The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) helps to drive growth, enrich lives and promote Britain abroad. We protect and promote our cultural and artistic heritage and help businesses and communities to grow by investing in innovation and highlighting Britain as a fantastic place to visit. We help to give the UK a unique advantage on the global stage, striving for economic success.
Oliver Dowden
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Oral Answers to Questions is a regularly scheduled appearance where the Secretary of State and junior minister will answer at the Dispatch Box questions from backbench MPs
Other Commons Chamber appearances can be:Westminster Hall debates are performed in response to backbench MPs or e-petitions asking for a Minister to address a detailed issue
Written Statements are made when a current event is not sufficiently significant to require an Oral Statement, but the House is required to be informed.
Date | Type | Title |
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Mar. 18 | Oral Questions | Oral Answers to Questions |
Jan. 19 | Urgent Questions | UK Musicians: EU Visa Arrangements |
Apr. 14 | Written Statements | Events Research Programme: Cancellation Compensation |
Mar. 23 | Westminster Hall | Battle of Barnet: 550th Anniversary |
Mar. 11 | Adjournment Debate | Concussion in Sport |
A bill to make provision about the Commonwealth Games that are to be held principally in Birmingham in 2022; and for connected purposes
This Bill received Royal Assent on Thursday 25th June 2020 and was enacted into law.
A Bill to amend the electronic communications code set out in Schedule 3A to the Communications Act 2003; and for connected purposes.
This Bill received Royal Assent on Monday 15th March 2021 and was enacted into law.
A Bill to make provision about the security of public electronic communications networks and public electronic communications services.
Dates | Department | Title | |
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Published 2 Jul 2020, 1:32 p.m. |
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport | The Legislative Reform (Renewal of Radio Licences) Order 2020 | |
This Order is made under section 1 of the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006 (c. 51) and concerns radio licences granted under the Broadcasting Act 1990 (c. 42). References to the section numbers in the following paragraphs are to sections of the 1990 Act. |
Dates | Department | Title | Type |
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Laid 5 Mar 2021 In Force 1 May 2021 |
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport |
Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2021 Parliamentary Status - Text of Legislation |
Made negative procedure |
These Regulations amend the Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004 (“the 2004 Regulations”) (S.I. 2004/692) to make provision for the form of TV licence known as a “simple payment plan licence (not black and white only)” (a “simple payment licence”) to be available from 1st May 2021 to eligible television licence fee payers who are resident in the Isle of Man. | |||
Laid 25 Feb 2021 In Force Not stated |
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport |
Audiovisual Media Services (Amendment) Regulations 2021 Parliamentary Status - Text of Legislation |
Draft affirmative procedure |
These Regulations are made in exercise of the powers in section 8 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (c. 16) in order to address failures of retained EU law to operate effectively and other deficiencies (in particular, deficiencies falling within subsection (2)(a), (c), (d) and (g) of section 8) arising from the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. |
Current Signatures | Final Signatures | Title | Petition Deadline |
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285,812 c. 2,211 added daily |
430,351 (Estimated) |
Seek Europe-wide Visa-free work permit for Touring professionals and Artists Sign this petition Gov Responded - 14 Jan 2021 |
22 Jun 2021 closes in 2 months |
We would like the UK Govt to negotiate a free cultural work permit that gives us visa free travel throughout the 27 EU states for music touring professionals, bands, musicians, artists, TV and sports celebrities that tour the EU to perform shows and events & Carnet exception for touring equipment. |
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246,736 Petition Closed |
Abolish the BBC television license. Gov Responded - 26 Jun 2019 Debated on - 15 Jul 2019 |
20 Jun 2019 closed 1 year, 10 months ago |
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The quality of BBC programmes do not reflect the price of the TV license. It is far too expensive for the majority of people and should be abolished. |
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229,827 c. 2,257 added daily |
440,538 (Estimated) |
Open gyms first as we come out of lockdown & fund a Work Out to Help Out scheme Sign this petition Gov Responded - 16 Mar 2021 Debated on - 22 Mar 2021 |
20 Jul 2021 closes in 3 months |
We want the government to recognise the importance of gyms, health clubs, leisure centres and swimming pools in empowering people to look after their health and stay fit and for them to open first as we come out of lockdown. We're also calling for government to fund a Work Out to Help Out scheme. |
Commons Select Committees are a formally established cross-party group of backbench MPs tasked with holding a Government department to account.
At any time there will be number of ongoing investigations into the work of the Department, or issues which fall within the oversight of the Department. Witnesses can be summoned from within the Government and outside to assist in these inquiries.
Select Committee findings are reported to the Commons, printed, and published on the Parliament website. The government then usually has 60 days to reply to the committee's recommendations.
Date | Title | Type |
---|---|---|
Apr. 16 | Event Research Programme - ministerial directions | Guidance and Regulation |
Apr. 10 | One minute national silence to mark the death of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh | News and Communications |
Apr. 09 | Flag flying to mark the death of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh | News and Communications |
Written Questions are submitted by Members of Parliament and the House of Lords to receive information or updates from a Department.
Departments are required to respond in a timely fashion and provide a response or requested information. Written Questions can compel detailed and specific information to be produced, and are frequently used as the source of news stories about the work of a Department.
Date | Title | Questioner |
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16 Apr 2021, midnight | Social Media: Disinformation | Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield) |
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to reduce misinformation on social media. Answered by Caroline Dinenage - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport) The Government takes the issue of disinformation very seriously and DCMS is leading work across Government to tackle it. In response to the harmful disinformation and misinformation relating to Covid-19 we stood up the Cross-Whitehall Counter Disinformation Unit on 5 March 2020, which brings together cross-Government monitoring and analysis capabilities.
We are working with social media platforms to support the introduction of systems and processes that promote authoritative sources of information, and to help them identify and take action to remove misinformation, in line with their terms and conditions.
We have seen positive steps taken by social media platforms to curtail the spread of harmful and misleading narratives related to Covid-19 and promote the Government and NHS messaging on the matter. However, there is clearly more to do, and we will continue to put pressure on platforms to ensure that their policies and enforcement are fit for purpose, whilst still respecting freedom of expression.
The Online Safety Bill will bring in a new legal duty of care on how online companies will work in practice, giving them new responsibilities towards their users. The Bill will tackle dangerous disinformation and misinformation, such as misleading content about coronavirus vaccines, and will help bridge the gap between what companies say they do to address harmful content, and what happens in practice.
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