Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have (1) to list, (2) to preserve, and (3) to restore, buildings of significance in the fight for women’s suffrage so that these places are not lost for future generations; and what assessment they made of the challenges faced by those seeking to save Dorset Hall, the former home of suffragette Rose Lamartine Yates.
Answered by Lord Kamall - Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care)
The Department is working through its Arm’s-Length Bodies, Historic England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, to list, preserve, and restore historic buildings of significance to the suffrage movement.
As 2018 marked the centenary of the 1918 Representation of the People Act, Historic England sought, with help from researchers and the public, to commemorate the centenary by highlighting and listing places that played a part in the struggle for suffrage and subsequent gender equality through its ‘HerStories’ campaign. These can be found on Historic England’s website.
Historic England have been engaging with the Local Authority, to help secure the necessary repairs to the historic building of Dorset Hall. Historic England established what essential works were required and provided specialist support and advice to ensure that these identified works were satisfactorily completed by Spring 2022.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund has also supported a range of projects related to the suffragette movement. These include a partnership project led by the East End Women’s Museum to tell the story of the suffragettes in London’s East End; the Rebellious Sounds Archive’s creation of the first oral archive of women’s activism stories in the South West and Rooms of Our Own, an ongoing project being delivered to uncover the history of the Pankhurst Centre, the former home of Emmeline Pankhurst and the place from where the suffragette movement was born.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the evidence review published by the Ada Lovelace Institute on 5 May on UK public attitudes to regulating data and data-driven technologies; and what steps are they taking to assess public attitudes to data regulation.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
We welcome the Ada Lovelace Institute’s review of public attitudes to regulating data-driven technologies, and agree that this is a pressing issue. The findings reflect those of the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation’s (CDEI’s) public engagement research and highlight key questions that the CDEI’s current and planned work addresses.
We agree that it is vital to understand people’s experiences and perspectives in order to align data policy and governance with societal values and needs: this is embedded at the CDEI through a dedicated Public Attitudes Insight team. The CDEI has shared its insights into public perceptions of data use in the recently-published, world-first Public Attitudes to Data and AI Tracker Survey which has already been widely used across the public and private sector.
The CDEI and the Cabinet Office’s Central Digital and Data Office have also been at the forefront of creating an algorithmic transparency standard for the public sector, which has the needs and expectations of the public at its core, and has since been adopted as a pilot with several public sector organisations. This is a key example of how public engagement can be translated into trustworthy data practices – a recommendation from the Ada Lovelace Institute’s review.
The CDEI will continue to work closely with the Ada Lovelace Institute to monitor the public’s attitudes towards data-driven technologies and data regulation, and consolidate and apply the findings to the Government’s work on data-sharing. Research into public attitudes is fundamental to the Government’s efforts to create a trustworthy data-driven technology ecosystem.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support (1) small, and (2) medium, sized telecommunications providers in mitigating Distributed Denial of Service attacks.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks are a well-known type of cyber attack, used by a range of attackers against a range of targets across the world. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has published guidance to help organisations understand and mitigate this type of attack. The NCSC can also work with organisations affected by DDoS attacks to provide the necessary advice and support, and victims can refer incidents to the National Crime Agency for consideration of a criminal investigation.
More widely, the Government is committed to ensuring the security and resilience of the UK’s telecommunications networks and services. That is why we introduced the Telecommunications (Security) Bill which will establish a new telecoms security framework, including new duties and requirements on public telecommunications providers to identify and prevent the risk of a wide range of security compromises, such as those resulting from DDoS attacks. Small and medium-sized telecommunications providers will be subject to those duties and requirements.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to implement the recommendations of the Final Report by the Gigabit Take-up Advisory Group, published in June.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The Advisory Group’s June 2021 final report made a number of recommendations aimed at Government, Ofcom, industry and trade bodies to encourage the take-up of gigabit broadband services. The Government welcomes the Advisory Group’s report.
Action is already planned by the respective bodies to whom some of the recommendations were directed at. Ofcom plans to work with industry to improve the consistency of broadband terminology in the market, and to develop information to help consumers understand the benefits of gigabit broadband. BDUK plans to develop a 'Gigabit toolkit' to support local bodies in raising awareness and understanding of the benefits of gigabit connectivity among local residents and businesses. BDUK plans to work closely with local bodies and other key sector stakeholders.
We are considering the wider recommendations in the report and will continue to look at what more can be done to best support take-up of gigabit services.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of public concern about streaming services applying age ratings that may not reflect British Board of Film Classification ratings; and what steps they are taking to ensure that streaming platforms apply age ratings that (1) align with established ratings, and (2) maintain child protection.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The British Board of Film Classification’s (BBFC) age ratings are used by a number of video on demand providers and although adoption is voluntary, we welcome their use. On 1 December 2020, we were pleased to see Netflix become the first video on demand platform to achieve complete coverage of their content under the BBFC’s ratings.
The UK’s Audiovisual Media Services Regulations 2020, which transposed the revised EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive, were made and laid in Parliament on 30 September 2020. Following Parliament’s approval, the video sharing platform regime, for which Ofcom is the regulator, came into force on 1 November 2020. UK-established video sharing platforms must now take appropriate measures to protect the public, including minors, from illegal and harmful material.
Under this regime, video sharing platforms are not currently mandated to adopt BBFC ratings, nor is it expected that they will be mandated to do so. However, in order to comply with the regime, age assurance measures and measures such as age ratings and parental controls, may be adopted by video sharing platforms. Age assurance measures comprise a broad range of technical measures which can be used by a service to establish the age of their users. The BBFC is engaging actively with both Ofcom and video sharing platforms to share their expertise and discuss the applicability of content ratings on those platforms.
In line with the government’s commitment to keep children safe online, the government is working at pace to prepare the Online Safety Bill, which will be ready this year.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to issue new guidance to amateur choirs and orchestras on their ability to rehearse and perform; and if so, when.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
On 22 February the Prime Minister set out the roadmap gradually ending the current lockdown for England.
Amateur activity will be permitted from Step 3 which will begin no earlier than 17 May. The performing arts guidance will be updated in advance of each step of the roadmap.
The timings outlined in the roadmap are indicative, and the Government will be led by data, rather than fixed dates. Before taking each step, the Government will review the latest data and will only ease restrictions further if it is safe to do so. The indicative, ‘no earlier than’ dates in the roadmap are all contingent on the data and subject to change.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the importance of touring in the EU for the career development of UK musicians.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
Touring is a vital part of the careers of musicians, performers and their support staff, providing not only an important income stream, but also enriching opportunities for cultural exchange across the world. Being outside the European Union does not change this. It does, however, mean practical changes on both sides of the Channel that will require understanding and adaptation.
We are now working urgently across government and in collaboration with the music and wider creative industries, including through a new working group, to help understand and address these issues so that touring in Europe can resume with ease as soon as it is safe to do so.
As part of this work DCMS is working with the Foreign Office and others across government to consider how best to take forward engagement with EU Member States on these issues. It is within Member States’ gift to improve their arrangements and we will engage with bilateral partners to find ways to make life easier for those working in the creative industries in countries across the EU.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect that additional visa and work permit restrictions will have on the number and proportion of UK musicians who perform in Europe.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
Touring is a vital part of the careers of musicians, performers and their support staff, providing not only an important income stream, but also enriching opportunities for cultural exchange across the world. Being outside the European Union does not change this. It does, however, mean practical changes on both sides of the Channel that will require understanding and adaptation.
We are now working urgently across government and in collaboration with the music and wider creative industries, including through a new working group, to help understand and address these issues so that touring in Europe can resume with ease as soon as it is safe to do so.
As part of this work DCMS is working with the Foreign Office and others across government to consider how best to take forward engagement with EU Member States on these issues. It is within Member States’ gift to improve their arrangements and we will engage with bilateral partners to find ways to make life easier for those working in the creative industries in countries across the EU.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had since 1 January with (1) the EU, and (2) individual EU Member States about introducing work permits and visas to enable UK musicians and their crew to be paid for performances in the EU.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
Touring is a vital part of the careers of musicians, performers and their support staff, providing not only an important income stream, but also enriching opportunities for cultural exchange across the world. Being outside the European Union does not change this. It does, however, mean practical changes on both sides of the Channel that will require understanding and adaptation.
We are now working urgently across government and in collaboration with the music and wider creative industries, including through a new working group, to help understand and address these issues so that touring in Europe can resume with ease as soon as it is safe to do so.
As part of this work DCMS is working with the Foreign Office and others across government to consider how best to take forward engagement with EU Member States on these issues. It is within Member States’ gift to improve their arrangements and we will engage with bilateral partners to find ways to make life easier for those working in the creative industries in countries across the EU.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of non-tariff barriers to trade on small and medium-sized enterprises in the cultural sector which have exported to EU customers since 1 January 2021.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The Government recognises the importance of the creative and cultural sectors, and is fully committed to assist them to navigate the new rules under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
The Agreement ensures there will be zero tariffs or quotas on trade between the UK and the EU, where goods meet the relevant rules of origin, and includes provisions to facilitate trade and address non-tariff barriers for UK exports to the EU and vice versa.
The Government appreciates that leaving the European Union and the Customs Union will mean changes and new processes, and companies having to adapt to new rules of origin procedures.
We will continue engagement to understand the circumstances of companies in the cultural and creative sector, and to support them to adapt to new trading arrangements with the EU.