Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport

Local press plays a vital role in scrutinising local authorities and supporting democratic engagement at local level, and there is a wealth of evidence relating to how audiences engage with this role. Ofcom’s most recent Local News and Media Survey found that nearly half of UK adults use local media to seek out local government information, such as local council updates or plans. The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism's most recent global survey of news audiences found that people consider local newspapers and other news media to be a better source of information on local politics and government than online platforms, to a greater degree than for any other type of local news or information.

Last year, DCMS commissioned research last year into the relationship between local news provision and local public service performance. That research has helped inform our plans for the Local Media Strategy to support local journalism. As part of the Strategy, we want to better empower local media to hold local public services to account, and we are exploring whether there is more that local authorities can do to support the vital role that local media plays, for example through increased openness in providing local journalists with access to information. We will also continue to monitor how audiences engage with this role. More detail will be announced on the Strategy and our commissioned research in the coming months.

The Government continues to incentivise the production of original content across film, television and radio. The Creative Industries is one of eight growth-driving sectors in our Industrial Strategy. Our ten-year Sector Plan, published in June, sets out over sixty commitments, with film and TV prioritised as a 'frontier industry' due to its high growth potential and strong connections across the wider economy.

The Sector Plan supports the screen sector, through a £75 million Screen Growth Package to fund original UK film and television content, helping independent British productions reach global audiences. This includes an £18 million per annum scale up of the UK Global Screen Fund supporting development, co-productions, and international distribution. We have also maintained a 40% reduction on business rates for eligible film studios in England until 2034, directly supporting world-class filming facilities across the country.

Our competitive tax reliefs across the audiovisual sector, including high-end TV, visual effects and independent British film, in addition to our generous support for studio infrastructure encourages production activity across the UK.

Our public service broadcasters, in particular, are all subject to original production quotas, which require them to make a minimum level (by hours) of original content, whether commissioned or produced, available on their respective services. Our reputation as a world-leader in film and television production coupled with the attractive fiscal incentives offered by the Government means we also continue to attract significant inward investment from global streaming services and studios.

The UK’s commercial radio sector has benefited from changes in the Media Act to reduce regulatory burdens on licensed stations and the introduction of new protections for the carriage of radio services on smart speaker platforms. We are exploring, as part of the Creative Industries Sector Plan, the scope to encourage further growth in the UK’s audio and podcast sector. We have recently commissioned a new study by Frontier Economics to assess the economic potential of the radio and podcasting sector. This research will be completed no later than summer 2026.

We currently have no plans to review gambling sponsorship in grassroots football. However, the government is clear that wherever gambling advertising and sponsorship appears, it must be socially responsible.

DCMS recognises the significant value campsites and holiday parks provide in supporting our rural and coastal economies and their contribution to the wider visitor economy.

Whilst DCMS has not conducted a formal assessment of the number of recreational campsites in England the UK Caravan & Camping Club's (UKCCA) 2024 "Pitching the Value" report, states in 2023 there were 4,754 holiday parks and campsites in England, offering around 320,901 pitches.

Ofcom, the independent regulator, has a new duty introduced through the Media Act 2024 to assess audience protection measures used by video-on-demand (VoD) services, such as age ratings, to ensure they are adequate to protect audiences from harm. The Government will in due course be designating mainstream VoD services, bringing them under enhanced regulation by Ofcom. Ofcom will then consult on a new Standards Code for these services, similar to the Broadcasting Code. This could include the use of age ratings, if Ofcom considers it appropriate.

Ofcom, the independent regulator, has a new duty introduced through the Media Act 2024 to assess audience protection measures used by video-on-demand (VoD) services, such as age ratings, to ensure they are adequate to protect audiences from harm. The Government will in due course be designating mainstream VoD services, bringing them under enhanced regulation by Ofcom. Ofcom will then consult on a new Standards Code for these services, similar to the Broadcasting Code. This could include the use of age ratings, if Ofcom considers it appropriate.

Our priority is supporting a healthy and mixed screen ecology where public service broadcasters, alongside commercial broadcasters, can continue to deliver high-quality, culturally relevant content for audiences across England and the UK.

The Government has engaged extensively with industry and has consistently championed the commissioning and production of programming in all parts of the country, For example, the BBC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the West Midlands Combined Authority and Create Central, committing to increased output, skills investment, and a new production base in Digbeth.

In addition Part 1 of the Media Act 2024, once commenced, will for the first time make clear in legislation the importance of the provision of indigenous regional and minority languages in the modernised public service remit for television, and will require public service broadcasters to provide a sufficient quantity of audiovisual content that reflects the lives and concerns of different communities and cultural interests across the UK. It will be for Ofcom, the independent regulator, to monitor compliance.

Alongside this, and building on competitive fiscal incentives like the Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit, the Creative Industries Sector Plan published in June, also set out plans for how the Government will support television and film and television production across the nations and regions, tapping into the huge potential for growth across the country. Our £75 million Screen Growth Package specifically will support regional growth of Film & TV alongside wider measures - from our £150m Creative Places Growth Fund, to £100m for the Creative Industries Clusters programme - helping to create opportunities for all.

Culture and community are integral to our national strategic ambition, serving as powerful catalysts for economic growth: the Creative Industry sector contributes 2.4 million jobs and £124 billion GVA to the economy, and social cohesion: evidence shows that cultural participation can make communities feel safer and stronger.

As a department, we are working across government to ensure that national strategies - such as the National Youth Strategy, the Industrial Strategy, Pride in Place and Arts Everywhere - recognise the value of culture in bringing together communities and driving social cohesion. In line with the Pride in Place strategy, we are committed to supporting those communities most in need, working with communities to invest in the spaces and structures that bring people together and restore a sense of pride in the places we live.

Since 1 December 2024, the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme has received a total of 222 applications that exceeded a value of £25,000, with a combined requested value of £12,442,052. Of these, 162 claims totalling £8,793,024 were subsequently approved for payment. All approved claims relate to the 2024/25 financial year, before the new cap came into effect.

A total of 38 applications with a value in excess of £25k have been submitted since 1st April 2025. However, the value of grant award approved for payment against these claims was capped at £25k. I can confirm that since the annual cap of £25,000 per listed place of worship came into effect from 1 April 2025, no applicant has received funding above this £25,000 limit.

At DCMS, the Chief Operating Officer is the Chief Risk Owner for National Security Risks.

All Freedom of Information requests are considered on their individual merits in accordance with the relevant legislation.

We currently have no plans to introduce mandatory transparency requirements on gambling advertising spend and targeting strategies by licensed operators.

All gambling operators who advertise in the UK must comply with advertising codes, which are enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) independently of Government. These codes apply across all advertising platforms, and include a wide range of provisions designed to protect children from harm. In addition to rules on content and audience, operators must ensure that gambling advertising is not targeted at children. Earlier this year the Department for Education announced new statutory guidance for relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education, which includes more in depth education about the risks of gambling related harms. We will continue to monitor this area closely and take action where there is evidence to do so.

All gambling operators in the UK must comply with robust advertising codes, which are enforced by the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) independently of Government. These codes apply across all advertising platforms, including online and social media. The codes are regularly reviewed and updated and DCMS regularly engages with the ASA to discuss these changes and the impact of the regulations.

All operators in the UK are also required to comply with the Gambling Commission’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice, which includes new provisions relating to direct marketing and socially responsible promotions. The impact of these measures will be assessed in due course.

We engage with a range of stakeholders and other regulators, such as the ICO, to understand whether more can be done to further raise standards in this area, particularly on online platforms.

DCMS has not made its own estimate of the amount spent on gambling advertising. However, we monitor a wide range of evidence to aid our assessment of the impact of gambling advertising at a national level, including spend data provided by industry and independent sources.

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has provided the Government with their report on gambling advertising. It is for the BGC to decide whether to publish it. We have reviewed the report and are considering this alongside a range of other evidence to determine next steps in this area.

All gambling operators offering gambling services to people in Great Britain must have a licence from the Gambling Commission. Licensed online gambling operators must have robust policies and procedures to prevent underage gambling. These measures are highly effective, with very few children able to open an online gambling account with either real or invented identities. There are also currently no licensed operators which allow payment using virtual currencies.

The government will also provide an additional £26 million of funding to the Gambling Commission over the next three years to increase investment, resources and capacity to tackle the illegal market.

DCMS has spent £52,670.85 on Linkedin membership fees and £92,099 on other subscriptions in the financial year 24/25. Costs are exclusive of VAT.

These costs are used to maintain access to the widest possible applicant base for job roles in the department, to increase visibility of the department’s employer brand, and to reach a diverse range of potential applicants.

DCMS officials engage regularly with the United Council of Racecourse Bookmakers to discuss a range of matters which affect them.

In-person betting on racing - both at racecourses and betting shops more broadly - is associated with one of the lowest risks of scoring 8+ on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) (representing ‘problem gambling’) of all gambling products. According to the latest official statistics that publish specific PGSI data for in-person betting on horse racing, only in-person bingo, scratchcards and lotteries had a lower PGSI 8+ rate. This is reflected in levy rates, with on-course bookmakers charged one of the lowest figures, at 0.2% of Gross Gambling Yield. Levy rates will be reviewed as part of the Government’s formal review of the statutory levy system, which will take place by 2030.

DCMS officials engage regularly with the United Council of Racecourse Bookmakers to discuss a range of matters which affect them.

In-person betting on racing - both at racecourses and betting shops more broadly - is associated with one of the lowest risks of scoring 8+ on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) (representing ‘problem gambling’) of all gambling products. According to the latest official statistics that publish specific PGSI data for in-person betting on horse racing, only in-person bingo, scratchcards and lotteries had a lower PGSI 8+ rate. This is reflected in levy rates, with on-course bookmakers charged one of the lowest figures, at 0.2% of Gross Gambling Yield. Levy rates will be reviewed as part of the Government’s formal review of the statutory levy system, which will take place by 2030.

Sickness absence data for the Civil Service, including departmental breakdowns is published annually, and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sickness-absence.

The next update will be for the year ending 31st March 2025.

Since 2019 the flexible Performance Management Framework has enabled departments to adopt a Performance Management approach to best suit their organisational and cultural needs. DCMS operates a continual performance management approach throughout the year, which includes data on those not meeting performance expectations through the Managing Poor Performance process.

There is no common definition of ‘top performance’ across Government, and we do not hold performance data for top performers for staff below SCS level at this time.

For Senior Civil Servants, DCMS follows the SCS framework for performance management. There are four possible ratings available with the top marking being ‘Exceeding’. For the performance year 1 April 2024 - 31 March 2025, there were 65 SCS in scope of the end of year performance management process. Given the relatively small number of Senior Civil Servants in scope of the process, sharing the number and proportion of those receiving the top box marking could be disclosive and is therefore being suppressed.

One of the Secretary of State’s three priorities is richer lives with choices and opportunities for all.

DCMS funds Historic England’s Heritage Schools programme which has facilitated almost 3 million pupils from areas of low social mobility to discover their local heritage since its launch in 2012, with 99% of teachers involved in the scheme agreeing that local heritage boosts students’ pride and sense of place. Historic England also partnered with the Youth United Foundation in 2022, which has increased access to heritage outside of formal education settings.

Since 2001, the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) has awarded £23million of funding towards supporting young people’s access and engagement with heritage. Between 2017-2023, the NLHF ran a £10 million Kick the Dust Programme awarding 12 large-scale projects across the UK to transform how heritage organisations engage young people by making heritage relevant, inclusive, and youth-led. The legacy of this work with Children and Young people has transferred into their 2023-2026 strategy and delivery plan, which contains a commitment in the investment plan to “decide on approaches to support projects to engage children and young people in heritage and provide routes into skills development”.

In the last 12 months, there have been 6 disciplinary cases that have concluded within DCMS. All related to an allegation of misconduct.

We cannot provide the outcome of closed disciplinary cases. Doing so would breach the Data Protection Act and risk identifying individual cases where the case count is five or less, as the information relates to someone other than the data subjects.

DCMS does not hold information regarding its agencies, including its arms-length and public bodies. This is because they are independent employers from the department.

Poor performance is addressed under a separate management procedure.

The issue of illegal gambling is a concern for this Government. 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. To further secure the regulated market and protect consumers from illegal sites, it was announced at the Budget that the Government is providing an additional £26 million over three years to the Gambling Commission to strengthen enforcement and tackle illegal gambling. We will continue to monitor this area closely and will consider what other action could be taken to further tackle illegal gambling.

The Museum Renewal Fund, announced in February, closed to applicants in May 2025. 75 museum groups were awarded a total of £20 million in October, to keep our local museums open and serving communities, protecting opening hours and jobs and telling our national story at a local level. The department keeps its funding and support for different sectors under regular review, and decisions pertaining to future budgetary allocations will be taken in the usual manner, through departmental business planning.

Future funding beyond March 2026 will be considered as we work through the output of the Spending Review and Departmental business planning process. An announcement will be made once this decision is finalised.

This government takes our responsibility to the built historic environment seriously. For this year alone, my Department has committed nearly £60 million of funding for heritage, including £15m for Heritage at Risk.

Funding is administered by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Arms-Length-Bodies. Since 1994, The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded £20,766,738 to 241 projects in South Shropshire constituency, such as the 2024/25 grant of £592,109 to the Parochial Church Council of Nash and Boraston for St John the Baptist Church, Nash, to enable the repair of the tower spire and roof of St John the Baptist Church, and to celebrate the history of the church, creating a timeline for the building’s history.

Over the last 10 years, Historic England has administered £1,283,643 of funding in South Shropshire. Historic England is also actively engaged in discussion with the owners and managers of assets on the Heritage at Risk Register in South Shropshire as well as other assets within the constituency.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has no direct ministerial appointments.

My department is committed to ensuring that our youth policies are inclusive and do not exclude any young people.

Our recent consultations with young people as part of our National Youth Strategy informed us that they wanted safe and welcoming spaces. To make sure that young people of all backgrounds can access safe spaces, we are investing £350 million to refurbish or build up to 250 youth facilities through our Better Youth Spaces programme.

We will review and update our policies wherever necessary to ensure legal compliance. We will also continue to uphold the Equality Act’s protections against unlawful discrimination and harassment.

This Government supports museums nationwide through direct funding of National museums, funding of the Arts Council, and the administration of tax schemes like the Museums VAT Refund Scheme, and the Museums and Galleries Exhibitions Tax Relief. In October the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) announced 75 recipients of a new £20 million Museum Renewal Fund to keep our local museums open and serving communities, protecting opening hours and jobs and telling our national story at a local level. Earlier this year, DCMS also announced a further £25 million this year to support museums across England with urgent infrastructure through the Museum Estate and Development Fund. Together, these two interventions double the c. £44 million that Arts Council England (ACE) is already investing annually into core support for local museums.

Two museums in Worcestershire, the Museum of Royal Worcester, and Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum, were awarded £228,343 and £239,922 respectively from the Museum Renewal Fund, and ACE have invested more than £3m in six museums across Worcestershire since 2021.

This information is not held centrally. This data is difficult to present due to there being no definition of an “in-grade promotion” and limited data on staff who go on promotion to another department. Collation and presentation of this data could potentially require significant manual work and data linking across departments.

DCMS recognises the vital contribution of tourism to rural economies across England, including in Buckinghamshire, home to historic and cultural attractions including Bletchley Park and Waddesdon Manor as well as family attractions such as Bekonscot Model Village & Railway.

The British Tourist Authority, which is an arms-length body of DCMS, provides research and insights on domestic and inbound tourism in the UK. Their data reveals that for inbound travel, Buckinghamshire welcomed 305.6K visitors and a spend of £140.2 million in 2024. For domestic visits, Buckinghamshire welcomed 1.2 million trips and a spend of £191 million in the 24 months up to September 2024.

DCMS also works with the British Tourist Authority to champion visits to the British countryside to a worldwide audience with the aim of ensuring that the economic benefits of tourism are felt by all regions and nations.

DCMS regularly engages with representatives of the hospitality industry, both nationally and regionally, to understand current challenges and opportunities in the sector, including staffing levels.

While we have not had discussions specifically with businesses in the Surrey Heath constituency, we work closely with industry bodies such as UKHospitality, which represent employers across the country (including those in Surrey Heath). Through these forums, the Government has listened to concerns about recruitment and retention, and continues to respond through a range of measures.

We will also set out our vision and ambition for the sector in our forthcoming Visitor Economy Growth Plan.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport commissioned an independent provider (Ipsos) to conduct an evaluation covering the Uniformed Youth Fund from 2022 to 2025, which was published on 11th September 2025. The research found uniformed youth organisations (UYOs) contribute to the social and emotional development of young people by providing them with structured activities and supportive environments, enhancing young people’s cooperation skills, communication, and confidence.

Whilst no assessment has been made of the role of uniformed groups in tackling online isolation, this Government is committed to supporting people to have the social connections they need. This is a key part of achieving wider government priorities including a healthier, more connected society and ensuring opportunities for all. Rather than treating loneliness as a stand alone issue we are embedding this across wider government strategies, including the National Youth Strategy.

The Government is committed to increasing access to high-quality grassroots sports facilities across the UK, which is why we are investing £98 million in 2025/26 through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme. Projects funded through the programme include new and upgraded artificial grass pitches, changing pavilions and floodlights.

The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding.

The Government has announced that at least £400 million will be invested in grassroots sports facilities across the UK over the next four years, ensuring we can continue to deliver high-quality multi-sport facilities in areas that require them to increase participation and allow people to be active.

The Government is committed to supporting grassroots sport clubs that provide important hubs for communities up and down the country.

The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through our arm’s length body, Sport England. Since 2023, Sport England has provided £220,774 to multi-sport projects that featured support for snooker clubs.

No funding has been explicitly provided for tournaments as snooker’s governing body is principally self-funded through its own commercial activities. However, we recognise the Crucible Theatre’s unique status as the sport’s spiritual home. We are therefore actively engaging with partners to explore all viable options to keep the World Championship in Sheffield, ensuring this historic venue continues to inspire future generations to pick up a cue.

The Government is committed to supporting grassroots sport, including football, and ensuring everyone has access to quality sport. That is why we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK following the Spending Review.

This is on top of an additional £100 million we’re providing through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme through to April 2026. Of the funding, 50% will go to the 30% most deprived local authority areas.

Since 2022, grassroots clubs in Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes received a total of £1,950,933 through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme, which funds projects such as goalposts and changing pavilions.

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 Football Association which will receive up to £37.9 million for seven years from 2022 to 2029 to support grassroots football clubs.

We are investing £15 million over the next 3 years in youth workers, volunteers, and other trusted adults to up-skill the existing youth sector workforce and increase the number of trusted adults providing safe support to young people. This funding does not include training for parents and carers.

However, we are committed to further work to improve access to resources for parents and families to support their children. For example, DSIT is developing an awareness campaign to support parents and carers in building their children's resilience to misleading and polarising online content. We will also ensure schools work more closely with parents, with clearer expectations. This is in addition to the government’s work to provide children with the Best Start in Life, including ways for parents to join courses and a new digital platform to give parents easy access to a network of advice, support and guidance to help their children thrive.

Volunteering is vital to the fabric of British life and communities throughout the country. That’s why the Government aims to encourage and enable as many people as possible to be involved. This year, we are investing in developing an open data infrastructure for volunteering, which will make it easier for people to find opportunities online and volunteer in their communities.

DCMS is also supporting the launch of The Big Help Out 2026, which aims to encourage organisations to provide meaningful volunteering opportunities and inspire people to make a difference in communities across the country. The campaign will signpost local opportunities, including in Lincolnshire, to encourage new volunteers to get involved in a range of activities. People can register their interest in The Big Help Out 2026 here.

The Government monitors the financial situation of football closely and is committed to working with the FA, leagues and clubs to support the ongoing economic sustainability of football at all levels of the pyramid.

This year we have delivered the Football Governance Act and established the Independent Football Regulator, which will introduce new regulation to improve the financial resilience of clubs in the top five tiers, including Woking FC.

The FA is independent of the Government and is responsible for protecting and promoting the financial sustainability of other football clubs.

As part of the new National Youth Strategy, a £15 million investment will be delivered over three years to strengthen the youth sector workforce by increasing the number of youth workers, volunteers and wider trusted adults and providing upskilling opportunities. We will be working with the sector to design the workforce funding to ensure it meets needs and has the right expectations on safeguarding.

The Government has committed to supporting trusted adults to adhere to safeguarding standards and have the right understanding of the challenges young people are facing today. We will also continue to fund the National Youth Agency to deliver an online safeguarding and risk management hub to provide guidance, support and access to training resources for all organisations and individuals working with young people.

Beyond the measures above, the Department for Education held a Call for Evidence on Safeguarding in Out-of-School Settings, including youth clubs and other forms of youth work, between May and September this year. Analysis and further engagement are ongoing, before the Government responds in due course.

As part of the new National Youth Strategy, a £15 million investment will be delivered over three years to strengthen the youth sector workforce by increasing the number of youth workers, volunteers and wider trusted adults and providing upskilling opportunities. We will be working with the sector to design the workforce funding to ensure it meets needs and has the right expectations on safeguarding.

The Government has committed to supporting trusted adults to adhere to safeguarding standards and have the right understanding of the challenges young people are facing today. We will also continue to fund the National Youth Agency to deliver an online safeguarding and risk management hub to provide guidance, support and access to training resources for all organisations and individuals working with young people.

Beyond the measures above, the Department for Education held a Call for Evidence on Safeguarding in Out-of-School Settings, including youth clubs and other forms of youth work, between May and September this year. Analysis and further engagement are ongoing, before the Government responds in due course.

The eight Young Futures Hubs early adopter locations, published last week, were selected using knife crime and anti-social behaviour metrics, maximising impact of the Young Future Hub by placing them where it will benefit the most at-risk young people. The decision was also taken to have one early adopter per region in England to ensure we could test the best way to reach young people in a diverse range of locations. In Yorkshire and the Humber, Leeds has been chosen to act as an early adopter.

The locations for the remaining 42 Hubs will be determined in due course. The design and implementation of the programme in future years will be informed by our work with early adopters.