Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the introduction of the Terms of Trade regime under the Communications Act 2003 on the (a) independent television production sector and (b) creative economy.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The terms of trade regime as set out in the Communications Act 2003 has been central to the growth of the independent television production sector and the wider creative economy since it was introduced in 2004. A recent report from Pact, the trade body representing independent film and television producers, highlighted how the regime had played an important role in enabling independent producers to retain more of the intellectual property they create.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the implementation of the terms of trade outlined in the Communications Act 2003 on the (a) independent television production sector and (b) creative economy.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The terms of trade regime as set out in the Communications Act 2003 has been central to the growth of the independent television production sector and the wider creative economy since it was introduced in 2004. A recent report from Pact, the trade body representing independent film and television producers highlighted how the regime had played an important role in enabling independent producers to retain more of the intellectual property they create.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what support she is providing to help ensure the Imperial War Museum’s Second World War Centenary Digitisation Project is able to upload and make accessible to the public photographs and reels of film.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Officials in my Department have been holding discussions with the Museum on this project as we value the Museum’s work marking significant national occasions, including the 80th anniversaries of Victory in Europe Day and Victory in Japan Day later this year. I am also delighted that we were able to confirm a Grant in Aid uplift for all national museums at the recent Budget which will support the Museum’s overall financial position.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
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 remove the documentary Silenced from online distribution.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The removal of online content is not within my department’s powers.
I can confirm that this film has not been classified by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC).
It is for the courts to determine whether this content is in contempt of court and for the online sites hosting the content to remove content where it breaches their own standards or where instructed.
A person may be liable for contempt of court where they know of an injunction and do anything to help or permit the person to whom it applies to breach its terms. It is for the Attorney General to consider each particular case and determine the appropriate course of action. Bringing proceedings for contempt of court is a Law Officer function which is exercised independently of the government.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to help prevent premiership rugby clubs from closure due to the financial impact of covid-19.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Sport clubs are a vital part of our local communities and culture, which is why the government stepped in to provide significant financial support to them during the pandemic.
This support included the £600m Sport Survival Package (SSP), set up to provide direct financial support to sports reliant on spectators and impacted by the pandemic restrictions. £124m of this funding was provided to Premiership rugby clubs, who were the largest recipients of SSP funding.
DCMS continues to work closely with all SSP loan recipients, including rugby clubs, as well as Premiership Rugby and Rugby Football Union to understand the current situation and ensure a positive outcome for the sport.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support (a) Facebook and (b) other social media companies to prevent the spread of Russian disinformation through their platforms.
Answered by Chris Philp - Shadow Home Secretary
Russia continues to use disinformation to attempt to justify its military action against Ukraine. Accompanied by baseless rhetoric and disinformation, Russian authorities falsely cast Ukraine as a threat to justify their aggressive stance.
The DCMS-led Counter Disinformation Unit (CDU) is working to identify and counter Russian disinformation targeted at UK and international audiences. We are working closely with the major social media platforms, including Meta (Facebook’s parent company), to ensure that they are cooperating at speed to swiftly remove disinformation and coordinated inauthentic or manipulated behaviour, as per their Terms of Service. We are also ensuring that platforms are promoting authoritative content which accurately depicts the ongoing situation in Ukraine.
The government welcomes the actions that Meta and YouTube have taken to block channels connected to RT and Sputnik in the EU and the UK, and the Secretary of State has written to other major platforms, including Twitter and TikTok, to ask that they take similar action. We also welcome the actions Twitter has taken to label Russian-state affiliated accounts and media links and prohibit Russian state media from running adverts or monetisation on the platform.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has evidence of Russian disinformation efforts aimed at disrupting UK society, including through (a) RT and (b) other front organisations such as the Internet Research Agency; and what steps her Department is taking to (i) monitor and (ii) counter Russian disinformation efforts.
Answered by Chris Philp - Shadow Home Secretary
Russia continues to use disinformation to attempt to justify its military action against Ukraine. Accompanied by baseless rhetoric and disinformation, Russian authorities falsely cast Ukraine as a threat to justify their aggressive stance.
The DCMS-led Counter Disinformation Unit (CDU) is working to identify and counter Russian disinformation targeted at UK and international audiences. We are working closely with the major social media platforms, including Meta (Facebook’s parent company), to ensure that they are cooperating at speed to swiftly remove disinformation and coordinated inauthentic or manipulated behaviour, as per their Terms of Service. We are also ensuring that platforms are promoting authoritative content which accurately depicts the ongoing situation in Ukraine.
The government welcomes the actions that Meta and YouTube have taken to block channels connected to RT and Sputnik in the EU and the UK, and the Secretary of State has written to other major platforms, including Twitter and TikTok, to ask that they take similar action. We also welcome the actions Twitter has taken to label Russian-state affiliated accounts and media links and prohibit Russian state media from running adverts or monetisation on the platform.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of China hosting the Winter Olympic Games on the reputation of that event.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is wholly responsible for the election process of the host nation of future Olympic and Paralympic Games. The host city is elected by a majority of the votes cast by secret ballot, with each active member of the IOC having one vote.