Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of (a) adult gaming centres and (b) bingo clubs on communities.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Minister for Gambling met with representatives of Bacta, a trade association which represents the adult gaming centre sector, at the Bingo Association Annual General Meeting on 1 May 2025, where she also met with other representatives from the land-based gambling sector. A further meeting between the Minister for Gambling and Bacta is scheduled in May 2025. The Minister has held several other meetings with representatives from the land-based gambling sector.
The Government recognises the contributions that adult gaming centres and bingo clubs make to communities, including providing local employment and spaces where people can have fun and socialise. We will continue to work with the land-based gambling sector to mitigate the risks of gambling-related harm and strengthen player protections in venues.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent meetings she has held with the land based adult gaming sector.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Minister for Gambling met with representatives of Bacta, a trade association which represents the adult gaming centre sector, at the Bingo Association Annual General Meeting on 1 May 2025, where she also met with other representatives from the land-based gambling sector. A further meeting between the Minister for Gambling and Bacta is scheduled in May 2025. The Minister has held several other meetings with representatives from the land-based gambling sector.
The Government recognises the contributions that adult gaming centres and bingo clubs make to communities, including providing local employment and spaces where people can have fun and socialise. We will continue to work with the land-based gambling sector to mitigate the risks of gambling-related harm and strengthen player protections in venues.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to improve the inclusivity of public services for autistic people.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
From 1 July 2022, service providers registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) are required to ensure their staff receive learning disability and autism training appropriate to their role, as set out in the Health and Care Act 2022. To support this, we are rolling out the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism. Over two million people have now completed the e-learning module, which is the first part of the training.
The Government has also committed to raising awareness of all forms of neurodiversity, including autism, in the workplace. An independent panel made of academics with expertise and experiences of neurodiversity, including autism, has been launched to advise the Government on fostering more inclusive workplaces. This will build on the recommendations outlined in the Buckland Review of Autism Employment, which related solely to autism.
The Department of Health and Social Care is also working closely with the Department for Education on reforms to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system to improve inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs. We are also supporting earlier intervention for children with SEND through the Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) programme. PINS brings together integrated care boards, local authorities, and schools, working in partnership with parents and carers to support schools to better meet the needs of neurodivergent children and their families.