The Government is disappointed to see that Meta is closing its Community News Project. We are working to support journalism and local newsrooms to ensure the sustainability of this vital industry, and our new digital markets regime will help rebalance the relationship between the most powerful platforms and those who rely on them \u2013 including press publishers.<\/p>
Additionally, our support for the sector has included the delivery of the £2 million Future News Fund; the zero rating of VAT on e-newspapers; the extension of a 2017 business rates relief on local newspaper office space until 2025; the publication of the Online Media Literacy Strategy; and the BBC also supports the sector directly, through the £8m it spends each year on the Local News Partnership, including the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/39", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Maldon"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir John Whittingdale"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-10-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-10-19T08:25:08.723Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "217"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Culture, Media and Sport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Culture, Media and Sport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-10-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Community News Project"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the implications for its policies of the potential impact of Meta's reduction to the Community News Project on local journalism.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4612", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jamie Stone"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jamie Stone"} ], "uin" : "202058"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1657939", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Culture, Media and Sport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1657939/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Departments have been asked to report on the current picture of suspected and confirmed RAAC in their estates as soon as possible. This will be updated on a regular basis as new buildings are identified and surveying and remediation are carried out.<\/p>
Government published lists of education settings confirmed as having RAAC on Wednesday 6 September and committed to providing further updates.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/39", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Maldon"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir John Whittingdale"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-09-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-09-12T11:41:17.023Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "217"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Culture, Media and Sport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Culture, Media and Sport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-09-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Public Buildings: Concrete"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to compile a list of public buildings affected by construction with reinforced autoclave aerated concrete (RAAC).", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4612", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jamie Stone"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jamie Stone"} ], "uin" : "197550"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1657941", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Culture, Media and Sport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1657941/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The delivery of public library services, including the maintenance of the buildings through which that is done, is a responsibility for upper-tier local authorities under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964.<\/p>
On 1 May 2019, the Standing Committee on Structural Safety issued a safety alert on the failure of RAAC planks. Local authorities, like other building owners, are advised to follow available professional guidance. We are working with sector bodies, like the LGA, to ensure library services are alerted to available advice and guidance.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/39", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Maldon"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir John Whittingdale"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-09-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-09-15T14:22:10.78Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "217"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Culture, Media and Sport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Culture, Media and Sport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-09-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Public Libraries: Concrete"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has taken recent steps to determine the prevalence of reinforced autoclave aerated concrete (RAAC) in libraries.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4612", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jamie Stone"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jamie Stone"} ], "uin" : "197552"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1646085", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Culture, Media and Sport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1646085/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government recognises the importance of a diverse broadcasting landscape for communities around the country, with hundreds of channels, large and small, catering to a wide range of audiences.<\/p>
The Government is committed to supporting a broadcasting sector that delivers for all audiences. On a local level, the BBC, local TV providers and commercial and community radio stations all play a crucial role in disseminating accurate news and local information, strengthening pride of place, reflecting the unique interests of the audiences that they serve, connecting communities, and helping to address social issues like loneliness and mental health.<\/p>
The Government also believes that it is important that the broadcasting industry \u2013 both on- and off-screen \u2013 is representative of the country in which we live. In this context, the Government recognises the editorial and operational independence of the broadcasting sector and understands the value of smaller channels and content that caters to specific audiences.<\/p>
The BBC also plays an important role in delivering this, and in the UK\u2019s wider public service broadcasting ecosystem, with a mission to serve all audiences through the provision of impartial, high-quality and distinctive output and services which inform, educate and entertain.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/39", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Maldon"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir John Whittingdale"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-06-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-06-27T10:36:28.387Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "217"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Culture, Media and Sport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Culture, Media and Sport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-06-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Television Channels: Minority Groups"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of the effectiveness of smaller TV channels in catering to (a) faith groups, (b) specific ethnic groups, (c) minority groups and (d) local audiences.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4612", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jamie Stone"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jamie Stone"} ], "uin" : "190460"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1646086", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Culture, Media and Sport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1646086/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "