Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the effect of rises in the cost of energy and chemicals on the viability of public leisure centres with swimming pools; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
We recognise the importance of ensuring public access to leisure facilities and swimming pools, which are great spaces for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy, and play an important role within communities. The ongoing responsibility of providing access to public leisure facilities lies at Local Authority level, and the government continues to encourage Local Authorities to invest in leisure facilities.
We also recognise the impact rising energy prices will have on businesses of all sizes. Ofgem and the government are in regular contact with business groups and the leisure sector to understand the challenges they face and explore ways to protect consumers and businesses. The Government is also working with partners within the sector to monitor the availability and supply of pool chemicals.
Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with UEFA on changing the location of 2022 UEFA Champions League Final in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Russia's recent actions are a flagrant breach of its international commitments, and the government has made clear our serious concerns about the hosting of sporting events in Russia, including the Champions League Final.
We are discussing these concerns with the relevant governing bodies.
The international community should not allow President Putin to exploit sporting and cultural events on the world stage to legitimise his renewed illegal invasion of Ukraine.
Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact on the export of illicit cultural property from Northern Ireland to the EU following the repeal of the EU Cultural Property Import Regulations in Great Britain and implementation in Northern Ireland through the Northern Ireland protocol.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The UK has sufficient legal powers to tackle the illicit trade in cultural goods and the import of cultural goods which have been unlawfully removed from another country. These powers are set out in existing domestic law, and in some cases also derive from our obligations in international law, notably UNESCO Conventions. The UK has a strong record of finding and returning unlawfully removed cultural goods, and remains determined to tackle the illicit trade in cultural objects.
The majority of the imports of cultural goods from Great Britain into Northern Ireland are carried out by museums rather than businesses or private owners. The revocation of EU Regulation 2019/880 on the introduction and the import of cultural goods in Great Britain will not significantly affect any potential export of illicit cultural property from Northern Ireland to the EU. Any changes to the pattern of imports will be identified and will lead to closer scrutiny. As much of the EU Regulation may not be implemented before 2025, precisely how it will need to be applied in Northern Ireland is still being evaluated.
Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Government consulted the British Board of Film Classification as part of the recent consultation on audience protection standards on video-on-demand services; and whether the Government has made any assessment of the value to VoD consumers of BBFC age ratings being applied more consistently on such services.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The government is considering levelling the playing field between traditional broadcasters and on-demand streaming services to provide a fair competitive framework, and to give viewers confidence that equivalent standards are applied regardless of the technologies they choose to use.
The Department has engaged with a wide range of stakeholders including video-on-demand providers, broadcasters, Ofcom, and the British Board of Film Classification. The government is considering responses to the recent consultation, which closed on the 26 October, and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when the Government plans to publish its response to the consultation on audience protection standards on video-on-demand services which closed on 26 October 2021; and if he will set out a timetable on the implementation of steps to improve protection standards.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The government is considering levelling the playing field between traditional broadcasters and on-demand streaming services to provide a fair competitive framework, and to give viewers confidence that equivalent standards are applied regardless of the technologies they choose to use.
The Department has engaged with a wide range of stakeholders including video-on-demand providers, broadcasters, Ofcom, and the British Board of Film Classification. The government is considering responses to the recent consultation, which closed on the 26 October, and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what funds have been paid by her Department to Stonewall in each of the last five years; and to what projects those funds were allocated.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The below figures are excluding VAT and are categorised by the financial year they were paid in.
2017-18:
Stonewall Diversity Champions Membership 2017-2018 - £2,500
Stonewall Proud Employers Founding Partner Membership 2018-2019 - £6,000
2018-19:
Stonewall Diversity Champions Membership 2018-2019 - £2,500
Stonewall speaker fee at Civil Service luncheon - £500
2019-20:
Stonewall Diversity Champions Membership 2019-2020 - £2,500
Stonewall Proud Employers Founding Partner membership 2019-2020 - £6,000
2020-21:
Stonewall Diversity Champions Membership 2020-2021 - £2,500
Introduction to LGBT Allyship Digital Workshop x 2 - £1,100 (£550 per workshop)
2021-22:
Stonewall Diversity Champions Membership 2021-2022 - £2,500
Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)
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 9 September 2021 to Question 43369 on Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Listed Buildings, if she will publish (a) a list of the properties classified as heritage assets owned by her Department, (b) the most recent estimate of the value of those properties and (c) the annual income derived from those properties.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport owns the freehold to the following Listed Buildings:
Property | Estimated value of freehold (2017) | Annual income |
22 Park Street, Windsor | £195,000 | £50 |
23 Park Street, Windsor | £210,000 | £120 |
Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, which Department is responsible for Historic England's Government Historic Estate Unit; and how funding has been allocated to that unit.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Historic England is Government’s statutory advisor on heritage and funded by DCMS. The Government Historic Estates Unit (GHEU) is a small, dedicated team within Historic England, which helps government departments and other public bodies, such as the Royal Household, to look after the historic buildings and structures in their care.
In financial year 2021/22 Historic England received £69.2 million baseline Grant in Aid from DCMS. An allocation of this grant for 2021/22 is staffing costs for those working in the GHEU which amounts to £61,000.
Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)
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 the (a) properties classified as heritage assets by his Department, (b) most recent estimate of the value of those properties and (c) annual income derived from those properties.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
‘Heritage asset’ is a broad term used in planning policy. The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is responsible for the statutory heritage protection system, including the designation of Listed Buildings, Scheduled Monuments and Protected Wreck Sites. Details of these assets can be found online in the National Heritage List for England, hosted by Historic England on behalf of the Secretary of State.
The circa 400,000 Listed Buildings, Scheduled Monuments and Protected Wreck Sites in England or UK territorial waters adjacent to England have intrinsic value to our cultural heritage. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) does not collect or collate data on the value (property value) or income data for these sites.
DCMS and its arms length bodies produce data on the economic impact of the heritage sector; this is published within DCMS Sectors Economic Estimates and Historic England's Heritage Economic Estimate Indicators. DCMS’s Culture and Heritage Capital Programme is looking to develop broader measures of value for heritage assets.
Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when he plans to announce the results of the tender for management of the UK Youth Parliament; and what budget has been allocated.
Answered by Matt Warman
Following a grant competition in March 2021, the UK Youth Parliament grant for 2021/22 was awarded to the British Youth Council. This decision was communicated to the British Youth Council on 6 April 2021, and the total grant budget allocated by DCMS was £233,300.