Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to encourage international events organisers to hold events in the UK.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The UK has a strong track record of hosting international events.
From the Women’s Euros to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, these events bring economic and social benefits across the country, and allow us to showcase the UK to the world. My department works with organisations including VisitBritain and UKSport to encourage international event organisers to hold events in the UK.
UKSport recently published its new major event hosting target list for the coming decade, and we will continue to work closely with UKSport and national governing bodies to ensure we develop a strong pipeline of future hosting opportunities that drive significant economic and social benefits for communities across the UK.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which Minister in her Department has responsibility for the events sector.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
As the events industry is a broad sector it is covered across the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Business events including conferences, trade fairs and shows, along with venues and workforce are covered by myself, as the Minister for Media, Tourism and Creative Industries.
Ceremonial events such as the King’s Coronation, and major events such as Eurovision and the City of Culture, fall under the remit of Stuart Andrew MP, as the Minister for Minister for Sport, Gambling and Civil Society.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to support the Charity Commission with its investigation of Islamic Human Rights Commission Trust and the Islamic Centre of England.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Charity Commission has opened a Statutory Inquiry into Islamic Centre of England. The Charity Commission does not have a statutory inquiry open into Islamic Human Rights Commission Trust.
By law, the Charity Commission carries out its functions independently of ministerial or government control. DCMS has no involvement in Charity Commission casework.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make it her policy to provide no public funds to the (a) Islamic Human Rights Commission Trust and (b) Islamic Centre of England.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
DCMS has provided no funding to the (a) Islamic Human Rights Commission Trust and (b) Islamic Centre of England in each of the last five years.
DCMS does not hold records of wider public funding to charities. Certain charities are required to submit a trustees annual report and annual accounts which are published by the Charity Commission. These may include information on government funding received by a charity. This information is publicly available in their entry on the register.
DCMS has robust processes in place for the use of public money to ensure value for money to the taxpayer. Effective due diligence identifies risks that inform the department’s funding decisions.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether any public funding has been allocated to the (a) Islamic Human Rights Commission Trust and (b) Islamic Centre of England in each of the last five years.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
DCMS has provided no funding to the (a) Islamic Human Rights Commission Trust and (b) Islamic Centre of England in each of the last five years.
DCMS does not hold records of wider public funding to charities. Certain charities are required to submit a trustees annual report and annual accounts which are published by the Charity Commission. These may include information on government funding received by a charity. This information is publicly available in their entry on the register.
DCMS has robust processes in place for the use of public money to ensure value for money to the taxpayer. Effective due diligence identifies risks that inform the department’s funding decisions.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of potential links between the Islamic Human Rights Commission Trust and the Iranian Government.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
DCMS has not made an assessment of potential links between the Islamic Human Rights Commission Trust and the Iranian Government. However, charities must be independent bodies and must not exist for the purpose of implementing the policies of a governmental authority or carrying out the directions of a governmental body. Further information on the independence of charities from the state can be found in the Charity Commission’s guidance: RR7 - The independence of Charities from the State on the GOV.UK website.
The Charity Commission is an independent registrar and regulator of charities in England and Wales, the Charity Commission performs a vital service on behalf of the public. The Commission is not subject to Ministerial or Government direction or control.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
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 to promote the UK as a destination for major international conferences, exhibitions and events.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is committed to promoting the UK as a destination for major international conferences, exhibitions and events. The UK will host the Eurovision Song Contest next year in Liverpool, on behalf of last year’s winner Ukraine. The event will be a great opportunity to showcase the UK’s visitor economy and host people from all over the world.
VisitBritain’s Business Events Growth Programme forms a key part of the government’s commitment to grow the business events sector. In 2022/23, the programme is on course for a record year of successful applications across a wide distribution of British cities, supporting events in the UK’s strongest growth sectors. So far this financial year, there have been 25 confirmed applications for potential and confirmed events in 11 cities across the UK.
The Tourism Recovery Plan sets out our long-term vision for growing the sector and our commitment to providing strong government advocacy for business events. The Tourism Industry Council’s Events Industry Board working group advises on how industry and the government can collaborate to support the sector’s growth.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
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 to ensure a coordinated cross-governmental approach to mitigating pressures facing the events, conference and exhibitions sector.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is working closely with the events and exhibitions sector to monitor the impact of current pressures on businesses. My Department meets regularly with stakeholders - including the Events Industry Alliance, Business Visits & Events Partnership and the Meetings Industry Association - to gather intelligence and signpost businesses to relevant resources. In addition, the Tourism Industry Council’s Events Industry Board working group advises on how industry and government can collaborate to support the sector’s growth.
We will continue to engage with colleagues across government, including in the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, to monitor trends as the industry continues its recovery from the pandemic.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the merits of offering continuing support to businesses and charities who run swimming pools in the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, in the context of rising energy bills.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
We recognise the importance of ensuring public access to indoor and outdoor pools and that swimming is a great way for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy. The responsibility of providing this access lies at Local Authority level, and the government continues to encourage Local Authorities to support swimming facilities.
We appreciate the impact rising energy prices will have on organisations of all sizes, including on providers of indoor leisure facilities. In September the government announced the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, under which businesses and other non-domestic energy users (including leisure centres and swimming pools) will be offered support.
After an initial 6 months of the scheme, the government will provide ongoing focused support for vulnerable industries. There will be a review in 3 months' time to consider where this should be targeted to make sure those most in need get support.
Sport England has invested £9,619,264 in swimming and diving projects since April 2019, which includes £6,260,502 to Swim England. This is in addition to the £100 million National Leisure Recovery Fund, which supported the reopening of local authority swimming pools throughout the country after the pandemic.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to help swimming pools stay open in the context of increases in the cost of energy.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
We recognise the importance of ensuring public access to indoor and outdoor pools and that swimming is a great way for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy. The responsibility of providing this access lies at Local Authority level, and the government continues to encourage Local Authorities to support swimming facilities.
We appreciate the impact rising energy prices will have on organisations of all sizes, including on providers of indoor leisure facilities. In September the government announced the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, under which businesses and other non-domestic energy users (including leisure centres and swimming pools) will be offered support.
After an initial 6 months of the scheme, the government will provide ongoing focused support for vulnerable industries. There will be a review in 3 months' time to consider where this should be targeted to make sure those most in need get support.
Sport England has invested £9,619,264 in swimming and diving projects since April 2019, which includes £6,260,502 to Swim England. This is in addition to the £100 million National Leisure Recovery Fund, which supported the reopening of local authority swimming pools throughout the country after the pandemic.