Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport

The Youth Investment Fund continues to deliver significant numbers of new youth facilities in less advantaged areas across England.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has invested over £145 million to provide stability to the youth sector and ensure young people can continue to access opportunities, as we transition to the new National Youth Strategy. Part of this funding is in recognition of the urgent need for more youth facilities and has enabled more flexibility with project delivery and continues to support the completion of Youth Investment Fund projects into 2026.

The Government is aware of concerns relating to the continued access to video games, including licensed, online-only video games, and we appreciate the frustrations of players of some games that have been discontinued. The Government has spoken with the video games industry and has responded to a recent petition on this issue. As the petition has since reached 100,000 signatures, it will be debated by Parliament on 3 November 2025.

Those selling games must comply with existing requirements in consumer law, including the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA) and Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA), giving clear advice to consumers. Video game sellers must not omit or hide material information, or provide it in an unclear, unintelligible, ambiguous or untimely manner. If consumers believe that there has been a breach of these regulations, they should report it to the Citizens Advice helpline on 0808 223 1133 (www.citizensadvice.org.uk)

Local authorities play a key part in delivering youth services, reflected in their statutory duty to provide sufficient leisure-time activities and facilities in line with local needs. In 25/26 we are investing £8m in the Local Youth Transformation (LYT) Pilot to support local authorities to rebuild a high-quality offer for young people and transition back to local youth services leadership. Shropshire County Council is one of the 12 local authorities participating in the pilot, and they have been awarded £695,131.

This Government fully recognises the importance of youth services to help young people live safe and healthy lives, and we are committed to giving all young people the chance to reach their full potential. We are co-producing a new National Youth Strategy to set out a new long-term vision for young people and an action plan for delivering this. The National Youth Strategy will be published later this year.

DCMS has responsibility for protecting media freedom, which is protected under the Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which sets out the right to freedom of expression. An integral part of DCMS's work to support media freedom is working with partners to tackle threats to journalist safety and protect journalistic freedoms. DCMS and Home Office Ministers co-chair the National Committee for the Safety of Journalists, which convenes criminal justice, civil society and media partners to tackle journalist safety and oversees a National Action Plan for the Safety of Journalists.

This government recognises the vital role that charities play in providing crucial support to different groups and communities. Although no formal assessment of grant schemes is planned, Ministers and officials regularly engage with VCSE sector representatives to understand and respond to issues within the sector.

DCMS is promoting the availability of funding for smaller charities in several ways. This includes delivery of a number of grant schemes, such as the Know Your Neighbourhood Fund and the Social Enterprise Boost Fund. Support for charities is also available through social investment. The Dormant Assets Scheme Strategy, published in June 2025, announced that the Scheme is expected to release £440 million for England over 2024-28, with £87.5 million of this funding allocated towards social investment.

There are also ways for charities to search for further funding opportunities, including:

• ‘Find a grant’ - a service that allows organisations to search for government grants. (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/find-government-grants)

• funding opportunities hosted by The National Lottery Community Fund (https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding)

• funding and income guidance from the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, which includes a section on where to find grants available to charities (https://www.ncvo.org.uk/help-and-guidance/funding-income/#/)

The Government is committed to supporting people to have the social connections they need. Our ambition to strengthen social connection is a key part of achieving wider government work to create a healthier society, more connected communities and support young people. My department has been working hard to ensure social connection and loneliness are embedded in all government policy making, including the recently published Pride in Place strategy, the upcoming Men’s Health Strategy and National Youth Strategy.

In addition we are funding a project to develop the Tackling Loneliness Hub, which was set up to provide a forum for people working on loneliness to come together and share insights, research and best practice. My officials are exploring how the Hub can be made more accessible to the full range of people who work on loneliness, from healthcare professionals to volunteers, sports coaches to youth workers, researchers to policy makers.

Corporations donate around £4 billion per year to charity. This Government has three priorities for philanthropy, to: connect philanthropic investment with the places that need it most; unlock extra philanthropic investment; and partner with civil society, communities, donors and businesses to celebrate a culture of giving. This includes championing existing reliefs and ways to donate, with Government granting around £1 billion a year in tax relief for companies' donations.

Corporations donate around £4 billion per year to charity. This Government has three priorities for philanthropy, to: connect philanthropic investment with the places that need it most; unlock extra philanthropic investment; and partner with civil society, communities, donors and businesses to celebrate a culture of giving. This includes championing existing reliefs and ways to donate, with Government granting around £1 billion a year in tax relief for companies' donations.

The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That is why we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK following the Spending Review. We are now working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need and will then set out further plans. I have met with the Lawn Tennis Association, the National Governing Body for tennis and padel, along with representatives from other sports, to discuss this.

The majority of grassroots sport policy is devolved. Sportscotland, the national agency for sport in Scotland, receives funding from the Scottish Government to support more people to get active. The Secretary of State and I regularly meet with Scottish counterparts to discuss the importance of sport and tackling physical inactivity.

The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport in England through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. This includes long term investment in the Lawn Tennis Association, which receives up to £10.2 million for five years from 2022 to 2027 to invest in community tennis and padel initiatives that will benefit as many people as possible.

The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That is why we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK following the Spending Review. We are now working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need and will then set out further plans. I have met with the Lawn Tennis Association, the National Governing Body for tennis and padel, along with representatives from other sports, to discuss this.

The majority of grassroots sport policy is devolved. Sportscotland, the national agency for sport in Scotland, receives funding from the Scottish Government to support more people to get active. The Secretary of State and I regularly meet with Scottish counterparts to discuss the importance of sport and tackling physical inactivity.

The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport in England through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. This includes long term investment in the Lawn Tennis Association, which receives up to £10.2 million for five years from 2022 to 2027 to invest in community tennis and padel initiatives that will benefit as many people as possible.

The Secretary of State is required to consult Historic England before deciding whether to designate a listed building. Decisions are informed by advice from Historic England and relevant representations from other interested parties, including the Twentieth Century Society, then made in accordance with the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 and the Secretary of State’s Principles of Selection for Listed Buildings (2018). The Department takes decisions on whether or not to list based on the criteria of special architectural or historic interest.

The reasoning behind the decisions in cases where there is a departure from Historic England's recommendation is detailed in decision letters to Historic England. That reasoning is then shared by Historic England alongside their notifications to interested parties of the decisions made.

The Full Time Equivalent Staff for the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation by Grade at the end of the 2022-23 Financial year is shown below.

*data exempted under Section 40(2)

Some personal information has been withheld under section 40(2) (personal information) of the Act. Section 40(2) is an ‘absolute’ exemption and the department is not obliged to consider whether the public interest favours disclosing the information. Section 40(2) exempts personal information from disclosure if that information relates to someone other than the applicant, and if disclosure of the information would, amongst other things, contravene one of the data protection principles in Article 5 of the UK GDPR. In this case, I believe disclosure would contravene the first data protection principle, which provides that personal data must be processed fairly and lawfully. This information has been withheld as there were a small number of staff who met the criteria of your request . The department does not release information that affects a low number of staff as this would make them easily identifiable to the wider public.

Following the Licensing taskforce report, the Government published a Call for Evidence on reforming the licensing system on 7 October, which closes on 6 November. The Call for Evidence invites views on licensing reforms, including in relation to Recommendation 4 of the taskforce on ending the requirement for printed statutory notices in local newspapers for alcohol licences. The reforms collectively aim to create a modern, proportionate, and enabling system that supports economic growth, revitalises high streets and fosters vibrant communities.

More broadly, the Government is concerned about the sustainability of local journalism and DCMS is developing a Local Media Strategy, in recognition of the importance of this vital sector. We also recognise that local press continues to play a central role in informing local communities, and that public notices can be important in helping inform the public of decisions made by their council which may affect their quality of life, local services or amenities, or their property. We are planning a review of all types of public notice as part of the Local Media Strategy, which will more broadly consider the merits of making changes to existing requirements to place public notices in print local newspapers and also take forward final decisions on the future of alcohol licence notices.

We regularly engage with industry stakeholders on this and other key issues, including through our Local Media Strategy working group set up earlier this year to consider our overall plans for the Strategy in more detail, and welcome the industry’s input into the Call for Evidence. More will be announced on the Strategy and review in the coming months.

The Government will publish the National Youth Strategy in the autumn, which will outline future priorities and funding opportunities for the youth sector.

This Government is committed to introducing new protections for consumers on ticket resales, which is why we launched the Putting Fans First consultation on the resale of live events tickets earlier this year.

Policy responsibility for live event ticket resale is shared between DCMS and the Department for Business and Trade. Our Departments have been speaking regularly and engaging with all other relevant Departments as we consider the response to our consultation, which will be published shortly.

The issue of illegal gambling is a concern for this Government and we are committed to working closely with the Gambling Commission, the statutory regulator for gambling in Great Britain, to ensure that illegal gambling, in all its forms, is addressed. The Crime and Policing Bill, introduced in Parliament on 25 February 2025, will grant the Gambling Commission with new powers to more quickly and effectively take down illegal gambling websites.

Estimating the size of the illegal gambling market is difficult due to the changing nature of the sites and channels through which customers are able to access illegal activity. While research in this space is improving, further research is required to robustly estimate the extent of illegal gambling within Great Britain, who is engaging with it, and the impact that it is having on issues such as horseracing and tax revenues. This is a priority area of research for the Gambling Commission. We will continue to monitor the latest evidence in this area to improve our understanding of the illegal market.

The issue of illegal gambling is a concern for this Government and we are committed to working closely with the Gambling Commission, the statutory regulator for gambling in Great Britain, to ensure that illegal gambling, in all its forms, is addressed. The Crime and Policing Bill, introduced in Parliament on 25 February 2025, will grant the Gambling Commission with new powers to more quickly and effectively take down illegal gambling websites.

Estimating the size of the illegal gambling market is difficult due to the changing nature of the sites and channels through which customers are able to access illegal activity. While research in this space is improving, further research is required to robustly estimate the extent of illegal gambling within Great Britain, who is engaging with it, and the impact that it is having on issues such as horseracing and tax revenues. This is a priority area of research for the Gambling Commission. We will continue to monitor the latest evidence in this area to improve our understanding of the illegal market.

Unlicensed skins gambling websites operate illegally outside of the video game ecosystem. Earlier this year, we commissioned independent research to better understand skins gambling and its impact on children and young people. The resulting rapid evidence review on skins gambling was published in September. This review and its conclusions will form part of our consideration when determining what future policy changes may be needed around how to best protect children and young people from skins gambling related harms.

Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) work collaboratively at local, regional and national levels on shared priorities and targets to support and grow the visitor economy.

Each LVEP sets out how they measure their agreed activities in their annual growth plan. DCMS and VisitEngland continue to monitor the impact of LVEPs by collaborating with them on their identified growth priorities and sharing best practice.

The Gambling Levy Programme Board has been established as the central oversight mechanism for establishment and oversight of the levy to ensure that funding is being spent appropriately and efficiently, and that the system is delivering on its objectives. The Programme Board is chaired by DCMS Director of Sport and Gambling, and its membership consists of government officials from relevant departments across government, and the Scottish and Welsh governments. The Board's membership is currently limited to government officials as its focus is on the operational aspects of the levy system to ensure a smooth transition to and successful implementation of the new system.

We have also established the Gambling Levy Advisory Group. It is chaired by a DCMS official and membership consists of working level representation from UK Research and Innovation, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, NHS England, the appropriate bodies in Scotland and Wales, and the Gambling Commission. The Advisory Group brings together the research, prevention and treatment strands of the levy at a working level, facilitating appropriate integration and collaboration between commissioning leads. Funding decisions will be taken by the appropriate bodies, with scrutiny provided by relevant governance structures.

We will continue to regularly monitor the levy’s governance arrangements to ensure that there is effective oversight of delivery against objectives. We will publish the Terms of Reference for the Levy Board and Advisory Group in due course.

The Gambling Levy Programme Board has been established as the central oversight mechanism for establishment and oversight of the levy to ensure that funding is being spent appropriately and efficiently, and that the system is delivering on its objectives. The Programme Board is chaired by DCMS Director of Sport and Gambling, and its membership consists of government officials from relevant departments across government, and the Scottish and Welsh governments. The Board's membership is currently limited to government officials as its focus is on the operational aspects of the levy system to ensure a smooth transition to and successful implementation of the new system.

We have also established the Gambling Levy Advisory Group. It is chaired by a DCMS official and membership consists of working level representation from UK Research and Innovation, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, NHS England, the appropriate bodies in Scotland and Wales, and the Gambling Commission. The Advisory Group brings together the research, prevention and treatment strands of the levy at a working level, facilitating appropriate integration and collaboration between commissioning leads. Funding decisions will be taken by the appropriate bodies, with scrutiny provided by relevant governance structures.

We will continue to regularly monitor the levy’s governance arrangements to ensure that there is effective oversight of delivery against objectives. We will publish the Terms of Reference for the Levy Board and Advisory Group in due course.

The Gambling Levy Programme Board has been established as the central oversight mechanism for establishment and oversight of the levy to ensure that funding is being spent appropriately and efficiently, and that the system is delivering on its objectives. The Programme Board is chaired by DCMS Director of Sport and Gambling, and its membership consists of government officials from relevant departments across government, and the Scottish and Welsh governments. The Board's membership is currently limited to government officials as its focus is on the operational aspects of the levy system to ensure a smooth transition to and successful implementation of the new system.

We have also established the Gambling Levy Advisory Group. It is chaired by a DCMS official and membership consists of working level representation from UK Research and Innovation, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, NHS England, the appropriate bodies in Scotland and Wales, and the Gambling Commission. The Advisory Group brings together the research, prevention and treatment strands of the levy at a working level, facilitating appropriate integration and collaboration between commissioning leads. Funding decisions will be taken by the appropriate bodies, with scrutiny provided by relevant governance structures.

We will continue to regularly monitor the levy’s governance arrangements to ensure that there is effective oversight of delivery against objectives. We will publish the Terms of Reference for the Levy Board and Advisory Group in due course.

This Government recognises that prize draws are a significant and growing market, and we want to ensure that people who participate in prize draws are confident that proportionate protections are in place.

Independent research was commissioned in 2023, which provided the Government with firm insights into the prize draws sector. This led to the announcement earlier this year of the intention to introduce a Voluntary Code for prize draw operators.

DCMS officials are currently working closely with the sector to develop this code, with the work underpinned by the independent research. The Code will provide a uniform approach across the sector to strengthen player protections, increase transparency and improve accountability. This approach will enable the Government to take swift action collectively within the sector. The success of this Code will dictate whether the Government decides that greater regulation may be required.

This Government recognises that prize draws are a significant and growing market, and we want to ensure that people who participate in prize draws are confident that proportionate protections are in place.

Independent research was commissioned in 2023, which provided the Government with firm insights into the prize draws sector. This led to the announcement earlier this year of the intention to introduce a Voluntary Code for prize draw operators.

DCMS officials are currently working closely with the sector to develop this code, with the work underpinned by the independent research. The Code will provide a uniform approach across the sector to strengthen player protections, increase transparency and improve accountability. This approach will enable the Government to take swift action collectively within the sector. The success of this Code will dictate whether the Government decides that greater regulation may be required.

This Government recognises that prize draws are a significant and growing market, and we want to ensure that people who participate in prize draws are confident that proportionate protections are in place.

Independent research was commissioned in 2023, which provided the Government with firm insights into the prize draws sector. This led to the announcement earlier this year of the intention to introduce a Voluntary Code for prize draw operators.

DCMS officials are currently working closely with the sector to develop this code, with the work underpinned by the independent research. The Code will provide a uniform approach across the sector to strengthen player protections, increase transparency and improve accountability. This approach will enable the Government to take swift action collectively within the sector. The success of this Code will dictate whether the Government decides that greater regulation may be required.

This Government recognises that prize draws are a significant and growing market, and we want to ensure that people who participate in prize draws are confident that proportionate protections are in place.

Independent research was commissioned in 2023, which provided the Government with firm insights into the prize draws sector. This led to the announcement earlier this year of the intention to introduce a Voluntary Code for prize draw operators.

DCMS officials are currently working closely with the sector to develop this code, with the work underpinned by the independent research. The Code will provide a uniform approach across the sector to strengthen player protections, increase transparency and improve accountability. This approach will enable the Government to take swift action collectively within the sector. The success of this Code will dictate whether the Government decides that greater regulation may be required.

I met with the Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) Award in November 2024 and have visited the DofE Award in June 2025. DCMS is providing £1.5 million of funding in FY 25/26 to support Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision schools to offer the Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) Award. DCMS is also assisting the Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) in forging strategic alliances with the National Governing Bodies of Sport. This includes securing funded sectional activity placements specifically for marginalised young people.

This Government fully recognises the importance of youth services to help young people live safe and healthy lives, and we are committed to giving all young people the chance to reach their full potential. We are co-producing a new National Youth Strategy to set out a new long-term vision for young people and an action plan for delivering this. The National Youth Strategy will be published later this year. The detail and scale of future funding commitments will be announced with the Strategy.

As funding for this initiative will come from the Dormant Assets Scheme over which the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has responsibility, your question has been transferred to my Department.

It is for individual schools to decide how best to provide and maintain a library service for their pupils, including whether to employ a qualified librarian.

Funding for this programme will come from the £132.5 million that was allocated to increasing disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities in the arts, culture, sports and wider youth services, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability.

The Government will work with The National Lottery Community Fund to co-design the programme and will announce further details in due course, including definitions, eligibility and funding.

As funding for this initiative will come from the Dormant Assets Scheme over which the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has responsibility, your question has been transferred to my Department.

It is for individual schools to decide how best to provide and maintain a library service for their pupils, including whether to employ a qualified librarian.

Funding for this programme will come from the £132.5 million that was allocated to increasing disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities in the arts, culture, sports and wider youth services, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability.

The Government will work with The National Lottery Community Fund to co-design the programme and will announce further details in due course, including definitions, eligibility and funding.

A response was sent on 15 October 2025. I apologise for the delay.

The Know Your Neighbourhood (KYN) Fund was launched in January 2023 as an up to £30 million package of funding designed to widen participation in volunteering and tackle loneliness in 27 disadvantaged areas across England. In April 2025, the KYN Fund was extended until March 2026, with an additional up to £4.5m of government funding.

The list of 27 areas eligible for KYN funding was identified using the English Index of Multiple Deprivation and the Community Needs Index. To ensure a balanced distribution between area types, the nine highest-need local authorities were selected from each of the three categories: large urban areas, medium urban areas, and rural and small urban areas. Further information on the selection methodology is publicly available on gov.uk under Annex A of the application guidance for the ‘KYN Fund Intermediary Grant Maker Competition’.

The Department does not review the list of KYN Fund delivery areas at specific intervals. This is because organisations within the delivery areas were eligible for funding until the original Fund end date (31 March 2025). In April 2025, the Fund was extended until March 2026, specifically making available uplifts to existing grant awards to organisations in the original 27 eligible delivery areas that had previously received KYN funding between 2022 and 2025.

We recognise that we are unable to reach every area in need of support with a fund of this size. A key objective of the Fund, therefore, is learning about what works in these areas. An evaluation of the Fund will therefore be published in due course.

Parliament legislated for a registration scheme for short-term lets in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023. A pilot will launch later this year with the scheme launching in 2026.

The Department works with content creators who are vital trusted voices to help us reach hard-to-reach audiences with government campaign messaging. For example, earlier this year, the Department worked with four social media influencers to promote the National Youth Strategy's survey for young people. We are however unable to provide a cost breakdown on influencers specifically due to commercial sensitivities which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments.

The government’s third UK Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA3), published in 2021 under the UK Climate Change Act 2008, includes a Monetary Valuation of Risks and Opportunities assessment of the current and future costs of climate change to the UK, including in relation to cultural heritage, where the estimated costs are currently unknown.

The Third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3) sets out the actions that government and arm’s length bodies will take to adapt the country to the impacts of climate change from 2023 to 2028, including risks to cultural heritage (H11) which represents DCMS sectors. For estimating future costs of extreme weather, decisions on key government spending are subject to clear requirements through the Green Book. This includes supplementary guidance which covers the impacts of climate change, i.e. accounting for the effects of climate change. This ensures that policies, programmes and projects are resilient to the effects and future costs of climate change, and that such effects are being taken fully into account when appraising policy options.

Since 10 July 2024, 121 regulated appointments and reappointments have been made to the Boards of the Department for Culture, Media & Sport’s public bodies. This data only includes regulated appointments made to relevant boards as listed in the Public Appointments Order in Council 2019.

There is no additional cost to the department as a result of the Women’s Sport Taskforce, however, officials within the Department for Culture, Media and Sport are allocated to support the Taskforce.

While I engage with a number of stakeholders across the TV industry on issues relevant to the sector, employment decisions are a matter for Sky as an independent company.

The Government believes that opportunities to play sport and get physically active should be available to everyone.

In June, we committed another £400 million to transform sports facilities across the whole of the UK over the next four years, supporting the Government's Plan for Change. We will ensure that this funding promotes health, wellbeing and community cohesion and helps to remove the barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups, including disabled people. We are working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, before setting out further plans on how future funding will be allocated across the UK.

The ongoing responsibility of providing access to public leisure facilities lies at local authority level, with funding levels set as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement. The Government encourages local authorities to make investments which offer the right opportunities and facilities for the communities they serve, investing in sport and physical activity with a place-based approach, to meet the needs of individual communities.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, including children and young people, should have access to, and benefit from, quality sport and physical activity opportunities.

Sports facilities provide important community hubs for people of all ages to be active and connect people to the places in which they live. On 19 June 2025, the Culture Secretary announced that following the Spending Review, at least £400 million is going to be invested into new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities in communities right across the UK, supporting the Government's Plan for Change. We are now working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what each community needs, including for children and young people, and will then set out further plans.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is the independent regulator for advertising in the UK and enforces the Advertising Codes. These codes include specific rules intended to protect consumers from misleading marketing communications, which would apply to adverts for toys. If advertising includes the omission, exaggeration, or ambiguous presentation of information, it can be considered misleading. The ASA works with online platforms via its Intermediary and Platform Principles to promote greater adherence to the non-broadcast advertising codes, resulting in more responsible advertising online.

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 also requires online marketplaces to exercise professional diligence in relation to consumer transactions promoted or made on their platforms, which would include the sale of toys.  The Government commenced Part 4, Chapter 1 of the Act, which sets out the rules for unfair trading, in April 2025.

The Government understands the importance of access to information when other communications may be disrupted. Radio plays an essential role in providing such access. In order to fulfil DCMS responsibilities as Lead Government Department for Broadcast Critical National Infrastructure (CNI), DCMS works closely with broadcast CNI operators and technical authorities to maintain security and resilience against a wide range of scenarios including power outages.

The Government is concerned about the sustainability of local journalism and DCMS is developing a Local Media Strategy in recognition of the importance of this vital sector. We also recognise that local press continues to play a vital role in informing local communities, and that public notices can be important in helping inform the public of decisions made by their council which may affect their quality of life, local services or amenities, or their property.

However, we are also aware of concerns from some sectors about the audience reach of these notices and the desire for greater digitalisation. In this context, the sector’s Public Notice Portal is a welcome innovation, taking advantage of print publishers’ growing digital audiences and providing a centralised resource for all types of public notice. We also welcome the Portal's current expansion to include archive and consultation functions to help public bodies and commercial entities engage with the public more effectively.

DCMS is monitoring the progress of the Portal, and the effect that it has on the audience reach of public notices. This type of industry innovation and collaboration is integral to securing the sector’s future. It will be taken into account in our planned review of public notices as part of the Local Media Strategy, which will more broadly consider the merits of making changes to existing requirements to place public notices in print local newspapers, including the impact this has on local transparency and democratic accountability across the country, including in Surrey. More will be announced on the Strategy and the review in the coming months.

The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That is why we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK following the Spending Review. We are now working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need and will then set out further plans. I have met with the Lawn Tennis Association, the National Governing Body for tennis and padel, along with representatives from other sports, to discuss this.

The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport in England through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. This includes long term investment in the Lawn Tennis Association, which receives up to £10.2 million for five years from 2022 to 2027 to invest in community tennis and padel initiatives in England that will benefit as many people as possible.

The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That is why we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK following the Spending Review. We are now working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need and will then set out further plans. I have met with the Lawn Tennis Association, the National Governing Body for tennis and padel, along with representatives from other sports, to discuss this.

The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport in England through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. This includes long term investment in the Lawn Tennis Association, which receives up to £10.2 million for five years from 2022 to 2027 to invest in community tennis and padel initiatives in England that will benefit as many people as possible.