Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to extend new capital funding for culture venues to include local independent cinemas.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

We are very proud to be delivering a significant package of funding for arts and cultural organisations. I understand the disappointment that funding for independent cinemas was not included in that announcement, though we have no current plans to extend that funding further. We are still operating within a challenging fiscal climate, and across government we have had to make very difficult decisions about where to direct available funding.

In recognition of the challenges that continue to face cinemas across the country, we have introduced permanently lower business rates multipliers for eligible cinemas, which will support the independent cinema sector. We will also continue to stimulate production in order to create a strong slate of films that will support our cinemas to thrive; we are doing this through generous tax incentives, investing in production support services, and delivering our £75 million Screen Growth Package under the Creative Industries Sector Plan. And the British Film Institute, as a DCMS Arm’s Length Body, will continue to support cinemas through the Film Audience Network, a network of more than 1800 cinemas and exhibitors, led by ‘Film Hubs’ across the UK.

My department will continue to work closely with the BFI, UK Cinema Association, and the wider sector to identify further ways to support this industry, and to ensure that cinemas can continue to make culture accessible to every person across the UK.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding she plans to provide for local cinemas in the next 12 months.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

We are very proud to be delivering a significant package of funding for arts and cultural organisations. I understand the disappointment that funding for independent cinemas was not included in that announcement, though we have no current plans to extend that funding further. We are still operating within a challenging fiscal climate, and across government we have had to make very difficult decisions about where to direct available funding.

In recognition of the challenges that continue to face cinemas across the country, we have introduced permanently lower business rates multipliers for eligible cinemas, which will support the independent cinema sector. We will also continue to stimulate production in order to create a strong slate of films that will support our cinemas to thrive; we are doing this through generous tax incentives, investing in production support services, and delivering our £75 million Screen Growth Package under the Creative Industries Sector Plan. And the British Film Institute, as a DCMS Arm’s Length Body, will continue to support cinemas through the Film Audience Network, a network of more than 1800 cinemas and exhibitors, led by ‘Film Hubs’ across the UK.

My department will continue to work closely with the BFI, UK Cinema Association, and the wider sector to identify further ways to support this industry, and to ensure that cinemas can continue to make culture accessible to every person across the UK.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when his Department plans to respond to responses received on the Consultation on the implementation of the new subscription contracts regime in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The government is committed to protecting consumers who enter into subscription contracts. We consulted on the implementation of the new subscription contracts regime in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act and have engaged closely with stakeholders. We are carefully considering the points raised and a government response will be published in due course.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of the cooling-off period provision in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 on cultural, heritage and tourism organisations operating on a subscription model, including national museums and galleries.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

This government recognises the significant public value delivered by the UK’s charitable sector.

The government has consulted on the implementation of the subscriptions regime in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act 2024. The consultation received over 70 responses including 15 from charitable organisations, and the government is engaging closely with the sector to understand the impacts on both consumers and these bodies.

The impact assessment for the subscriptions chapter in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act can be found here: Subscription traps: annex 2 impact assessment. Together, the subscription measures are anticipated to provide £400m of consumer benefits per year and the estimated net direct cost to businesses is £171m per year. Sector-specific analysis has not been conducted.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will undertake a review of the Highways Act 1980 in regard to road adoptions, in the context of the cost to residents of petitioning under Section 37 of the Act for roads on a new estate to be adopted when developers go into administration.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department is undertaking a dedicated research project examining the current road adoption landscape in England, collating evidence from local highway authorities and stakeholders, and assessing options to streamline processes and improve outcomes. Findings from this work will inform any future policy or legislative considerations. We will consider the implications of the project’s conclusions for developments such as Wychavon in due course and will set out next steps once the research is complete.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government plans to update the Highways Act (1980) to support the delivery of news homes, including the Wychavon Town development in Worcestershire.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department is undertaking a dedicated research project examining the current road adoption landscape in England, collating evidence from local highway authorities and stakeholders, and assessing options to streamline processes and improve outcomes. Findings from this work will inform any future policy or legislative considerations. We will consider the implications of the project’s conclusions for developments such as Wychavon in due course and will set out next steps once the research is complete.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many fires there have been at illegal waste and recycling facilities in England in the last three years.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government collects data on fires at waste and recycling facilities attended by fire and rescue services in England. However, it does not specify if the premises was operating legally or illegally.

Specifically, the published data shows the number of fires at recycling centres and is published in the Other building fire incident level data set, available here.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Fire Service’s powers to prevent fires at illegal waste sites.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

No assessment has been undertaken by this Department. Responsibility for tackling illegal waste sites and preventing waste-related fires, sits with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with enforcement undertaken by the Environment Agency and local authorities under the waste regulatory regime.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the administrative costs to charities caused by the current manual Gift Aid process, including the time and resources spent correcting errors and navigating rules.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC has worked collaboratively with a broad range of charity sector stakeholders to explore the potential of Future of Gift Aid (FOGA). This work included extensive research and analysis of the implications of FOGA and the effectiveness of the existing Gift Aid system.

HMRC has not made a formal quantitative assessment of the administrative costs to charities arising from the current Gift Aid process. HMRC will continue to engage with the charities sector to improve the way that Gift Aid works through the use of digital technology.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with HMRC regarding the Future of Gift Aid pilot, and what assessment has been made of its potential impact on the charity sector.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC has worked collaboratively with a broad range of charity sector stakeholders to explore the potential of Future of Gift Aid (FOGA). This work included extensive research and analysis of the implications of FOGA and the effectiveness of the existing Gift Aid system.

HMRC has not made a formal quantitative assessment of the administrative costs to charities arising from the current Gift Aid process. HMRC will continue to engage with the charities sector to improve the way that Gift Aid works through the use of digital technology.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussion she has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport about the financial burden on charities arising from VAT on social media advertising.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. VAT is the UK’s third largest tax, forecast to raise £180 billion in 2025/26. Taxation is a vital source of revenue that helps to fund vital public services including schools and hospitals.

Charities already benefit from a reduced (5%) or zero rate of tax when purchasing some goods and services. More information about VAT relief for charities can be found here: VAT for charities: What qualifies for VAT relief - GOV.UK. The Government has no plans to broaden this list of goods and services to include social media advertising, but takes steps elsewhere in the tax system to ensure that charities receive treatment that takes account of their unique status and invaluable contribution.

Our tax regime for charities, including gift aid and an exemption from paying business rates, is among the most generous of anywhere in the world, with tax reliefs for charities and their donors worth just over £6 billion for the tax year to April 2024.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on updating VAT guidance to recognise social media advertising as qualifying zero rated charity advertising.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. VAT is the UK’s third largest tax, forecast to raise £180 billion in 2025/26. Taxation is a vital source of revenue that helps to fund vital public services including schools and hospitals.

Charities already benefit from a reduced (5%) or zero rate of tax when purchasing some goods and services. More information about VAT relief for charities can be found here: VAT for charities: What qualifies for VAT relief - GOV.UK. The Government has no plans to broaden this list of goods and services to include social media advertising, but takes steps elsewhere in the tax system to ensure that charities receive treatment that takes account of their unique status and invaluable contribution.

Our tax regime for charities, including gift aid and an exemption from paying business rates, is among the most generous of anywhere in the world, with tax reliefs for charities and their donors worth just over £6 billion for the tax year to April 2024.