Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove and Portslade)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to increase funding for local authorities to deliver (a) the provision of youth workers on a long-term basis and (b) other core youth work.
Answered by Baroness Morgan of Cotes
Local Councils are directly responsible for allocating public funding to youth services in their area. We believe they are best placed to know what is required in their communities.
The government has announced that following the Spending Round councils will receive the biggest year-on-year real terms increase in funding for almost a decade. The proposed settlement will increase the core spending power of local authorities in real terms by an estimated 4.3% to £49.1 billion in 2020 to 2021, an increase of £2.9 billion.
To support the provision of youth services for all young people, a public call for evidence was opened on the 3rd October, as part of the review of the guidance which sets out the statutory duty placed on local authorities to provide appropriate local youth services. We expect that the review will provide greater clarity of Government’s expectations, including the value added by good youth work.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove and Portslade)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what his Department’s policy in on the practice of payment on publication in the journalism industry.
Answered by Margot James
Payment on publication is one aspect of contractual agreements between journalists and publishers and as such is not something in which the government would seek to intervene.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove and Portslade)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether it is his policy to maintain access to the Creative Europe programme after leaving the EU.
Answered by Margot James
The PM has previously made it clear where possible, the UK will continue to participate in EU programmes where there is mutual benefit to the UK and the EU.
The UK is exploring continued participation in EU programmes, including on culture and education where it is in the EU and UK's mutual interest. UK participation in programmes will be agreed between the parties and depend on the nature of the next generation of EU programmes and wider UK priorities. Any ongoing participation would need to be value for money for the UK taxpayer.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove and Portslade)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2017 to Question 5938, on occupational pensions: British Telecom, whether in the event of BT entering insolvent winding up, 100 per cent of BT Pension Scheme claimants' pension payments will be paid under the Crown Guarantee.
Answered by Matt Hancock
I refer the Hon Member to my answer to PQ 5938.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove and Portslade)
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 Answer of 12 September 2016 to Question 45539 from the right hon. Member for East Ham, on gaming machines, when the Triennial Review of Stakes and Prizes will be published.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
An announcement will be made in October.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove and Portslade)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when her Department plans to issue guidance to clarify the extent to which the Crown guarantee covers (a) existing pension payments of BT employees and (b) future pension payments of BT employees.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The Crown guarantee, given when BT was privatised, covers liabilities of BT plc to the BT Pension Scheme in the unlikely event of BT entering insolvent winding up.
We are committed to maintaining the Crown guarantee’s existing pension protection for the future accruals of pension benefits of BT Pension Scheme including those members who transfer to the new Openreach company as a result of BT's voluntary agreement with Ofcom. The Digital Economy Act 2017 includes a provision to ensure this protection will extend to the pensions of members transferring to the new Openreach company. We are now in the process of drafting a Statutory Instrument to implement the necessary changes to legislation. The Statutory Instrument will be laid before this House.
The current protection afforded to members who continue to be employed by BT plc; pensioners; their eligible dependents; and members of the Pension Scheme with deferred rights, will not be affected by the new legislation.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove and Portslade)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the current provision of skills required by the digital economy; and what steps he is taking to ensure that training delivered under the apprenticeship levy is geared towards high-value high-skilled jobs.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The digital sector contributes more than 7 per cent to the UK economy - it is one of our most innovative sectors, and needs a strong skills base to continue to grow and succeed. That is why this Government has implemented the new apprenticeship levy, and is consulting digital and technology employers to have a better understanding of their specific skills needs and assess the likely impacts of the levy on existing professional training programmes and initiatives.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove and Portslade)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the likely effect of the apprenticeship levy on existing professional training and digital skills initiatives provided by the digital technology industry.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The digital sector contributes more than 7 per cent to the UK economy - it is one of our most innovative sectors, and needs a strong skills base to continue to grow and succeed. That is why this Government has implemented the new apprenticeship levy, and is consulting digital and technology employers to have a better understanding of their specific skills needs and assess the likely impacts of the levy on existing professional training programmes and initiatives.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove and Portslade)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of (a) long-term skills and employment needs of the digital economy, (b) the role apprenticeships could play in meeting those needs and (c) the role alternative forms of professional training and vocational education could play in meeting those needs; and whether he plans for alternative forms of digital skills development to be supported by the Apprenticeship Levy.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Research from the Tech Partnership, estimates over a million new recruits are needed for digital roles across the workforce by 2023, including in growth areas such as cyber security, data analytics, cloud and mobile computing skills.
Apprenticeships have a key role to play in meeting the UK’s digital skills requirements. As part of the commitment to reach 3 million apprenticeships starts by 2020, Government is supporting the growth of apprenticeships in digital industry occupations at a range of levels, including the Digital Degree Apprenticeship. Employer-led apprenticeship reforms continue to improve quality and provide the high level skills that employers need.
Planned reforms to technical and professional education will introduce a new system of clear progression routes, from school to skilled employment.
The Chancellor will announce further details of the Apprenticeship Levy at the Spending Review, including the scope and rate.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove and Portslade)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will take steps to encourage (a) the training of school children in digital skills before they enter the workforce, (b) graduate schemes on digital skills, (c) improving the digital skills of the workforce of firms in the digital technology industry and (d) other initiatives to promote existing professional training and digital skills initiatives; and whether he plans for such initiatives to be supported by the Apprenticeship Levy.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Introduced in September 2014, the new statutory computing curriculum in primary and secondary schools is providing schoolchildren with the digital skills they will need for further study and employment. It is supported by revised computer science A levels, and revised GCSEs will be introduced from 2016. In September 2015 the Higher Education Funding Council for England invited bids for pilot conversion courses in high demand computer science disciplines. This will supply industry with a new stream of graduates with in-demand digital skills from summer 2017.
Additionally, this Government back a free ‘Introduction to Cyber Security’ course raising awareness of cyber security and developing the necessary skills in the sector. This Government is also funding pilots of short courses in key digital skills areas (web design, database management and digital marketing), designed and accredited by business.