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1356196

registered interest
date	16/09/2021
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Broadband: Somerton and Frome
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to accelerate the rollout of gigabit-capable broadband across Somerton and Frome.
tabling member constituency	Somerton and Frome
tabling member printed	David Warburton
uin	50735
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/09/2021 answer text <p>We are backing Project Gigabit with £5 billion so hard to reach communities are not left out. The constituency of Somerton and Frome falls within Phase 3 (Lot 6) of Project Gigabit. Somerton and Frome’s designation as a ‘Future Phase’ reflects the extensive gigabit delivery now contracted to take place across Devon and Somerset, including the extensive additional delivery now confirmed by Openreach following their announcement of their target to reach 25 million premises by 2026.</p><p>The last of Project Gigabit’s Phase 2 procurements start in late 2022 and we expect Phase 3 procurements to follow directly, with all areas under contract as soon as possible. Due to the dynamic nature of the UK telecoms market we will regularly review and respond to opportunities for future procurement wherever possible.</p><p>The Connecting Devon and Somerset (CDS) programme is delivering new gigabit-capable connections in Somerton and Frome via contracts with Wessex Internet and Truespeed which were awarded in December 2020.</p><p>Somerton and Frome is covered by Wessex Internet’s full fibre network for North and South Barrow, Babcary, Woolston, Queen Camel and Marston Magna. This particular project is nearing completion, with Wessex Internet being ready to connect customers in these areas from October 2021.</p><p>If it becomes clear that any premises will miss out from the UK’s broadband upgrade, Project Gigabit will make sure that they are included in its plans.</p><p>To accelerate delivery, premises in rural areas may also be in line for funding through the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, with up to £210m allocated to the scheme over the next four years to support hard to reach communities. The voucher scheme offers up to £1,500 for homes and £3,500 for businesses to help to cover the costs of installing gigabit broadband to people’s doorsteps when used as part of a group scheme. Home and business owners can check the eligibility of their address and then look up suppliers in their area by going to <a href="https://gigabitvoucher.culture.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://gigabitvoucher.culture.gov.uk/</a>.</p><p>Somerton and Frome has made good use of the scheme so far, seeing 698 voucher connections worth £1.1m, with a further 699 vouchers to be connected, totalling over £2.3m.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 21/09/2021 15:49:58 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4526 label Biography information for David Warburton

1356226

registered interest
date	16/09/2021
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Channel Four Television: Privatisation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will make an assessment of the impact of privatising Channel 4 on the availability of distinctive British content.
tabling member constituency	Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
tabling member printed	Jamie Stone
uin	50746
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/09/2021 answer text <p>The government has recently consulted on whether an alternative ownership model for Channel 4 (but one where it retains a public service remit) may be better for the broadcaster, and better for the country.</p><p>We want Channel 4 to continue to be a public service broadcaster, and we want it to continue to contribute socially, economically and culturally to life across the UK. But there is a wealth of evidence - including Ofcom’s recent report - on the future challenges facing our traditional linear TV broadcasters. Channel 4 is uniquely constrained in its ability to meet these challenges while it remains under public ownership - particularly because its access to capital and ability to pursue strategic partnership opportunities is limited.</p><p>Channel 4’s remit, and its wider social and cultural contributions to life in the UK, are issues we have consulted on. The consultation opened on 6 July, running for 10 weeks, before closing on 14 September. We are currently analysing responses to inform our policy-making decisions. Once we have answered the questions set out in the consultation, we will know what specific impacts to assess and will therefore be in a position to carry out an impact assessment.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 21/09/2021 15:53:36 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4612 label Biography information for Jamie Stone

1356252

registered interest
date	16/09/2021
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Public Libraries: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the resource and capital budget needs of public libraries in the financial years up to 2024-25.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough
tabling member printed	Gill Furniss
uin	50737
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/09/2021 answer text <p>Funding for public libraries is not ring-fenced but forms part of the overall Local Government Funding Settlement.</p><p>In this year’s Settlement, the Government made available an increase in Core Spending Power in England from £49 billion in 2020-21 to up to £51.3 billion in 2021-22, a 4.6% increase in cash terms. This recognises the resources councils need to meet their pressures and maintain current service levels.</p><p>Local authorities in England have a statutory duty to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service that meets local needs and it is for each local authority to consider how best to manage their total funding mindful of this statutory duty.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 23/09/2021 14:36:55 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4571 label Biography information for Gill Furniss

1356271

registered interest
date	16/09/2021
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Broadcasting: Disability Aids
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that all recorded shows have adequate subtitles.
tabling member constituency	Enfield North
tabling member printed	Feryal Clark
uin	50778
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/09/2021 answer text <p>The government recognises that as part of a digitally inclusive society, television content should be accessible for all UK audiences. Under the Communications Act 2003, the Secretary of State has the power to impose requirements on service providers for the purpose of ensuring that on demand services are accessible to people with disabilities. This includes requirements in relation to subtitling, audio description and sign language.</p><p>As part of the process to implement these new requirements, the Government asked Ofcom to provide recommendations on how legislation could make on-demand services more accessible. Ofcom published an initial report in December 2018, and then, following a request from DCMS, carried out an additional targeted consultation to inform further recommendations on how the new requirements would work in practice to ensure that as far as possible all audiences should be able to access on-demand services. These latest proposals were published on 9 July 2021. We are giving them careful consideration and will set out next steps in due course.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 23/09/2021 14:43:02 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4822 label Biography information for Feryal Clark

1356354

registered interest
date	16/09/2021
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Public Service Broadcasting: Wales
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to promote Welsh cultural and language programming as part of her Department's planned changes to broadcasting requirements for public service broadcasters.
tabling member constituency	Ceredigion
tabling member printed	Ben Lake
uin	50752
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/09/2021 answer text <p>The government is committed to the future of Welsh language broadcasting and recognises the significant cultural impact of programming in Welsh for Welsh speakers across the UK. That commitment will inform any changes made to broadcasting requirements for public service broadcasters.</p><p>The government is also currently determining the licence fee settlement with S4C which will provide it with sufficient funding to support its unique cultural and social position for Welsh Language speakers.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 21/09/2021 15:51:52 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4630 label Biography information for Ben Lake