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1197958

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
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	Local Broadcasting and Local Press: Coronavirus
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 the Government is taking to support independent local (a) print, (b) online and (c) broadcast news providers during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	52130
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2020 answer text <p>To support the vital role of local news outlets, the government has clarified that all journalists including broadcast journalists, and other ancillary staff, are ‘key workers’ for the purposes of access to childcare and educational places. The government also issued guidance to local authorities on the importance of newspaper delivery, which has been critical to the continued dissemination of public interest news.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>News publishers in particular are facing existential pressures due to the steep drop in advertising revenues resulting from the impacts of Covid-19. The government has therefore sought to maximise advertising opportunities for the sector, implementing a public information campaign to ensure the distribution of authoritative, up-to-date information about Covid-19, while also alleviating publishers’ financial pressures.. The current partnership brings together over 600 titles across the UK, of which the vast majority are local papers.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>For online media outlets, the government has taken steps to ensure the use of ‘keyword blocklisting’ technology is not inadvertently damaging news publishers’ online advertising revenues for Covid-19 related stories. Additionally, the Chancellor brought forward the commencement of zero-rating of VAT on e-newspapers in order to bring savings to readers and support digital publishing.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>We are in regular dialogue with stakeholders about ensuring the support offered to local news outlets is as effective as it can be. Ministers are also engaged with national and local broadcasters on a regular basis to understand the impacts of Covid-19 on their day to day operations, including broadcast news provision.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Mr John Whittingdale question first answered 08/06/2020 12:01:52 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1197978

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
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: Access
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 additional access to digital connectivity will he provide to ensure that those from lower socio-economic communities have equal access to broadband.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	52176
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK broadband market is very competitive with a variety of packages at different price points to meet the needs of different consumers. In addition, both BT and KCOM offer lower cost landline and broadband packages for those in receipt of qualifying state benefits.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Government is also committed to improving broadband across the country to ensure that all communities have the access that they need, including those from lower socio-economic groups. We have introduced the broadband Universal Service Obligation, which gives everyone the right to request decent broadband providing at least 10 Mbps download speeds up to a Reasonable Cost Threshold of £3,400 per premise. In addition, we are committed to delivering even faster, nationwide gigabit capable broadband as soon as possible. We will be investing £5 billion to subsidise deployment to the least commercial 20% of premises in the country.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>In recognition of the particular challenges that communities are facing at the current time as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak, the Government has also agreed a package of measures with the UK's fixed and mobile providers to support consumers, particularly the most vulnerable. As part of these commitments, providers have agreed to provide new and generous offers to their vulnerable customers, ranging from free mobile data boosts to free landline calls, and to lift all broadband data caps.</p> answering member constituency Boston and Skegness answering member printed Matt Warman question first answered 17/06/2020 16:12:08 answering member 4361 label Biography information for Matt Warman
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1197981

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
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	Charities: 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, with reference to his announcement of £150 million charity funding in the covid-19 press conference on 20 May 2020, how much of that funding is new money; and from which sources that money is derived.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	52177
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2020 answer text <p>£71 million of the £150 million of funding announced on 20 May 2020 is new money. Government has worked with the dormant assets organisations to repurpose £79 million of their allocations in response to the crisis. Combined, the £150 million will support urgent work in England to tackle youth unemployment; expand access to emergency loans for civil society organisations; and help improve the availability of fair, affordable credit to people in vulnerable circumstances.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>This funding comes from the dormant assets scheme. The scheme enables banks and building societies to voluntarily transfer funds from dormant accounts. Dormant accounts are those that have not been touched for at least 15 years and where the bank or building society is unable to get in touch with the customer to reunite them with their money. Customers can reclaim their money at any time. Since its inception in 2011, over £745 million has been released to social or environmental causes through the scheme.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Mr John Whittingdale question first answered 11/06/2020 09:49:55 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1197995

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
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	Churches: Radio
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 he will take steps with the OFCOM to waive the temporary licence fee required for churches to use radio wavelengths for drive in church services.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	51633
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2020 answer text <p>The Government understands that Ofcom has recently published updated licensing information for people and organisations wishing to put on drive-in services. These events need a ‘restricted service licence’, so people in their cars can hear what is being said on their car radios.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator, to set tariffs to cover their licensing costs, and to ensure that these are reasonable attributable to the sectors from which they recover them.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Fees for restricted service licences will vary according to the band, the power and the duration for which the applicant requires the licence, and the options and associated costs are set out in Ofcom’s annually published tariff tables.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Mr John Whittingdale question first answered 08/06/2020 11:59:11 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

1198011

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
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	Culture and Tourism: Coronavirus
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 steps he has taken to support the heritage and tourism sector during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Warwick and Leamington
tabling member printed	Matt Western
uin	52355
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/06/2020 answer text <p>We will continue to engage with stakeholders to assess how we can most effectively support the heritage and tourism sectors through this crisis.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Businesses and workers in these sectors can access the Government’s comprehensive economic support package, including the recently extended the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Bounce Back Loans scheme.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Through VisitEngland, we announced a £1.3 million scheme to provide financial support to Destination Management Organisations at risk of closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.</p><p> </p><p>The National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) and Historic England (HE) have made emergency funding available for the heritage sector. The NLHF’s £50 million Heritage Emergency Fund and HE’s £2 million Covid-19 Emergency Response Fund extend a safety net to a wide variety of heritage organisations struggling with financial losses and cash flow issues.</p><p> </p><p>My Department’s Cultural Renewal Taskforce - which contains specific Heritage and Visitor Economy Working Groups - is developing guidance to help these sectors to safely reopen.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Worcestershire answering member printed Nigel Huddleston question first answered 05/06/2020 14:53:35 answering member 4407 label Biography information for Nigel Huddleston
tabling member	4617 label Biography information for Matt Western

1198047

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
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	Wildlife Parks and Zoos: Social Distancing
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 assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of re-opening zoos and safari parks with appropriate social distancing measures.
tabling member constituency	Knowsley
tabling member printed	Sir George Howarth
uin	51592
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/06/2020 answer text <p>As announced by the Prime Minister on 10 June, outdoor areas of zoos and safari parks will be allowed to reopen from 15 June, subject to appropriate social distancing measures being in place. This includes keeping indoor exhibitions, such as reptile houses and those in aquariums, closed, and ensuring other amenities like cafes offer takeaway services only.</p><p> </p><p>The move follows close work by the Government with the zoo industry to ensure visitor numbers can be managed and safeguards are put in place. The decision to relax restrictions on these select outdoor attractions is part of the Government’s careful approach to easing the lockdown in phases, guided by the advice of scientific and medical experts and the fact the risk of transmission is much lower outdoors.</p><p> </p><p>Officials in the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs continue to meet weekly with the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums and with the CEOs of the largest charitable zoos and aquariums in England, providing a forum to monitor concerns and seek insights from key sector representatives on current issues.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Worcestershire answering member printed Nigel Huddleston question first answered 15/06/2020 16:09:26 answering member 4407 label Biography information for Nigel Huddleston
tabling member	481 label Biography information for Sir George Howarth

1198058

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
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	Cultural Renewal Taskforce
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how often the Cultural Renewal Taskforce will meet.
tabling member constituency	Batley and Spen
tabling member printed	Tracy Brabin
uin	52315
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/06/2020 answer text <p>As part of the Government’s roadmap for recovery from Covid-19, DCMS has launched the Cultural Renewal taskforce which will support plans for reopening across DCMS sectors.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Taskforce meets weekly and is supported by eight sector-specific Working Groups.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage question first answered 04/06/2020 11:35:05 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
tabling member	4588 label Biography information for Tracy Brabin

1198110

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
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	Holiday Accommodation: Coronavirus
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 assessment he has made of the viability of self-contained holiday rentals being treated in the same manner as second homes when lifting covid-19 restrictions as long as relevant public health guidance is followed.
tabling member constituency	Central Suffolk and North Ipswich
tabling member printed	Dr Dan Poulter
uin	51839
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/06/2020 answer text <p>We will look at opening forms of holiday accommodation in Step 3 of the government’s recovery strategy, currently planned for 4 July at the earliest. This will be subject to the further scientific advice and the latest risk assessment at the time.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>My Department has launched the Cultural Renewal Taskforce to help our sectors’ businesses prepare to reopen when it is safe to do so. To inform this Taskforce, we have set up a Visitor Economy Working Group to specifically focus on the practicalities and guidelines for restarting tourism activity during the recovery period. We remain in regular contact with holiday rentals stakeholders as part of this Group.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Worcestershire answering member printed Nigel Huddleston question first answered 05/06/2020 14:58:13 answering member 4407 label Biography information for Nigel Huddleston
tabling member	3932 label Biography information for Dr Dan Poulter

1198117

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
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	Charities: Shops
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 guidance can the Government plans to provide to charities, to allow them to operate their charity shops safely during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull North
tabling member printed	Dame Diana Johnson
uin	51729
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2020 answer text <p>The government is working with the charity sector to support it as it begins to recommence activities in line with government guidance on COVID-19 and social distancing. Alongside other non-essential retail, charity shops are planning to start reopening from 15th June. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has published guidance on the reopening of non-essential retail which can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/shops-and-branches" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/shops-and-branches</a>. In addition to this, the Charity Retail Association has produced guidance to specifically support the reopening of charity shops which can be found here: <a href="https://www.charityretail.org.uk/we-have-published-our-reopening-pack/" target="_blank">https://www.charityretail.org.uk/we-have-published-our-reopening-pack/</a>.</p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Mr John Whittingdale question first answered 11/06/2020 09:47:15 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
tabling member	1533 label Biography information for Dame Diana Johnson

1198132

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
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	Charities: Government Assistance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much of the Government's £750 million support package for charities has been allocated.
tabling member constituency	Harlow
tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
uin	51873
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/06/2020 answer text <p>The £750 million funding package announced by the Government on 8 April is to ensure charities providing frontline services to vulnerable people affected by the pandemic can continue their vital work.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>£360 million of this has been distributed to individual government departments based on evidence of service need. This includes £200 million to directly support hospices, which is being administered by the Department of Health and Social Care. Departments are using a range of approaches to allocating the remaining funding in order to meet identified needs quickly, including bidding processes and awarding funding directly. As applications are still open for several of the open funds, it is not possible to determine how much of this funding has been received by charities at this stage.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>£370 million has been allocated to support small and medium sized charities during the pandemic. This includes £60 million funding through the Barnett formula to support charities in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Of the £310 million to be spent in England, £200 million has been distributed to the National Lottery Community Fund to award grants through the Coronavirus Community Support Fund. Applications for this fund opened on 22 May.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>In addition, the Government is matching public donations to the BBC Big Night In. The first £20 million of match funding went to the National Emergencies Trust. The 47 local Community Foundations across the UK, including Scotland, Wales &amp; Northern Ireland will then provide grant funding to eligible organisations within their community.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Further information on available funds and how to apply for them can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/financial-support-for-voluntary-community-and-social-enterprise-vcse-organisations-to-respond-to-coronavirus-covid-19.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Mr John Whittingdale question first answered 04/06/2020 08:27:27 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon