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1490600

registered interest
date	19/07/2022
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: Misrepresentation
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 she has made of potential risks to the consumer of fibre to the cabinet products being sold as fibre products.
tabling member constituency	Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey
tabling member printed	Drew Hendry
uin	39900
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2022 answer text <p>The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is the UK’s independent regulator of advertising across all media.</p><p>In 2017, the ASA considered the case of whether fibre to the cabinet products could be marketed as fibre. Their <a href="https://www.asa.org.uk/news/asa-concludes-review-of-fibre-broadband.html" target="_blank">conclusion</a> was that 'the word ‘fibre’ is unlikely to mislead consumers as it is currently used in the advertising of part-fibre broadband services.'</p><p>The Government understands the significant benefits full-fibre broadband brings over fibre to the cabinet technologies, and that is why we are investing £5 billion in Project Gigabit to ensure at least 85% of the UK will have gigabit-capable connectivity by 2025.</p> answering member constituency Boston and Skegness answering member printed Matt Warman question first answered 25/07/2022 14:15:42 answering member 4361 label Biography information for Matt Warman
tabling member	4467 label Biography information for Drew Hendry

1490658

registered interest
date	19/07/2022
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	Mobile Phones: Fraud
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has received representations on unauthorised text messages causing charges for consumers.
tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
uin	40015
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2022 answer text <p>DCMS regularly engages with industry, regulators and other government departments on the issue of nuisance communications, including unsolicited marketing communications.</p><p>Services which charge consumers for receiving text messages (premium SMS) are regulated by the Phone-paid Services Authority (PSA). In 2019, the PSA took enforcement action against companies for misleading and charging consumers for services without their consent, and introduced new rules to require a two-stage approval process before taking out a new subscription service. The PSA also extended these requirements to one-off purchases in their <a href="https://psauthority.org.uk/-/media/Files/PSA/00NEW-website/For-business/Code-guidance-and-compliance/Code-of-Practice/PSA_Code_of_Practice_15th_18-05-2022.ashx" target="_blank">2021 Code of Practice.</a></p><p>Under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR), organisations must not send unauthorised marketing text messages to individuals without their prior consent, and consumers must be able to opt-out of future messaging, free of charge except for the cost of the initial transmission of refusal.</p><p>If consumers are concerned about receiving unauthorised marketing texts, they can report these to the <a href="https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/nuisance-calls-and-messages/" target="_blank">Information Commissioner’s Office</a>. In relation to SMS charging, we would encourage people to contact the <a href="https://psauthority.org.uk/For-Consumers/Report-an-Issue" target="_blank">PSA </a>to seek advice.</p> answering member constituency Boston and Skegness answering member printed Matt Warman question first answered 25/07/2022 14:13:22 answering member 4361 label Biography information for Matt Warman
tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1490396

registered interest
date	18/07/2022
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	Television Channels: Competition
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 she will bring forward the plans in the Broadcasting White Paper for Ofcom to undertake a review on market changes that may affect the future of content distribution before the end of 2025, in the context of (a) the nine channels leaving Freeview this year and (b) the BBC’s plans to remove CBBC from broadcast TV.
tabling member constituency	Mitcham and Morden
tabling member printed	Siobhain McDonagh
uin	38488
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2022 answer text <p>The Government is committed to the future of the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) platform (better known as “Freeview”) which remains popular with UK audiences and which plays an important role in supporting the delivery of public service broadcasting. It is our expectation that DTT will continue to be an important content distribution channel at least into the early 2030s. In recognition of this, the government has facilitated the long term renewal of DTT licences until 2034.</p><p>As set out in the Broadcasting White Paper, the government will ask Ofcom to undertake a review of market changes that may affect the future of content distribution before the end of 2025. Next steps in relation to this will be set out in due course.</p> answering member constituency Boston and Skegness answering member printed Matt Warman question first answered 25/07/2022 14:11:00 answering member 4361 label Biography information for Matt Warman
tabling member	193 label Biography information for Dame Siobhain McDonagh

1489607

registered interest
date	15/07/2022
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	Telecommunications: Infrastructure
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 she will make an estimate of the number of local authorities that have had reduced rental income from telecommunications apparatus following renegotiations with (a) network and (b) infrastructure providers after the Electronic Communications Code was reformed in 2017; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Lewisham, Deptford
tabling member printed	Vicky Foxcroft
uin	37576
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2022 answer text <p>The reforms made to the Code in 2017 were intended to make it cheaper and easier for digital infrastructure to be deployed, maintained and upgraded. These reforms recognised the increasing importance of digital communications services to UK consumers and businesses, and to the wider economy.</p><p>The Government recognised that the reforms would mean landowners receiving lower payments for allowing their land or buildings to be used than had previously been the case. However, these changes were only introduced following an extensive period of consultation and research, and were considered necessary to reduce operator costs and encourage the industry investment required for the UK to get the digital communications infrastructure it needs.</p><p>The 2017 reforms did not retrospectively alter the terms of agreements that had been completed before the 2017 reforms came into force. However, once a Code agreement expires, it is open to either the operator or the site provider to seek a renewal of that agreement and negotiate new terms.</p><p>Most Code agreements are agreed on a consensual basis and often include a confidentiality clause, which means that information about its financial terms agreed cannot be shared with others or made publicly available, except in limited circumstances or with the other party’s permission. It is therefore not possible to estimate the number of local authorities which may have seen a reduction in rent following the expiry and renegotiation of Code agreements on their property since 2017.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Boston and Skegness answering member printed Matt Warman question first answered 25/07/2022 13:14:01 answering member 4361 label Biography information for Matt Warman
tabling member	4491 label Biography information for Vicky Foxcroft

1489642

registered interest
date	15/07/2022
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	Performing Arts: EU Countries
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 potential merits of providing a transitional support package to ensure that UK artists and crews have easy access to the European market.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Heeley
tabling member printed	Louise Haigh
uin	37554
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2022 answer text <p>The Government is committed to supporting the touring sector to adapt to new arrangements with the EU. We have worked with the sector and directly with Member States to clarify arrangements, press for specific changes from Member States, and introduce unilateral measures where possible.</p><p>With regards to the movement of vehicles, the Department for Transport has implemented a Dual Registration measure. This enables specialist event hauliers who have an established haulage base outside Great Britain (GB) and who also maintain a GB haulage base and operate for hire and reward to temporarily transfer their vehicles between their two operator licences. We have also confirmed that ‘splitter vans’ that are carrying both equipment (which is not for sale) and up to 9 people do not fall in the scope of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), and their use is therefore subject to the applicable Member State law.</p><p>EU Member States are principally responsible for deciding the rules governing what work UK visitors can undertake. Following the Government’s engagement, almost all EU Member States have confirmed they offer visa and work permit free routes for UK musicians and creative performers. This includes Spain and Greece, who introduced visa and work permit free touring routes in November 2021 and June 2022 respectively, following extensive Government and sectoral engagement.</p><p>We are working with Member States to ensure their guidance is clear and accessible. We have published <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/travelling-to-the-eu-switzerland-norway-iceland-or-liechtenstein-for-work" target="_blank">general business traveller summaries on GOV.UK</a>, as well as <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/touring-europe-checklists-for-the-arts-cultural-creative-and-heritage-sectors" target="_blank">‘landing pages’ on GOV.UK</a> for the creative sectors.</p><p>The Government supports our world leading creative industries across the UK through a range of export support programmes, including the successful Music Export Growth Scheme and the International Showcase Fund. In addition, UK businesses, including touring professionals, can get answers to practical questions online and by telephone through the Export Support Service.</p><p>The UK’s immigration rules for touring creative professionals are comparatively more generous than in many EU Member States. The UK’s domestic rules allow musicians, entertainers and artists (and their technical staff) from non-visa national countries, such as EU Member States and the US, to undertake paid work in the UK through routes which are set out on specific pages for the creative sectors on <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/visiting-the-uk-as-a-creative-professional-from-a-non-visa-national-country" target="_blank">GOV.UK</a>.</p> answering member constituency Boston and Skegness answering member printed Matt Warman grouped question UIN 37553 37555 37556 37557 37558 question first answered 25/07/2022 13:21:07 answering member 4361 label Biography information for Matt Warman
tabling member	4473 label Biography information for Louise Haigh

1489650

registered interest
date	15/07/2022
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	Music: EU Countries
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 she will take steps with her counterparts in EU member states to agree non-onerous, zero or low cost work and travel arrangements in Europe for musicians and other industry professionals.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Heeley
tabling member printed	Louise Haigh
uin	37557
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2022 answer text <p>The Government is committed to supporting the touring sector to adapt to new arrangements with the EU. We have worked with the sector and directly with Member States to clarify arrangements, press for specific changes from Member States, and introduce unilateral measures where possible.</p><p>With regards to the movement of vehicles, the Department for Transport has implemented a Dual Registration measure. This enables specialist event hauliers who have an established haulage base outside Great Britain (GB) and who also maintain a GB haulage base and operate for hire and reward to temporarily transfer their vehicles between their two operator licences. We have also confirmed that ‘splitter vans’ that are carrying both equipment (which is not for sale) and up to 9 people do not fall in the scope of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), and their use is therefore subject to the applicable Member State law.</p><p>EU Member States are principally responsible for deciding the rules governing what work UK visitors can undertake. Following the Government’s engagement, almost all EU Member States have confirmed they offer visa and work permit free routes for UK musicians and creative performers. This includes Spain and Greece, who introduced visa and work permit free touring routes in November 2021 and June 2022 respectively, following extensive Government and sectoral engagement.</p><p>We are working with Member States to ensure their guidance is clear and accessible. We have published <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/travelling-to-the-eu-switzerland-norway-iceland-or-liechtenstein-for-work" target="_blank">general business traveller summaries on GOV.UK</a>, as well as <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/touring-europe-checklists-for-the-arts-cultural-creative-and-heritage-sectors" target="_blank">‘landing pages’ on GOV.UK</a> for the creative sectors.</p><p>The Government supports our world leading creative industries across the UK through a range of export support programmes, including the successful Music Export Growth Scheme and the International Showcase Fund. In addition, UK businesses, including touring professionals, can get answers to practical questions online and by telephone through the Export Support Service.</p><p>The UK’s immigration rules for touring creative professionals are comparatively more generous than in many EU Member States. The UK’s domestic rules allow musicians, entertainers and artists (and their technical staff) from non-visa national countries, such as EU Member States and the US, to undertake paid work in the UK through routes which are set out on specific pages for the creative sectors on <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/visiting-the-uk-as-a-creative-professional-from-a-non-visa-national-country" target="_blank">GOV.UK</a>.</p> answering member constituency Boston and Skegness answering member printed Matt Warman grouped question UIN 37553 37554 37555 37556 37558 question first answered 25/07/2022 13:21:07 answering member 4361 label Biography information for Matt Warman
tabling member	4473 label Biography information for Louise Haigh

1488710

registered interest
date	13/07/2022
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	Swimming Pools
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 she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing additional funding for local authorities to help them manage the impact of rising energy prices on the operating costs of swimming pools in public leisure centres.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff West
tabling member printed	Kevin Brennan
uin	35869
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2022 answer text <p>We recognise the importance of ensuring public access to leisure facilities, including swimming pools, which are great spaces for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy, and which play an important role within communities.</p><p>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 suppliers to understand the challenges they face and explore ways to protect consumers and businesses.</p><p>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. Sport, and local authorities, are devolved matters, therefore investment decisions concerning them in Wales are the responsibility of the relevant administration.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Worcestershire answering member printed Nigel Huddleston question first answered 25/07/2022 08:14:19 answering member 4407 label Biography information for Nigel Huddleston
tabling member	1400 label Biography information for Kevin Brennan

1488712

registered interest
date	13/07/2022
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	Swimming Pools
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 she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing capital funding to support the transition of swimming pools in public leisure centres to renewable energy sources.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff West
tabling member printed	Kevin Brennan
uin	35870
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/07/2022 answer text <p>We recognise the importance of ensuring public access to leisure facilities, including swimming pools, which are great spaces for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy. We are committed to supporting these facilities to transition to renewable energy sources.</p><p>The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme provides grants for public sector bodies to fund heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency measures. The scheme supports the aim of reducing emissions from public sector buildings by 75% by 2037, as set out in the Heat and Buildings Strategy and the Net Zero Strategy in October 2021. For example last year, during Phase 3a, Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council was awarded £1,728,500 to decarbonise the swimming pool at Todmorden Sports Centre.</p><p>The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme and the Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Fund are open to public sector bodies in England and areas of reserved public services across the UK. Sport, and Local Government, are devolved matters, therefore investment decisions concerning them in Wales are the responsibility of the relevant administration.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Worcestershire answering member printed Nigel Huddleston question first answered 28/07/2022 15:30:15 answering member 4407 label Biography information for Nigel Huddleston
tabling member	1400 label Biography information for Kevin Brennan

1488038

registered interest
date	11/07/2022
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	Football: Betting
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 her Department has made of the potential merits of implementing a levy on bookmakers' profits from football bets to distribute to (a) the English Football League and (b) grassroots football.
tabling member constituency	North West Leicestershire
tabling member printed	Andrew Bridgen
uin	33781
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2022 answer text <p>The Government currently has no plans to introduce a requirement for gambling operators to pay a fee or levy to football or other sporting bodies. The Government invests millions into grassroots sport facilities via the Football Foundation alongside the Football Association and the Premier League. In addition to the £18m of government support this provides annually, in 2021 the government announced a further £25m investment to improve and upgrade grassroots facilities across the UK to ensure that every community in the country has access to the sports pitches they need by 2030.</p><p>The recent Fan Led Review of Football Governance stressed the importance of greater financial redistribution throughout the football pyramid. We are working with the football authorities to ensure an appropriate solution on financial distributions is found, which will protect the financial health of all football clubs throughout the football pyramid.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Folkestone and Hythe answering member printed Damian Collins question first answered 14/07/2022 07:29:12 answering member 3986 label Biography information for Damian Collins
tabling member	4133 label Biography information for Andrew Bridgen

1488047

registered interest
date	11/07/2022
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	Digital Technology and Internet: Disadvantaged
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 she will make an assessment of the impact that (a) digital exclusion and (b) inability to afford a sufficient, private and secure internet connection to meet essential needs have on the poverty premium.
tabling member constituency	Lanark and Hamilton East
tabling member printed	Angela Crawley
uin	33837
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2022 answer text <p>We recognise that being digitally excluded makes it more difficult for people to make use of essential services. DCMS is responsible for coordinating HMG digital inclusion policy, and aims to ensure that people across the country from all backgrounds have a base level of digital skills, as well as internet access - two of the most fundamental aspects of digital exclusion.</p><p>DfE’s Digital Entitlement allows for adults with no or low digital skills (below level 1) to study for new Essential Digital Skills Qualifications (EDSQs) for free. Out of work claimants can be mandated as part of their Claimant Commitment to basic foundation digital skills provision where the work coach considers this will progress the claimants labour market journey.</p><p>On Monday 27 June, 2022, the DCMS Secretary of State met leaders of the UK’s major fixed broadband, landline and mobile operators and agreed a set of public <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/telecoms-industry-agrees-to-new-cost-of-living-plan-following-government-summit-led-by-digital-secretary-nadine-dorries" target="_blank">commitments</a> to support households with their connectivity costs.</p><p>Since January 2021, DCMS has worked with operators to improve the number and quality of social tariffs in the market. As a result of our engagement, a range of affordable, social tariffs are now available in 99% of the UK. BT, Virgin Media O2, Sky, Vodafone and other providers offer voice, mobile and broadband social tariffs starting at £10 per month for households in receipt of Universal Credit and other means tested benefits.</p><p>Public libraries also play an important role in supporting digital inclusion. Around 2,900 public libraries in England provide a trusted network of accessible locations with staff, volunteers, free wifi, public PCs, and assisted digital access to a wide range of digital services. Library staff and volunteers have been trained in digital skills so that they can provide library users with in-person support in using digital applications and services.</p> answering member constituency Folkestone and Hythe answering member printed Damian Collins grouped question UIN 33838 question first answered 15/07/2022 10:07:35 answering member 3986 label Biography information for Damian Collins
tabling member	4469 label Biography information for Angela Crawley