Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that more people from disadvantaged backgrounds take up journalism courses and training.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
It is key that the public feel represented and reflected by the media. Journalism plays an invaluable role in the fabric of our society and we are committed to supporting a free, sustainable and plural media landscape. Encouraging more people from disadvantaged backgrounds to enter the industry may have a positive impact on the sustainability of the industry where it helps news publishers improve their appeal to currently underserved and under-represented audiences. Government believes that we need routes into journalism that are open to everyone, wherever they grow up.
High-quality apprenticeships available to support employers and learners in the news sector, including the Level 5 Journalist apprenticeship standard, are a means to help enable this. DCMS is working closely with DfE on their work to reform the growth and skills levy. The new growth and skills offer, with apprenticeships at the heart, will deliver greater flexibility for learners and employers in England, and will be aligned with the Industrial Strategy to create routes into good skilled jobs.
This support complements the industry’s own efforts, and we welcome the National Council for the Training of Journalists’ (NCTJ) recent launch of the new phase of the Community News Project, a major initiative to strengthen local journalism and improve local newsroom diversity across the UK through apprenticeship placements. This project demonstrates the type of industry collaboration which can help secure the future of local journalism, which we want to further encourage through our Local Media Strategy.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will make an assessment of the sustainability of local news outlets in (a) Greater Manchester and (b) North West of England.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Sustainability of local journalism across the country is an area of particular concern for this Government, including in Greater Manchester and the North West of England. We are developing a Local Media Strategy, in recognition of the importance of this vital sector. Our vision is a thriving local media that can continue to play an invaluable role as a key channel of trustworthy information at local level, reporting on the issues that matter to communities, reflecting their contributions and perspectives, and helping to foster a self-confident nation in which everyone feels that their contribution is part of an inclusive national story.
We are working across Government and with other stakeholders as the Strategy develops, and we recently held a roundtable discussion with local news editors from across the country, including from Manchester Evening news, to discuss our planned approach and explore further collaboration on the Strategy. We will announce further details in due course.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
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 increase participation of (a) girls and (b) women in cricket.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
We are dedicated to supporting every aspect of women’s sport and ensuring all women and girls, no matter their background, have access to high quality sport.
Sport England’s This Girl Can campaign has also inspired millions of women and girls to get active in a way that suits them including through cricket. In addition, Sport England funded the Dream Big Desi Women programme, run together with the ECB, which encouraged 2,000 South Asian women to take up coaching in cricket, with 84% saying they were very likely to take part again in 2023.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
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 the England and Wales Cricket Board on (a) racism and (b) discrimination in cricket.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Government is clear that racism has no place in cricket, sport, or society at large. I regularly meet with the England and Wales Cricket Board to discuss a range of issues, including equality, diversity and inclusion.
It is ultimately for all individual sports’ national governing bodies, to decide on the specific aims, appropriate initiatives and funding to tackle discrimination in their organisations.
The ECB has provided a full response to the 2023 Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket report, and has publicly committed to taking on board the majority of the recommendations to create lasting change across the sport. We welcome the ECB’s commitment to tackle these serious issues and secure a sustainable future for the sport. Government will be monitoring closely to ensure that progress is made.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help increase participation of (a) girls and (b) women in cricket.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Government is committed to supporting women's sport at every opportunity including pushing for greater participation.
We are pleased to see the significant progress in the number of women and girls taking up cricket in recent years, and wider developments in the women’s game, as noted by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) report. The England and Wales Cricket Board’s five year plan, Inspiring Generations, launched in 2020 aims to inspire a new generation to believe that ‘cricket is a game for me’. The plan focuses on six priority areas including making cricket gender-neutral with women and girls being properly represented across the whole game.
Initiatives like Chance to Shine, which receives funding from Sport England, play an important role in encouraging girls to play cricket. The project gives all children the opportunity to play, learn and develop through cricket.
The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) report notes that while positive progress has been made in the women’s game, there are still areas of concern where more action is needed.
The ECB has provided a full response to the ICEC report and has committed to taking on board the majority of the recommendations to create lasting change across the sport. We welcome the ECB’s commitment to bring forward a plan to tackle these serious issues and secure a sustainable future for the sport, and look forward to receiving updates on this.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will have discussions with representatives of Britannia Hotels on the impact of the closure of Pontins Holiday Parks on (a) staff, (b) local tourism and (c) community organisations using the parks for events.
Answered by Julia Lopez
Holiday parks are a key part of the UK’s tourism landscape and enjoyed by many visitors around the country, as well as being important local employers and bringing wider benefits to regional visitor economies.
As a department, we are therefore concerned about the closures of Pontins sites at Prestatyn Sands, Camber Sands and Southport, particularly with regards to supporting staff from those sites who no longer have roles, as well as tourism businesses who rely on the secondary spend of visitors to Pontins.
The Culture Secretary has set out her concerns around job losses and the impact on the local tourism sector in written correspondence with Britannia, and requested a meeting to discuss.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to support the foundation of a specialist charity for tackling all forms of discrimination in cricket.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Government is clear that there is absolutely no place for racism, discrimination, bullying or harassment in sport or society. We are reviewing the findings of the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket report, and we welcome the ECB’s commitment to bring forward a plan to tackle these serious issues, which must be addressed fully.
There are a number of organisations and initiatives that aim to tackle discrimination and improve diversity and inclusion in cricket.
This includes the African-Caribbean Engagement Programme (ACE), which addresses the decline in cricket participation by members of the Black community in cricket, and has received £540,000 of Sport England funding between 2020 and 2023.
The Chance to Shine foundation, which receives funding from Sport England, is focussed in areas with a lack of accessible clubs and green spaces, making cricket accessible to young people throughout England and Wales.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
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 4 July 2023 to Question 191212 on Swimming Pools: Greater Manchester, how much and what proportion of the additional £60 million support package will be allocated to local authority-run swimming pools in Greater Manchester.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Funding allocations for the Swimming Pool Support Fund will be made after a competitive application process, the first phase of which is now open and will close on 11 August. All Local Authorities with swimming pools are encouraged to apply. The second phase - covering capital investment - will follow this.
After the application process closes, grants will be made directly by Sport England to successful local authorities. As the application process is currently ongoing, no decisions on the allocation of funding have yet been made. Further details on the Swimming Pool Support Fund, including information on how to apply, can be found on the Sport England website.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
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 implications for her policies of the disparity in earnings between male and female cricketers at a professional level.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Government is fully committed to supporting and growing women’s sport, from the grassroots through to elite competition. This includes cricket.
However, we recognise that there is more to do. The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket report notes that while progress has been made in the women’s game, there are still areas for concern. Clearly the sport needs to reflect carefully on these findings and consider how best to deliver clear and sustained cultural change across cricket, including around equitable treatment of men and women working within the sport. The Government will review the findings of the report and we welcome the ECB’s commitment to bring forward a plan to tackle these serious issues, which must be addressed fully.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
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 estimate of the number of council-run swimming pools in Greater Manchester.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
We recognise the importance of ensuring public access to swimming pools, as swimming is a great way for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy. The responsibility of providing this access lies at Local Authority level, and the Government continues to encourage Local Authorities to support swimming facilities.
We have also confirmed an additional £60 million support package for swimming pools, which is targeted at addressing cost pressures facing public swimming pool providers and helping make facilities sustainable in the long-term.
Data held by Sport England shows that at June 2023 there are 86 operational swimming pools (with 5 temporarily closed) across 48 sites owned by Local Authorities in the Greater Manchester area.