Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the economic impact of the rollout of standalone 5G (a) in Blaenau Gwent constituency and (b) nationally.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
In 2017, the government set an ambition for the majority of the UK population to have access to 5G by 2027. This has been met five years early, with basic “non-standalone” 5G - which uses 5G equipment on 4G infrastructure.
We expect the Mobile Network Operators to begin deploying Standalone 5G in 2023. This next phase of investment will help unlock the full potential of 5G as a foundational technology for the knowledge-based economy, to support uses in industrial and innovation in the provision of public services, bringing both significant economic and societal benefits to the UK.
We are developing a Wireless Infrastructure Strategy which will establish a new ambition for 5G rollout, and set out how the UK can realise the full socioeconomic benefits of advanced wireless connectivity. We aim to publish the strategy early next year.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what criteria her Department plans to use to assess whether Parkrun events would be able to continue in the event that further covid-19 restrictions are introduced in response to increases in covid-19 cases.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Sports and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health and all generations and communities should be able to enjoy the health, wellbeing, social and other benefits of being active. This includes ParkRun which the government supported the safe return of between March and June 2021.
We knew the coming months would be challenging, which is why the government set out our Autumn and Winter plan earlier this year. However, the data does not currently show Plan B is necessary. Plan B does not include proposals to prevent physical activity.
Vaccines will continue to be our first line of defence and our focus remains on delivering boosters, vaccinating 12-15 year olds, mass testing to identify and isolate positive cases, and developing new treatments through our Antiviral Taskforce. The Government will continue to support and work with local authorities and local areas directly to reduce the spread and minimise the impact of COVID-19.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Parkrun’s covid-19 operating framework; and what plans he has to include Parkrun in his Department’s list of approved sports published on the Government’s website.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Government has prioritised the safe return of sport including team sports, contact combat sports and organised sports participation events. Organised outdoor sport, such as Parkrun, is exempt from legal gathering limits and can take place with any number of participants, as long as undertaken in line with published COVID-secure guidance. As such, Parkrun has been able to take place since 29 March as part of Step 1 of the government’s response to the Covid-19 Roadmap.
We are aware of issues at local levels around this, which is why I met with ParkRun on the 21 March to discuss the issues regarding their return. As the Secretary of State announced on 20th May, DCMS will be writing jointly with MHCLG to all Local Authorities to ensure these important events take place. I am committed to supporting them to return as soon as possible.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure bureaucracy at a local authority level does not restrict the return of safe and legal community sports events as covid-19 restrictions are eased.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Government has prioritised the safe return of sport including team sports, contact combat sports and organised sports participation events. Organised outdoor sport, such as Parkrun, is exempt from legal gathering limits and can take place with any number of participants, as long as undertaken in line with published COVID-secure guidance. As such, Parkrun has been able to take place since 29 March as part of Step 1 of the government’s response to the Covid-19 Roadmap.
We are aware of issues at local levels around this, which is why I met with ParkRun on the 21 March to discuss the issues regarding their return. As the Secretary of State announced on 20th May, DCMS will be writing jointly with MHCLG to all Local Authorities to ensure these important events take place. I am committed to supporting them to return as soon as possible.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he has taken with the Local Government Association and others on the return of parkrun.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Government has prioritised the safe return of sport including team sports, contact combat sports and organised sports participation events. Organised outdoor sport, such as Parkrun, is exempt from legal gathering limits and can take place with any number of participants, as long as undertaken in line with published COVID-secure guidance. As such, Parkrun has been able to take place since 29 March as part of Step 1 of the government’s response to the Covid-19 Roadmap.
We are aware of issues at local levels around this, which is why I met with ParkRun on the 21 March to discuss the issues regarding their return. As the Secretary of State announced on 20th May, DCMS will be writing jointly with MHCLG to all Local Authorities to ensure these important events take place. I am committed to supporting them to return as soon as possible.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential for Parkruns to return in England in June 2021.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Government has prioritised the safe return of sport including team sports, contact combat sports and organised sports participation events. Organised outdoor sport, such as Parkrun, is exempt from legal gathering limits and can take place with any number of participants, as long as undertaken in line with published COVID-secure guidance. As such, Parkrun has been able to take place since 29 March as part of Step 1 of the government’s response to the Covid-19 Roadmap.
We are aware of issues at local levels around this, which is why I met with ParkRun on the 21 March to discuss the issues regarding their return. As the Secretary of State announced on 20th May, DCMS will be writing jointly with MHCLG to all Local Authorities to ensure these important events take place. I am committed to supporting them to return as soon as possible.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what support will be offered to self-employed people in the arts after the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme closes.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
We recognise the crucial role that self-employed individuals play in making our arts and creative industries world-leading. The Self-Employed Income Support Scheme has helped millions of people across the UK, with those eligible receiving a cash grant worth 80% of their average monthly trading profit over the last three years. This has covered 95% of people who receive the majority of their income from self-employment.
In addition to this scheme designed to support the self-employed, the Government announced an unprecedented £1.57bn support package for organisations in the Arts and Culture sectors. This funding will help preserve and resume cultural activity, initially with socially distanced audiences and subsequently kick start employment opportunities for freelancers.
To complement the funding for organisations made available by Government, Arts Council England have announced £95m of additional support for individuals, including freelancers. This involves:
An additional £75m in project grants. These will be focused on applications that maximise employment opportunities and those from under-represented groups. Freelancers are eligible to apply directly. National Portfolio Organisations can also apply to create new work with bids that create employment opportunities prioritised.
A further round of the ACE programme ‘Discover Your Creative Practice’ will open in the autumn. This will make approximately £18m available for individuals looking to develop new creative skills that will help them to further develop their career.
ACE will also be adding £2m into relevant benevolent funds to support those less well supported by the programmes outlined above, including stage managers and technicians.
The government remains committed to supporting our prestigious and internationally renowned arts and cultural sector and is clear on the vital importance the Arts contribute to the well being of the nation at this time. We are committed to continuing to work with these sectors to understand the difficulties they face and help them access support through these challenging times and through recovery.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he has taken to ensure that funding from the Culture Recovery Fund reaches self-employed workers in the arts sector.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
We recognise the crucial role that self-employed individuals play in making our arts and creative industries world-leading. The Secretary of State has announced a major £1.57 billion support package for key cultural organisations to help them through the coronavirus pandemic. This funding will provide targeted support to organisations across a range of cultural and creative sectors. By preserving many arts and cultural institutions, the self-employed and freelance workers will benefit with increased employment opportunities as these organisations resume cultural activities.
To complement the funding for organisations made available by Government, Arts Council England have also announced £95m of additional support for individuals, including freelancers. This involves:
An additional £75m in project grants. These will be focused on applications that maximise employment opportunities and those from under-represented groups. Freelancers are eligible to apply directly. National Portfolio Organisations can also apply to create new work with bids that create employment opportunities prioritised.
A further round of the ACE programme ‘Discover Your Creative Practice’ will open in the autumn. This will make approximately £18m available for individuals looking to develop new creative skills that will help them to further develop their career.
ACE will also be adding £2m into relevant benevolent funds to support those less well supported by the programmes outlined above, including stage managers and technicians.
The government remains committed to supporting our prestigious and internationally renowned arts and cultural sector and is clear on the vital importance the Arts contribute to the well being of the nation at this time. We are committed to continuing to work with these sectors to understand the difficulties they face and help them access support through these challenging times and through recovery.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress has been made in improving terrestrial television coverage in (a) Blaenau Gwent and (b) other areas of the UK to ensure that all households have access to basic channels without needing to purchase a satellite dish.
Answered by Matt Hancock
Ofcom estimates that 98.5% of UK households have access to around 18 channels including those from the public service broadcasters (PSBs) on the digital terrestrial TV (DTT, or Freeview) platform. Around 90% of UK households are also able to receive additional commercial DTT channels. Around 1.5% of UK households cannot easily receive DTT services with less than 0.5% not able to receive DTT services at all. However, DTT, cable and satellite digital television services together cover practically 100% of UK households, so that in all but the most exceptional of cases, everyone, including homes in hard to reach areas, should be able to get digital television services. As well as subscription services, digital satellite TV offers non-subscription reception options for a one-off equipment and installation cost, but with no on-going monthly payments. This includes FreeSat free-to-view satellite service which was launched by the BBC and ITV in 2008.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the annual budget is for food produced for his Department's offices; and what proportion of food produced for his Department was sourced from British producers in the last period for which figures are available.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The Department does not set a budget for food served in its offices. Catering is available to the department but this is not managed by DCMS. Figures are not available for food purchased by staff for their own use.