Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government is taking to (a) increase self-reliance and (b) source suppliers of semiconductors and advanced chips alternative to those in Taiwan in response to Chinese aggression against that state.
Answered by Paul Scully
The UK and global economy is dependent on a resilient supply of semiconductors across a wide range of applications. The global supply chain for these semiconductor chips is complex and globalised, with long lead-times on new manufacturing capabilities making it difficult to quickly respond to exogenous supply chain shocks.
The Government is reviewing its approach to the UK’s global semiconductor sector, working with industry experts, representative bodies and the wider global community. We recognise that the issues facing the semiconductor sector cannot be solved by the UK alone, and are considering how best to ensure that the UK is resilient to disruptions to semiconductor supply chains. This will include considering how to strengthen the UK's own semiconductor sector and work with international partners to improve long term resilience within the global semiconductor ecosystem.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the 90/180 day period set out in the Schengen Borders Code for third-country nationals, whether negotiations are ongoing with the EU to help reduce potential barriers faced by artists, creatives and professionals who tour in Europe; and what other steps her Department is taking to assist those people tour in Europe.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is committed to supporting UK creatives to adapt to new arrangements when touring in the EU. The UK took an ambitious approach during negotiations with the EU that would have ensured that touring artists and their support staff did not need work-permits to perform in the EU. The Government deeply regrets that the EU rejected our proposals.
Our focus now is on supporting the sector by providing clarity, working with Member States, and implementing unilateral measures where possible. This includes the introduction of a ‘dual registration’ measure to help specialist hauliers move across the UK and EU.
The vast majority of Member States offer visa and work permit free routes for musicians and creative performers. This includes Spain, which introduced 90-day visa- and work permit- free touring in November 2021, and Greece, which announced a visa and work permit free route for UK creatives in June 2022, both following engagement by the UK Government and the sector.
We are aware that musicians and their support staff are concerned about the 90 in 180 day Schengen limit. Beyond this limit, creatives will be required to obtain the relevant visa or work permit for the relevant Member State, as artists from other third countries are required to do.
As rules and definitions vary across Member States, travellers should check with Member States’ own guidance before they travel. That is why we have worked closely with Member States to ensure their guidance is clear and accessible. As well as this, we have published guidance on GOV.UK, including updated travel advice for travelling to the EU, and individual business traveller summaries for EU Member States and European Economic Area (EEA) countries.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to tackle disinformation.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government takes the issue of misinformation and disinformation very seriously.
The DCMS-led Counter Disinformation Unit is leading work to tackle this, bringing together monitoring and analysis capabilities across government and working with a range of partners, including social media platforms.
Our Online Safety Bill will force companies to tackle misinformation and disinformation. However, we expect companies to take steps now to improve safety, and not wait for the legislation to come into force before acting.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, for what reason retired (a) police officers and (b) members of the armed forces will not receive the Queen’s platinum Jubilee Medal.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Platinum Jubilee Medal is a commemorative medal, and as with previous Jubilee medals, is awarded to those serving at the time of the anniversary of Her Majesty The Queen’s accession. It is not an award for either long or valuable service which are recognised in other ways.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans does he have to launch an independent public inquiry into the collapse of Football Index.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The government is taking the collapse of Football Index and the concerns of those affected by it very seriously, and the Secretary of State and I have met the Gambling Commission to receive urgent updates. We are particularly keen to understand both how this situation came about and what lessons we can learn from these events. Further details will be provided in due course.
DCMS officials were made aware of the challenges facing Football Index in March 2021 shortly before the Gambling Commission suspended the licence of BetIndex Ltd, the operator of Football Index. The Gambling Commission’s regulatory investigation is ongoing. While we have been in close contact with the Commission as it continues its investigation, its role as set out in the Gambling Act is to conduct investigations fully independent of Government. It is not for the government to direct independent regulatory bodies on individual cases.
Our Review of the Gambling Act 2005 is considering a range of questions around the regulation of gambling, including the powers and resources of the Commission and whether any changes to the legislation are required to make it fit for the digital age. The review will also consider whether an alternative system of consumer redress, such as an ombudsman, is needed. Our call for evidence closed on 31 March and we are carefully considering the responses received.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
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 in response to the suspension of Football Index's licence; what assessment he has made of the adequacy of regulation of the gambling industry in relation to Football Index; and what protection is available to people who have funds deposited with that company.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The government recognises the concerns of Football Index customers and is monitoring the situation closely. The Gambling Commission has suspended the operator’s licence while it carries out an investigation and has made clear it expects the operator to focus on treating customers fairly. Further information is available at: http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/news-action-and-statistics/News/information-notice-suspension-of-licence-betindex-limited