Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport will focus on supporting culture, arts, media, sport, tourism and civil society across every part of England — recognising the UK’s world-leading position in these areas and the importance of these sectors in contributing so much to our economy, way of life and our reputation around the world.



Secretary of State

 Portrait

Lisa Nandy
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

Shadow Ministers / Spokeperson
Liberal Democrat
Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury (LD - Life peer)
Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Culture, Media and Sport)

Scottish National Party
Brendan O'Hara (SNP - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Shadow SNP Spokesperson (Culture, Media and Sport)

Green Party
Siân Berry (Green - Brighton Pavilion)
Green Spokesperson (Culture, Media and Sport)

Conservative
Nigel Huddleston (Con - Droitwich and Evesham)
Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

Liberal Democrat
Anna Sabine (LD - Frome and East Somerset)
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Culture, Media and Sport)
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Conservative
Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Con - Life peer)
Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
Louie French (Con - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
Ministers of State
Baroness Twycross (Lab - Life peer)
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Ian Murray (Lab - Edinburgh South)
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State
Stephanie Peacock (Lab - Barnsley South)
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
There are no upcoming events identified
Debates
Tuesday 16th September 2025
Select Committee Inquiry
Wednesday 23rd July 2025
Major events

Organisers and facilitators of major sporting and cultural events are invited to give evidence to a new inquiry from MPs …

Written Answers
Thursday 2nd October 2025
Government Art Collection: Copyright
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 17 September (HL10442), whether the Government …
Secondary Legislation
Monday 16th January 2023
Public Lending Right Scheme 1982 (Commencement of Variation) Order 2023
This Order brings into force on 13th February 2023 a variation of the Public Lending Right Scheme 1982 (“the Scheme”) …
Bills
Monday 18th July 2022
Data Protection and Digital Information Bill 2022-23
A Bill to make provision for the regulation of the processing of information relating to identified or identifiable living individuals; …
Dept. Publications
Friday 10th October 2025
12:00

Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Commons Appearances

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:
  • Urgent Questions where the Speaker has selected a question to which a Minister must reply that day
  • Adjornment Debates a 30 minute debate attended by a Minister that concludes the day in Parliament.
  • Oral Statements informing the Commons of a significant development, where backbench MP's can then question the Minister making the statement.

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.

Most Recent Commons Appearances by Category
Jul. 03
Oral Questions
Sep. 11
Urgent Questions
Sep. 03
Adjournment Debate
View All Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Commons Contibutions

Bills currently before Parliament

Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport does not have Bills currently before Parliament


Acts of Parliament created in the 2024 Parliament

Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport has not passed any Acts during the 2024 Parliament

Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport - Secondary Legislation

This Order brings into force on 13th February 2023 a variation of the Public Lending Right Scheme 1982 (“the Scheme”) made by the Secretary of State.
These Regulations limit the wholesale roaming rates chargeable to mobile phone service providers in certain countries or territories with which the United Kingdom has an international agreement.
View All Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Secondary Legislation

Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Trending Petitions
Petitions with most signatures
Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport has not participated in any petition debates
View All Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Petitions

Departmental Select Committee

Culture, Media and Sport Committee

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.


11 Members of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee
Caroline Dinenage Portrait
Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 9th September 2024
Paul Waugh Portrait
Paul Waugh (Labour (Co-op) - Rochdale)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Tom Rutland Portrait
Tom Rutland (Labour - East Worthing and Shoreham)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Jo Platt Portrait
Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Natasha Irons Portrait
Natasha Irons (Labour - Croydon East)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Rupa Huq Portrait
Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 21st October 2024
James Frith Portrait
James Frith (Labour - Bury North)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Bayo Alaba Portrait
Bayo Alaba (Labour - Southend East and Rochford)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Liz Jarvis Portrait
Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Zöe Franklin Portrait
Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Damian Hinds Portrait
Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 9th December 2024
Culture, Media and Sport Committee: Upcoming Events
Culture, Media and Sport Committee - Oral evidence
State of Play: Elite Deaf Athletes and the Deaflympics
14 Oct 2025, 9:30 a.m.
At 10:00am: Oral evidence
Chris Ratcliffe - Chief Executive at UK Deaf Sport
Henry Hughes - Deaflympics Swimmer
Nathan Young - Deaflympics Swimmer

View calendar - Save to Calendar
Culture, Media and Sport Committee: Previous Inquiries
Impact of Covid-19 on the charity sector Impact of Covid-19 on DCMS sectors Combatting doping in sport inquiry Impact of Brexit on UK Creative industries, tourism and The Single Digital Market inquiry Channel 4 Annual Report 2016 inquiry Sport governance inquiry The work of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport inquiry BBC Annual Report and Accounts 2016-17 Disinformation and ‘fake news’ The work of Ofcom inquiry The work of the Charity Commission Live music inquiry The social impact of participation in culture and sport inquiry Appointment of the Chair of the Charity Commission Appointment of the Chair of Ofcom Wembley Stadium and the future of English football inquiry Immersive and addictive technologies inquiry Channel 4 Annual Report 2017 inquiry BBC Annual Report and Accounts 2017-18 inquiry The work of the Charity Commission inquiry BBC pay inquiry Channel 4 Annual Report 2018 inquiry Reality tv inquiry The future of English cricket inquiry BBC Annual Report 2018-19 and TV licences for over 75s inquiry The future of the National Lottery inquiry Administration of Football Clubs inquiry Garden tourism inquiry Lessons from the First World War Centenary inquiry Economics of music streaming Sport in our communities Connected tech: smart or sinister? Safety at major sporting events Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and the blockchain Women's sport Gambling regulation Current issues in rugby union Minority languages Appointment of Richard Sharp as Chair of the BBC The future of UK music festivals British Film and High-End Television Grassroots music venues British film and high-end television 2 BBC World Service Game On: Community and school sport Protecting built heritage State of Play The work of the Charity Commission Broadband and the road to 5G The future of public service broadcasting Fan-led review of music Children's tv and video content Major events Concussion in sport Administration of Football Clubs The future of English cricket Disinformation and ‘fake news’ Garden tourism Immersive and addictive technologies Channel 4 Annual Report 2018 BBC Annual Report 2018-19 and TV licences for over 75s Live music The future of the National Lottery The work of Ofcom Reality tv The Social Impact of Participation in Culture and Sport The work of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Lessons from the First World War Centenary

50 most recent Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department

18th Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the timetable, including key milestones, for the renewal of the BBC Charter by 2027.

We are preparing for the upcoming Charter Review which we expect to launch later this year.

The current Charter sets out the steps that the Government must take during any Charter Review. This includes consulting with the BBC, Ofcom, Devolved Governments and Parliament. We will be seeking views from the public through a consultation before taking any decisions regarding the future of the BBC. The public consultation will ensure that members of the public are able to share their views and inform our policy-making. There will also be the opportunity for Parliamentary debate before the final Charter is published.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
18th Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 17 September (HL10442), whether the Government Art Collection claims any form of copyright, other than Crown Copyright, in digital reproductions of two-dimensional artworks that are in the public domain, whether or not those reproductions were taken by Government employees.

The Government Art Collection (GAC) does not claim copyright in digital reproductions of two-dimensional artworks that are in the public domain. The GAC has not sought or received guidance about the assertion of copyright, aside from Crown Copyright. The decision to license images for commercial and non-commercial use through a contractual agreement is an operational decision taken by the GAC, based on commercial contract law for the access and supply of digital assets.

There are no current or scheduled plans for the GAC to allow high-resolution images of works of art that are in the Government Art Collection and in the public domain to be downloaded free of charge for non-commercial use.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
18th Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 17 September (HL10442), what guidance they have issued to the Government Art Collection about the assertion of copyright, other than Crown Copyright, over digital reproductions of two-dimensional artworks that are in the public domain.

The Government Art Collection (GAC) does not claim copyright in digital reproductions of two-dimensional artworks that are in the public domain. The GAC has not sought or received guidance about the assertion of copyright, aside from Crown Copyright. The decision to license images for commercial and non-commercial use through a contractual agreement is an operational decision taken by the GAC, based on commercial contract law for the access and supply of digital assets.

There are no current or scheduled plans for the GAC to allow high-resolution images of works of art that are in the Government Art Collection and in the public domain to be downloaded free of charge for non-commercial use.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
18th Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 17 September (HL10442), whether the Government Art Collection holds or plans to hold any contractual or licensing rights over digital reproductions of two-dimensional artworks that are in the public domain; and if so, what is the legal basis for those licences.

The Government Art Collection (GAC) does not claim copyright in digital reproductions of two-dimensional artworks that are in the public domain. The GAC has not sought or received guidance about the assertion of copyright, aside from Crown Copyright. The decision to license images for commercial and non-commercial use through a contractual agreement is an operational decision taken by the GAC, based on commercial contract law for the access and supply of digital assets.

There are no current or scheduled plans for the GAC to allow high-resolution images of works of art that are in the Government Art Collection and in the public domain to be downloaded free of charge for non-commercial use.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
18th Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 17 September (HL10444), whether they plan to allow high-resolution images of works of art that are in the Government Art Collection and in the public domain to be downloaded free of charge for non-commercial use; and if so, what is their timetable for implementing that access.

The Government Art Collection (GAC) does not claim copyright in digital reproductions of two-dimensional artworks that are in the public domain. The GAC has not sought or received guidance about the assertion of copyright, aside from Crown Copyright. The decision to license images for commercial and non-commercial use through a contractual agreement is an operational decision taken by the GAC, based on commercial contract law for the access and supply of digital assets.

There are no current or scheduled plans for the GAC to allow high-resolution images of works of art that are in the Government Art Collection and in the public domain to be downloaded free of charge for non-commercial use.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
15th Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government whether any ministers or special advisers at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have attended meetings with Derek Webb since July 2024; and if so, whether they will list those meetings.

As the responsible department, DCMS Ministers and officials have regular meetings with a range of stakeholders about gambling.

Ministerial meetings and engagements are published through quarterly transparency reports on GOV.UK.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
15th Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government whether any ministers or special advisers at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport have attended meetings with the Social Market Foundation since July 2024; and if so, whether they will list those meetings.

As the responsible department, DCMS Ministers and officials have regular meetings with a range of stakeholders about gambling.

Ministerial meetings and engagements are published through quarterly transparency reports on GOV.UK.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
11th Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government which national museums and galleries claim copyright in their digital reproductions of two-dimensional original artworks that are in the public domain.

The DCMS-sponsored museums take their responsibilities to extend engagement with their Collections seriously. As Arm’s Length Bodies national museums operate independently and are responsible for developing their own policies, including around the provision of images, and for taking appropriate commercial and legal advice. Policies can be found on the respective websites and image licensing portals of the museums, many of which provide users with the ability to view high resolution images.

The government strongly supports efforts to expand the reach and impact of the national museums, including digitally, while also recognising and encouraging efforts to balance this against the need to raise private income. Government-backed digitisation projects and investment in Collections databases since the Covid pandemic have resulted in marked increases in the accessibility of Collections records. The wider museums sector, whilst not directly funded by the department, is also making progress in increasing digital access to Collections, with the support of organisations and initiatives such as Art UK, the Museum Data Service, and the AHRC-funded Towards a National Collection research project.

The department is working with the national museums to understand the extent and pace of further planned digitisation work, alongside opportunities provided by new work to establish a Creative Content Exchange, to ensure we are both maximising public access to culture, and positioning our cultural organisations to engage fruitfully with the AI revolution underway.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
11th Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to publish an open data policy requiring national museums and galleries to make high-resolution images of public domain artworks freely available for non-commercial use; and if so, what definitions they will use for (1) high resolution, and (2) non-commercial.

The DCMS-sponsored museums take their responsibilities to extend engagement with their Collections seriously. As Arm’s Length Bodies national museums operate independently and are responsible for developing their own policies, including around the provision of images, and for taking appropriate commercial and legal advice. Policies can be found on the respective websites and image licensing portals of the museums, many of which provide users with the ability to view high resolution images.

The government strongly supports efforts to expand the reach and impact of the national museums, including digitally, while also recognising and encouraging efforts to balance this against the need to raise private income. Government-backed digitisation projects and investment in Collections databases since the Covid pandemic have resulted in marked increases in the accessibility of Collections records. The wider museums sector, whilst not directly funded by the department, is also making progress in increasing digital access to Collections, with the support of organisations and initiatives such as Art UK, the Museum Data Service, and the AHRC-funded Towards a National Collection research project.

The department is working with the national museums to understand the extent and pace of further planned digitisation work, alongside opportunities provided by new work to establish a Creative Content Exchange, to ensure we are both maximising public access to culture, and positioning our cultural organisations to engage fruitfully with the AI revolution underway.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
11th Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their policy regarding the copyright status of exact digital reproductions of two-dimensional artworks that are in the public domain.

The DCMS-sponsored museums take their responsibilities to extend engagement with their Collections seriously. As Arm’s Length Bodies national museums operate independently and are responsible for developing their own policies, including around the provision of images, and for taking appropriate commercial and legal advice. Policies can be found on the respective websites and image licensing portals of the museums, many of which provide users with the ability to view high resolution images.

The government strongly supports efforts to expand the reach and impact of the national museums, including digitally, while also recognising and encouraging efforts to balance this against the need to raise private income. Government-backed digitisation projects and investment in Collections databases since the Covid pandemic have resulted in marked increases in the accessibility of Collections records. The wider museums sector, whilst not directly funded by the department, is also making progress in increasing digital access to Collections, with the support of organisations and initiatives such as Art UK, the Museum Data Service, and the AHRC-funded Towards a National Collection research project.

The department is working with the national museums to understand the extent and pace of further planned digitisation work, alongside opportunities provided by new work to establish a Creative Content Exchange, to ensure we are both maximising public access to culture, and positioning our cultural organisations to engage fruitfully with the AI revolution underway.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
12th Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the development of an open data policy that enables national museums and galleries to make high-resolution images of public domain artworks freely available; and whether they plan to adopt open access models such as that used by the Rijksmuseum.

The DCMS-sponsored museums take their responsibilities to extend engagement with their Collections seriously. As Arm’s Length Bodies national museums operate independently and are responsible for developing their own policies, including around the provision of images, and for taking appropriate commercial and legal advice. Policies can be found on the respective websites and image licensing portals of the museums, many of which provide users with the ability to view high resolution images.

The government strongly supports efforts to expand the reach and impact of the national museums, including digitally, while also recognising and encouraging efforts to balance this against the need to raise private income. Government-backed digitisation projects and investment in Collections databases since the Covid pandemic have resulted in marked increases in the accessibility of Collections records. The wider museums sector, whilst not directly funded by the department, is also making progress in increasing digital access to Collections, with the support of organisations and initiatives such as Art UK, the Museum Data Service, and the AHRC-funded Towards a National Collection research project.

The department is working with the national museums to understand the extent and pace of further planned digitisation work, alongside opportunities provided by new work to establish a Creative Content Exchange, to ensure we are both maximising public access to culture, and positioning our cultural organisations to engage fruitfully with the AI revolution underway.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
8th Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 25 July 2025 to Question 68534 on Members: Correspondence, when the hon. Member will receive a reply to the correspondence with reference MW07790.

A response was sent to the Honourable Member on 25 September 2025. I apologise for the delay.

Ian Murray
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
12th Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Church Commissioners on extending the spending cap on the Listed Places of Worship scheme after 2026.

The future of the grant scheme funding after March 2026 will be considered as we work through the results of the Spending Review and Departmental business planning process.

The Department has had various meetings with representatives of the Church and other stakeholders on the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. In June 2025, the Heritage Minister met church leaders including Marsha de Cordova MP, who is the Second Church Estates Commissioner.

Ian Murray
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
12th Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate she has made of the potential savings from the introduction of the £25,000 annual cap on grants under the Listed Places of Worship Scheme.

In January this government announced that we would extend the Listed Places of Worship Scheme for one year with an overall budget of £23 million, coming into effect from April 2025. Previous to that the budget for the scheme was up to £42 million, with an average spend of £29 million per year between 2017 and 2024. However, to ensure the £23 million budget remains affordable, claims are now capped at £25,000 per place of worship.

This means there is a saving of approximately £6m per year.

Ian Murray
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
11th Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to engage with civil society bodies such as the National Council for Voluntary Organisations on the Joint Civil Society Covenant Council.

Collaboration and partnership are at the heart of the Civil Society Covenant which was launched by the Prime Minister in July at a major civil society summit. To inform the development of the Civil Society Covenant, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport engaged with over 1,200 organisations and worked closely with the Civil Society Advisory Group, including representatives from the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) alongside a wide range of other civil society organisations.

At the launch we announced the Joint Civil Society Covenant Council which will be central to the delivery of the Covenant, setting direction and providing strategic oversight for its implementation. It will have cross-sector membership comprising senior leaders from civil society and senior representatives from government departments. We also announced a Local Covenant Partnerships Programme to support collaborative working between civil society organisations, local authorities and public service providers to deliver services that better meet the needs of their communities.

We will continue working in the spirit of partnership as we establish and develop both the Joint Civil Society Covenant Council and the Local Covenant Partnerships Programme.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
11th Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that the local covenant partnerships programme involvements meaningful engagement with civil society bodies such as the National Council for Voluntary Organisations.

Collaboration and partnership are at the heart of the Civil Society Covenant which was launched by the Prime Minister in July at a major civil society summit. To inform the development of the Civil Society Covenant, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport engaged with over 1,200 organisations and worked closely with the Civil Society Advisory Group, including representatives from the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) alongside a wide range of other civil society organisations.

At the launch we announced the Joint Civil Society Covenant Council which will be central to the delivery of the Covenant, setting direction and providing strategic oversight for its implementation. It will have cross-sector membership comprising senior leaders from civil society and senior representatives from government departments. We also announced a Local Covenant Partnerships Programme to support collaborative working between civil society organisations, local authorities and public service providers to deliver services that better meet the needs of their communities.

We will continue working in the spirit of partnership as we establish and develop both the Joint Civil Society Covenant Council and the Local Covenant Partnerships Programme.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
22nd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to support to the charitable work of the Church of England.

For millions of people in this country, their faith and belief identity is a crucial part of their lives, and our nation is enriched by our diverse tapestry of faiths and beliefs. This government celebrates the central role of faith, including the Christian faith, in our national life. Churches, such as the Church of England, contain many Christians whose faith guides their moral outlook and inspires them to public service and helping those in need.

This government is committed to harnessing the power of faith for national renewal, helping us to make progress against our missions. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is funding a number of cohesion and interfaith projects this financial year, including the Near Neighbours programme delivered by the Church Urban Fund, a charity affiliated with the Church of England.

Over the last year, my own department has been delivering the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Energy Efficiency Scheme, which is a £25.5 million fund to support VCSE organisations across England to save money on energy bills. The fund was designed to help groups with rising energy costs and was targeted at those delivering key frontline services. Recipients of the fund have included over 40 churches and faith-based organisations.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
29th Aug 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department attaches provisions on paternity and parental leave when allocating grants to organisations.

The Department does not include clauses within grant offer letters requiring organisations to adopt specific policies related to paternity or other forms of parental leave as such a requirement would likely go beyond the obligations which can be enforced by the terms and conditions of a grant. Grants are an investment in a specific project which is being run by the grant recipient rather than for the wider operation of an organisation.

The Department also does not require organisations to have specific paternity or other forms of parental leave policies in place when bidding for grants.

In the event that it became apparent that a grant recipient was not operating within its legal obligations in regard to paternity or other forms of leave then the Department could consider terminating the relevant grant agreement under clause 54 of the standard grant agreement which includes illegal activity as an event of default and therefore a reason for grant termination.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
21st Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the organisers of the Women's Rugby World Cup on the organisation of that event.

The Government is committed to delivering international events with pride, building upon the UK’s global reputation for excellence in staging major sporting events.

The Government holds regular discussions with the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and World Rugby, as joint venture partners, to ensure the successful delivery of the Women's Rugby World Cup (Women’s RWC) 2025. The Secretary of State and I attended the Women’s Rugby World Cup 100 ‘Days to go’ launch event in May 2025, where we discussed tournament delivery with senior RFU figures and other stakeholders.

I also met with senior RFU figures while supporting England at the opening fixture and semi final of the Women's Rugby World Cup and discussed the delivery of the tournament.

We are confident that the great collaboration which has taken place across all delivery partners will result in a landmark moment not just for women’s rugby but for women’s sport.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
8th Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has considered introducing targeted funding or grants to help increase the facilities of charities that are experiencing significant demand for their services.

This Government recognises the vital role that charities play up and down the country, by providing crucial targeted support to different groups and communities.

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 £25.5 million Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Energy Efficiency Scheme, which is supporting frontline organisations across England to improve their energy efficiency and sustainability.

The Youth Investment Fund is also funding over £300 million to over 250 projects in targeted areas to build, renovate and expand youth facilities in less advantaged areas of England. Alongside this, the £30.5 million Better Youth Spaces fund recently launched for smaller capital projects in youth facilities.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
21st Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help support small and medium-sized charities, in the context of increased competition for limited grant funding.

This government recognises the vital role that charities play in providing crucial support to different groups and communities. The Civil Society Covenant sets out the terms of a new relationship between government and civil society, and is a clear statement that government sees civil society as an indispensable partner in building a better Britain.

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 £25.5 million Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Energy Efficiency Scheme, which is supporting frontline organisations across England to improve their energy efficiency and sustainability.

Support for charities is also available through social investment which provides a range of tools – from grants to investments – to help charities and social enterprises grow their trading income, strengthen their resilience, and access financial support that works for them. 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.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
2nd Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many days were lost to sickness absence by civil servants in their Department (a) in total and (b) on average per employee between 5 July 2024 and 4 July 2025.

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.

Ian Murray
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
2nd Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many people with disabilities were employed in her Department on 2 September 2025.

Information on the number of people declaring a disability by each government department are published annually as part of Civil Service Statistics 2025, an accredited official statistics publication. Latest published data are as at 31 March 2025 and can be found at Table 29 of the statistical tables at the following web address:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/civil-service-statistics-2025.

Information for 31 March 2026 is due for publication in July 2026.

Ian Murray
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
3rd Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has had discussions with British Paralympic Association on the selection process for Paralympians.

The Government has not had discussions with the British Paralympic Association on the selection process for Paralympians.

ParalympicsGB selections are made by the British Paralympic Association, working in collaboration with the relevant National Governing Bodies (NGBs) who know their athletes best. These processes remain fully independent from the Government.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
9th Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of (a) retaining, (b) reforming and (c) removing the requirement for (i) applicants to councils and (ii) councils to place statutory notices in local newspapers.

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 statutory notices can play an important role 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 statutory 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 statutory 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 statutory notices as part of the Local Media Strategy, which will more broadly consider the merits of making changes to existing requirements to place statutory notices in print local newspapers. More will be announced on the Strategy in the coming months.

Ian Murray
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
1st Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, for what purposes their Department has used artificial intelligence in the last year.

DCMS follows the UK Government’s AI Playbook principles on safe, effective and responsible adoption of AI, and works closely with DSIT as the “Digital centre of government”.

Any use of third party AI tooling is subject to multidisciplinary assurance prior to any use, including Cyber security, Data Protection, Knowledge and Information Management, and Technology assurance.

DCMS is in its early days in terms of AI usage and measuring benefits to productivity. In the past year the Department has used AI for the following:

  • Summarising large documents and emails

  • Analysis of large documents, drawing out key information and drafting reports

  • Drafting meeting notes

  • Generating draft content

  • Enhancing our departmental data science capability

  • Proof of concept of using AI large language models (LLMs) to analyse free text responses to a public consultation

AI produced data or drafts are manually reviewed. No decisions are made by the Department based on AI outputs, without manual checks and manual intervention.

Ian Murray
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
12th Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the introduction of an annual cap on grants to individual places of worship under the Listed Places of Worship Scheme on those places of worship.

DCMS Ministers received advice on changes to the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, including consideration of the potential impact on introducing an annual cap of £25,000 per place of worship for the 2025/26 financial year.

The changes to the scheme were necessary given the level of fiscal challenges we inherited and the pressures on other parts of the heritage and cultural sectors. Based on the Department’s analysis of previous data, 94% of applications will be unaffected by the change, as most claims are under £5,000.

Ian Murray
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
29th Aug 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to update regulations on payment methods for amusement machines.

Direct use of debit cards and credit cards is currently prohibited on all gaming machines in Great Britain. The previous Government’s 2023 gambling white paper proposed removing the prohibition on the direct use of debit cards on gaming machines, subject to the introduction of certain player protections. While this proposal was not implemented under the previous administration, this government is considering the best available evidence from a wide range of stakeholders to inform any decisions on this proposal, which would require new legislation to implement.

In addition, the Gambling Commission recently consulted on proposals to introduce a number of new player protections for gaming machines in Great Britain, designed to support and empower customers to use gaming machines safely. The Government will take account of the progress and outcome of this consultation when considering regulations on payment methods for gaming machines.

Ian Murray
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
1st Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps their Department is taking to implement the guidance entitled The government’s approach to rural proofing 2025, published on 15 May 2025.

The Government has made a commitment that all policy decision-making should be rural proofed. Rural proofing ensures that rural areas are not overlooked and that the intended outcomes are deliverable in rural areas.

Defra leads on rural proofing, but individual departments are responsible for ensuring that their policy decision-making is rural proofed.

Rural proofing is important because rural communities are an important part of the economy. Rural areas are home to around one-fifth of England’s population and half a million registered businesses.

Policy outcomes in rural areas can be affected by economies of scale, distance, sparsity and demography. That is why it is important that government policies consider how they can be delivered in rural areas. Rural proofing ensures that these areas receive fair and equitable policy outcomes.

Our department takes its obligation to rural proofing seriously. Through the Arts Council England, funding to Rural areas has increased to around £44 million a year to 110 organisations.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
12th Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with Sport England on the (a) promotion and (b) development of (i) padel and (ii) pickleball as national sports.

The Secretary of State and I have regular discussions with Sport England, on a range of topics including the promotion and development of the sporting offer across England. Whilst we haven’t discussed these sports specifically, DCMS officials have discussed the promotion and development padel and pickleball with Sport England.

It is positive to see the growth of many emerging sports such as padel and pickleball.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
4th Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the press release entitled Prime Minister unveils new opportunities for young people to re-connect with their communities, published on 5 August 2025, how much additional funding will be available in Bedfordshire.

DCMS and the National Lottery Community Fund launched Phase 3 of the Million Hours Fund, a £19 million joint investment, to provide youth organisations with funding to deliver additional hours of positive activities for young people in areas with higher levels of anti-social behaviour. Wards who were eligible for the Million Hours Fund in Bedfordshire can be found here.

Additionally, organisations in Bedfordshire are eligible to apply to the Adventures Away from Home Fund which will support organisations to deliver outdoor learning experiences for disadvantaged or vulnerable young people. Funding by area will be known once all awards have been made. Applications are open until Friday 26th Sept 2025 through the UK Youth website.

Bedfordshire is not eligible to apply for the Better Youth Spaces Fund nor a participant in the pilot phase of the Local Youth Transformation programme. However, local areas who were not selected this year may not be excluded from participating in any future rounds depending on geographical eligibility.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
29th Aug 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to improve the availability of activities for young people during (a) evenings, (b) weekends and (c) school holidays.

In 2025/26, DCMS is investing £28 million to increase young people’s access to more and better enriching activities. This includes programmes such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and Uniformed Youth Fund. As part of the Uniformed Youth Fund, DCMS funded the Volunteer Police Cadets to increase its capacity and reach a greater number of young people in Fylde.

DCMS is also investing £8 million to support local authorities through the Local Youth Transformation Pilot, which aims to rebuild a high-quality offer for young people across England.

Additionally, the Department for Education has confirmed over £600 million for the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme for the next three financial years (from 2026/27), delivered by local authorities to provide healthy meals, enriching activities, and free childcare places to children from low-income families during school holiday periods.

In Autumn, we will publish the National Youth Strategy, which we have co-produced with young people and the sector. The Strategy will outline a long-term vision for young people and an action plan for delivering this.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
29th Aug 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support councils to improve the availability of activities for young people during (a) evenings, (b) weekends and (c) school holidays.

In 2025/26, DCMS is investing £28 million to increase young people’s access to more and better enriching activities. This includes programmes such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and Uniformed Youth Fund. As part of the Uniformed Youth Fund, DCMS funded the Volunteer Police Cadets to increase its capacity and reach a greater number of young people in Fylde.

DCMS is also investing £8 million to support local authorities through the Local Youth Transformation Pilot, which aims to rebuild a high-quality offer for young people across England.

Additionally, the Department for Education has confirmed over £600 million for the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme for the next three financial years (from 2026/27), delivered by local authorities to provide healthy meals, enriching activities, and free childcare places to children from low-income families during school holiday periods.

In Autumn, we will publish the National Youth Strategy, which we have co-produced with young people and the sector. The Strategy will outline a long-term vision for young people and an action plan for delivering this.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
12th Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help improve access to sport for children from disadvantaged backgrounds in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

Every child should have the opportunity to play sport and do regular physical activity including those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The Prime Minister recently announced a new School Sport Partnerships approach and a new Enrichment Framework for schools to ensure all young people have equal access to high-quality sport and extracurricular activity. The ongoing independent expert-led review of the curriculum will ensure that all children can engage with a broad range of subjects, including PE and sport.

On 20 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.

In the last financial year, 2024-25, Sport England, our Arm’s Length Body for community sport, invested £43,803 into South Holland and the Deepings constituency and £1,924,805 into Lincolnshire to improve access to sport and physical activity.

I met with Sir John Hayes and Deepings Leisure Centre Community Group in July this year to discuss grassroots sport and facilities provision in his constituency.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
11th Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding (a) her Department and (b) Sport England have allocated to support elite Deaf sportspeople to attend the Tokyo 2025 Summer Deaflympics.

The Government, through the UK Sport grant, supports Olympic and Paralympic success. Beyond this the Government does not provide additional funding to performance sport, in line with our approach to a great many other areas of individual sporting performance.

Sport England are exploring 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 issues around accessibility and suggest potential solutions. Sport England has also awarded UK Deaf Sport £150,000 to fund a specialist Talent Inclusion post to further the work of the pilots.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
5th Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will take steps to ensure that the design of new leisure facilities funded through the Levelling Up Programme reflects community preferences in changing arrangements.

The Levelling Up Programme was run under the previous Government. Our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, provides resources to help in the design of new leisure facilities. Sport England works with local authorities as part of their place partnerships work to help them understand and meet community needs for sport and physical activity.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
11th Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what grant funding is available to help support training in small and medium-sized enterprises in the video games development sector.

The UK Games Fund (UKGF) provides grant funding to small and medium-sized enterprises in the video games sector for development of new intellectual property, as well as development programmes for new graduate talent. As part of the recently published Creative Industries Sector Plan, the government announced the £30 million Games Growth Package, including an expansion of the UKGF over the next three years.

Since its inception in 2015, the UKGF has supported 440 companies with grant funding, and over 200 teams through talent development programmes Tranzfuser and DunDuv.

Small and medium-sized enterprises in the video games sector have also benefited from other support provided by DCMS and its arms-length bodies. This includes through the Create Growth Programme, which supports high-growth creative businesses to scale up and become investment ready.

Ian Murray
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
11th Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many video games studios have been supported by the UK Games Fund.

The UK Games Fund (UKGF) provides grant funding to small and medium-sized enterprises in the video games sector for development of new intellectual property, as well as development programmes for new graduate talent. As part of the recently published Creative Industries Sector Plan, the government announced the £30 million Games Growth Package, including an expansion of the UKGF over the next three years.

Since its inception in 2015, the UKGF has supported 440 companies with grant funding, and over 200 teams through talent development programmes Tranzfuser and DunDuv.

Small and medium-sized enterprises in the video games sector have also benefited from other support provided by DCMS and its arms-length bodies. This includes through the Create Growth Programme, which supports high-growth creative businesses to scale up and become investment ready.

Ian Murray
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
11th Sep 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential impact of Video Games Expenditure Credit on levels of inward investment into the video games industry.

The Video Games Expenditure Credit was introduced in 2024 to replace the Video Game Tax Relief, modernising the reliefs and ensuring they continue to work as intended to support the video games industry.

As set out in the Creative Industries Sector Plan, the Government is committed to supporting the growth of the UK’s video games sector. My department engages regularly with His Majesty’s Treasury on a range of issues to deliver this objective, including the Video Games Expenditure Credit.

Ian Murray
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
29th Aug 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support (a) small and (b) independent hotels in West Dorset constituency during the off-peak season.

The Government is committed to supporting the hospitality sector as a valuable contributor to the UK economy and visitor offer. We are introducing permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties with a rateable value under £500,000, alongside a new Licensing Taskforce to cut red tape. Targeted initiatives include a £1.5 million Hospitality Support Scheme and the Zero Carbon Hospitality Trial, helping over 600 SMEs cut costs and emissions. Through ongoing collaboration with the Hospitality Sector Council, we are strengthening productivity and resilience across the sector.

DCMS works closely with VisitEngland, Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) and industry to support small and independent accommodation providers, including hotels in West Dorset. Targeted marketing campaigns encourage off-peak domestic breaks, while LVEPs like Visit Dorset improve local coordination and promote year-round tourism. These efforts, alongside the upcoming Visitor Economy Growth Strategy, help sustain the competitiveness of hotels and hospitality businesses throughout the year.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
29th Aug 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of hotels in West Dorset constituency on the local tourism economy.

DCMS works closely with VisitEngland and local authorities to understand the contribution of tourism assets across England, including accommodation providers such as hotels. While we have not carried out a constituency-specific economic assessment for West Dorset, DCMS recognises that hotels provide direct employment and support local supply chains, and they enable visitor spending across the local economy, including restaurants, attractions, shops, and transport.

In Dorset, hotels play an important role in supporting domestic and international tourism, particularly linked to coastal and countryside destinations such as the Jurassic Coast, which help to sustain year-round economic activity in local communities. DCMS, in partnership with VisitEngland, works with Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (such as Visit Dorset) to promote destinations and develop initiatives to maximise the economic impact of tourism throughout the county.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
29th Aug 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure that the proposed short-term let registration scheme will ensure all properties are clean and safe.

The registration scheme will make short-term let providers aware of their legal responsibilities, particularly around safety, helping to raise standards of accommodation, build consumer confidence, and support fair competition.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
22nd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of national landscapes on levels of tourism in (a) West Dorset constituency and (b) other rural constituencies.

The Government recognises that our National Landscapes, such as the Dorset National Landscape, are among our nation's greatest assets and are significant drivers of domestic and international tourism for rural communities.

No assessment has been made on the impact of national landscapes on levels of tourism. The Office for National Statistics has published data sets on business activity including tourism, Enterprises in National Landscapes, Trails and Parks, which can be found at Enterprises in National Landscapes, Trails and Parks 2023 - Office for National Statistics

Details of tourism and visitor management undertaken by Dorset National Landscape in the West Dorset constituency can be found at Tourism and Visitor Management | Dorset National Landscape

We continue to work with VisitEngland to promote rural and coastal destinations and support the work of Local Visitor Economy Partnerships, such as the Visit Dorset Business Support Hub, in developing and marketing their local visitor offer, in which National Landscapes play a crucial role.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
29th Aug 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with the hospitality industry in West Dorset constituency on staffing levels in the hotel sector.

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 West Dorset constituency, we work closely with industry bodies such as UKHospitality, which represent employers across the country (including those in West Dorset). 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 Strategy later this year.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
29th Aug 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information they hold on the number of workdays that were completed remotely in their Department in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025 to date.

We do not collect data on the number of workdays that were completed remotely.

Our London headquarters office occupancy is monitored via anonymised entry pass swipe data and is published on gov.uk on a monthly basis starting October 2024, and to date is as follows:

Oct-24

Nov-24

Dec-24

Jan-25

Feb-25

Mar-25

Apr-25

May-25

Jun-25

73%

71%

59%

76%

78%

71%

69%

72%

62%

Ian Murray
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
22nd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when the Minister for Gambling plans to respond to the correspondence of 24 March 2025 from the hon. Member for Hazel Grove, Ref LS04145.

DCMS did not receive the Hon Member’s letter until her office was contacted on 23 July, on receipt of this question. Baroness Twycross replied via return letter, with reference MC2025/07636/GT, on 26 August. We apologise for the delay.

Ian Murray
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
2nd Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government whether Baroness Shafik intends will remain as Chair of the Victoria and Albert Museum in the light of her appointment as Chief Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister

Baroness Shafik has been appointed to be the Chief Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister as a Direct Ministerial Appointment. This role is therefore subject to the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies, which sets out requirements on political activity.

The management of relevant outside interests for this role has been agreed in line with relevant guidance and processes. Baroness Shafik will continue in her role as Chair of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
3rd Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the terms and conditions and the appointment letter relating to Baroness Shafik's appointment as (1) Chair of the Victoria and Albert Museum, and (2) Chief Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister.

Baroness Shafik has been appointed to be the Chief Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister as a Direct Ministerial Appointment. This role is therefore subject to the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies, which sets out requirements on political activity.

The management of relevant outside interests for this role has been agreed in line with relevant guidance and processes. Baroness Shafik will continue in her role as Chair of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
3rd Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to update the news story published on 20 January about the appointment of Baroness Shafik as Chair of the Victoria and Albert Museum in regard to her political activity.

Baroness Shafik has been appointed to be the Chief Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister as a Direct Ministerial Appointment. This role is therefore subject to the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies, which sets out requirements on political activity.

The management of relevant outside interests for this role has been agreed in line with relevant guidance and processes. Baroness Shafik will continue in her role as Chair of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)