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1470635

registered interest
date	15/06/2022
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: Productivity
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 the research of Professor Bart van Ark from the University of Manchester on the digital economy, whether her Department is taking steps to help ensure that digital technologies can support inclusive productivity.
tabling member constituency	Ashton-under-Lyne
tabling member printed	Angela Rayner
uin	18919
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2022 answer text <p>We recognise that, as highlighted in Professor’s van Ark’s research, digital technology can only fulfil its potential of increasing productivity without widening societal inequality, when it is made available to everyone. Our recently published Digital Strategy sets out our ambitions for harnessing the power of digital technologies to the benefit of our economy and society as a whole. The Government recognises the barriers associated with digital exclusion, so we are addressing these in particular through our work on digital infrastructure and essential digital skills.</p><p>DCMS is backing Project Gigabit with £5 billion, so that hard to reach communities are not left out. To further improve access to the internet, help is available for low income households to access broadband, mobile and landline services through a range of low-cost social tariffs.</p><p>To improve access to vital digital skills, the government has introduced a digital entitlement for adults with no or low digital skills. This allows adults wishing to acquire essential digital skills to gain specified digital qualifications, up to level 1, free of charge. Essential Digital Skills Qualifications (EDSQs), introduced alongside the digital entitlement, are based on new national standards which set out the digital skills people need to get on in life and work. We also support the provision of essential digital skills training in community settings through the Adult Education Budget.</p><p>DCMS also launched the Digital Skills Council at London Tech Week in June 2022. The Council will bring together industry leaders and training experts from Manchester Digital, Amazon Web Services and Multiverse. Working directly with employers, the council will encourage investment in employer-led training to upskill workforces. The group will also look at ways the industry can inspire the next generation of talent from a wide range of backgrounds to consider a digital career and identify opportunities to accelerate existing good practice within other industry groups.</p><p>Public libraries also play an important role in tackling digital exclusion. 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. Volunteers and library staff have been trained in digital skills so that they can provide library users with support in using digital applications and services.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 22/06/2022 13:00:29 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4356 label Biography information for Angela Rayner

1470670

registered interest
date	15/06/2022
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
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 she has had discussions with the Home Secretary on the effect of rules for recruiting and hiring workers from the EU on the roll out of superfast broadband.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	18771
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2022 answer text <p>The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has regular discussions with the Home Secretary about the Points-Based Immigration System to ensure that our Skilled Worker route provides generous catering for the telecommunications sector to attract the workers it needs, provided that skills, salary and English language requirements are met.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 21/06/2022 12:07:15 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1470697

registered interest
date	15/06/2022
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	Birmingham City FC: Sales
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 made an assessment of Laurence Bassini's potential purchase of Birmingham City Football Club.
tabling member constituency	Bolton South East
tabling member printed	Yasmin Qureshi
uin	18865
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2022 answer text <p>The Government does not currently assess the ownership or governance arrangements of individual football clubs, but we recognise that they have unique social value and it is vital that they are protected.</p><p>The Fan Led Review recommended that a new owners’ and directors’ tests for clubs should be established by an Independent Regulator for English Football. The Government agrees this will help to ensure the future sustainability of our football clubs and the stability of the game. The Government’s response to the Review sets out that the tests should be strengthened by enhancing due diligence to check source of funds and the strength of business and financial plans, and that an integrity style test will be introduced. The forthcoming White Paper will provide further details on how the enhanced tests will work, and what will be in scope of the integrity test.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Worcestershire answering member printed Nigel Huddleston question first answered 22/06/2022 09:59:00 answering member 4407 label Biography information for Nigel Huddleston
tabling member	3924 label Biography information for Yasmin Qureshi

1470743

registered interest
date	15/06/2022
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	Sports: Ombudsman
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 Baroness Grey-Thompson's independent report entitled Duty of Care in Sport Review on 21 April 2017, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of that report's recommendation on introducing a sports ombudsman.
tabling member constituency	Solihull
tabling member printed	Julian Knight
uin	18938
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2022 answer text <p>The safety, wellbeing and welfare of everyone taking part in sport is absolutely paramount. National Governing Bodies are responsible for the regulation of their sports and for ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to protect participants from harm. With that in mind, we expect sports to do all they can to protect their athletes.</p><p>The Government has carefully considered the recommendations, including for a sport ombudsman, that were made as part of the Duty of Care Review in 2017.</p><p>We recognise that this is a very complex area with different challenges across elite and grassroots sport that means a one size fits all solution is not viable. We will continue to strive to improve the culture in sport at all levels.</p><p>Our focus has been on strengthening existing structures rather than establishing a new body to deliver the same functions. Working with Sport England and UK Sport, progress has included:</p><ul><li><p>UK Sport piloting a complaints handling disclosure service with the objective of addressing issues of independence of reporting of complaints.</p></li><li><p>Legislation introduced to extend the definition of a ‘position of trust’ within the Sexual Offences Act 2003 to include sports coaches making a vital step in making our sports clubs more secure to young people.</p></li></ul><p>We will continue to keep the option of an ombudsman under review.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Worcestershire answering member printed Nigel Huddleston question first answered 24/06/2022 15:32:35 answering member 4407 label Biography information for Nigel Huddleston
tabling member	4410 label Biography information for Julian Knight

1470821

registered interest
date	15/06/2022
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	Video Games: Children
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 made a recent assessment of the potential merits of parental controls in video games; and whether she is taking steps to promote the use of such controls.
tabling member constituency	Guildford
tabling member printed	Angela Richardson
uin	19021
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2022 answer text <p>This Government is committed to ensuring that the UK is one of the safest places to be online - this includes video games.</p><p>Parental controls are one of a number of tools that can be used to protect children from inappropriate or potentially harmful content on video game platforms.</p><p>The use and impact of such protections is being considered as part of this Government’s call for evidence on loot boxes in video games. The Government’s response to the call for evidence on loot boxes in video games will be published in the coming months.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 21/06/2022 10:33:59 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4840 label Biography information for Angela Richardson

1470917

registered interest
date	15/06/2022
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	Broadcasting: Racial Discrimination
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to establish an independent racism reporting body for the broadcasting industry.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL1016
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2022 answer text <p>Her Majesty’s Government believes that there is no place for prejudice or discrimination in the media or anywhere else and is committed to supporting the broadcasting sector to ensure it is a place which offers opportunities for people from all backgrounds to contribute and succeed. This can only be achieved through a diverse workforce which reflects modern Britain.</p><p>Ofcom, as the independent communications regulator, has a duty to promote equality of opportunity in relation to employment in the broadcasting sector and has powers to ask broadcasters to provide information about their diversity policies and the make-up of their workforce. Her Majesty’s Government is committed to working together with the industry and with Ofcom to support greater diversity and inclusion. Her Majesty’s Government has no plans to establish an independent racism reporting body for the broadcasting industry.</p> answering member printed Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay question first answered 29/06/2022 11:10:27 answering member 4728 label Biography information for Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1470193

registered interest
date	14/06/2022
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	Arts: Ukraine
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 she is taking steps to encourage performers, artists and creatives from Ukraine to travel to the UK.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	17973
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2022 answer text <p>DCMS is continuing to work with the cultural sector to understand the impacts of the war in Ukraine and, where appropriate, is engaging with other government departments. My officials have held meetings with sector representatives to discuss this directly. We engage at ministerial level with members of the Ukrainian Government, Minister Oleksandr Tkachenko and Kateryna Chuyeva regularly.</p><p>The British Council’s planned UK-Ukraine Season of Culture is going ahead from June-November 2022 and will involve British and Ukrainian artists, creative sectors, and educators. The programme will advance knowledge of Ukraine in the UK, position the country’s cultural achievements, and create opportunities for Ukrainian creatives to develop lasting partnerships with their UK counterparts. DCMS sectors have been a key player in the UK’s response to the war in Ukraine. This has included severely restricting Russian and Belarussian state organisations’ participation in cultural events, public shows of solidarity with Ukraine from cultural organisations, and the cancellation of high-profile exhibitions and tours to the UK.</p><p>My department regularly engages with representatives from across the UK cultural sector to ensure we have an ongoing picture of mobility and migration needs. We work with the Home Office to provide the best welcome for international talent, including for performers, artists, and creatives from Ukraine. UK Visas and Immigration in the Home Office is prioritising applications made in response to the humanitarian crisis arising from the invasion of Ukraine. However, there are a number of ways in which artists can come to perform in the UK.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 21/06/2022 12:05:52 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1470228

registered interest
date	14/06/2022
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: Prices
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 estimate she has made of the average cost to households in (a) Coventry North East constituency, (b) Coventry, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England for broadband connectivity in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Coventry North East
tabling member printed	Colleen Fletcher
uin	17952
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2022 answer text <p>We do not hold broadband data on pricing at a regional or local-level. The prices consumers pay depends on a number of factors, including availability and choice of different providers, and how they take-up their services, for instance, whether they take-up additional services in bundled telecoms packages. Broadly, UK data shows that the telecoms market is competitive, with a range of services and deals being delivered to consumers at good value for money. Ofcom’s <a href="https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/222331/Pricing-trends-for-communications-services-in-the-UK.pdf" target="_blank">Pricing Trends Report</a> based on 2020 data, which is its latest research on pricing, shows that average monthly spend on fixed services (broadband and landline combined) was £40.87 in 2020, £38.37 in 2019, and £39.92 in 2018.</p><p>The Government has worked with providers to deliver low-cost, social tariffs for those in receipt of Universal Credit and other means-tested benefits. BT, Virgin Media O2, Sky, and a number of others, now offer broadband social tariff to the average cost of broadband. Between them, these products are available in 99% of the UK. Ofcom has a statutory duty to report on the affordability of telecommunication services, and we are working closely with them to monitor the market.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 21/06/2022 10:32:06 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4378 label Biography information for Colleen Fletcher

1470231

registered interest
date	14/06/2022
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	Loneliness
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 trends in the levels of loneliness and social isolation in (a) Coventry North East constituency, (b) Coventry, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England in each of the last three years; and what (i) financial and (ii) other steps her Department is taking to tackle loneliness and social isolation in those areas.
tabling member constituency	Coventry North East
tabling member printed	Colleen Fletcher
uin	17954
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2022 answer text <p>DCMS collects data on levels of loneliness in England through its annual <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/community-life-survey--2" target="_blank">Community Life Survey</a>, which suggests that prevalence of loneliness has remained similar to pre-COVID levels, with 6% of adults reporting that they are always or often lonely. <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1081944/Loneliness_Quantitative__Web_.pdf" target="_blank">Secondary analysis</a> of this data suggests that young adults (aged 16-34) are five times as likely to be lonely compared to people aged 65+ whilst people that experienced mental distress were four times as likely to be lonely than those who did not.</p><p>The Department does not routinely collect data on loneliness in local areas. However, DCMS works closely with experts such as the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to monitor other data sources and build our understanding. In 2021, ONS published the <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/articles/mappinglonelinessduringthecoronaviruspandemic/2021-04-07" target="_blank">first estimates of loneliness at a local authority level</a>, which suggests 11% of adults over 16 in Coventry feel lonely often or always. However, as the <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/articles/mappinglonelinessduringthecoronaviruspandemic/2021-04-07" target="_blank">ONS report</a> states, because of small sample sizes and large confidence intervals, local authorities should not be ranked against each other. Unfortunately we don’t have the data available to estimate loneliness levels at a regional or constituency level.</p><p>The Government continues to take action to tackle loneliness through public communications to reduce the stigma about loneliness, building the evidence base on loneliness and supporting other government departments and external organisations to consider loneliness in their work.</p><p>Copies of the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/loneliness-annual-report-the-first-year" target="_blank">first</a>, <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/loneliness-annual-report-the-second-year" target="_blank">second</a> and <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/loneliness-annual-report-the-third-year/tackling-loneliness-annual-report-february-2022-the-third-year" target="_blank">third </a>annual reports on the government's work on tackling loneliness are available in the Libraries of the House and online.</p> answering member constituency Mid Worcestershire answering member printed Nigel Huddleston question first answered 22/06/2022 09:56:58 answering member 4407 label Biography information for Nigel Huddleston
tabling member	4378 label Biography information for Colleen Fletcher

1470245

registered interest
date	14/06/2022
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	Sports
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 the impact of increasing grassroots sport opportunities on the level of physical activity undertaken in local authority areas.
tabling member constituency	Ipswich
tabling member printed	Tom Hunt
uin	18067
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2022 answer text <p>Sport and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health and this government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, should have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.</p><p>Since the government launched its sports strategy, Sporting Future in 2015, we have achieved a huge amount.</p><p>Sport England has allocated over £1.5 billion to nearly 5,000 grassroots organisations across the UK, increasing opportunities for individuals all over the country to get active.</p><p>In 2020 alone, Sport England distributed over £340 million of Exchequer and Lottery funding to support the development of grassroots sport in England, in addition to £100 million through the National Leisure Recovery Fund.</p><p>The Government also invests £18 million each year in community sport facilities via the Football Foundation. In partnership with the Football Association and Premier League, this results in £70 million being invested into community sport facilities every year.</p><p>The Government has also recently announced a £30 million package to refurbish 4,500 park tennis courts throughout the country in partnership with the Lawn Tennis Association.</p><p>On top of this, the Prime Minister has committed to delivering the grassroots pitches every community needs and this has already resulted in an investment of £25 million by the government in 2021/22 to upgrade and improve facilities across the UK. At the Spending Review, a further £205 million was pledged over the next three years, targeted at the communities most in need, with the aim of increasing participation in sport among under-represented groups, as part of the government’s levelling up plans.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Worcestershire answering member printed Nigel Huddleston question first answered 22/06/2022 11:22:03 answering member 4407 label Biography information for Nigel Huddleston
tabling member	4771 label Biography information for Tom Hunt