Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport

The government recognises that children’s exposure to gambling advertising is a serious issue. We continue to work with a wide range of stakeholders, including Ofcom and the Advertising Standards Authority, to further strengthen protections.

We have also redoubled efforts to work cross-government and with tech platforms to address illegal gambling advertising, which poses the most immediate risk for children and young people.

Employees of the Gambling Commission are not Crown servants and therefore not subject to the Business Appointments Applications process.

As required by the model contract for Public Bodies, the Gambling Commission has robust policies in place to manage business appointments and conflicts of interest, including clear obligations under their Employee Code of Conduct to ensure that the risk of conflicts of interest are considered at the earliest opportunity. The Commission is satisfied that appropriate mitigations are in place to manage and reduce the risk of any actual or perceived conflicts of interest.

DCMS officials have a separate Travel and Subsistence policy, which does not include the use of the Government Car Service.

As part of the BBC Charter Review, we are looking at a range of options to support the BBC with sustainable and fair funding, including how the BBC can operate more efficiently, generate more commercial revenue, and how the licence fee could be reformed including the scope of services for which a TV licence is required.

The BBC licence fee is a tried and tested public funding model, we have ruled out funding the BBC through general taxation or another form of public funding, such as a household tax.

As part of the Government’s action plan for social cohesion we have announced that the Charity Commission’s powers to tackle extremist abuse of charities will be extended. This includes automatically disqualifying individuals with a criminal conviction for hate crimes from serving as charity trustees or senior managers, and helping the Charity Commission to disqualify charity trustees who have been excluded from the UK, deprived of British citizenship or are engaged in conduct which promotes violence or hatred. The Charity Commission is not a prosecuting authority, so any allegation or evidence of criminal offences, including terrorism, is referred to the police to investigate.

The Charity Commission has published guidance for charities with links to Iran to be clear that charities must ensure any activity furthers their charity’s purposes and complies with the law and its guidance, or else face regulatory consequences.

Ministers and officials regularly meet with the Charity Commission for England and Wales to discuss a range of issues relating to the regulation of charities.

The promotion of extremist views or terrorism in charities is unacceptable. The Charity Commission has been consistent and clear that it responds to such abuse robustly. This includes referring potential criminal offences to the police where relevant.

DCMS is planning to strengthen the Charity Commission’s powers to tackle extremist abuse of charities. This will include strengthening powers to close down charities that promote extremism, to protect the vast majority of the sector delivering positive work. We will also consult on measures to automatically ban individuals convicted of hate crimes from serving as charity trustees or senior managers, and make it easier for the Charity Commission to take action against people promoting violence or hatred.

The Manchester Arena Inquiry Volume Two report recommended the government make changes to the law to enable the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to regulate event healthcare at sporting venues and gymnasiums and under temporary arrangements at sporting and cultural events to ensure public safety.

The government and CQC has engaged a range of stakeholders within the health, sports and events sector. The government has also held a public consultation which fed into the development of these regulatory changes. The government and CQC continues this engagement, where the CQC will also develop further guidance for Treatment of Disease, Disorder, or Injury providers to support registering with the CQC.

DCMS officials regularly engage with the sector on the impacts of regulation, and will continue to do so with DHSC on the removal of exemptions for temporary sporting and cultural events, to ensure impacts to event delivery are mitigated as far as possible in line with the policy recommendations from the Manchester Arena Inquiry.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, should have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That has to mean delivering a range of facilities across the country based on what each local community needs.

On 16 March, the Prime Minister confirmed £10 million investment in 2026/27 to develop new delivery models, including at least £2.5 million to the Lawn Tennis Association for covered courts for tennis, padel and other activities.

We provide the majority of our support for grassroots sport through Sport England - which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding into grassroots sport across England, including providing support for the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA). The LTA is receiving up to £14.5 million for seven years from 2022 to 2029 to invest in community tennis initiatives that will benefit as many people as possible.

We are now working closely with the sport sector stakeholders and local leaders to develop plans for future funding for a range of sports across the country based on communities’ needs. We will keep stakeholders and the wider sport sector updated as this work progresses, and we will announce plans once they have been fully developed.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone has access to and can benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities, including rugby.

We provide the majority of support for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding.

Sport England provides long term investment of £16.9 million to the Rugby Football Union and £15.7 million to the Rugby Football League between 2022 and 2029, the National Governing Bodies for rugby to support grassroots participation. It also supports grassroots clubs and projects around the country, which has included support for rugby facilities at Spartans RFC in Gloucester in 2024/25.

Since summer 2024, the Government has also provided £6.7 million into the Women’s Rugby World Cup Legacy Programme Impact 25, which has benefited 850 clubs across the country . These clubs have received investment which goes towards supporting girls of all ages to get involved in rugby. This includes clubs in the Gloucester constituency such as Drybrook RFC who received £10,000 towards improving facilities at the club.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) recruited the following number of apprentices in the specified years:

*Note that figures for 2025 are as of 17/03/2026 and are not yet final.

The Government Art Collection is a working collection, used across government buildings in the UK and the global estate, which means that artworks may change their display location from time to time. Current locations of artworks in the collection can be found on their website.

The Government Art Collection is a working collection, used across government buildings in the UK and the global estate, which means that artworks may change their display location from time to time. Current locations of artworks in the collection can be found on their website.

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave on 2 February 2026 to Question UIN 107381. FOI response FOI2025/05106 has been deposited in the Libraries of both Houses. Deposited papers are in the public domain and FOI2025/05106 has therefore been published in the deposited papers database on Parliament’s website.

The Government is committed to ensuring games are enjoyed safely and responsibly by everyone and that, where they contain loot boxes, there are appropriate protections in place for players of all ages.

To improve those protections, industry-led guidance was published in 2023 with a 12-month implementation period after which DCMS commissioned independent academic research into its effectiveness. We will publish the research shortly, alongside our next steps.

The Government is committed to ensuring games are enjoyed safely and responsibly by everyone and that, where they contain loot boxes, there are appropriate protections in place for players of all ages.

To improve those protections, industry-led guidance was published in 2023 with a 12-month implementation period after which DCMS commissioned independent academic research into its effectiveness. We will publish the research shortly, alongside our next steps.

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

The Royal Charter places obligations on the BBC to observe high standards of openness and seek to maximise transparency and accountability. It also requires the BBC to report a range of information in its annual plan and its annual report and accounts, including how it ensures provision for the United Kingdom’s nations and regions.

The government launched the BBC Charter Review last year. The Green Paper set out our ambition for the BBC to tell a unifying national story that represents all communities across the UK, and to drive growth in the nations and regions. It also set out proposals for enhancing transparency in a way that supports wider public trust in the content and services the BBC delivers. We are looking at a range of options to deliver this, which include further obligations relating to programme making and spend outside of London.

There are currently no plans for the Government to review the UK’s regulatory framework for adverts from fossil fuel companies.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is the independent regulator for advertising in the UK and enforces the ‘CAP Code’ and ‘BCAP Code’, which set the standards for non-broadcast and broadcast advertising, respectively. Section 11 of the CAP and Section 9 of the BCAP Codes contain rules on Environmental Claims, and specifically warn against the use of unqualified claims, due to their potential to mislead if significant information is omitted. The Codes also include rules intended to protect consumers from misleading marketing communications. Advertising may be considered misleading if it contains the omission, exaggeration, or ambiguous presentation of information. If an advertisement is found to be in breach of the Codes, the ASA will instruct that it be withdrawn or amended, and in some cases may escalate to the appropriate statutory backstop.

The Government recognises that the illegal streaming of content negatively impacts the revenues of UK broadcasters, which is why we have committed in our Creative Industries Sector Plan to ensure UK intellectual property rights are the best protected in the world.

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) in conjunction with Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), recently announced that its funding for the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit Unit (PIPCU), hosted by the City of London Police, will continue until 2029, and strengthen their ongoing partnership in UK intellectual property enforcement. This partnership actively targets websites and platforms providing illegal access to copyrighted material, such as the illegal streaming of television content.

We want to ensure the future sustainability of the broadcasting sector so that they can continue to commission and produce high quality content in the UK. That’s why we have committed to taking action to support the sector through our implementation of the Media Act 2024. We are also considering the findings in Ofcom’s Public Service Media (PSM) Review, which includes a number of recommendations looking to support the future sustainability of public service media.

The Government is leading a project to assess the future of TV distribution beyond 2034 and is committed to maintaining access for audiences in all parts of the UK. The project is engaging with devolved governments and audience groups representing the interests of Welsh audiences such as the Voice of the Listener and Viewer, the Rural Services Network, and S4C. Before any decision is made close consideration will be given to how any changes would impact Welsh audiences, including those in rural communities.

The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) is the independent regulator responsible for regulating all advertising in the UK, including alcohol advertising, through codes set by the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) and Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP). The Government is not involved in these codes, nor in the investigations and enforcement delivered by the ASA.

The codes state that marketing communications for alcoholic drinks should not be targeted at people under 18. Specifically, alcohol advertising is prohibited in any medium where more than 25 percent of the audience is under 18, and where advertising is permitted, it should not be likely to appeal particularly to people under 18. If an advertisement is found to be in breach of the Codes, the ASA will instruct that it be withdrawn or amended, and in some cases may escalate to the appropriate statutory authority.

Building on this backdrop, the Online Advertising Taskforce brings government and industry together to improve trust, transparency and accountability in the online advertising supply chain. A key taskforce aim is to further reduce children being served advertising for products and services illegal to sell to them. An Age Assurance working group focussed on this topic is building a more detailed understanding of the current landscape of age assurance online, and considering how it can be improved.

The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) is the independent regulator responsible for regulating all advertising in the UK, including alcohol advertising, through codes set by the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) and Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP). The Government is not involved in these codes, nor in the investigations and enforcement delivered by the ASA.

The codes state that marketing communications for alcoholic drinks should not be targeted at people under 18. Specifically, alcohol advertising is prohibited in any medium where more than 25 percent of the audience is under 18, and where advertising is permitted, it should not be likely to appeal particularly to people under 18. If an advertisement is found to be in breach of the Codes, the ASA will instruct that it be withdrawn or amended, and in some cases may escalate to the appropriate statutory authority.

Building on this backdrop, the Online Advertising Taskforce brings government and industry together to improve trust, transparency and accountability in the online advertising supply chain. A key taskforce aim is to further reduce children being served advertising for products and services illegal to sell to them. An Age Assurance working group focussed on this topic is building a more detailed understanding of the current landscape of age assurance online, and considering how it can be improved.

The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) is the independent regulator responsible for regulating all advertising in the UK, including alcohol advertising, through codes set by the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) and Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP). The Government is not involved in these codes, nor in the investigations and enforcement delivered by the ASA.

The codes state that marketing communications for alcoholic drinks should not be targeted at people under 18. Specifically, alcohol advertising is prohibited in any medium where more than 25 percent of the audience is under 18, and where advertising is permitted, it should not be likely to appeal particularly to people under 18. If an advertisement is found to be in breach of the Codes, the ASA will instruct that it be withdrawn or amended, and in some cases may escalate to the appropriate statutory authority.

Building on this backdrop, the Online Advertising Taskforce brings government and industry together to improve trust, transparency and accountability in the online advertising supply chain. A key taskforce aim is to further reduce children being served advertising for products and services illegal to sell to them. An Age Assurance working group focussed on this topic is building a more detailed understanding of the current landscape of age assurance online, and considering how it can be improved.

The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) is the independent regulator responsible for regulating all advertising in the UK, including alcohol advertising, through codes set by the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) and Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP). The Government is not involved in these codes, nor in the investigations and enforcement delivered by the ASA.

The codes state that marketing communications for alcoholic drinks should not be targeted at people under 18. Specifically, alcohol advertising is prohibited in any medium where more than 25 percent of the audience is under 18, and where advertising is permitted, it should not be likely to appeal particularly to people under 18. If an advertisement is found to be in breach of the Codes, the ASA will instruct that it be withdrawn or amended, and in some cases may escalate to the appropriate statutory authority.

Building on this backdrop, the Online Advertising Taskforce brings government and industry together to improve trust, transparency and accountability in the online advertising supply chain. A key taskforce aim is to further reduce children being served advertising for products and services illegal to sell to them. An Age Assurance working group focussed on this topic is building a more detailed understanding of the current landscape of age assurance online, and considering how it can be improved.

The government welcomes the BBC’s response to the Charter Review Green paper titled ‘A BBC for All’, and will consider its contents within Charter Review policy development.

The government launched the BBC Charter Review last year. The Green Paper set out our ambition for the BBC across a range of topics. This includes considering reforms to the BBC’s governance structures, length of its Royal Charter and obligations to share information. We are also exploring ways for the BBC to engage audiences and reflect public views. On funding, the Green Paper makes clear that we will need to strike the appropriate balance between ensuring the BBC’s independence and enabling sufficient levels of oversight of public money.

We welcome the BBC’s response to the government’s Green Paper public Consultation. We will review their response, alongside other responses from the public and stakeholders to the consultation to help ensure we consider a wide range of voices and views on the future of the BBC. These will inform policy decisions for the next BBC Royal Charter, which will be set out in a White Paper, expected to be published later this year.

The government welcomes the BBC’s response to the Charter Review Green paper titled ‘A BBC for All’, and will consider its contents within Charter Review policy development.

The government launched the BBC Charter Review last year. The Green Paper set out our ambition for the BBC across a range of topics. This includes considering reforms to the BBC’s governance structures, length of its Royal Charter and obligations to share information. We are also exploring ways for the BBC to engage audiences and reflect public views. On funding, the Green Paper makes clear that we will need to strike the appropriate balance between ensuring the BBC’s independence and enabling sufficient levels of oversight of public money.

We welcome the BBC’s response to the government’s Green Paper public Consultation. We will review their response, alongside other responses from the public and stakeholders to the consultation to help ensure we consider a wide range of voices and views on the future of the BBC. These will inform policy decisions for the next BBC Royal Charter, which will be set out in a White Paper, expected to be published later this year.

The government welcomes the BBC’s response to the Charter Review Green paper titled ‘A BBC for All’, and will consider its contents within Charter Review policy development.

The government launched the BBC Charter Review last year. The Green Paper set out our ambition for the BBC across a range of topics. This includes considering reforms to the BBC’s governance structures, length of its Royal Charter and obligations to share information. We are also exploring ways for the BBC to engage audiences and reflect public views. On funding, the Green Paper makes clear that we will need to strike the appropriate balance between ensuring the BBC’s independence and enabling sufficient levels of oversight of public money.

We welcome the BBC’s response to the government’s Green Paper public Consultation. We will review their response, alongside other responses from the public and stakeholders to the consultation to help ensure we consider a wide range of voices and views on the future of the BBC. These will inform policy decisions for the next BBC Royal Charter, which will be set out in a White Paper, expected to be published later this year.

The government welcomes the BBC’s response to the Charter Review Green paper titled ‘A BBC for All’, and will consider its contents within Charter Review policy development.

The government launched the BBC Charter Review last year. The Green Paper set out our ambition for the BBC across a range of topics. This includes considering reforms to the BBC’s governance structures, length of its Royal Charter and obligations to share information. We are also exploring ways for the BBC to engage audiences and reflect public views. On funding, the Green Paper makes clear that we will need to strike the appropriate balance between ensuring the BBC’s independence and enabling sufficient levels of oversight of public money.

We welcome the BBC’s response to the government’s Green Paper public Consultation. We will review their response, alongside other responses from the public and stakeholders to the consultation to help ensure we consider a wide range of voices and views on the future of the BBC. These will inform policy decisions for the next BBC Royal Charter, which will be set out in a White Paper, expected to be published later this year.

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport recognises that the freelance workforce is crucial to the success of the UK's world-leading creative industries, including the screen sector, but we understand that many self-employed workers in the creative industries desire greater job security.

We committed in the Creative Industries Sector Plan to increase the productivity, resilience and diversity of the creative workforce, including through the appointment of a Freelance Champion, who will advocate for the creative sector’s freelancers within government and be a member of the Creative Industries Council. Building on the Sector Plan, we are developing a sector Jobs Plan which will provide a clear direction of travel for government and industry to develop the domestic workforce together. The Creative Industries Jobs Plan will be published later this year.

For film and TV specifically, the global market is evolving quickly, creating significant opportunities for the UK. We remain an open and highly attractive destination for international investment, including £5.8 billion in inward screen investment in 2025 and record film production spend, and this has helped deliver some of our most successful content. Major global studios and streamers are investing directly in UK skills and talent, including through support for the National Film and Television School (NFTS) and initiatives like the Prime Video Pathway. This investment strengthens our workforce and we want it to continue.

We are pairing global investment with strong public action to build resilience across the sector. Through the Creative Industries Sector Plan, we are delivering a £75 million Screen Growth Package to scale up domestic production, £10 million for the NFTS to create 2,000 new trainee and apprenticeship places, and £150 million through the Creative Places Growth Fund to expand film and TV activity across the regions. These measures sit alongside competitive tax reliefs, including the Independent Film Tax Credit, modernised co‑production treaties and expanded finance via the British Business Bank.

We have also strengthened terms of trade through the Media Act and have asked the Competition and Markets Authority, supported by Ofcom, to consider how market developments, including convergence, should inform future competition assessments. Through the BBC Charter Review and ongoing engagement with streamers, independents and Public Service Media (PSM) providers, we will continue to ensure that commissioning practices support a sustainable workforce and a thriving UK screen sector.

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport recognises that the freelance workforce is crucial to the success of the UK's world-leading creative industries, including the screen sector, but we understand that many self-employed workers in the creative industries desire greater job security.

We committed in the Creative Industries Sector Plan to increase the productivity, resilience and diversity of the creative workforce, including through the appointment of a Freelance Champion, who will advocate for the creative sector’s freelancers within government and be a member of the Creative Industries Council. Building on the Sector Plan, we are developing a sector Jobs Plan which will provide a clear direction of travel for government and industry to develop the domestic workforce together. The Creative Industries Jobs Plan will be published later this year.

For film and TV specifically, the global market is evolving quickly, creating significant opportunities for the UK. We remain an open and highly attractive destination for international investment, including £5.8 billion in inward screen investment in 2025 and record film production spend, and this has helped deliver some of our most successful content. Major global studios and streamers are investing directly in UK skills and talent, including through support for the National Film and Television School (NFTS) and initiatives like the Prime Video Pathway. This investment strengthens our workforce and we want it to continue.

We are pairing global investment with strong public action to build resilience across the sector. Through the Creative Industries Sector Plan, we are delivering a £75 million Screen Growth Package to scale up domestic production, £10 million for the NFTS to create 2,000 new trainee and apprenticeship places, and £150 million through the Creative Places Growth Fund to expand film and TV activity across the regions. These measures sit alongside competitive tax reliefs, including the Independent Film Tax Credit, modernised co‑production treaties and expanded finance via the British Business Bank.

We have also strengthened terms of trade through the Media Act and have asked the Competition and Markets Authority, supported by Ofcom, to consider how market developments, including convergence, should inform future competition assessments. Through the BBC Charter Review and ongoing engagement with streamers, independents and Public Service Media (PSM) providers, we will continue to ensure that commissioning practices support a sustainable workforce and a thriving UK screen sector.

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport recognises that the freelance workforce is crucial to the success of the UK's world-leading creative industries, including the screen sector, but we understand that many self-employed workers in the creative industries desire greater job security.

We committed in the Creative Industries Sector Plan to increase the productivity, resilience and diversity of the creative workforce, including through the appointment of a Freelance Champion, who will advocate for the creative sector’s freelancers within government and be a member of the Creative Industries Council. Building on the Sector Plan, we are developing a sector Jobs Plan which will provide a clear direction of travel for government and industry to develop the domestic workforce together. The Creative Industries Jobs Plan will be published later this year.

For film and TV specifically, the global market is evolving quickly, creating significant opportunities for the UK. We remain an open and highly attractive destination for international investment, including £5.8 billion in inward screen investment in 2025 and record film production spend, and this has helped deliver some of our most successful content. Major global studios and streamers are investing directly in UK skills and talent, including through support for the National Film and Television School (NFTS) and initiatives like the Prime Video Pathway. This investment strengthens our workforce and we want it to continue.

We are pairing global investment with strong public action to build resilience across the sector. Through the Creative Industries Sector Plan, we are delivering a £75 million Screen Growth Package to scale up domestic production, £10 million for the NFTS to create 2,000 new trainee and apprenticeship places, and £150 million through the Creative Places Growth Fund to expand film and TV activity across the regions. These measures sit alongside competitive tax reliefs, including the Independent Film Tax Credit, modernised co‑production treaties and expanded finance via the British Business Bank.

We have also strengthened terms of trade through the Media Act and have asked the Competition and Markets Authority, supported by Ofcom, to consider how market developments, including convergence, should inform future competition assessments. Through the BBC Charter Review and ongoing engagement with streamers, independents and Public Service Media (PSM) providers, we will continue to ensure that commissioning practices support a sustainable workforce and a thriving UK screen sector.

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport recognises that the freelance workforce is crucial to the success of the UK's world-leading creative industries, including the screen sector, but we understand that many self-employed workers in the creative industries desire greater job security.

We committed in the Creative Industries Sector Plan to increase the productivity, resilience and diversity of the creative workforce, including through the appointment of a Freelance Champion, who will advocate for the creative sector’s freelancers within government and be a member of the Creative Industries Council. Building on the Sector Plan, we are developing a sector Jobs Plan which will provide a clear direction of travel for government and industry to develop the domestic workforce together. The Creative Industries Jobs Plan will be published later this year.

For film and TV specifically, the global market is evolving quickly, creating significant opportunities for the UK. We remain an open and highly attractive destination for international investment, including £5.8 billion in inward screen investment in 2025 and record film production spend, and this has helped deliver some of our most successful content. Major global studios and streamers are investing directly in UK skills and talent, including through support for the National Film and Television School (NFTS) and initiatives like the Prime Video Pathway. This investment strengthens our workforce and we want it to continue.

We are pairing global investment with strong public action to build resilience across the sector. Through the Creative Industries Sector Plan, we are delivering a £75 million Screen Growth Package to scale up domestic production, £10 million for the NFTS to create 2,000 new trainee and apprenticeship places, and £150 million through the Creative Places Growth Fund to expand film and TV activity across the regions. These measures sit alongside competitive tax reliefs, including the Independent Film Tax Credit, modernised co‑production treaties and expanded finance via the British Business Bank.

We have also strengthened terms of trade through the Media Act and have asked the Competition and Markets Authority, supported by Ofcom, to consider how market developments, including convergence, should inform future competition assessments. Through the BBC Charter Review and ongoing engagement with streamers, independents and Public Service Media (PSM) providers, we will continue to ensure that commissioning practices support a sustainable workforce and a thriving UK screen sector.

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport recognises that the freelance workforce is crucial to the success of the UK's world-leading creative industries, including the screen sector, but we understand that many self-employed workers in the creative industries desire greater job security.

We committed in the Creative Industries Sector Plan to increase the productivity, resilience and diversity of the creative workforce, including through the appointment of a Freelance Champion, who will advocate for the creative sector’s freelancers within government and be a member of the Creative Industries Council. Building on the Sector Plan, we are developing a sector Jobs Plan which will provide a clear direction of travel for government and industry to develop the domestic workforce together. The Creative Industries Jobs Plan will be published later this year.

For film and TV specifically, the global market is evolving quickly, creating significant opportunities for the UK. We remain an open and highly attractive destination for international investment, including £5.8 billion in inward screen investment in 2025 and record film production spend, and this has helped deliver some of our most successful content. Major global studios and streamers are investing directly in UK skills and talent, including through support for the National Film and Television School (NFTS) and initiatives like the Prime Video Pathway. This investment strengthens our workforce and we want it to continue.

We are pairing global investment with strong public action to build resilience across the sector. Through the Creative Industries Sector Plan, we are delivering a £75 million Screen Growth Package to scale up domestic production, £10 million for the NFTS to create 2,000 new trainee and apprenticeship places, and £150 million through the Creative Places Growth Fund to expand film and TV activity across the regions. These measures sit alongside competitive tax reliefs, including the Independent Film Tax Credit, modernised co‑production treaties and expanded finance via the British Business Bank.

We have also strengthened terms of trade through the Media Act and have asked the Competition and Markets Authority, supported by Ofcom, to consider how market developments, including convergence, should inform future competition assessments. Through the BBC Charter Review and ongoing engagement with streamers, independents and Public Service Media (PSM) providers, we will continue to ensure that commissioning practices support a sustainable workforce and a thriving UK screen sector.

The Creative Industries Sector Plan sets out our approach to developing a high-quality and targeted skills and training offer, meeting the workforce requirements of the creative industries. This includes responding to the rapid changes in the screen sector to build a resilient skills base that can adapt and thrive as new opportunities emerge, and to retain knowledge within the domestic freelance workforce. We are supporting industry to develop skills passports, which will support the documenting and transfer of industry-recognised skills and competencies.

The Government’s £10 million investment in the National Film and Television School (NFTS) will deliver 2,000 new trainee and apprenticeship opportunities and has unlocked £11 million in private investment from partners including Disney, the Broccoli Foundation, and Sky. The investment is focused on increasing access for disabled students and providing structured career paths. This adds to the Government's investment in infrastructure to support virtual production and adoption of emerging technology as part of the government’s £75.6 million investment in the CoSTAR programme and its expansion through DCMS's £25 million Createch Futures.

As part of the BFI National Lottery Funding Plan 2026-2029, £35.55 million will also be provided for Skills and Workforce Development. This includes a refreshed BFI Film Academy with additional Government funding, continuation of the BFI National Lottery Skills Clusters Fund and the WorkWise for Screen pilot.

More broadly, this Government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will offer greater flexibility to employers and learners. As of August 2025, shorter apprenticeships are now possible for screen and audio production assistant apprentices, and from April 2026, we will introduce short course ‘apprenticeship units’ in areas such as digital and AI. Additionally, Skills Bootcamps continue to offer free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks in areas including Film Production and Screen Crafts, giving people the chance to build sector-specific skills with an offer of a job interview on completion.

In November, Skills England also introduced the UK Standard Skills Classification, the first standardised skills framework of its kind in our country, to help everyone from individual job seekers to major employers to navigate the world of skills with confidence.

The Creative Industries Sector Plan sets out our approach to developing a high-quality and targeted skills and training offer, meeting the workforce requirements of the creative industries. This includes responding to the rapid changes in the screen sector to build a resilient skills base that can adapt and thrive as new opportunities emerge, and to retain knowledge within the domestic freelance workforce. We are supporting industry to develop skills passports, which will support the documenting and transfer of industry-recognised skills and competencies.

The Government’s £10 million investment in the National Film and Television School (NFTS) will deliver 2,000 new trainee and apprenticeship opportunities and has unlocked £11 million in private investment from partners including Disney, the Broccoli Foundation, and Sky. The investment is focused on increasing access for disabled students and providing structured career paths. This adds to the Government's investment in infrastructure to support virtual production and adoption of emerging technology as part of the government’s £75.6 million investment in the CoSTAR programme and its expansion through DCMS's £25 million Createch Futures.

As part of the BFI National Lottery Funding Plan 2026-2029, £35.55 million will also be provided for Skills and Workforce Development. This includes a refreshed BFI Film Academy with additional Government funding, continuation of the BFI National Lottery Skills Clusters Fund and the WorkWise for Screen pilot.

More broadly, this Government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will offer greater flexibility to employers and learners. As of August 2025, shorter apprenticeships are now possible for screen and audio production assistant apprentices, and from April 2026, we will introduce short course ‘apprenticeship units’ in areas such as digital and AI. Additionally, Skills Bootcamps continue to offer free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks in areas including Film Production and Screen Crafts, giving people the chance to build sector-specific skills with an offer of a job interview on completion.

In November, Skills England also introduced the UK Standard Skills Classification, the first standardised skills framework of its kind in our country, to help everyone from individual job seekers to major employers to navigate the world of skills with confidence.

The Creative Industries Sector Plan sets out our approach to developing a high-quality and targeted skills and training offer, meeting the workforce requirements of the creative industries. This includes responding to the rapid changes in the screen sector to build a resilient skills base that can adapt and thrive as new opportunities emerge, and to retain knowledge within the domestic freelance workforce. We are supporting industry to develop skills passports, which will support the documenting and transfer of industry-recognised skills and competencies.

The Government’s £10 million investment in the National Film and Television School (NFTS) will deliver 2,000 new trainee and apprenticeship opportunities and has unlocked £11 million in private investment from partners including Disney, the Broccoli Foundation, and Sky. The investment is focused on increasing access for disabled students and providing structured career paths. This adds to the Government's investment in infrastructure to support virtual production and adoption of emerging technology as part of the government’s £75.6 million investment in the CoSTAR programme and its expansion through DCMS's £25 million Createch Futures.

As part of the BFI National Lottery Funding Plan 2026-2029, £35.55 million will also be provided for Skills and Workforce Development. This includes a refreshed BFI Film Academy with additional Government funding, continuation of the BFI National Lottery Skills Clusters Fund and the WorkWise for Screen pilot.

More broadly, this Government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will offer greater flexibility to employers and learners. As of August 2025, shorter apprenticeships are now possible for screen and audio production assistant apprentices, and from April 2026, we will introduce short course ‘apprenticeship units’ in areas such as digital and AI. Additionally, Skills Bootcamps continue to offer free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks in areas including Film Production and Screen Crafts, giving people the chance to build sector-specific skills with an offer of a job interview on completion.

In November, Skills England also introduced the UK Standard Skills Classification, the first standardised skills framework of its kind in our country, to help everyone from individual job seekers to major employers to navigate the world of skills with confidence.

The Creative Industries Sector Plan sets out our approach to developing a high-quality and targeted skills and training offer, meeting the workforce requirements of the creative industries. This includes responding to the rapid changes in the screen sector to build a resilient skills base that can adapt and thrive as new opportunities emerge, and to retain knowledge within the domestic freelance workforce. We are supporting industry to develop skills passports, which will support the documenting and transfer of industry-recognised skills and competencies.

The Government’s £10 million investment in the National Film and Television School (NFTS) will deliver 2,000 new trainee and apprenticeship opportunities and has unlocked £11 million in private investment from partners including Disney, the Broccoli Foundation, and Sky. The investment is focused on increasing access for disabled students and providing structured career paths. This adds to the Government's investment in infrastructure to support virtual production and adoption of emerging technology as part of the government’s £75.6 million investment in the CoSTAR programme and its expansion through DCMS's £25 million Createch Futures.

As part of the BFI National Lottery Funding Plan 2026-2029, £35.55 million will also be provided for Skills and Workforce Development. This includes a refreshed BFI Film Academy with additional Government funding, continuation of the BFI National Lottery Skills Clusters Fund and the WorkWise for Screen pilot.

More broadly, this Government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will offer greater flexibility to employers and learners. As of August 2025, shorter apprenticeships are now possible for screen and audio production assistant apprentices, and from April 2026, we will introduce short course ‘apprenticeship units’ in areas such as digital and AI. Additionally, Skills Bootcamps continue to offer free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks in areas including Film Production and Screen Crafts, giving people the chance to build sector-specific skills with an offer of a job interview on completion.

In November, Skills England also introduced the UK Standard Skills Classification, the first standardised skills framework of its kind in our country, to help everyone from individual job seekers to major employers to navigate the world of skills with confidence.

The Creative Industries Sector Plan sets out our approach to developing a high-quality and targeted skills and training offer, meeting the workforce requirements of the creative industries. This includes responding to the rapid changes in the screen sector to build a resilient skills base that can adapt and thrive as new opportunities emerge, and to retain knowledge within the domestic freelance workforce. We are supporting industry to develop skills passports, which will support the documenting and transfer of industry-recognised skills and competencies.

The Government’s £10 million investment in the National Film and Television School (NFTS) will deliver 2,000 new trainee and apprenticeship opportunities and has unlocked £11 million in private investment from partners including Disney, the Broccoli Foundation, and Sky. The investment is focused on increasing access for disabled students and providing structured career paths. This adds to the Government's investment in infrastructure to support virtual production and adoption of emerging technology as part of the government’s £75.6 million investment in the CoSTAR programme and its expansion through DCMS's £25 million Createch Futures.

As part of the BFI National Lottery Funding Plan 2026-2029, £35.55 million will also be provided for Skills and Workforce Development. This includes a refreshed BFI Film Academy with additional Government funding, continuation of the BFI National Lottery Skills Clusters Fund and the WorkWise for Screen pilot.

More broadly, this Government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will offer greater flexibility to employers and learners. As of August 2025, shorter apprenticeships are now possible for screen and audio production assistant apprentices, and from April 2026, we will introduce short course ‘apprenticeship units’ in areas such as digital and AI. Additionally, Skills Bootcamps continue to offer free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks in areas including Film Production and Screen Crafts, giving people the chance to build sector-specific skills with an offer of a job interview on completion.

In November, Skills England also introduced the UK Standard Skills Classification, the first standardised skills framework of its kind in our country, to help everyone from individual job seekers to major employers to navigate the world of skills with confidence.

The Creative Industries Sector Plan sets out our approach to developing a high-quality and targeted skills and training offer, meeting the workforce requirements of the creative industries. This includes responding to the rapid changes in the screen sector to build a resilient skills base that can adapt and thrive as new opportunities emerge, and to retain knowledge within the domestic freelance workforce. We are supporting industry to develop skills passports, which will support the documenting and transfer of industry-recognised skills and competencies.

The Government’s £10 million investment in the National Film and Television School (NFTS) will deliver 2,000 new trainee and apprenticeship opportunities and has unlocked £11 million in private investment from partners including Disney, the Broccoli Foundation, and Sky. The investment is focused on increasing access for disabled students and providing structured career paths. This adds to the Government's investment in infrastructure to support virtual production and adoption of emerging technology as part of the government’s £75.6 million investment in the CoSTAR programme and its expansion through DCMS's £25 million Createch Futures.

As part of the BFI National Lottery Funding Plan 2026-2029, £35.55 million will also be provided for Skills and Workforce Development. This includes a refreshed BFI Film Academy with additional Government funding, continuation of the BFI National Lottery Skills Clusters Fund and the WorkWise for Screen pilot.

More broadly, this Government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will offer greater flexibility to employers and learners. As of August 2025, shorter apprenticeships are now possible for screen and audio production assistant apprentices, and from April 2026, we will introduce short course ‘apprenticeship units’ in areas such as digital and AI. Additionally, Skills Bootcamps continue to offer free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks in areas including Film Production and Screen Crafts, giving people the chance to build sector-specific skills with an offer of a job interview on completion.

In November, Skills England also introduced the UK Standard Skills Classification, the first standardised skills framework of its kind in our country, to help everyone from individual job seekers to major employers to navigate the world of skills with confidence.

The Creative Industries Sector Plan sets out our approach to developing a high-quality and targeted skills and training offer, meeting the workforce requirements of the creative industries. This includes responding to the rapid changes in the screen sector to build a resilient skills base that can adapt and thrive as new opportunities emerge, and to retain knowledge within the domestic freelance workforce. We are supporting industry to develop skills passports, which will support the documenting and transfer of industry-recognised skills and competencies.

The Government’s £10 million investment in the National Film and Television School (NFTS) will deliver 2,000 new trainee and apprenticeship opportunities and has unlocked £11 million in private investment from partners including Disney, the Broccoli Foundation, and Sky. The investment is focused on increasing access for disabled students and providing structured career paths. This adds to the Government's investment in infrastructure to support virtual production and adoption of emerging technology as part of the government’s £75.6 million investment in the CoSTAR programme and its expansion through DCMS's £25 million Createch Futures.

As part of the BFI National Lottery Funding Plan 2026-2029, £35.55 million will also be provided for Skills and Workforce Development. This includes a refreshed BFI Film Academy with additional Government funding, continuation of the BFI National Lottery Skills Clusters Fund and the WorkWise for Screen pilot.

More broadly, this Government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will offer greater flexibility to employers and learners. As of August 2025, shorter apprenticeships are now possible for screen and audio production assistant apprentices, and from April 2026, we will introduce short course ‘apprenticeship units’ in areas such as digital and AI. Additionally, Skills Bootcamps continue to offer free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks in areas including Film Production and Screen Crafts, giving people the chance to build sector-specific skills with an offer of a job interview on completion.

In November, Skills England also introduced the UK Standard Skills Classification, the first standardised skills framework of its kind in our country, to help everyone from individual job seekers to major employers to navigate the world of skills with confidence.

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport recognises that the freelance workforce is crucial to the success of the UK's world-leading creative industries, and we are committed to listening to the voices of the self-employed as we develop policies for the creative industries. The Creative Industries Sector Plan committed to increasing the diversity of the creative workforce, which includes ensuring that parents and carers can continue sustainable careers.

It is good to see initiatives such as Raising Films to support parents and carers in this sector, showing positive industry action. More broadly, the Government has committed to a review of the parental leave and pay system. The review will look at whether support available meets the needs of other working families who do not qualify for existing leave and pay entitlements, such as self-employed parents.

Where staff in the Film and HETV sector have employee status, they will benefit from reforms delivered through the Employment Rights Act including changes to make it more likely that flexible working requests are accepted, making paternity and unpaid parental leave a ‘day one’ right, and making it unlawful to dismiss a woman who is pregnant, including for six months after her return to work - except in specific circumstances. We are also supporting carers who want to work alongside managing their caring responsibilities is an important element of our plans to modernise the world of work. This is why we are reviewing the implementation of carer's leave and looking at where any improvements may be needed.

The Government is committed to fostering social cohesion and building stronger, more integrated communities across the UK. Culture is central to this mission, strengthening ties between people and the places they live.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not however, generally run programmes specifically targeted only at the Iranian diaspora. Instead, it supports community cohesion and diaspora cultural expression through broader cultural, arts, and heritage programmes that are open to diverse communities across the UK. Iranian organisations, artists, and community groups can access these initiatives alongside other diaspora groups.

For instance, Arts Council England administers the National Lottery Project Grants, an open fund providing over £100 million annually to artists and organisations of all backgrounds.

Similarly, the National Lottery Heritage Fund provides an open funding programme which supports a broad range of projects that connect people and communities to the UK's heritage including those in diaspora in the UK. Their National Lottery Heritage grants can be used to support cultural traditions, exploring the history of different cultures through storytelling, dance, theatre, food or language for example.

In 2023-2024 to 2025-2026 period the government has directly funded Marlborough House, Chatham Historic Dock Yard and the Old Royal Naval College.

The Department for Culture Media and Sport also ran the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. In the last three years of the scheme, between April 2023 and March 2026, a total of 8,218 individual Listed Places of Worship have received grant funding from the scheme.The value of funding paid to these applicants for the 3-year period was £89,504,426.

In March 2026, Government provided a £9 million grant to the National Trust to contribute to an endowment to support the acquisition and ongoing running of Ironbridge Gorge Museums Trust.

In 2025-2026 the Government also provided funding for two grant schemes, the Heritage Revival Fund and the Heritage at Risk Capital fund. However, those were administered by Historic England on our behalf so have not been included here.

As the libraries development agency for England, Arts Council England (ACE) collects and publishes data on library closures, openings and relocations in its annual English Public Libraries Location Dataset. The dataset can be found at the following link: https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/supporting-arts-museums-and-libraries/supporting-libraries

DCMS estimates the number of static libraries that have permanently closed (and not been replaced by or relocated to a new static library) in England in each of the last 5 years (for which data is available) is as follows:

This data is based upon ACE’s English Public Libraries Location Dataset 2024, which shows the number of static libraries open as at 31 December 2024 is 2,866. The 2025 basic library dataset is expected to be published later this year.

The National Lottery is regulated by the Gambling Commission, which is responsible for awarding the operating licence, managing licence conditions, enforcing compliance, and licensing individual games.

The National Lottery licence requires that full, accurate and up‑to‑date information about National Lottery games is easily accessible to all participants in a range of formats. The Regulatory Handbook, which provides further detail on complying with licence requirements, adds that this should include clear information on prize levels and the likelihood of winning, and that the operator’s approach should reflect industry Best Practice.

In practice, this is delivered through printed Player’s Guides in retail locations, and Online Game Procedures on the National Lottery website. These resources set out how each game works, the prizes available and the odds of winning.