Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with terrestrial TV broadcasters on free to view broadcasting of international football matches involving each of the home nations.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government believes that certain sporting events of national interest should be shown on free-to-air television rather than behind a paywall, so that they can be enjoyed by as wide an audience as possible. That is why we have the listed events regime.
In determining what events form part of this regime, a balance between accessibility and the ability of sporting organisations to generate revenues from commercial broadcast arrangements to invest in the development of their sports from the grassroots up. The Government believes that the current list strikes an appropriate balance, and has no current plans to undertake a full review of the events on the list.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 July 2023 to Question 194250 on Gambling, which targeted consultations were published as of 11 September 2023.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
On 26 July 2023 we published two consultations covering maximum stake limits for online slots games and measures relating to the land based sector. A third Department for Culture, Media and Sport consultation on the statutory levy committed in the white paper will also follow in the coming weeks.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will take steps to introduce legislative proposals to improve fairness and transparency relating to the use of dynamic pricing and secondary selling by events and ticketing sales companies.
Answered by John Whittingdale
We are committed to supporting fair and transparent ticket pricing and tackling unacceptable behaviour in this market.
We have strengthened the law in relation to ticketing information requirements and have introduced a criminal offence of using automated software to buy more tickets online than is allowed. We also support the work of enforcement agencies in this area, such as the Competition and Markets Authority, National Trading Standards, and the advertising industry's own regulator the Advertising Standards Authority.
Ultimately, ticket pricing strategies are a matter for event organisers and ticketing platforms, providing they comply with relevant legislation, particularly regarding transparency to customers on how tickets are priced, in order to help consumers make a fair and informed decision.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme on promoting, developing and widening access to field hockey.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Supporting grassroots sport is a key government priority to ensure that everyone is able to access quality sport and physical activity opportunities, and enjoy the physical and mental health benefits that exercise provides.
The Government has committed to delivering the facilities that every community needs, and is investing over £300 million across the UK between 2021 and 2025 as a step towards that ambition. This will promote and widen access to grassroots sports, including field hockey.
England Hockey engages with the Football Foundation and wider partners on how they can work together and benefit from the Government’s investment in UK-wide multisport facilities. Sport England has also provided England Hockey with grant support to update their national facility strategy.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 18 October 2022 to Question 61996 on Gambling Act 2005 Review, what further steps her Department plans to take to prepare for publication the response to that Review.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Gambling Act Review is an extensive evidence-led review, which aims to ensure regulation is fit for the digital age. We will publish a White Paper setting out our conclusions and next steps in the coming weeks, following normal processes for agreeing and publishing government policy.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with representatives from Ticketmaster on their new dynamic pricing policy.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DCMS officials are routinely in touch with relevant ticketing trade bodies and organisations, to discuss ongoing developments in the market, as are BEIS and Competition and Markets Authority officials. As a Government, we are committed to supporting fair and transparent ticket pricing and tackling unacceptable behaviour.
Ultimately, ticket pricing strategies are a matter for event organisers and ticketing platforms, providing they comply with relevant legislation. As the Consumer Rights Act makes clear, event organisers and ticketing platforms are expected to be transparent with customers on how they price their tickets and what specific pricing strategies they use. This is to help consumers to make a fair and informed decision.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 September 2022 to Question HL2267 on Gambling Act 2005 Review, what her Department's timescale is for publishing their response to their review of the Gambling Act 2005.
Answered by Damian Collins
The Gambling Act Review is a wide-ranging and comprehensive look at gambling legislation and regulation in Great Britain to make sure it is fit for the digital age. We will publish a White paper setting out our vision for the sector in the coming weeks.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what her policy is on the proposed privatisation of Channel 4.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Channel 4 is a great UK success story and, in a rapidly changing media landscape, the government wants Channel 4 to have the necessary tools to thrive in the long-term while maintaining its distinctiveness. It is right that the government looks again in detail at the business case for a sale of Channel 4, and I will announce next steps in due course.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with broadcasters on the potential merits of free to view broadcast of international rugby matches involving (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) Wales.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
I refer to my previous answer of 19 November 2021 that the Department has discussions regularly with broadcasters on a range of matters including those related to the broadcasting of Sport.
The Listed Events regime is designed to ensure that sporting events of national significance are accessible to as wide an audience as possible by ensuring that coverage of certain sports are offered to free-to-air broadcasters. Currently, matches in the Rugby World Cup finals tournament and Six Nations Rugby matches involving home countries are designated on the listed events regime under Group B. This means that they are protected for delayed coverage and/or highlights packages on free-to-air television but it does not preclude these events from being broadcast live on free-to-air television.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with broadcasters on the potential merits of free to view broadcast of international football matches involving (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) Wales.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department has discussions regularly with broadcasters on a range of matters including those related to the broadcasting of Sport.
The Listed Events regime is designed to ensure that sporting events of national significance are accessible to as wide an audience as possible by ensuring that coverage of certain sports are offered to free-to-air broadcasters. Currently, international football matches for the FIFA World Cup Finals Tournament and the European Football Championships Finals Tournament are designated on the listed events regime under Group A - where full live coverage must be offered for free-to-air broadcast. This includes the matches of the home countries that have qualified for the event.
We believe that the current Listed Events regime works well and strikes an appropriate balance between retaining free-to-air sports events for the public while allowing rights holders to negotiate agreements in the best interests of their sport.