Asked by: Sajid Javid (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
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 support the roll-out of superfast broadband to rural communities in (a) Worcestershire and (b) Bromsgrove District.
Answered by Matt Warman
Good progress has been made in Worcestershire, with over 96% of premises able to access superfast broadband - up from 25% in November 2010. In Bromsgrove District, over 96% of premises have access to superfast broadband, up from 24% in October 2010. Gigabit-capable coverage in the District stands at 49% which is almost double the UK figure of 26%.
For those premises that are still struggling from slow speeds, DCMS runs a voucher scheme that can be used by rural communities across the UK to reduce the cost of installing gigabit-capable connectivity. This provides a voucher worth up to £3,500 for eligible small businesses and vouchers worth up to £1,500 for residents. The department is also in discussion with Worcestershire County Council about a ‘top-up’ scheme which could potentially increase these voucher values.
Furthermore the government has pledged £5 billion to invest in the hardest to reach areas of the UK. Supplier engagement has taken place over the summer, and their feedback will be used to refine and finalise the delivery vehicle of the programme.
Bromsgrove was included in recent Openreach announcements of towns that they have included in the first wave of their national fibre rollout programme which they call “Fibre First”. The full list, including Bromsgrove, is here: https://www.openreach.com/content/dam/openreach/openreach-dam-files/images/fibre-broadband/fibre-first/DCMS%20Transparency%20Data%20Capture%2029%20Jul%202020.pdf
Asked by: Sajid Javid (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
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 work with (a) football clubs and (b) the governing bodies of English football beyond Step 5 on a safe return to playing football as covid-19 restrictions are eased.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
On 18th July the Football Association published their guidance for the safe return of grassroots football, approved by the government. The government will continue to work closely with all the football authorities as guidance for sport, at all levels, is developed -including the return of spectators to stadia.
Asked by: Sajid Javid (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, on what date his Department plans to open applications for grants and loans as part of the Government's £1.57 billion support package for arts, cultural and heritage institutions.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
On 5 July, the government 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 sectors, including performing arts and theatres, museums and galleries, heritage sites, live music venues and independent cinema.
Further detailed guidance, including eligibility and application processes, will be published as soon as possible in July.
Asked by: Sajid Javid (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what financial support is (a) his Department, (b) Arts Council England and (c) other public bodies making available for independent museums during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis officials and ministers have been in even more regular contact to understand the impact of the pandemic and the measures the Government has taken to fight it. And to understand what support museums and heritage organisations need and how best to get it to them.
DCMS arms’ length bodies have created sector specific support. Arts Council England launched a £160 million Emergency Funding Package, the National Lottery Heritage Fund launched the £50 million Heritage Emergency Fund, and Historic England launched a £2 million Emergency Fund. That is over £200 million of emergency support especially for culture and heritage. This emergency short-term funding will help address pressures over the next 3-6 months for those organisations most in immediate need.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister has just announced a £1.57 billion investment to protect Britain’s world-class cultural, arts and heritage institutions. The money, which represents the biggest ever one-off investment in UK culture, will provide a lifeline to vital cultural and heritage organisations across the country hit hard by the pandemic. It will help them stay afloat while their doors are closed.
The Government has also announced unprecedented support for business and workers, to protect them against the current economic emergency. This includes the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and VAT payment deferrals. We know that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, in particular, has been a lifeline for these sectors. The Chancellor announced further extensions to this scheme, taking it through to October
The Government continues to monitor the impact of these and other measures.
Asked by: Sajid Javid (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
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 support sports clubs in Worcestershire.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
I have been holding regular discussions with sector and industry bodies to understand the impact of COVID-19 on sport and how we can provide support. This includes chairing a fortnightly meeting with over 25 sporting organisations.
The Chancellor has announced a host of measures to help businesses, with £330 billion worth of government backed and guaranteed loans to support businesses across the UK. In addition, Sport England, has also announced £210 million of funding to help sport and physical activity organisations deal with the short and long term effects of the pandemic. Further information on the support available can be found on the Sport England website
Asked by: Sajid Javid (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will publish guidance for charities on preparations of a future TNLCF application process.
Answered by John Whittingdale
Government announced a £750m civil society support package on 8 April. In addition to the £360m funding being distributed by central Government Departments, part of this package will include an open fund for charities and social enterprises working with vulnerable people affected by the crisis in England. This will be provided through the National Lottery Community Fund.
DCMS is working at pace with NLCF to finalise the details for this fund and we expect the application system for this fund to be operational shortly. Supporting information such as guidance will be provided for the application process. We want the funding to be distributed as quickly as possible while ensuring that it goes to those charities which are best equipped to use it to contribute to the Covid-19 response. An announcement will follow shortly.