two distinct channels, so it is important that the Government grip that issue. She will know that the charter review is running in parallel to this process. We wanted to look at it all in the round. It is our intention, through the charter review, to ensure that the BBC is adequately funded and that it goes on not just to survive, but to thrive until well into the latter part of this century. She will also know that we recently announced that through that process we will put the BBC on a permanent charter, so that it exists for all of us forever.
Natasha Irons (Croydon East) (Lab)
I declare an interest: I worked for a public service broadcaster and my husband still does. I say as somebody who understands the sector a bit that it is not just about public service but about recognising Britishness on our screens and in the media and, essentially, protecting what it is to be us, as well as providing opportunities for people to get into the sector. I really welcome the thinking on this issue, but can the Secretary of State give us a bit more detail on how the changes will ensure that our public service media are protected for the future, so that people can continue to access high-quality news and content in general, and are given opportunities?
Lisa Nandy
I strongly endorse what my hon. Friend says. We have lost many parts of our civic realm: thriving town centres where people come together, the social clubs that used to exist all over our country, and the youth clubs that we are busy rebuilding. I thank her for all her help and support. I believe that the media, and in particular public service media, are an essential part of that civic realm. Whether it is VE Day, Remembrance Sunday or the world cup which we are all currently enjoying, public service broadcasters provide the shared moments where we come together as a nation and celebrate what it means to be us. We are determined to grip these issues and not allow us to drift into a transition, so that our public service media are adequately funded and are able to continue to do that.
Dame Caroline Dinenage (Gosport) (Con)
The Secretary of State knows as well as I do that the media landscape is changing so quickly that no sooner was the ink dry on the Media Act 2024 than it was almost obsolete. We know that for the first time YouTube has overtaken the BBC in audience reach, which is why the Green Paper is really welcome, but I wonder whether it is a first step towards a new and more extensive media Bill that reflects the nation’s viewing habits and reaches a definitive definition of television. The Green Paper talks about new television when talking about video-sharing platforms, YouTube and so on. We need a new definition of television to reflect technological change. Finally, the consultation refers to media literacy, but surely if we are really planning to future-proof that, we should be talking about AI literacy too—and not just for children.
Lisa Nandy
On legislation, we will of course keep that option open and will not hesitate to legislate should we need to do so. We deliberately drew the parameters and contours of the Green Paper very broadly so that we could have that very open discussion and work together to ensure that we then take the action we need to take.
On a slightly more reflective note, the point that the hon. Lady makes about the ink not being dry before the landscape had changed is particularly true in the online space. Rather than thinking about a piece of legislation, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology and I have been reflecting on the probable need to legislate quite frequently to keep pace with change.
When it comes to media literacy, I agree with the hon. Lady about AI. I think there are two parts to the issue: first, ensuring that we have the right regulation so that people can trust what they see and that we do nothing in the AI space that prevents good-quality journalism from being able to thrive; and secondly, equipping and empowering the people of this country with the skills and ability to navigate AI.
Luke Myer (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland) (Lab)
Right now, Britain’s adversaries around the world are investing heavily in disinformation designed to disrupt democracies across the west; we are seeing the impact in this country as well. I welcome the regime set out to promote truthful content on social media, but promoting the good content is not the same as tackling the bad. I worry that there is quite a disparate approach across Government—across Ofcom, DCMS and the defending democracy taskforce. What will the Secretary of State do to pull together across Government to address disinformation and misinformation from hostile states around the world?
Lisa Nandy
I reassure my hon. Friend that I am working closely with the Secretary and State for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Home Secretary, as well as with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, who leads the social cohesion taskforce that is specifically looking at misinformation and disinformation, and at how we join up across Government to tackle the issue. We have recently had a huge debate in this House about the defence of our nation, and, given the global climate, we are rightly stepping up to invest more in defence, but there is a war being waged in our communities—on our streets, online, on social media—that we have got to take as seriously as we take equipping our armed forces with what they need.
Damian Hinds (East Hampshire) (Con)
This House ended the licensing of the press on 3 May 1695, when it declined to renew the relevant legislation. That makes the definition of news sources difficult. Perhaps that is why the Green Paper talks about prominence for public service media and “potentially” for local and national news sources. Does the Secretary of State agree that it is unthinkable to have a situation where we would be promoting BBC and Channel 4 news, but not our major national newspapers and trusted local news sources?
Lisa Nandy
That is precisely why we have asked the question. The right hon. Gentleman is absolutely right that there are different ways of approaching the issue. One is, quite simply, to promote public service broadcasters. We think we may be missing a trick there, which is why we have asked the question in the consultation.
Rebecca Long Bailey (Salford) (Lab)
The Secretary of State’s dedication to trusted news and promoting public service media is really welcome, but I am sure she shares my concerns that this will be dramatically undermined by the recent announcements of brutal cuts at STV and the BBC, as thousands of jobs and programmes are at risk of being lost. Will she urgently intervene to project jobs and the future of public service media?
Lisa Nandy
The Government have been talking to the journalism trade unions to ensure that people are protected when those cuts are made, and that we do everything we can to protect that really good quality—not just the journalists, but the technical staff and others, particularly those across our nations and regions, who feel vulnerable to those cuts. The cuts at STV and the BBC are precisely why we need to manage the transition and get it right. We cannot duck the question of when we make the transition, because doing so places incredibly onerous costs on public service broadcasters in an already very tight funding landscape. As my hon. Friend will have heard me say to the hon. Member for Droitwich and Evesham (Nigel Huddleston), we are determined to manage the transition well and ensure that nobody is left behind.
Dr Al Pinkerton (Surrey Heath) (LD)
During a recent bombing of Tehran, a power outage hit that city and 20,000 bots promoting the cause of Scottish nationalism turned off instantaneously. I say that not to question in any way the legitimacy of a political position—admittedly one that I disagree with—but because it reveals the extent to which our country is under daily assault from those who would seek to tear us apart. What plans does the Secretary of State have to build out from this media Green Paper and take a whole-of-Government approach in order to enhance media literacy, to bear down on the conduits that are driving disinformation in our society, and to ensure that our armed forces and security services have precisely the resources they need to secure our integrity as a nation?
Lisa Nandy
The hon. Gentleman asked a number of questions, and I strongly agree with the essence of what he is saying. There is a war being waged in our communities and on our streets, and on local online forums as much as on national ones. When the recent by-election in Makerfield was triggered, overnight the targeting of people in my town of Wigan with misinformation and disinformation went through the roof. That is often deliberate, it is often triggered by foreign state actors, it can have an extremely disruptive influence on communities, and it is something that we need to deal with. The Green Paper deals with questions of media literacy and prominence, and other measures that we think will help, but nobody in this House should take this as the beginning and end of the conversation. I am working closely with colleagues across the House—including in Defence—to make sure we are equipped on every front for the war that we find ourselves in.
Joe Morris (Hexham) (Lab)
The Secretary of State will be aware that terrestrial television is not just an entertainment platform but a resilient form of communication that reaches into communities where digital, broadband or mobile signal quite simply do not have the reach or the reliability. Does she share my concern that the switch-off of terrestrial TV in either 2034 or 2044 could cut off communities in my constituency from that resilient communication platform, and will she meet me to discuss my concerns?
Lisa Nandy
I am confident, having heard my hon. Friend championing his constituents in this House, that he would never allow that to happen, and neither will we. I am happy to offer him a meeting with the relevant Minister.
Sir Julian Lewis (New Forest East) (Con)
On a similar theme, undoubtedly near the top of the Secretary of State’s to-do list today is to answer written question No. 11584, which is due for answer tomorrow. The question is about the threat posed by the BBC World Service apparently discontinuing its longwave transmitters at Droitwich, Burghead and Westerglen. What we want to know is: how will closed societies like Russia be able to receive news information when they are subject to the suppression of all the internet-based routes?
Lisa Nandy
I will, of course, ensure that the right hon. Member gets the answer to his written question in a timely fashion—by tomorrow. I am also more than happy to follow up and discuss it with him.
Amanda Martin (Portsmouth North) (Lab)
I welcome the Green Paper’s focus on media literacy, so that people in Portsmouth have the skills they need to identify misinformation and disinformation. As viewing habits change and technology develops, can the Secretary of State reassure the House and residents in Portsmouth, particularly those who may be less confident online and have limited access to digital services, that any transition towards internet-based television will be carefully managed?
Lisa Nandy
I am really happy to give my hon. Friend that assurance. That is why we are getting on the front foot now and working with industry to manage the transition. Access is obviously extremely important, but so too is affordability, and we are looking at that closely.
Robert Jenrick (Newark) (Reform)
Let me get this straight: the Government—either a Minister or, worse, unaccountable civil servants—are planning to decide which news providers are deemed trustworthy and which are deemed untrustworthy; and then the Government, or unaccountable civil servants and quangos, are going to give priority to the services that they deem to be trustworthy, and reduce the prominence of those that they do not like and consider to be untrustworthy. That sounds quite dystopian to me. How can it be seen as anything other than a serious attack on freedom of the press and freedom of speech?
Lisa Nandy
I am not going to take any lessons from him and his disgusting party, given the way that they spread misinformation and disinformation. This House has already come together to define what “public service media” is in law. The definition was passed by Parliament, and I do not recall there being a lot of concern about that; it has been enormously beneficial. One way that we could define “trusted news” would be to follow that definition, but we could also, for example, align with the editors’ code of practice. There are lots of different options, but to somehow claim that this is about the Government controlling what people see is absolute nonsense.
Jeff Smith (Manchester Withington) (Lab)
I warmly welcome the publication of the Green Paper. None of us has all the answers when it comes to the fast-moving media landscape, but setting out the challenges and some principled ways forward is a good start. I especially welcome the focus on a duty for media literacy. My personal view is that a public purpose for the BBC on media literacy might be better than one on growth, but that is a debate for another day. Is the Secretary of State slightly disappointed, as I was, in the tone of some of the contributions from the Opposition about the prominence of trusted news? We already have a prominence regime in place; we just need to update it for the modern age. In an era when misinformation and disinformation are rife, is it not more important than ever that people get access to trustworthy news, and is that not what a prominence regime allows?
Lisa Nandy
I agree. In particular, we are letting down a generation of young people, who, as I said to my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing Central and Acton (Dr Huq), are often consuming media very differently from my generation and the generations before us. It cannot be right that my generation, who often watch and consume broadcasts on television sets, are able to easily and quickly find high-quality content and trusted news, but the younger generation are not.
Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)
Hostile state actors routinely broadcast misinformation to our young people and radicalise them in their own homes. I agree completely with the Secretary of State that we have to take action; the problem is that primary legislation will never keep up with technology. I urge her to therefore consider a media Bill with wide-ranging powers that makes use of secondary legislation that can keep up with those changes to technology.
Lisa Nandy
The hon. Gentleman makes a similar point to the Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee. He is right to push us to think about how we can very rapidly adapt to this very rapidly changing landscape. There is a question for the whole House as to how much oversight the House will want to have and how much scrutiny will be given to any measures that we bring forward. The House will have to decide together whether the use of secondary legislation in this space is something that we collectively believe is acceptable. However, there is merit in what he proposes.
Matt Turmaine (Watford) (Lab)
As a former employee of the BBC for 15 years, I know the importance of those Reithian principles to educate, inform and entertain, which are at the core everything the organisation does. Dissemination of fake news and misinformation online is a genuine risk to our democracy. Does the Secretary of State agree that even if people are going to trusted sites and sources online, such as the BBC, ITV and Channel 4, there is a real risk of the mix of slop around it polluting people’s ability to see accurate information, and that this demonstrates the absolute need for trusted news sources online?
Lisa Nandy
As I said to my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing Central and Acton earlier, during the Southport riots, there was an increase in people going to the BBC and the Liverpool Echo to get information; we saw something similar after the Manchester Arena bombing, when people sought out the Manchester Evening News as a trusted source of news. My hon. Friend will be aware that many of those trusted sources are under serious financial pressure, which is one of the reasons that we acted—particularly through the local media strategy—to ensure that they remain available. We want to ensure that those sources are more prominent and easier to find online, but in order to do that, we have to ensure that they are actually there in the first place.
Pete Wishart (Perth and Kinross-shire) (SNP)
The proliferation of misinformation, invidious algorithms and harmful content are the defining features of the current media landscape, and they are causing real harms and divisions within our communities. We need bold action to tackle this, and that surely includes taking on those who direct and abuse these situations. How will the Secretary of State promote trusted sources when there are people, even in this House, who are prepared to undermine them, and we are losing jobs and services at public service broadcasters?
Lisa Nandy
That is partly what this TV Green Paper is designed to address, although, as I said earlier, it is one part of the whole. Getting regulation online right, getting the enforcement of that regulation right, and being far more proactive through Ofcom in enforcing the existing law, are essential parts of this, as well as the measures that we have proposed around prominence and other areas.
Gordon McKee (Glasgow South) (Lab)
I welcome this Green Paper, which is both timely and forward looking. The Government are right to respond to the fact that people get much of their news from social media nowadays. As more and more people turn to artificial intelligence chatbots for news and information, what work are the Government doing to ensure that trusted sources of information are given prominence?
Lisa Nandy
We have done a number of things in this space. AI summaries online put real pressure on existing publishers, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology and I have met the publishing industry to discuss how we can better protect original sources, which are often far more accurate than the AI summaries that draw on their work. As I said to the Chair of the Select Committee, when it comes to media literacy, we need to equip not just the younger generation, but all of us with the skills necessary to navigate AI.
Sir Oliver Dowden (Hertsmere) (Con)
I urge the Secretary of State to keep a genuinely open mind on this consultation, and to be prepared to drop measures if the evidence does not stack up. The concept of prominence in particular will be very difficult to translate from a linear age to this age without imposing excessive costs and bureaucracy on broadcasters. As we have seen, the concept of trustworthy news is problematic, because one person’s “trustworthy news” is someone else’s propaganda. Just look at the debate between the BBC and GB News—frankly, right now, plenty of my constituents would trust GB News over the BBC. We cannot allow debate on this issue to become an echo chamber for liberal/left groupthink; otherwise, it will further undermine trust and confidence in this place.
Lisa Nandy
The right hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to say that any responsible Government will be careful about how we navigate this landscape, because the definition of “high quality” and “trustworthy” is contested, and we need to protect the plurality and diversity of our news and the broader media industry. I do believe, however, that we have for a long time failed to empower our citizens and equip them with the ability to navigate the new landscape that we are in. The Government are particularly concerned about the blurring of news and fact with polemic and opinion, and that is a space in which we intend to act.
Sarah Coombes (West Bromwich) (Lab)
Given that we are in a world of fake news, and the impact of that on public trust, I really welcome the Secretary of State’s work to modernise the prominence regime. The BBC is the jewel in our national crown. People have mentioned the cuts; it is a real shame that we are seeing cuts to really important consumer shows, like “Money Box Live”. Scams are everywhere, so these shows are vital to our nation. Can the Secretary of State say a bit more about the BBC and its importance to our nation?
Lisa Nandy
I will say, very candidly, that I am concerned about the cuts that have been announced, too, and I raised those concerns directly with the incoming director general. The charter review process is obviously ongoing, and I would not want to see the BBC dismantling good structures, dismissing good journalists and closing down good programmes at a time when we are seeking to work together constructively to ensure that it is properly and adequately funded going forwards. There are significant pressures on all our public service broadcasters at the moment, and that is one reason why we have to grip this issue of transition, and work together to ensure nobody is left behind.
Mike Martin (Tunbridge Wells) (LD)
My question is in a similar vein to that asked by the hon. Member for West Bromwich (Sarah Coombes). I was really concerned to hear of the cuts at the BBC; “The World Tonight” is going, and “Today” is being cut back. This follows on the heels of cuts at “Newsnight”. It seems that the justification for these cuts is that programmes are being reoriented towards young people, which is obviously a good thing in and of itself. However, when I was 18, I did not listen to any of those programmes; now that I am in my 40s, I listen to them all. Do these cuts not undermine the BBC’s mission to educate and inform, and in this age of disinformation, is it not vital that we keep those programmes?
Lisa Nandy
As I said to my hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich (Sarah Coombes), the elephant in the room is funding, because the BBC has not been adequately funded for quite some time. The hon. Gentleman will know that fewer and fewer people are paying the licence fee, which is becoming a major challenge for the BBC. We will set out a range of options, through the charter process, that are designed to tackle that, so that we can protect the high-quality programming that he rightly commends.
Chris Webb (Blackpool South) (Lab)
We know that misinformation and disinformation is on the rise right across our country, and that was shown in the recent Makerfield by-election; the Social Market Foundation reported that ahead of that by-election, there was a quadrupling of fake news, and that one in six posts on all the local Facebook groups were fake news. We have seen the same thing in my constituency; after a news article was published, the news went rampant across our town that a woman and child had been attacked at a train station. It never happened, but it caused fear and anxiety.
I warmly welcome the Green Paper, but how can we get more support for our trusted local news services, including local papers and broadcasters? They are what residents turn to in times of crisis when they need information. The Secretary of State rightly pointed to the example of the Liverpool Echo.
Lisa Nandy
I was really struck by that report by the SMF, and I certainly recognise that there is misinformation very close to home. My hon. Friend rightly says that that is not new. In fact, my local police force says that the biggest challenge it faces is misinformation and disinformation online, which leads people to believe that more violent crime is happening than there actually is, and that streets are not safe. It causes serious challenges to social cohesion. Earlier this year, we published the local media strategy, which is the start of our ambition for local media—it is the floor, not the ceiling. There is more we need to do, particularly in the online space, to ensure that publications such as the Liverpool Echo are able to thrive.
John Cooper (Dumfries and Galloway) (Con)
As a former journalist, I salute the Secretary of State’s ambition to leave no one behind, but as the hon. Member for Hexham (Joe Morris) pointed out, the death of terrestrial television risks leaving a lot of people in remote and rural Scotland behind. My constituency has a lot of notspots, and terrestrial television is a key source of news and entertainment. Can I ask the Secretary of State to use her influence in the forthcoming northern powerhouse Cabinet to get broadband rolled out properly across this country?
Lisa Nandy
The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to talk about the centrality of broadband access. We are looking really carefully at digital exclusion, and we will make sure that this transition does not leave his constituents behind. I am looking to work with him to make sure that we get this right.
Peter Swallow (Bracknell) (Lab)
Last week we had a powerful reminder of how important trusted news broadcasting is when the BBC reported that arson attacks targeting the Prime Minister and his family were orchestrated by Russia. Not stopping there, Russian-backed bots then spread homophobic misinformation about those attacks. We know how the Conservative party responded to that: its deputy chair, the hon. Member for Stockton West (Matt Vickers), went on national TV and laughed. Now we can see how this Labour Government are responding to the issue. Can I urge the Secretary of State to go even further on supporting trusted news sources, as a powerful response to misinformation and disinformation online, a lot of it fuelled by our foreign adversaries?
Lisa Nandy
My hon. Friend is right to say that we should demand the highest standards from Members across this House and people in public life. I share his absolute horror at the way that the deputy chairman of the Conservative party responded.
Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North) (Your Party)
I absolutely welcome this Green Paper. I think it is a really good step forward that we are having this national debate, but in it, I hope that the Leveson inquiry and its proposals will not be forgotten.
The Secretary will be aware that younger people—the majority of the population, in fact—do not watch mainstream television, or read newspapers, either in print or online; instead, they rely entirely on social media for their news, information, opinions and so on. Much of that content comes from behind a cloak of anonymity, and often it is dangerous, racist or abusive. We have a whole generation growing up whose only source of information is anonymous stuff on social media. I realise that we face a very difficult balancing act, in controlling access to wonderful technology and ensuring some degree of accuracy and accountability. I am sure that the Secretary of State is aware of this huge problem. Does she feel that there is a way forward on this conundrum through debate on the Green Paper?
Lisa Nandy
The right hon. Gentleman mentioned the Leveson inquiry. I can tell the House that I met the families of the victims of press intrusion very recently. We have always acted with care in this space to ensure that we protect a free and fair press, but he is right to say that action is needed to better protect people in this space, and this Government are determined to take that action. I share his serious concern about the way that young people consume news. That is partly what this Green Paper is intended to address, but it is also one of the key driving forces behind the social media ban that my colleague the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology announced recently. We have not done enough to protect young people online, and we need to do more.
Several hon. Members rose—
Lisa Nandy
I have been working with the publishing industry to make sure that we protect our trusted sources and do not allow higher-quality content to be undermined by AI summaries. It is a concern that we recognise and share, and we will bring forward proposals around that to the House. We have seen lots of very good-quality independent news providers spring up around the country, and it is great to hear about my hon. Friend’s local newspaper in Harlow, but there are too many local news deserts across our country. That is precisely what the local media strategy intends to address.
Martin Vickers (Brigg and Immingham) (Con)
I have been relying on the BBC to deliver news since the days when Jack de Manio was presenting the “Today” programme and John Snagge was reading the news, and I still rely on the BBC to a considerable extend, but it does annoy me intensely at times, particularly recently, when cuts were announced. The programmes that it seems to be cutting are public service programmes, not ones delivered by the commercial sector. On top of that, we see the demise of news coverage on local radio. Will the Secretary of State assure me that she will convey those views to the BBC? Hopefully, it will have a rethink.
Lisa Nandy
I am very happy to do so, and the hon. Gentleman is right to mention the importance of local radio.
Ann Davies (Caerfyrddin) (PC)
I thank the Secretary of State for her informed answers. The new media Green Paper highlights the importance of continued universal access to good-quality, trusted television. Part of maintaining that access is making the content in the first place. With the news that the BBC Cymru Wales will face £9 million in spending cuts by the end of 2027-28, it is inevitable that Welsh commissions, already on the decrease, will decline even further. How will the Secretary of State protect Welsh-language content from such sweeping cuts, especially considering that access is already limited for us?
Lisa Nandy
I was recently at the BBC in Cardiff. The importance of Welsh-language content is not lost on this Government, and I have discussed the matter with both the interim director general and the new director general. We have been very keen to impress on the BBC the importance of protecting a regional footprint across all our nations and regions—something pioneered by former director general Tim Davie. Through the charter review process, we are ambitious for more power and funding to be dispersed out of London, so that the BBC becomes the engine of the nations and regions, producing content that reflects all our nations and regions, not just some parts of the country.
Greg Smith (Mid Buckinghamshire) (Con)
I add my voice to those concerned about the transfer to TV over IP. Technology moves very fast, and I accept at face value the Secretary of State’s commitment that no one will be left behind. However, we have had 20 years of change, from fibre to cabinet and now fibre to premises, yet some of my constituents are still on copper to premises, surviving on download speeds of 2 or 3 megabits per second, which is not capable of getting television into their homes, whether the switchover is in 2034 or later.
Can I urge the Secretary of State, before any decision is made, to work very closely with DSIT? No matter what the core statistics say about how many homes have fibre to premises, people will still be left behind, particularly in rural communities. Added to that, in many villages where there is only one fibre provider and no competition, there is fibre and there is fibre, and not all of it is as reliable as it looks.
Lisa Nandy
The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right, and I am happy to give him that assurance. He will know that the Minister for Media is also a Minister in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, and I am sure he will be working closely with his colleagues to make sure that we address those concerns.
Mr Joshua Reynolds (Maidenhead) (LD)
Over recent weeks, one of the most frequent adverts served to me and many others on X is an AI-generated fake image of a Member of this House fighting with the Governor of the Bank of England. When half of adults cite social media as one of the sources from which they get their news, can the Secretary of State confirm what conversations she has had with colleagues in DSIT to make sure that these fake-news social media adverts do not become our news?
Lisa Nandy
The hon. Gentleman is right to raise that issue, which I have discussed with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology. She and I are determined to make sure that we properly regulate the online space so that we protect people from those sorts of fake, generated images.
Dr Neil Hudson (Epping Forest) (Con)
Many of my constituents in Epping Forest are very worried about proposals to stop terrestrial TV broadcasts from 2034. Like local radio, for many people in both urban and rural areas, and for older and more vulnerable people, terrestrial TV is a lifeline in their daily lives. Will the Government have a strong rethink about this?
Lisa Nandy
As I said in previous answers, we have to manage this transition. We cannot just drift into an unmanaged transition, which is precisely why we have brought these proposals forward early, with genuinely open questions about the date of the transition. I reiterate what I have said to many hon. Members: we are absolutely determined to get on the front foot and make sure that nobody is left behind.
Ayoub Khan (Birmingham Perry Barr) (Ind)
I am confident that everybody in this House wants freedom of speech and freedom of expression. However, we are all against freely available misinformation and disinformation, whether it is about the lack of integration in certain neighbourhoods or international affairs. There is clearly distrust, so something needs to be done. I welcome the Secretary of State bringing forward a Green Paper, but how will the Government ensure that those with the deepest pockets do not get prevalence when we look at mainstream media?
Lisa Nandy
One of the things we are trying to do is protect the plurality and diversity of our media, and also make sure that people have better access to high-quality sources not just of news but of content as well. That includes things such as children’s programming, which are really important. However, the hon. Gentleman is right to recognise that we have lived through a revolution in media and media consumption, and we just have not been quick enough to respond. That is partly what this TV Green Paper is designed to address.
Sir Ashley Fox (Bridgwater) (Con)
I welcome the Green Paper. Many of my constituents in Stockland Bristol and Fiddington continue to endure very poor or non-existent broadband coverage and mobile signals, so they are concerned about the Secretary of State’s proposal to stop terrestrial broadcasts by 2034. Will she ensure that the proposal does not cut off my constituents in rural areas?
Lisa Nandy
I also represent a largely rural constituency, and I absolutely recognise the challenges that the hon. Gentleman talks about in relation not just to broadband but mobile signals. I cannot get reception in my own house, to be honest. There is a real challenge, which is precisely why we have brought forward these proposals now, with a genuinely open question about 2034 or 2044, so that we can work with industry to ensure that his constituents are not left behind.
Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
I thank the Secretary of State very much for her answers and her positivity in responding to all the questions that have been asked. Mine is a very specific question relating to Northern Ireland, and I think she will be quite perturbed when I give her some figures. With the new media Green Paper pushing for a total IPTV transition by 2034, what specific guarantees can she give to nearly half of all households in Northern Ireland—some 370,000 people—that still rely entirely on digital terrestrial TV via an aerial, so that our rural and vulnerable communities are not left in a digital blackout as a result of the Green Paper’s proposals?
Lisa Nandy
The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to say that there are particular challenges in certain parts of the country, and Northern Ireland is very firmly at the forefront of not just my mind but the mind of the Minister for Media as well. I would be more than happy to discuss it further with him, but we will work together to make sure that nobody is left behind.
Oral Answers to Questions
Lisa Nandy Excerpts(1 month, 2 weeks ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Tessa Munt (Wells and Mendip Hills) (LD)
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)
This Government believe that every child in this country has the right to access high-quality arts provision, including music and dance, which gives young people the chance to live a richer, larger life. I am really pleased to tell the House that the music and dance scheme’s allocation of future funding for this financial year represents an increase on the commitment of the previous year.
Tessa Munt
I thank the Secretary of State for her response. Wells Cathedral school is in my constituency, and it has 80 young people who are on the music and dance scheme. It is a fantastic scheme, and I pay tribute to the outgoing headteacher, Alastair Tighe, who has done his very best to ensure that the scheme reaches deep into the community and those from less advantaged backgrounds, including one of our local cleaners—she is able to pay just £200 a year for what is a £50,000 a year education. However, there has been a 10-year drift between inflation and the amount of the money that the scheme receives. Can the Secretary of State have another look at this issue and make it absolutely certain that pupils benefit from better funding—
Lisa Nandy
I join the hon. Lady in paying tribute to Alastair Tighe and all the people who make this commitment real. They change children’s lives, and this Government cannot do that alone from Whitehall. What we can do, however, is fund such schemes adequately. Even in these difficult financial circumstances, we made a £36.5 million commitment to the music and dance scheme last year, and we have increased that by £1.3 million to ensure that it can continue.
Amanda Hack (North West Leicestershire) (Lab)
Musical theatre and dance are important parts of the creative industries. Kristian Thomas Company in my constituency provides extensive training for young people aged four upwards, up to formal qualifications at BTEC and foundation degree level. What financial support is given to organisations such as KTC so that they can continue offering valuable education in the arts for all young people in North West Leicestershire?
Lisa Nandy
My hon. Friend is a great champion for North West Leicestershire and for all the young people in her constituency. As I said to the hon. Member for Wells and Mendip Hills (Tessa Munt), we have been investing in music and dance in particular, but we have also invested £425 million in the creative foundations fund to support arts venues across the country, because one of the key things that we have identified is that it is not just about the bursaries that we provide to enable access for all; it is about those institutions existing in every part of the country.
Dame Caroline Dinenage (Gosport) (Con)
The Secretary of State will know that the music and dance scheme supports so many talented young performers from lower-income backgrounds to access an arts education. She will also know that such specialist schools and conservatoires are now subject to VAT, because of changes brought in by her Government. In many cases, the bursaries do not even begin to cover the extreme costs, which are made up by family members, parents and everybody clubbing together to try to find the money. The VAT is still there, and it still makes a difference to whether they can afford it. What assessment has the Department made of the number of families paying VAT on the remaining fees, and how many talented young artists are now unable to attend as a result? I think I heard her right in saying that the bursaries will continue in the 2026-27 academic year, but could she please confirm that?
Lisa Nandy
I am very happy to confirm that the bursaries will continue in the 2026-27 academic year, and we have been able to increase the amount of funding available, which is a recognition of the cost pressures that families face. I very much agree with the hon. Member that bursaries are absolutely essential, which is why we have protected them even in these difficult financial circumstances. However, she will recognise the difficult circumstances we inherited from the previous Government. We have done our best to protect such things, and in the case of music and dance, we have been able to uplift the funding available.
Chris Vince (Harlow) (Lab/Co-op)
Will the Secretary of State join me in congratulating Sam Ashford and the Livewire theatre in Harlow on 25 years of supporting young people into music, dance and the theatre with its hard-hitting shows? I pay particular tribute to the work it did to support young people remotely during covid.
Lisa Nandy
Of course, I will. I appreciate the efforts that my hon. Friend puts in not just to ensure that Harlow is referenced in this Chamber at every opportunity, but, sincerely, to change the lives of young people in Harlow and across the whole country. He really is one of the best champions for young people in this House.
Sarah Green (Chesham and Amersham) (LD)
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)
The UK’s creative industries are world leading, which is why the Government have made them a priority. We are backing them in our industrial strategy as one of eight industries that we believe have the greatest potential for the future. Our sector plan is working, with the creative industries expanding 3.1% in the last quarter, outperforming the wider economy.
Sarah Green
The Secretary of State will know that nearly a third of those who work in the creative industries are self-employed. I have been contacted by creative freelancers in my area who feel that their voice is not always heard. One of them is a licensed chaperone, responsible for safeguarding those under 16 working on productions away from their parents. She told me that some chaperones are waiting for up to eight months to be paid, caught between agencies and production companies, which blame each other, before everyone moves on to the next production. That is just one example of many. Will the Secretary of State meet me to discuss ways we can better support freelancers in our creatives industries to help them and the sector thrive?
Lisa Nandy
The Government are acutely aware of the challenges of a very casualised industry in which freelancers often do not have the voice they need to stand up for their rights, protect them at work and make sure the industry they work in is fair and safe, so I thank the hon. Lady for raising this issue in this House and for being their voice. I would be delighted to organise a meeting with the relevant officials so that she can discuss this issue. I can also update the House that we have recently appointed the freelance champion role. They will advocate for the creative sector’s freelancers within Government. We will be in a position to announce those names shortly.
Jessica Morden (Newport East) (Lab)
Grassroots venues in Newport such as The Cab and Le Pub, where the fan-led review was launched recently, are a vital part of our city’s creative industry, drawing thousands of people into our city centre each month. The ticket levy announced by the Government could help such venues to manage rising costs and develop talent. Larger events were encouraged to participate voluntarily in the scheme, so could we have a bit of a progress report and an idea of next steps?
Lisa Nandy
My right hon. Friend the Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts would be delighted to meet my hon. Friend to update her on the progress we have made on protecting these vital venues. If I may, I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate her on the long overdue recognition for the work she has put into this Chamber and for what she has done in public life.
Mr Speaker, may I also take this opportunity to have a rare truce between Wigan and Chorley and thank you for the work you have done over a long period of time to campaign for Sir Kevin Sinfield to be given a knighthood? It is an absolute privilege to be the Secretary of State who has been able to ensure that both Sir Billy Boston and Sir Kevin Sinfield have been rightly recognised as the first two people from rugby league ever to receive knighthoods, which were long overdue.
Olly Glover (Didcot and Wantage) (LD)
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)
The BBC is one of our most important national institutions. Now, more than ever, the need for trusted news and high-quality programming is essential to our democratic and cultural life. We are currently conducting the charter review, which I believe will be the most consequential in the BBC’s history, given the current political climate. We have already announced that, as part of the charter review, we will be putting the BBC on a permanent charter, so that it exists in perpetuity for all of us, forever.
Olly Glover
Yesterday, as part of £500 million cuts, the BBC announced the scrapping of BBC Radio 4’s “The World Tonight” programme after 56 years, among others. It is very welcome to hear the Secretary of State’s support for the BBC, but can she say a little more about what she is going to do to protect the future of the BBC, following the end of the BBC charter consultation in March?
Lisa Nandy
I thank the hon. Gentleman for that question, because I know this issue has raised significant concerns across all our nations and regions. I met the BBC director general recently to discuss the announcement that has just been made. Obviously, those decisions are a matter for the BBC. What is squarely within the Government’s remit, however, is ensuring that, as part of the charter, the BBC is adequately and sustainably funded. We will not accept a smaller BBC. A core objective of the charter review is to expand both the scope and reach of BBC services.
John Slinger (Rugby) (Lab)
The hon. Member for Didcot and Wantage (Olly Glover) mentioned reports that BBC Radio 4’s “The World Tonight” programme may be cut. Does my right hon. Friend agree with me that in the age of fast news, disinformation and misinformation, we need more programmes such as “The World Tonight”, not fewer, and that we need more contemplative journalism so that our voters can understand politics and the world around them more effectively? Does she agree with me that the BBC perhaps ought to look at the vast salaries they pay their stars, both in entertainment and in news, in order to retain programmes such as “The World Tonight”, which will be much missed if it goes?
Lisa Nandy
I concur with my hon. Friend’s view that, now more than ever, the BBC’s role in providing trusted news and information is essential. For all the challenges that the BBC has faced, it remains the most trusted source of news in this country, and one of the most trusted sources of news across the world. I recognise that the BBC has had some serious challenges to deal with, and has had to make some difficult decisions, but this Government are determined to support its efforts by ensuring that it is adequately funded. We have recently published the first ever local news strategy. Colleagues will know that in the current by-election in Makerfield—next door to me in Wigan—there has been a huge upsurge in the amount of misinformation and disinformation targeted at residents. The BBC has a role to play in countering that, but so too do tremendous outlets such as the Wigan Post, which provide much needed balance.
Nigel Huddleston (Droitwich and Evesham) (Con)
Last year the BBC lost another 300,000 licence fee payers. The BBC’s current scale and financial model is clearly unsustainable. Yesterday the BBC announced controversial cuts, including “The World Tonight” and “Money Box Live”, without anyone in Parliament expressing a view. That is not right. The Government appear to be restricting parliamentary debate about the future of the BBC. They announced the BBC charter via written statement, not a debate. They have already ruled out some alternative funding models and consideration of the size, scope and scale of the BBC’s operations, leaving the BBC to take action unilaterally. Will the Secretary of State reconsider the scope of the charter review, and ensure that Parliament has a proper say on the future of the BBC?
Lisa Nandy
I will try to reassure the hon. Member on that, because we have no intention of restricting debate on the future of the BBC. I share some of his concerns about the way in which the BBC made the recent announcement. One of the things that I was keen to ensure was that decisions that could affect the future of the BBC, and the services on which we all rely, were made by the new director general and not in the interim, in the absence of a permanent director general. The charter process sets out a clear role for Parliament, which this Government will respect and uphold. There will be adequate opportunity to debate the proposals that the Government put forward with the White Paper on the future of the BBC later this year.
Pete Wishart (Perth and Kinross-shire) (SNP)
Peter Swallow (Bracknell) (Lab)
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)
I know that Members across this House will be horrified and disgusted at the serious allegations of abuse against women in the TV industry that have emerged recently. Everyone has the right to be safe and treated with dignity. The Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts recently met Channel 4 about the serious allegations that have emerged about “Married at First Sight”. We are not satisfied as a Government with the response that we have received, and I will discuss that further with Channel 4 in the coming week.
Since we last met, Mr Speaker, we have launched a new partnership with Gareth Southgate and the King’s Trust to provide mentors for young people, as part of our commitment through the national youth strategy to ensure that every young person in this country has somewhere to go, something to do and someone who cares. We have also launched “Every Child Can” to give young people, wherever they live, the chance to find their spark and build the confidence and positive relationships they need to succeed. As the world cup gets under way, and after such a strong start, the whole House will join me in wishing both home nations every success.
Lisa Nandy
My hon. Friend will have heard my answer to colleagues about the future of the BBC. The Government are committed to ensuring that the BBC is set up on a sustainable basis for the future through the charter review, so that it can thrive for many years to come. But the BBC, he is right to say, is not the only public service broadcaster in this country. We have public service broadcasting that is the envy of the world, and the Government are determined to do everything we can to support and safeguard it, including by challenging where necessary—as we have with the response to “Married at First Sight” by Channel 4—when we believe that those standards are not being upheld.
Nigel Huddleston (Droitwich and Evesham) (Con)
I echo the Secretary of State’s introductory comments and congratulate England and Scotland on a great start to the world cup.
Since coming to power, this Government have cut funding for school sport, listed places of worship, tourism marketing and so much more, yet they have found billions for welfare, Chagos and inflation-busting pay rises for their union mates. Last Sunday, the Secretary of State went on telly to say that she was in discussions about cutting DCMS spending even further. Well, where and when? And who is to blame: is it the Prime Minister, for his weakness and failure to tackle welfare spending, or is it the Chancellor, for her utter economic incompetence?
Lisa Nandy
One thing I learned at school was that the answer to a multiple choice question is usually option (c). The hon. Member missed option (c) out, because the real answer to “Who is to blame for the situation this country is in?” is him and his colleagues, because of the appalling mess they made over 14 years of Conservative government. They cut our armed forces to a size that has not been seen for generations, they refused to treat our veterans with respect, they crashed the economy and they left working-class people in every nation and region paying a very heavy price.
We are investing: we have announced the biggest uplift to arts funding, in a single Parliament, in history; we are investing additional resources in young people to turn around the life chances of a generation; and we have invested more than £1 billion in school sport, which the hon. Member’s Government squandered. He should be ashamed of himself—
Mr Speaker
Order. We have only four minutes left, and we have to get through the Order Paper.
Jonathan Davies (Mid Derbyshire) (Lab)
Lisa Nandy
We are working very closely with the Department for Education to ensure that the national centre is launched in September, and we will update my hon. Friend and the House very shortly on the progress that we are making.
Clive Jones (Wokingham) (LD)
Grassroots sports clubs such as Wokingham Town football club are at the heart of our communities, but many clubs struggle to find and maintain facilities and equipment. Would the Secretary of State consider convening twice-yearly meetings with grassroots sports governing bodies to strengthen collaboration and advocacy for community sport?
Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow West) (Lab)
Lisa Nandy
Through the national youth strategy, we were absolutely horrified to find that a majority of young people in this country spend all, or almost all, of their free time alone in their bedrooms online. As part of the commitment to keep young people safe online and to get them out of their bedrooms and into the real world, we have been pleased to announce a significant uplift in funding for young people to ensure that we build the next generation of youth clubs and grassroots sports facilities, rebuild youth work and ensure that every young person has those opportunities in our country.
Sir Alec Shelbrooke (Wetherby and Easingwold) (Con)
Recognising the answers that the right hon. Lady gave earlier, may I ask her to ensure that before the charter review comes out, she absolutely emphasises the need for radio news? Many people do not get to watch television news—I am sure she will be travelling later today and will not be able to watch the TV. May I ask her at this early stage to ensure that the BBC recognises just how important these radio news programmes are?
Lisa Nandy
Wow—can I not associate myself with those remarks? [Laughter.]
I agree with the hon. Member about the importance of radio and regional news. Recently, the outgoing director general of the BBC told me that regional news now has greater reach than national news. That includes local radio as well, and we will of course ensure that it becomes a priority through the charter review.
Chris Bloore (Redditch) (Lab)
Claire Hazelgrove (Filton and Bradley Stoke) (Lab)
I am so proud to back Filton’s bid to become the UK town of culture 2028. From our vibrant community to our vast heritage, including as the British home of Concorde, we have so much to offer the whole country. Will the Minister agree to meet me to hear more about this bid and what makes Filton so special?
Lisa Nandy
I thank my hon. Friend for being such an outstanding champion for her constituency. She and I have discussed the great, vibrant, diverse cultural offer and contribution that her community has to make, including the fact that it is the home of Concorde. Through the town of culture, we hope that many towns across the country can up their cultural offer, shout loudly about their achievements, take wings and soar.
Bradley Thomas (Bromsgrove) (Con)
Will the Secretary of State rule out extending the BBC licence fee to streaming services such as Netflix?
Lisa Nandy
We have been very careful not to get drawn into speculation about the future funding arrangements for the BBC, except to say that we have ruled out a levy on streamers, and we have also ruled out direct taxation going to fund the BBC because of the need for the BBC to retain its independence. But I look forward to debating this issue with the hon. Member and for the whole House to come together to ensure that we get this right through the charter process.
Universal Theme Park and Resort: Bedford
Lisa Nandy Excerpts(1 month, 4 weeks ago)
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The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)
This is a joint statement made with the Department for Business and Trade.
We are pleased to publish an update on the proposal for the construction of a Universal theme park and resort in Bedford. This follows the statement made on 22 April 2025 after we had reached the agreement in principle stage of negotiations—[Official Report, 22 April 2025; Vol. 765, c. 29WS.]
The Government have now formally signed an agreement with Universal Destinations and Experiences (“Universal”), a division of Comcast NBCUniversal, in which it has confirmed it will move ahead with its plans to develop an entertainment resort complex which contains a world-class theme park in Bedfordshire. The new development – which will be called “Universal United Kingdom Resort”—will join existing attractions around the world, in Beijing, Osaka and Florida, and will be Universal’s first world-class visitor attraction in Europe.
As part of the agreement, Comcast NBCUniversal has committed to invest over £5 billion in the entertainment resort complex during the expected five years of construction, as well as an additional £1 billion in capital investment over the first 10 years of operation. The Government will support the project with an investment of £1.3 billion on regional and local community infrastructure to ensure the park can operate successfully, with improved transport links for local residents and visitors from across the UK and abroad.
This is expected to be one of the most significant investments made in the United Kingdom in this Parliament, and remains among the largest single investments ever in the UK tourism and entertainment sector.
As previously outlined, the benefits of the project are substantial. Universal estimates that it will deliver over £50 billion for the economy by 2055; and that 8.5 million visitors will come to it in its first year of operation in 2031. Construction work has already begun, and over the next five years during the construction period, 20,000 jobs will be created, with a peak of 5,000 workers on site at the busiest time. The park and resort will employ 8,000 people in its first year, which is anticipated to rise to 10,000 by the 20th year of operation. Some 80% of the roles are expected to go to people in the local area, and Universal has already received thousands of expressions of interest from individuals and companies looking to be a part of this transformative and exciting venture. Jobs of all kinds will be created, giving opportunities to develop careers in a range of creative, administrative and technical fields. The development is expected to become the biggest visitor attraction in the UK, surpassing our current top attraction of the Natural History Museum, and be one of the largest in Europe.
The UK is open for business, and we will continue to engage with businesses and investors who can make a positive difference here. This is evidence of the confidence international investors have in the UK. The deal we have reached delivers value for money for the British taxpayer and secures Universal’s investment in the UK. As part of their commitment to the investment, the Government plan to provide a grant of £400 million through the exceptional regional growth fund. This grant is subject to compliance with subsidy control regulations, with which we are moving forward; and parliamentary approval. We will in due course ensure that an appropriate motion under section 8 of the Industrial Development Act 1982 is tabled in the House of Commons.
DCMS will be making a separate grant of £438 million to invest in the public infrastructure necessary for the park to function including improvements to the local road network. The Department for Transport is also going ahead with plans to upgrade the strategic road and rail network, on the A421 and at Wixams station, which will provide wider resilience and improved connectivity within the region, at an expected cost of £474 million.
As one of the key investment commitments in “The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy 2025”, this project directly supports the Government’s ambition to increase business investment in the creative industries from £17 billion to £31 billion by 2035, contributing to the broader UK growth mission. The UK’s creative industries are a global engine of innovation and growth, generating £124 billion for our economy and supporting over 2.3 million jobs. As a cornerstone of our modern industrial strategy, this sector drives creativity, competitiveness, and opportunity. The investment is also aligned with our ongoing work to unleash the potential of the Oxford-Cambridge growth corridor, following previous investments announced in the region.
As we move into the delivery phase, it will be more important than ever to work closely with local stakeholders. We will continue to work with Bedford borough council and other stakeholders in the region to make this a success for the local area, and will continue to engage with neighbouring councils and local stakeholders in the coming months. Bedford borough council has been excellent partners in this project and we thank it for its ongoing dedication and commitment.
We welcome the ongoing support of colleagues across both Houses for this transformational investment. We commit to providing further updates at appropriate times.
[HCWS87]
Oral Answers to Questions
Lisa Nandy Excerpts(3 months, 2 weeks ago)
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Kevin Bonavia (Stevenage) (Lab)
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)
The Euros in 2028 will be an amazing opportunity to showcase the UK’s strengths in holding major events. That is why my Department is already working with numerous organisations across the football pyramid as we develop plans for the community programme to ensure the benefits are spread as far as possible across the whole country.
Kevin Bonavia
Our fantastic English Football League club, Stevenage FC, is pushing for promotion to the championship, and its community foundation has delivered nearly £10.7 million of social value to my constituents in the last year alone. Communities outside of host cities have not always felt the benefits of hosting major international tournaments. Can my right hon. Friend explain how the legacy of Euro 2028 will be felt beyond host cities, particularly EFL clubs and communities in constituencies like mine?
Lisa Nandy
My hon. Friend raises an important point, and I could not agree with him more. Given that he has raised this point here in the Chamber, I will ask my officials to design the programme to ensure that the benefits are felt not just in Stevenage, but across the whole country.
Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
I thank the Minister for that answer and for her enthusiasm for what it is being brought forward. I want to ensure that Northern Ireland is very much a part of this; hopefully, the Minister will confirm that it will. With Northern Ireland being part of the host nations of Euro 2028, will the Minister confirm what steps have been taken to ensure that we in Northern Ireland are an intrinsic part of the event and not simply an afterthought? After all, we are part of this great United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, so we want to be part of it.
Lisa Nandy
The hon. Member will remember that when we were first elected to government back in 2024, the Northern Ireland Secretary and I worked very hard to try to ensure that Northern Ireland was able to host part of the games. Because of the timescales and the lack of action under the previous Government, we were not able to do that, but we made a firm commitment that Northern Ireland would feel the full benefit of these games, and we are still deeply committed to that.
Mr Louie French (Old Bexley and Sidcup) (Con)
I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. The successful bid to host the Euros in 2028 made under the previous Conservative Government has enormous potential to economically and culturally benefit the UK, giving fans lifelong memories as football comes home. But to deliver a truly lasting legacy, the Government must commit to protect pitches, properly fund grassroots sports and stop taxing clubs into oblivion. I ask the Minister again: will the Government finally U-turn on their proposed watering down of Sport England’s crucial role in protecting grassroots pitches?
Lisa Nandy
The hon. Member is absolutely right to say that the Euros should be a cross-party endeavour that commands the support of the whole House and that it will have significant economic benefits for the UK; we believe that it will generate socioeconomic benefits of £3.2 billion across the UK. He is also right to say that there has to be a legacy for young people growing up in this country to have the opportunity to access sport. We have learned the lessons from the way in which the last Conservative Government squandered the legacy of the London 2012 Olympics and refused to cascade those benefits across the country. We are ensuring that we are investing in grassroots sport. He will know that the Sports Minister and I recently announced £400 million of investment to that end.
Mr French
The Secretary of State criticises the previous Conservative Government, but national sports bodies are fully aware that this Labour Government have cut sports funding, and increased regulation and taxes on clubs, and are putting at risk sports pitches across the country. Alongside these major own goals, the ongoing Whitehall ruck over how PE is funded risks reducing participation rates even further. This Labour Government have already cut millions from the likes of the opening schools facilities fund, and are overseeing huge uncertainty for the schools games organisers network. What discussions is the Secretary of State having with other Departments to ensure that children can continue playing sport, both at school and in their community?
Lisa Nandy
The hon. Member will know that after the vandalism of the last Conservative Government, where sports, art, music, dance and drama—all those things that give young people the opportunities to live a richer, larger life—were downgraded on the curriculum and shamefully branded as Mickey Mouse subjects by a number of leading members of his Government, we have put them back at the centre of the curriculum. I think he referred to school sport partnerships, which we are strongly committed to. I have had discussions with the Health Secretary and the Education Secretary to ensure that we continue to fund those—it is something that the Prime Minister feels strongly about—to make sure that every young person has the opportunity to participate in sports.
Martin Rhodes (Glasgow North) (Lab)
Cameron Thomas (Tewkesbury) (LD)
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)
This Government believe strongly in the BBC. I recently announced at the Society of Editors event that the charter review period, which is incredibly important, will be the last of its kind. We intend to ensure through the charter process, subject to Parliament’s approval, that the charter puts the BBC on a permanent footing, so while the funding and terms of the BBC will continue to be renegotiated by successive Governments, its right to exist will never again be called into question.
Cameron Thomas
Trump donor Larry Ellison and his son David own CBS News, will soon own CNN, and part-own TikTok. In 2024, Ellison senior’s Oracle paid a six-figure sum to Hanover Communications, for whom Michael Prescott was a managing director. One year later, Prescott’s leaked internal memo landed the BBC a $5 billion lawsuit from Donald Trump. Rupert Murdoch and GB News founder Robbie Gibb know that when you own the news, you own the people. I believe that our independent news broadcaster is under attack from within and without. How are the Government going to protect it?
Lisa Nandy
As I said, we intend to put the BBC on a permanent charter, precisely because we believe it is a vital and essential part of our democracy, and it must be able to hold us all to account without fear or favour, free from political interference. The hon. Gentleman alludes to particular appointments to the board. I do not have the power to change those appointments, but I do have the ability to review them through the charter review, which I will do. When it comes to Governments overseas, we will always defend the BBC’s right to hold those in power to account, whoever they are.
Dr Rupa Huq (Ealing Central and Acton) (Lab)
Thankfully, the BBC is nothing like the public service broadcaster in Hungary—I was there monitoring elections; the winner, Péter Magyar, said that it is like North Korean propaganda. To protect Auntie Beeb, will my right hon. Friend reconsider the anomaly that, despite being a fixed-income public body—I am ex-staff myself—the BBC has not been given relief from the 2% rise in employer national insurance contributions, unlike schools and hospitals, leaving a yearly £20 million black hole at a time of falling licence fee income? Can the BBC be granted a partial or total waiver, so that we can keep getting good quality output and stop staff cuts?
Lisa Nandy
My hon. Friend alludes to the fact that many countries around the world are investing heavily in propaganda. The BBC is a light on the hill for people in many parts of the world through its World Service, and other international services. We want to ensure that we safeguard that through the charter review. She talked about financial pressures on the BBC. Colleagues will know that yesterday the BBC interim director general announced significant cuts to staffing, which I know has had a strong effect on staff and is of real concern to people out in the country. I had the pleasure of meeting the new incoming director general of the BBC yesterday, and one of the first things we discussed was how we put the BBC on a sound financial footing going forward. I will of course look into the issues raised by my hon. Friend.
Josh Babarinde (Eastbourne) (LD)
Shockat Adam (Leicester South) (Ind)
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)
The Government and policing partners are in regular contact with FIFA and with host country counterparts on a range of issues, including security and public safety planning for the world cup. Since I saw the hon. Gentleman’s question appear on the Order Paper, I have asked officials to ensure that those arrangements are robust.
Shockat Adam
I am sure that we are all looking forward to the world cup this summer, and that we all want the home nations to do well. When England finally brings it home, I am sure that we will all be delighted, including our friends from north of the border— I know my office staff member will be.
On a serious note, I am deeply concerned about the number of British citizens who have already been impacted by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement detentions and the threat of visa restrictions for international teams, amid lots of illegal wars—started by the FIFA peace prize winner, ironically. Furthermore, we have now learned that UK nationals may be required to surrender five years of personal social media data simply to obtain entry into the United States. Will the Secretary of State tell us urgently what she doing to ensure that British fans can travel to America safely, enjoy the games safely and get back home safely?
Lisa Nandy
The hon. Gentleman raises some particular concerns. I am more than happy to look into them for him and ensure that everybody has the opportunity to go and participate in what should be a really positive and global sporting event. I have to say, though, that he has sparked some controversy on the Labour Front Bench with his desire for England to bring football home, because while the Minister for Sport, my hon. Friend the Member for Barnsley South (Stephanie Peacock), and I strongly agree with him, I am afraid that the Arts Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh South (Ian Murray), has a different view.
Sarah Coombes (West Bromwich) (Lab)
Football fans in my area are looking forward to the world cup and many hope to travel, but before we get to that competition, many are very concerned by reports of a potential points deduction for West Bromwich Albion due to allegations of financial rule breaches, which the club has strongly rejected. Given Albion’s recent run of seven unbeaten games, keeping us just above the relegation zone, a points deduction sending us down would be heartbreaking for fans, particular because the source of the issue seems to be a loan from the previous owners. Does the Secretary of State agree that such a situation is awful for fans and can she urge that it is resolved as quickly as possible?
Lisa Nandy
My hon. Friend will know that having been through some very difficult times with my own superb football club, Wigan Athletic, I know how much this matters to people in West Brom, and I know what a great champion she is for them. This is precisely why we delivered the Football Governance Act 2025, which clearly sets out the need to protect the integrity and sporting competitiveness of existing competitions. I am sure that the regulator will be looking at this situation closely.
Anna Sabine (Frome and East Somerset) (LD)
Thousands of people across the country—although possibly not the Arts Minister—are very excited for the world cup this summer, but that excitement is being ruined by the prospect of fans, not football, coming home. Under new US border directives, fans face having their social media history weaponised against them, with the threat of being turned away at the gates for as little as sharing an unflattering meme of President Trump. Will the Secretary of State urgently meet with US counterparts to ensure British fans are not denied entry at the border, and will she demand that the US embassy picks up the tab for tickets and travel for any fan unfairly denied entry?
Lisa Nandy
In the notes that I was given, it says that security and safety arrangements for major international sporting events are a matter for the host authorities. That is true, but the Government can play a role. I reassure the hon. Lady and the hon. Member for Leicester South (Shockat Adam) that I will personally ensure that we as a Government are involved to ensure that fans are not deterred from being able to participate in what should be a really positive experience.
Sonia Kumar (Dudley) (Lab)
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)
My hon. Friend is a great champion for young people in her constituency. She and I have had many discussions over the last 18 months, as we have delivered the first national youth strategy in a generation, led and written by young people, to ensure that every young person in this country has somewhere to go, something to do and someone who cares.
Sonia Kumar
Youth centres such as High Oak in Dudley, run by Angela Edwards, are finding it harder each year to stay open because of insecure funding, despite Dudley having some of the highest levels of young people not in education, employment or training. More youth centres and more secure long-term funding are desperately needed. What support can my right hon. Friend provide to these youth centres to ensure that the youth of today and of the future are supported?
Lisa Nandy
We have put £500 million behind the national youth strategy, and a major element of that will be to deliver the next generation of youth clubs and youth workers. Too many youth clubs exist around this country that are closed because there are not people to run them, and there are too many parts of the country where there is no facility at all. The Youth Minister is very happy to discuss that further with my hon. Friend to ensure that Dudley’s young people are well served and have the provision that they need.
Dr Danny Chambers (Winchester) (LD)
Greg Smith (Mid Buckinghamshire) (Con)
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)
As a Government, we are committed to ensuring that tourism drives growth and jobs across the country, including in rural Buckinghamshire. The hon. Gentleman may have seen VisitBritain’s “Starring GREAT Britain” campaign, through which we have showcased the UK’s film and TV locations to global audiences, and our upcoming visitor economic growth strategy will provide a long-term vision for boosting visitor numbers and delivering sustainable growth nationwide.
Greg Smith
I am grateful to the Secretary of State for that answer. With people coming to Buckinghamshire to enjoy the beauty of our countryside walking in the Chilterns, the tourism sector is important, but with the punitive levels of business tax hitting all those businesses—such as camping at Orchard View and country retreats at Starveall farm—talk of a tourist tax and an overnight levy could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Can the Secretary of State confirm that she is actively lobbying the Chancellor not to bring in such a levy?
Lisa Nandy
The tourism Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Barnsley South (Stephanie Peacock), has of course discussed these issues with the industry. She has held several meetings with the industry as part of English Tourism Week, and has also discussed this issue with colleagues in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and in the Treasury. However, the idea behind a tourism levy is that it would be locally driven and led. It would enable local areas to decide how they wanted to apply it, so that would be a matter for Buckinghamshire itself.
Lloyd Hatton (South Dorset) (Lab)
In the heart of Weymouth, the Rectory is an iconic building, but it has stood empty for over a decade. We want to transform the Rectory building into a cultural and visitor centre, hosting art, boosting the local tourism economy and welcoming visitors to Weymouth all year round. With that in mind, will the Secretary of State meet me and all the key stakeholders so that we can finally crack on and deliver the exciting Rectory proposals?
Lisa Nandy
It does sound very exciting. The tourism Minister and/or I would be happy to follow that up with my hon. Friend and make sure that we can deliver on that exciting project.
Nigel Huddleston (Droitwich and Evesham) (Con)
Tourism and hospitality businesses across the UK are struggling. Once profitable businesses are now letting people go, not hiring or closing altogether as a direct result of Labour’s policies, in particular the national insurance increases. That has led to 100,000 job losses in the UK in hospitality and tourism alone over the last two years. The Government have cut funding to our tourism bodies and are now planning on imposing more regulations and a whole new tourism tax. Can the Minister please explain how on earth less support, more regulations and higher taxes are meant to help the tourism industry?
Lisa Nandy
I thank the shadow Secretary of State for his support for the tourism industry. I recognise that it has had significant pressures in recent years, particularly with the pandemic, but I am proud of our tourism industry; it is second to none and delivering in every part of the country. We have put the tourism industry at the centre of our attention with the visitor economy growth strategy. We see it as an area of great potential, and the tourism Minister is working closely with the industry to unlock the benefits for the whole country.
Mr Jonathan Brash (Hartlepool) (Lab)
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)
Since we last met, we have been delighted to celebrate the sporting success of our incredible Paralympic athletes, and we have welcomed the Brits to Manchester for the first time. We have made a multimillion-pound investment in the iconic Crucible theatre in Sheffield, securing its future as a world-class venue for generations to come. Just this week, I announced almost £130 million to protect world-class theatres, museums and libraries in every part of our country. Taken together, this Government are delivering on our promise that arts, culture, sports, dance, drama and music are not a luxury for the privileged or something to be consigned to a few postcodes—they must be for everyone, everywhere.
Mr Brash
I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. Swim England recently launched its report into the state of the nation’s swimming facilities. The report, “The Deep End”, clearly shows the crisis facing community swimming, largely due to issues with funding and infrastructure. While Hartlepool’s brilliant Labour council is delivering amazing new facilities in the form of the Highlight leisure centre opening in June, not every constituency is so lucky. What steps is the Secretary of State’s Department taking to improve access to swimming facilities where those facilities have been lost or are in danger of disappearing?
Lisa Nandy
I share my hon. Friend’s passion on this issue. We are intensely aware that, as well as the sweeping cuts to local authorities that were made under the last Government, the rise in energy costs has significantly affected swimming facilities in every part of the country. We have committed £400 million to transform sports facilities over the next four years, and swimming ought to be a beneficiary of that—I will certainly make sure that it is. I have also discussed these issues with the Energy Secretary to make sure that we are pulling every lever at our disposal to ensure that swimming facilities are protected from some of the impacts, in particular of war in the middle east.
Nigel Huddleston (Droitwich and Evesham) (Con)
William Hill announced that it is closing 200 betting shops as a result of Labour’s tax policies making them unsustainable. That is Labour’s decisions creating yet more unemployment and undermining sponsorship opportunities and the finances of the horseracing industry overall. Labour may not be as bad as the Greens or Plaid, which I understand want to ban altogether horseracing—a £4 billion industry—and I think greyhound racing, too. Can the Minister assure the racing and gambling communities that the Government will not do any more damage to these sectors, which bring joy to millions of Brits every week?
Lisa Nandy
In a rare moment of agreement, I agree with the hon. Gentleman that the gambling industry brings joy to a lot of people. He and I have discussed the harms that affect a minority of people. They are significant and important, but the industry as a whole brings positive benefits to the United Kingdom. I think he is underplaying the significant pressures on high street businesses that have existed over the last couple of decades—something that, frankly, his Government did absolutely nothing about over the 14 years that they were in government. We are dealing with those.
Kirsteen Sullivan (Bathgate and Linlithgow) (Lab/Co-op)
John Milne (Horsham) (LD)
Lisa Nandy
A moment ago, we discussed the importance of such facilities. I thank the hon. Gentleman for the way in which he has approached this issue by securing and demonstrating community consent. He will know that this Government have changed the way we fund so that it is community driven and led, rather than imposed from the centre, and it is very welcome that he has taken that approach. In addition to the answer that I gave a moment ago, we have backed local authorities, which lead on funding on these issues, with the first multi-year settlement in a decade. That will help them to ensure that they can better plan and better prepare to deliver on community needs.
Proposed Sale of The Telegraph: Axel Springer
Lisa Nandy Excerpts(3 months, 2 weeks ago)
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The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)
On Friday 6 March 2026, I was informed by representatives of RB Investco Ltd that RB Investco Ltd intends to sell its call option to purchase the Telegraph Media Group Holdings Ltd, owner of The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph, to the German media company Axel Springer SE. They have asked for my written consent to allow RB Investco Ltd to derogate from the Public Interest Merger Reference (Telegraph Media Group Limited) (Preemptive Action) Order 2024 (the “2024 order”) to sell its option.
Today, I gave my written consent under the 2024 order to RB Investco Ltd to sell its call option to purchase the Telegraph Media Group Holdings Ltd to Axel Springer.
In my quasi-judicial role I have also assessed the proposed merger between Axel Springer and the Telegraph Media Group Holdings Ltd under the public interest media mergers regime and the foreign state influence regime as set out in the Enterprise Act 2002. I am currently not minded to intervene in this merger under either regime on the basis of the evidence available to me at this time. This is without prejudice to my ability to intervene in this merger within the applicable statutory time limits, if new or additional information comes to my attention.
I am pleased to be able to take these positive steps, which give greater certainty to The Telegraph and its staff.
[HCWS1508]
Hodge Review of Arts Council England: Government Response
Lisa Nandy Excerpts(4 months ago)
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The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)
We are a nation of storytellers. Through literature, television, film, music, fashion, dance and drama, and through our galleries, our libraries and our museums, we light up the world. In a time when it feels like we have lost our ability to understand one another, the arts are an essential force for good in a divided nation and our gift to a troubled world.
But in this last, lost decade, the arts have been treated as an unaffordable luxury—or worse, as a nuisance or a weapon for Governments in their ongoing, exhausting culture wars. Culture and creativity have been erased from too many classrooms and communities, the routes for working-class artists and performers have narrowed almost to the point of extinction and the contribution of most of us, in places with a proud history of culture and contribution, has been written off. As a result, too many of us no longer see ourselves reflected in the story we tell ourselves, about ourselves, as a nation.
An inclusive national story does not mean making movies where posh boys play gangsters. It means harnessing the strength of our nation; the extraordinary diversity of our people, places, traditions and disciplines—across ballet, northern soul, opera and street art—that creates one of the most vibrant, sought-after artistic scenes in the world, drawing on the contribution of the whole nation and all the people in it. All of us deserve the chance to be part of it and, in turn, we need all of us to sustain it.
We have put arts back at the centre of the curriculum, worked with our national institutions to bring collections out of the basement and into our communities and launched a new town of culture contest to recognise the cultural contribution of our whole country.
We have announced the biggest capital uplift to the arts in a generation so that the battle to keep the lights on and the doors open for institutions—especially outside of London—is no longer the struggle it has been for so long.
But we are impatient for change and our country deserves more. That is why I asked Baroness Hodge of Barking to review the role of the Arts Council, to ensure that this most precious institution, founded by a visionary generation who put arts and culture at the heart of our efforts to rebuild a nation after war, can thrive for generations to come.
We are convinced that her vision will help us to anchor our arts in our people and places, and help us to recover our sense of self-confidence as a nation and turn outwards to the world.
That is why we are accepting every recommendation made by the Hodge review.
This is not a licence for business as usual. For so long arts organisations have had to exist day to day, focusing on protecting and preserving our institutions. We will work with them to rebuild the foundations but in return ask them to blow the doors off, to become anchors in our communities, enable access to excellence everywhere and provide the chance for every person in our country to live richer, larger lives.
This Government believe that the arts are for everyone, everywhere. We know this vision is shared by people across the country and together, through the actions outlined in this report, we will write the next chapter in our nation’s story.
I will place a copy of the Government’s response in the Libraries of both Houses.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/arts-council-england-an-independent-review-by-baroness-margaret-hodge
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Local Media Strategy
Lisa Nandy Excerpts(4 months, 2 weeks ago)
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The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)
Today the Government launch our local media strategy, “Amplify: The Local Media Action Plan”, setting out our plans to support the sustainability of local journalism in the UK and empower communities through a thriving local media that highlights the issues that matter to them, helping to drive community wellbeing, social cohesion and local growth.
Local media plays a vital role in the fabric of our society, keeping citizens informed about decisions and events that directly affect them, scrutinising the activities of local public services and other institutions, and helping to reflect the views and perspectives of citizens and communities.
As audiences converge online, the business models of many local media outlets have been challenged, posing a risk to the sustainable provision of high-quality, trustworthy news and information at local level.
The local media action plan outlines our proposed approach to tackling these challenges, building on previous studies into the sustainability of public interest journalism in the UK, including the Cairncross review and inquiries conducted by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee and the Lords Communications and Digital Committee. Our approach is based around three central pillars.
Financial sustainability in the short-to-medium term
We will support the industry’s existing innovation to accelerate the transition toward sustainable, digital-first business models by:
Launching a multi-year local news fund of £6 million in the first year—and up to a further £6 million in the second—to invest in digital innovation and infrastructure, ensuring funding is distributed in ways that benefit a broad range of local news providers and the diverse communities that they serve.
Increasing DCMS community radio funding to £1 million per year to strengthen the vibrant community radio ecosystem.
Making best use of local media as a key trustworthy channel for Government advertising and public information campaigns, for the benefit of both local media and audiences.
Meeting long-term challenges of changing audience habits
We will ensure that local media reaches younger audiences and thrives alongside BBC and the largest tech firms by:
Starting in the north-west, launching an inspiring the future campaign, to connect local media to schools, building news literacy and inspiring the next generation of journalists.
Ensuring young people from all backgrounds and in all parts of the country have access to high-quality local journalism.
Ensuring through the BBC charter review process that the BBC does more to support local media diversity, including future-proofing the local democracy reporting service.
Exploring greater transparency options and developing a healthy licensing ecosystem between AI developers and rightsholders including local media, helping local news providers to adapt to the emerging challenges of AI-generated news summaries.
Incentivising public interest news
We will make it easier for journalists to scrutinise local institutions and conduct other public interest news-gathering without fear or favour by:
Establishing a best practice framework for engagement between journalists and public services through a new regional media forum, in partnership with the West of England combined authority.
Consulting on the future of statutory notices to ensure they continue to support both community awareness and journalistic scrutiny.
Refreshing the national action plan for the safety of journalists to assess and mitigate the specific risks faced by local reporters.
A thriving local media is essential to a healthy democracy and a cohesive country. This action plan presents a robust programme of work in support of this vital industry but it is also only the beginning of our commitment to support local media. We intend to monitor our progress, and the impact on our communities and on citizens, over the coming years, and will provide a short annual update to summarise and track progress.
Our country is richer for the diversity of voices, views and experiences in every nation and region, and those voices will be heard.
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