Asked by: Sally-Ann Hart (Conservative - Hastings and Rye)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, for what reason payment for Accommodation for Residential Care Concessionary TV Licence can only be paid by cheque and not by BACS; and if she will take steps to ensure that the TV Licensing Authority will accept BACS for such payments.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The BBC is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the TV licensing system, and is operationally and editorially independent of government. The BBC have confirmed ARC scheme payments can be paid by BACS transfer as well as cheque.
Asked by: Sally-Ann Hart (Conservative - Hastings and Rye)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what measures are in place to ensure that Historic England can compel owners of ancient monuments, which are on the at risk register, to repair and keep in good order those ruins and buildings.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
Historic England has no powers to compel the owners of Scheduled Ancient Monuments to keep them in good order, however its Heritage At Risk Repair Grants budget can help fund the repair and conservation of those that have been included on its Heritage at Risk Register. It can also fund activities that help to reduce or avoid related risks.
Asked by: Sally-Ann Hart (Conservative - Hastings and Rye)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps are being taken to ensure that neighbours can share any additional cost of delivering broadband under the Universal Service Obligation for broadband once the cost cap for delivery has been reached.
Answered by Matt Warman
Implementation of the Universal Service Obligation is the responsibility of Ofcom. The Universal Service Conditions set out by Ofcom require the Universal Service Providers to divide the ‘Total Cost of Provision of Infrastructure which is capable of being shared’ by the ‘Number of relevant premises’.
As the independent regulator, Ofcom is currently investigating BT’s compliance with its obligations as a broadband Universal Service Provider as they are concerned BT may not be complying with the regulatory conditions correctly when it assesses excess costs for a given connection.
We understand that Ofcom expects to determine the next steps before the end of this year.
Asked by: Sally-Ann Hart (Conservative - Hastings and Rye)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to encourage local authorities to market and promote their areas as part of a wider scheme to promote domestic tourism and support the tourism and hospitality sectors.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
We recognise that these are extremely difficult conditions for tourism businesses across the country, including those along the South East coast. We continue to listen to people’s priorities for recovery and will closely monitor the ongoing impact on the tourism industry.
We are looking into ways we can work with local authorities to celebrate the UK’s diverse tourism offer once it reopens. We are actively considering all the recovery ideas suggested to us by stakeholders, including schemes to promote domestic tourism.
Through the Cultural Renewal Taskforce and the Visitor Economy Working Group, we have worked very closely with the tourism sector to develop Covid-secure guidance which will help tourism businesses reopen safely. Guidance documents covering hotels and other guest accommodation, the visitor economy and pubs and restaurants are published on Gov.uk.
VisitEngland have also introduced an industry standard quality mark that tourism businesses can acquire if they are compliant with Covid-19 secure guidance. The ‘We’re Good To Go’ industry standard mark is part of VisitEngland’s ‘Know Before You Go’ campaign, which encourages the public to find out what is open and when. This campaign points consumers toward Destination Management Organisations’ websites, helping people to access up to date local information.