Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport

The Secretary of State meets the BBC regularly to discuss a wide range of issues.

The BBC is operationally and editorially independent from the Government. While it is up to the BBC to decide how it delivers its services, the Government is clear that the BBC must make sure it continues to provide the news content required to deliver its remit, as set out in the Charter and Agreement.

The BBC's first Public Purpose in the Charter is to provide impartial news and information to help people understand and engage with the world around them. The Charter also makes clear that the BBC has a vital role to play in enabling all audiences to engage fully with major local, regional, national and global issues, and participate in the democratic process, at all levels, as active and informed citizens.

The Government expects Ofcom, as the BBC regulator, to ensure the BBC is held to account in delivering its public service duties.

The Government recognises the significant cultural and economic value of cinemas, and the important role that festivals play in bringing communities and filmmakers together. Public support for UK film festivals is provided through a number of funding mechanisms, including the British Film Institute, the Government’s lead body for film and the moving image, and Local Authorities. For this reason, we have not made our own assessment of the potential merits of allocating financial support to the Romford Film Festival.

The BFI National Lottery Audience Projects Fund provides support to ambitious, audience-facing independent UK and international film and broader screen activity of national scale. The fund supports film exhibitors, distributors, and other organisations delivering audience development activity with multi-year and short-term projects as well as research and development. Applications to the fund are accepted all year round but must be received 16 weeks before the activity is due to start. Information including the funds eligibility criteria can be found on the BFI’s website:

The organisers of Romford Film Festival may also wish to engage with Film Hub London to understand what relevant support is available. Film Hub London is part of the BFI Film Audience Network (BFI FAN), a nationwide network of exhibitors taking cultural cinema to their communities. The Network is aimed at boosting film audiences across the UK, particularly for specialised and independent British film.

The Government has set itself a mission that, by 2030, every part of England that wants one will have a devolution deal, with powers at or approaching the highestlevel of devolution, with a simplified, long-term funding settlement. At Spring Budget, the government announced the trailblazer devolution deals with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and West Midlands Combined Authorities (WMCA), which included a commitment to introduce single funding settlements at the next Spending Review for these combined authorities.

At Autumn Statement, the Government published a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with GMCA and WMCA, setting out how the single settlements will work. The government also announced an ambitious new ‘level 4’ of the devolution framework.

Details of major funding programmes, including those administered by local government or other local bodies, are available on gov.uk.

His Majesty’s Government recognises that, while millions of people gamble online without experiencing problems, for some it becomes an addiction with serious consequences. In our approach to gambling advertising, we have struck a balanced and evidence-led approach which tackles aggressive advertising that is most likely to appeal to children, while still allowing sports bodies and others to benefit commercially from deals with responsible gambling firms. There are robust rules in place to ensure that gambling advertising is socially responsible and cannot be targeted at or strongly appeal to children. The Government welcomed the voluntary whistle-to-whistle ban on TV betting ads during live sports programmes, agreed by industry. According to figures from the Betting and Gaming Council, the ban reduced gambling advertisement views by children (age 4-17) by 70% over the full duration of live sporting programmes. We also welcomed the Premier League’s announcement that it will ban gambling sponsors from the front of shirts, and are working with a wider group of sports governing bodies to introduce a Code of Conduct on responsible gambling sponsorship.

We continue to monitor research, and have carefully considered the findings in the study by the University of Bristol. Furthermore, we are introducing a statutory levy charged to gambling operators which will raise trusted, long-term funding for gambling research. We are clear that we will continue to look carefully at any further research that results from that and take action if necessary.

The Government is committed to maximising the potential of the UK music industry and its musicians.

In May 2023, alongside the publication of an industry-led agreement on metadata, the Government announced it would be establishing an industry working group to explore further issues around creator remuneration.

We expect to shortly publish the terms of reference and membership, with the first working group meeting expected to take place soon thereafter.

The way people consume music has changed significantly over the past decade, and the industry’s continued success has come from embracing technology. As referenced in UK Music’s This is Music report 2023, there has been a ‘shift to streaming’ from physical sales.

Whilst the BPI have reported that Vinyl LP purchases grew for a 15th consecutive year in 2022, This is Music reports that the physical market declined by 10.5% in 2022. However, streaming revenues grew across all fronts. Subscription revenues for premium services grew by 4.8% in 2022, ad-supported services grew by 22.3%, and video streaming such as YouTube and TikTok grew by 11.2% in 2022.

The headline figures from the UK Music report outline that in 2022, UK music exports generated £4 billion; the music industry’s contribution to the UK economy was £6.7 billion (GVA); and total UK music industry employment was 210,000. Across all key commercial assets (musical composition, recorded music, live performance and brand image) revenues continued to grow in 2022.

The UK is the second biggest exporter of music globally and the Government is supporting the industry to retain this position in the international market by trebling the funding for the Music Exports Growth Scheme to £3.2m over the next two years.

This Government is committed to putting fans at the heart of football and making sure our national game has a sustainable financial future.

The Government has committed to bringing forward legislation to establish an Independent Football Regulator, with the Football Governance Bill announced as part of the King’s Speech in November 2023.

As we work at pace to progress the legislation, we are continuing to engage with the FA, the Leagues, and fan associations to make sure we design the best regulator possible.

His Majesty’s Government works to promote the whole United Kingdom as a destination for tourists, both domestic and international, working with the devolved governments and administrations across the UK.

VisitBritain has in-market teams for Europe, including France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and the Nordics, where they promote Britain through various campaigns and marketing of Britain’s regional diversity. VisitBritain also has in-market teams for Australia, Canada and India for the Commonwealth.The latest figures from VisitBritain’s International Passenger Survey indicate there were 21 million visitors from Europe to the UK in 2022, accounting for 67% of total inbound visits to the UK and 44% of total inbound spend.

VisitBritain recently kicked off the next phase of our GREAT-funded international marketing campaign in France and Germany to showcase Britain as a dynamic, diverse and exciting destination and to drive tourism outside of London.

Each year, VisitBritain welcomes more than 120 international travel trade buyers for a series of educational visits across Britain. They showcase the latest tourism products to international buyers. Last year, we had buyers from 16 international markets taking part including France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, the Nordic countries, Australia, India and Canada.

VisitBritain recently hosted ‘Destination Britain India’, its first trade mission to India since the pandemic. It saw dozens of British industry suppliers from across the nations and regions meet with 75 top buyers from India. The suppliers included hotels, retailers, visitor attractions, tour operators, transport providers and local destinations from across Britain.

VisitBritain is developing a new multi-million-pound GREAT Britain marketing campaign for the USA, the UK’s largest and most valuable visitor market, as well as Canada and Australia, with a focus on screen tourism.

VisitEngland is creating a portfolio of nationally supported, strategic and high-performing Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) to transform the English visitor economy landscape and appeal more strategically to domestic and inbound visitors. 26 LVEPs have now been accredited, including VisitEssex which covers the Romford area.

His Majesty’s Government works to promote the whole United Kingdom as a destination for tourists, both domestic and international, working with the devolved governments and administrations across the UK.

VisitBritain has in-market teams for Europe, including France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and the Nordics, where they promote Britain through various campaigns and marketing of Britain’s regional diversity. VisitBritain also has in-market teams for Australia, Canada and India for the Commonwealth.The latest figures from VisitBritain’s International Passenger Survey indicate there were 21 million visitors from Europe to the UK in 2022, accounting for 67% of total inbound visits to the UK and 44% of total inbound spend.

VisitBritain recently kicked off the next phase of our GREAT-funded international marketing campaign in France and Germany to showcase Britain as a dynamic, diverse and exciting destination and to drive tourism outside of London.

Each year, VisitBritain welcomes more than 120 international travel trade buyers for a series of educational visits across Britain. They showcase the latest tourism products to international buyers. Last year, we had buyers from 16 international markets taking part including France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, the Nordic countries, Australia, India and Canada.

VisitBritain recently hosted ‘Destination Britain India’, its first trade mission to India since the pandemic. It saw dozens of British industry suppliers from across the nations and regions meet with 75 top buyers from India. The suppliers included hotels, retailers, visitor attractions, tour operators, transport providers and local destinations from across Britain.

VisitBritain is developing a new multi-million-pound GREAT Britain marketing campaign for the USA, the UK’s largest and most valuable visitor market, as well as Canada and Australia, with a focus on screen tourism.

VisitEngland is creating a portfolio of nationally supported, strategic and high-performing Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) to transform the English visitor economy landscape and appeal more strategically to domestic and inbound visitors. 26 LVEPs have now been accredited, including VisitEssex which covers the Romford area.

His Majesty’s Government is committed to supporting our grassroots music venues, which play an absolutely crucial role in our world-leading music sector and developing homegrown talent.

That is why we are supporting live music through a range of measures. This includes an additional £5 million to Arts Council England’s (ACE’s) successful Supporting Grassroots Music fund, as set out in the Creative Industries Sector Vision in June. This £5 million expands and extends ACE’s existing grassroots fund, open since 2019, and takes our total investment in grassroots music through the fund to almost £15 million. This fund will enable venues to increase support for young and emerging artists, improve equipment and physical infrastructure, and support venues to become more financially resilient and develop new income streams.

This is in addition to other government support provided to the live music sector, including over £3 million during the pandemic from the Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund. The Culture Recovery Fund also provided over £200m of support for live music venues, and further support was provided through the £800m Live Events Reinsurance Scheme, alongside the cross-sector grants, loans, and reduction of VAT on tickets to 5%.

Through ACE, the Government has also supported the Music Venue Trust’s ‘Own Our Venues’ initiative, providing £500,000 which will help the Trust acquire the freeholds of grassroots music venues at risk of closure. DCMS Ministers attended the opening of the first acquisition, ‘The Snug’ in Atherton, Greater Manchester, in October.

Music venues are also eligible for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Business Rates Relief, with a 75% relief up to a cash cap limit of £110,000 per business. This relief was extended for a further year during the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement last week. DCMS and DLUHC are also working closely with the sector to revise planning guidelines to ensure that new developments engage with existing music venues before being built.

We have no plans to impose a ticket levy. Industry-led discussions are ongoing regarding increased support for grassroots music venues from larger events and venues.

We understand that the DCMS Select Committee will shortly be launching an inquiry into live music, and we will consider the Committee’s report once it is published.

His Majesty’s Government is committed to supporting our grassroots music venues, which play an absolutely crucial role in our world-leading music sector and developing homegrown talent.

That is why we are supporting live music through a range of measures. This includes an additional £5 million to Arts Council England’s (ACE’s) successful Supporting Grassroots Music fund, as set out in the Creative Industries Sector Vision in June. This £5 million expands and extends ACE’s existing grassroots fund, open since 2019, and takes our total investment in grassroots music through the fund to almost £15 million. This fund will enable venues to increase support for young and emerging artists, improve equipment and physical infrastructure, and support venues to become more financially resilient and develop new income streams.

This is in addition to other government support provided to the live music sector, including over £3 million during the pandemic from the Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund. The Culture Recovery Fund also provided over £200m of support for live music venues, and further support was provided through the £800m Live Events Reinsurance Scheme, alongside the cross-sector grants, loans, and reduction of VAT on tickets to 5%.

Through ACE, the Government has also supported the Music Venue Trust’s ‘Own Our Venues’ initiative, providing £500,000 which will help the Trust acquire the freeholds of grassroots music venues at risk of closure. DCMS Ministers attended the opening of the first acquisition, ‘The Snug’ in Atherton, Greater Manchester, in October.

Music venues are also eligible for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Business Rates Relief, with a 75% relief up to a cash cap limit of £110,000 per business. This relief was extended for a further year during the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement last week. DCMS and DLUHC are also working closely with the sector to revise planning guidelines to ensure that new developments engage with existing music venues before being built.

We have no plans to impose a ticket levy. Industry-led discussions are ongoing regarding increased support for grassroots music venues from larger events and venues.

We understand that the DCMS Select Committee will shortly be launching an inquiry into live music, and we will consider the Committee’s report once it is published.

His Majesty’s Government is committed to ensuring that everyone has access to high-quality arts and cultural opportunities and activities, no matter where they live. We have supported culture in Nottingham in a variety of ways.

Between 2020/21 and 2023/24, Arts Council England will have invested over £30 million in arts and cultural organisations in Nottingham. As part of its 2023–26 National Portfolio, public funding is being provided to 14 organisations in Nottingham encompassing theatre, dance, museums, visual arts, literature and libraries. This funding includes over £1.2 million per year to New Art Exchange, the highly successful visual arts centre.

As part of the above funding, Nottingham City Council’s museum service was reconfirmed as a National Portfolio Organisation in the latest round of funding, meaning it will receive £1.4 million over the next three years. A number of the local projects which it directly funds are aimed at encouraging more people from disadvantaged neighbourhoods and diverse backgrounds to engage with the city’s heritage. The independent National Justice Museum is also part of the Arts Council’s National Portfolio and will receive £733,000 of support over the period 2023–26.

Another of the City Council Museums, Wollaton Hall, has this year received £470,000 from the Government’s Museum Estate and Development Fund for assistance with maintenance, whilst Nottingham libraries have received funding through both rounds 1 and 2 of the Government’s Libraries Improvement Fund.

Nottingham Castle Museum’s recent transformation was funded in part by a £13.9 million grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Arts Council England’s National Lottery Project Grants programme also remains open for funding bids from anyone operating arts and cultural organisations in England.

The recent announcement of the third round of the Government’s Levelling Up Fund included support for Bulwell, which will be receiving almost £20 million of public investment for Bulwell town centre – including a new marketplace, and aiming to improve the look and feel of hidden heritage by reinstating original features.

Organisations in Nottingham also benefited from the Culture Recovery Fund to protect them during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 39 organisations sharing over £10.5 million of funding.

The Cultural Education Plan will ensure that all young people, regardless of their background, can access high-quality cultural education. Among other things, this is an important step in delivering our Creative Careers Promise, set out in the Creative Industries Sector Vision, which aims to build a pipeline of talent into our creative industries, from primary school onwards.

Development of the plan is being led by a panel of 22 experts, including teachers and education leaders, and representatives from the performing arts, libraries, museums, heritage and youth sectors, and the creative industries. While development of the Cultural Education Plan is being driven by the Expert Advisory Panel, the Minister for Arts & Heritage (Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay) and the former Minister for Schools (Nick Gibb MP) have attended panel meetings on multiple occasions.

Furthermore, the panel is being informed by a series of 50 listening exercises with representatives from across the creative, cultural, education and youth sectors. Lord Parkinson joined one of these listening exercises held at the Royal Opera House with teachers and educationalists from across the country.

The UK Government does not hold this data.

The Government has no plans to restrict new categories of advertising, including on high carbon products.

HM Government acknowledges and welcomes the positive role the Cultural Compacts initiative has played in forming local partnerships and increasing cultural activity and broader collaboration in places across the country.

Arts Council England has supported 30 Cultural Compacts across England – including in levelling up priority areas – and has committed to providing these existing Compacts with further funding to build capacity and long-term cross-sector relationships. Arts Council England has set itself a target of increasing the number of Cultural Compacts across England by 50% by the end of March 2024 and is in dialogue with partners in a number of places interested in setting them up.

The annual cost (Financial Year) to the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) on IT Infrastructure are:

1. IT Infrastructure (FY 2022-23) - £1,838,272

2. IT Infrastructure - pre 2013 - £nil*

3. Legacy IT Infrastructure - £nil**

The DCMS Technology service is 100% cloud based, adopting a consumption based delivery model, consuming predominantly Software as a Service (SaaS) & Platform as a service (PaaS), services.

The DCMS Technology Service was established in 2021, there is no legacy infrastructure, all services have been transformed as part of the initial transformation programme undertaken in 2021.

As of 21 November 2023, DCMS has zero (0) red-rated IT systems.

* DCMS Technology Service was established in 2021, prior to the service existing, IT services were provided through a Shared IT service model, delivered through the Cabinet Office.

** The DCMS Technology Service is relatively new, there is no legacy infrastructure due to the service model being 100% cloud based, adopting a Software as a Service (SaaS) based consume delivery model.

The British Library is undertaking a forensic investigation of this incident, with the support of the National Cyber Security Centre and cybersecurity specialists, and has reported it to the Information Commissioner’s Office. This investigation will help to provide a full picture of what happened, and the extent of disruption caused. This will take time, during which the British Library is liaising closely with the Department for Culture, Media & Sport and others to provide updates.

The British Library’s physical sites remain open to the public and are offering a range of services, including reading room access for personal study, some limited manual collection item ordering, exhibitions, learning events, business support, and onsite retail. Details of what the public can access are available via the British Library’s social media channels.

The attack has been claimed by a known cyber crime group, and we currently have no reason to doubt their claim.

The British Library has been keeping the other Legal Deposit Libraries of the UK and Ireland informed since the cyber attack against it. The Non-Print Legal Deposit network is designed for resilience in line with industry-wide digital preservation guidelines, and the British Library is working with partners on additional precautionary steps while the investigation is ongoing.

The British Library is undertaking a forensic investigation of this incident, with the support of the National Cyber Security Centre and cybersecurity specialists, and has reported it to the Information Commissioner’s Office. This investigation will help to provide a full picture of what happened, and the extent of disruption caused. This will take time, during which the British Library is liaising closely with the Department for Culture, Media & Sport and others to provide updates.

The British Library has taken targeted protective measures to ensure the integrity of its systems, including the quarantining of hardware, the resetting of passwords for all staff, and the installation of additional monitoring and detection software across its estate.

The British Library’s physical sites remain open to the public and are offering a range of services, including reading room access for personal study, some limited manual collection item ordering, exhibitions, learning events, business support, and onsite retail. Details of what the public can access are available via the British Library’s social media channels.

It is too soon to give an exact timetable but the British Library anticipates restoring many digital services in the next few weeks, although some disruption may persist for longer.

The Government recognises the valuable contribution that student volunteers make to their communities and the benefits they gain from these experiences.

My department funds and works closely with the Vision for Volunteering, which is a voluntary sector initiative to lead the ongoing support and development of all volunteering in England.

My department has also funded several other initiatives to support volunteering participation including the Volunteering Futures Fund, Know Your Neighbourhood and the Big Help Out, which was a day of community volunteering to mark the Coronation of His Majesty the King and Her Majesty The Queen, held on 8 May 2023. My department has allocated funding for a repeat of the Big Help Out campaign, which will take place from 7-9 June 2024.

The Government continues to recognise and celebrate the extraordinary contributions of volunteers across the country. Since 2014, over 2,100 people have been named Points of Light by the Prime Minister, highlighting a wide array of innovative and inspirational volunteering across the UK.

The department has not specifically discussed student volunteering with the Secretary of State for Education.

The table below provides a summary of the investments made by Sport England and Arts Council England (“ACE”) in the Folkestone and Hythe Constituency since 2010.

For a breakdown of the projects funded across this period, Sport England publishes an updated register of grant awards on a quarterly basis, with awards dating back to 2009 listed in full.

Due to a change in Arts Council England's (ACE) grant management system in 2016, data from before that date is not as high quality and not reliably comparable with more recent data. Noting this caveat we have provided the figures nonetheless for completeness.

Grants awarded from ACE's main funding streams within the last 5 financial years (2023/2024 inclusive) are published online and provide details of all organisations that receive funding.They are available in the following locations:

National Lottery Project Grants

Developing Your Creative Practice

Investment Programme (2018-2022 NPO)

Investment Programme (2023-2026 NPO)

Cultural Recovery Fund

Emergency Response Fund

DCMS Ministers and senior officials meet regularly with civil society representatives to discuss a wide range of issues including challenges faced by the sector.

We also recognise that charities are seeing higher levels of demand for their services. That is why in the Spring Budget, the Chancellor announced a package of over £100 million for charities and community organisations in England. This funding is split into two strands and is supporting organisations in need right now. The £76 million Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund has closed for applications, and is awarding funding to frontline organisations supporting vulnerable individuals and households. The second strand, the £25 million VCSE Energy Efficiency Scheme, will support longer-term sustainability, and will launch later this year for applications.

DCMS Ministers and senior officials meet regularly with civil society representatives to discuss a wide range of issues including challenges faced by the sector.

We also recognise that charities are seeing higher levels of demand for their services. That is why in the Spring Budget, the Chancellor announced a package of over £100 million for charities and community organisations in England. This funding is split into two strands and is supporting organisations in need right now. The £76 million Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund has closed for applications, and is awarding funding to frontline organisations supporting vulnerable individuals and households. The second strand, the £25 million VCSE Energy Efficiency Scheme, will support longer-term sustainability, and will launch later this year for applications.

DCMS Ministers and senior officials meet regularly with civil society representatives to discuss a wide range of issues including challenges faced by the sector.

We also recognise that charities are seeing higher levels of demand for their services. That is why in the Spring Budget, the Chancellor announced a package of over £100 million for charities and community organisations in England. This funding is split into two strands and is supporting organisations in need right now. The £76 million Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund has closed for applications, and is awarding funding to frontline organisations supporting vulnerable individuals and households. The second strand, the £25 million VCSE Energy Efficiency Scheme, will support longer-term sustainability, and will launch later this year for applications.

Responsibility for public access to and maintenance of swimming pools lies at local authority level.

In recognition of the benefits of physical activity, including swimming, and the challenges facing the sector, we are providing over £60 million of support for swimming pools. This will help ease cost pressures facing public swimming pool providers and help make facilities sustainable in the long-term through investment in energy efficiency measures. The funding is being delivered in partnership with Sport England and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, following extensive consultation with local authorities and the sector.

Swimming and water safety is a vital life skill, which is why it is a mandatory part of the primary PE National Curriculum. The Department for Education also administers schemes to ensure the provision of lessons and sports facilities for children, such as through the PE and Sport Premium and the Opening School Facilities (OSF) programme.

The Government welcomed the voluntary whistle-to-whistle ban on TV betting ads during live sports programmes, agreed by industry. According to figures from the Betting and Gaming Council, the ban reduced gambling advertisement views by children (age 4-17) by 70% over the full duration of live sporting programmes, with a 96% reduction in gambling TV advertising specifically during the restricted period.

As part of the Gambling review, consideration was given to a range of restrictions on gambling advertising. As set out in the white paper we have struck a balanced and evidence-led approach which tackles aggressive advertising and that which is most likely to appeal to children, while still allowing sports bodies to benefit commercially from deals with responsible gambling firms.

The Government welcomed the voluntary whistle-to-whistle ban on TV betting ads during live sports programmes, agreed by industry. According to figures from the Betting and Gaming Council, the ban reduced gambling advertisement views by children (age 4-17) by 70% over the full duration of live sporting programmes, with a 96% reduction in gambling TV advertising specifically during the restricted period.

As part of the Gambling review, consideration was given to a range of restrictions on gambling advertising. As set out in the white paper we have struck a balanced and evidence-led approach which tackles aggressive advertising and that which is most likely to appeal to children, while still allowing sports bodies to benefit commercially from deals with responsible gambling firms.

UK Sport uses funding provided by the Government to support athletes with potential to achieve success in Olympic and Paralympic sports. As the Deaflympics falls outside of Olympic and Paralympic sport, UK Sport are therefore unable to fund athletes targeting this event.

This is in line with the Government’s approach to other Paralympic sports where competition is not offered in an athlete's particular classification or discipline.

Sport England has committed £1.2 million between 2022 and 2027 to UK Deaf Sport to boost deaf sport at the grassroots level and build wider participation. They have also agreed to explore a series of small-scale talent pilots for d/Deaf athletes. These pilots will see Sport England, National Governing Bodies, and UK Deaf Sport working together to explore these issues and suggest potential solutions.

There are inherent difficulties in accurately estimating the scale of the unlicensed gambling market in this country. We are not aware of any robust estimates for precisely how many unlicensed sites are accessible from the UK, and this is further complicated by the high churn in black market operations.

However, the Government is aware of a number of studies including from the industry which suggests that the black market accounts for less than 2.5% of bets. Data from the Gambling Commission also suggests that the scale of the black market has remained low and stable, with little variation in the number of complaints it has received about illegal gambling websites.

While concessions are set in legislation, it is the BBC, not Government, that administers these schemes.

We are not considering making changes to the current concessions regime at this time.

We agreed a fair settlement with the BBC that will see the licence fee remain at £159 until 2024 to protect licence fee payers from inflationary pressures, and then rise in line with inflation until the end of 2027 when the current Charter is due for renewal. Exactly how a future increase would be calculated is yet to be confirmed.

The Football Association has previously attended a roundtable meeting about participation in sport by transgender people, hosted by His Majesty's Government, where we set out the position below.

When it comes to competitive sport, HM Government believes that fairness has to be the primary consideration. HM Government is clear that a way forward is needed which protects and shows compassion to all, whilst being clear that the integrity of competition must be maintained.

Where sex does have an impact on the fairness of competitive women’s sport, domestic governing bodies and international federations must provide clear direction to protect the integrity of women's sport.

It is ultimately for all individual sports’ National Governing Bodies, including the Football Association, to decide on the specific appropriate initiatives to make women’s sport fair and safe in their organisations whilst making football inclusive for all.

His Majesty’s Government has discussed the Sports Council Equality Group’s guidance on transgender participation with sports governing bodies on multiple occasions.

When it comes to competitive sport, HM Government believes fairness has to be the primary consideration. HM Government is clear a way forward is needed that protects and shows compassion to all, whilst being clear that the integrity of competition must be maintained.

Where sex does have an impact on the fairness of competitive women’s sport, domestic governing bodies and international federations must provide clear direction to protect the integrity of women's sport.

It is ultimately for all individual sports’ national governing bodies to decide on the specific appropriate initiatives to make women’s sport fair and safe in their organisations, whilst making sport inclusive for all.

His Majesty’s Government recognises that while millions of people gamble without experiencing problems, for some it becomes an addiction with serious consequences.

The Secretary of State and I recently met with the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) and other industry representatives to discuss industry-led safer gambling measures and implementation of the gambling white paper. We welcome industry-led initiatives such as Safer Gambling Week. Figures from the BGC indicate that in 2022 Safer Gambling Week messaging made nearly 30 million impressions on social media, and that around 200,000 accounts set deposit limits during that month, with 61 percent of those players setting a limit for the first time. Such limits can be an important measure in preventing harm. We understand safer gambling week has no impact on the volume of marketing (although its content is likely to be different) or game speed.

However, as outlined in the gambling white paper, we are working with the industry, Gambling Commission and others to implement a wide range of proportionate measures to protect customers from practices and products which can drive harm.

His Majesty’s Government recognises that while millions of people gamble without experiencing problems, for some it becomes an addiction with serious consequences.

The Secretary of State and I recently met with the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) and other industry representatives to discuss industry-led safer gambling measures and implementation of the gambling white paper. We welcome industry-led initiatives such as Safer Gambling Week. Figures from the BGC indicate that in 2022 Safer Gambling Week messaging made nearly 30 million impressions on social media, and that around 200,000 accounts set deposit limits during that month, with 61 percent of those players setting a limit for the first time. Such limits can be an important measure in preventing harm. We understand safer gambling week has no impact on the volume of marketing (although its content is likely to be different) or game speed.

However, as outlined in the gambling white paper, we are working with the industry, Gambling Commission and others to implement a wide range of proportionate measures to protect customers from practices and products which can drive harm.

We launched a consultation on the structure, distribution and governance of the levy in October to ensure the government has the best available evidence to make implementation of the levy effective, transparent and proportionate. The consultation closes on 14 December. Legislation requires the levy to be paid by all Gambling Commission licensees, including on forms of gambling licensed in the future, to provide sustainable, ring-fenced funding for research, prevention and treatment (RPT) of gambling-related harms.

It is important that the new levy system provides sufficient long-term stability as the new arrangements come into force, while providing scope for the government to intervene should issues arise. We think a five year review period strikes an appropriate balance. However, we are keen to receive the best available evidence on this point through the consultation.

We launched a consultation on the structure, distribution and governance of the levy in October to ensure the government has the best available evidence to make implementation of the levy effective, transparent and proportionate. The consultation closes on 14 December. Legislation requires the levy to be paid by all Gambling Commission licensees, including on forms of gambling licensed in the future, to provide sustainable, ring-fenced funding for research, prevention and treatment (RPT) of gambling-related harms.

It is important that the new levy system provides sufficient long-term stability as the new arrangements come into force, while providing scope for the government to intervene should issues arise. We think a five year review period strikes an appropriate balance. However, we are keen to receive the best available evidence on this point through the consultation.

We launched a consultation on the structure, distribution and governance of the levy in October to ensure the government has the best available evidence to make implementation of the levy effective, transparent and proportionate. The consultation closes on 14 December. Legislation requires the levy to be paid by all Gambling Commission licensees, including on forms of gambling licensed in the future, to provide sustainable, ring-fenced funding for research, prevention and treatment (RPT) of gambling-related harms.

It is important that the new levy system provides sufficient long-term stability as the new arrangements come into force, while providing scope for the government to intervene should issues arise. We think a five year review period strikes an appropriate balance. However, we are keen to receive the best available evidence on this point through the consultation.

Sport and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health and this government is committed to ensuring every child, no matter their background or ability, should be able to play sport and be active.

That is why in ‘Get Active: A strategy for the future of sport and physical activity’ we introduce an ambition that all children should meet the Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines on physical activity, with a target of getting 1 million more active children by 2030.

Schools play a key role in allowing all children to have high quality opportunities to take part in PE and sport, setting them up for a lifetime of physical activity. In July we published an update to the School Sport and Activity Action Plan. This builds on the announcement we made in March that set out new ambitions for equal access to PE and sport, with guidance on how to deliver 2 hours of quality PE a week, alongside over £600 million funding for the Primary PE and Sport Premium and School Games Organiser network.

Outside of the school day, the £57 million Opening School Facilities programme will support the most inactive young people to access facilities that will enable them to play sport and take physical exercise. By opening school sport facilities, including swimming pools, disparities in access to opportunities seen between socio-economic groups will begin to be tackled through the programme.

Over the school holidays, the Government offers £200 million of support per year to the Holiday Activities and Food programme, which provides disadvantaged children in England with enriching activities (including physical and creative activities) and healthy meals. Last summer, the programme reached over 685,000 children and young people in England, including over 475,000 children in receipt of free school meals.

We are also investing over £300 million in grassroots football and multi-sport facilities across the UK by 2025 which will further support youth participation in sport.

The Government is additionally providing significant arts and cultural opportunities for young people both in and out of school.

This includes our creative careers promise, which is backed by £115m a year to increase young people’s access to cultural and music education. The upcoming Cultural Education Plan will support all children and young people to access a broad range of high-quality cultural and creative activities and experiences inside and outside of school. Our Enrichment Partnerships Pilot aims to improve the availability and quality of enrichment activities in up to 200 secondary schools within Education Investment Areas. In addition, 79% of the organisations in Arts Council England’s 2023-26 Investment Programme portfolio are delivering activity specifically for children and young people of all ages, wherever they live.

Separately, the Government funds a diverse portfolio of music and arts education programmes that are designed to improve participation in the arts for children. The National Saturday Club, for example, gives 13 to 16-year-olds across the country the opportunity to study the subjects they love for free, including arts and creative subjects, on a Saturday at their local university, college or cultural institution. Government and Arts Council England also co-fund 15 National Youth Music Organisations offering large-scale, inclusive performances, high-quality music programmes, residencies, summer schools and workshops, to help develop young people’s skills, experience, and knowledge of music, supporting them to excel as young creatives outside of school.

The National Plan for Music Education includes £25m funding for musical instruments and equipment for schools, and the Music Progression Fund supports disadvantaged pupils with music tuition. Furthermore, we have created four new Music Hub Centres of Excellence to improve inclusion and create pathways to industry for talented young people from all backgrounds.

Theatre is the artform that receives the most public funding via Arts Council England, and there are now more theatre organisations in its National Portfolio than ever before. In 2023–24, Arts Council England is investing over £140 million in 194 theatre organisations, including 47 new theatre organisations joining the portfolio this year. The Arts Council will be investing £31,000 in theatre organisations in Romford in 2023–24.

In addition, theatres and orchestras will continue to benefit from the extension by His Majesty’s Government of the higher rates of tax relief for a further two years, as announced at Spring Budget 2023.

His Majesty’s Government has supported a number of projects looking at the cultural heritage of the Irish diaspora through its arm’s-length bodies.

Arts Council England supported the Irish Arts Foundation on its 'Exploring the musical traditions of County Cork & County Kerry' project in Leeds, providing over £20,000 of public funding in 2021/22.

In 2022/23, The National Lottery Community Fund provided £7,950 of funding to Leeds Irish Arts Foundation’s ‘Neighbours!’ project, to help engage people from around West Yorkshire in Irish music and workshops to celebrate Irish culture, music and arts. In 2023/24, The National Lottery Community Fund provided £6,421 of funding to Cú Chulainn’s to deliver a family funday to bring young people and families from the local Irish community and the community more broadly together.

Since 1994, The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded almost £3 million to projects which have explored the history of the Irish diaspora in England, covering themes such as the World Wars, aspects of culture shared with others, and the experiences of those who have built their lives here in the UK.

‘Look Back to Look Forward: 50 Years of the Irish in Britain’ is an ambitious heritage project which captures the history of the Irish in Britain’s membership organisations and the communities they serve, and is currently touring. This exhibition was made possible with a £250,000 Lottery grant.

The British Library is undertaking a forensic investigation of this incident, with the support of the National Cyber Security Centre and cybersecurity specialists, and has reported it to the Information Commissioner’s Office. This investigation will help to provide a full picture of what happened, and the extent of disruption caused. This will take time, during which the British Library is liaising closely with the Department for Culture, Media & Sport and others to provide updates.

The attack has been claimed by a known cyber crime group, and we currently have no reason to doubt its claim.

The British Library has taken targeted protective measures to ensure the integrity of its systems, including the quarantining of hardware, the resetting of passwords for all staff, and the installation of additional monitoring and detection software across its estate.

In the meantime, the British Library’s sites at St Pancras and Boston Spa remain fully open to the public.