Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the cost to the public purse was of the First Draft podcast.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The podcast was created and delivered as part of the DCMS Communications Teams' day to day work at no extra cost.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of EY's report entitled TV distribution after 2034, published in February 2024.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government has an ongoing project on the future of TV distribution after 2034, which is considering how people receive their television now and in the next decade. The evidence being considered as part of this process includes EY’s report. DCMS also published independent research on the future of TV distribution on 8 November 2024.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
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 implications for his Department’s policies of the press notice from the Advertising Standards Authority entitled Media restrictions on advertisements for “less healthy” food and drink products: consultation update, published on 13 January 2025.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
I have met the ASA and Ofcom twice to discuss the statement and the ASA’s subsequent consultation and officials are closely engaged with stakeholders. Implementing advertising restrictions for less healthy food or drink on television and online is a manifesto commitment for this government. To support this, it is important that the ASA’s guidance provides clarity to industry, including advertisers and broadcasters. The ASA published a consultation on an updated version of its guidance on 18 February and I encourage those with an interest to engage with it. We are keen to ensure a proportionate outcome, limiting advertising for identifiable less healthy food products, incentivising advertisers and food producers to move towards healthier options, and maintaining strong advertising and broadcasting sectors.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to publish the National Youth Strategy.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
We plan to publish the National Youth Strategy in the summer, with an interim report to come out in the spring.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the proposal by the Welsh government to enable local authorities to charge a visitor levy.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Tourism is a devolved policy matter and we work closely with the Devolved Administrations. My department will carefully monitor the proposal by the Welsh government. Tax policy is a matter for HM Treasury and there are currently no plans to introduce a similar tax in England.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with (a) the Guardian Media Group and (b) Tortoise Media on the proposed buyout of the Observer newspaper.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
It would be inappropriate to comment on any live merger case. As is clear under the Enterprise Act, this is a quasi-judicial process for the DCMS Secretary of State alone to exercise the statutory powers based on the evidence and following the established regulatory process. If there are any updates to report, Parliament will be informed in the usual way.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to ensure that Covid-19 loans to the (a) culture and (b) sports sectors are repaid in full.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Yes.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the (a) sports and (b) cultural sector on the repayment of Covid-19 loans by September 2025.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Loan financing was provided to organisations on favourable terms, tailored to meet the unique legal and financial circumstances of sporting and cultural organisations. The Government is clear that these loans must be repaid and, where necessary, steps will be taken to ensure the protection of taxpayer’s money.
DCMS remains in close contact with our loan agents, Sport England and Arts Council England, to ensure loans are repaid and borrowers comply with the terms of their loans. DCMS ministers regularly meet with stakeholders, and where appropriate we discuss loan repayments.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with representatives of the British Museum on the Elgin Marbles.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
As the British Museum is a DCMS Arm’s Length Body, both the Secretary of State and I have recently met its Chair and Director. The sculptures were one of a number of issues
discussed.
Decisions relating to the care and management of its collection are a matter for the British Museum Trustees, acting within the law.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with her counterparts in the Greek Government on (a) loaning and (b) donating the Elgin Marbles to Greece.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
I met Greece’s Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni on 4 November for a meeting regarding tourism, when she raised the Parthenon Sculptures among many other matters.
Decisions relating to the care and management of the Parthenon Sculptures are a matter for the British Museum Trustees, acting within the law.
We have no plans to change the law that would permit a permanent move of the Parthenon Sculptures.