Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the number of domestic thatch growers on the future of the industry.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

There are approximately 25,000 listed thatched buildings in England, many more are unlisted. These buildings are a quintessential part of some of our best loved rural landscapes.

Historic England, the government’s statutory advisor on heritage, carried out research into the thatching industry and domestic supply of material for thatching historic buildings. A 2024 report estimates that 80% of cereal straw grown for thatching in England is produced by around 25 English growers. In Historic England’s view, it is not necessarily the number of domestic growers that impacts the future of the industry, but their wider challenges such as mechanisation, climate and the wider supply chain.

In response to their research, Historic England updated their guidance on the conservation of traditional thatch in 2025 enabling a change of thatch materials in times of shortage and in cases in urgent need of repair. This update aims to provide confidence to decision makers to grant listed building consent whilst helping to maintain support for the straw-growing sector. To disseminate its latest guidance, Historic England is holding a free workshop for thatching-straw growers in April 2026 with further research into mechanisation solutions for growers planned later this year.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Home Office on fire safety and the use of flammable materials in indoor entertainment venues.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

No such discussions have taken place. The Home Office is the department responsible for fire safety policy and the enforcement of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which governs the safety of all non-domestic premises, including indoor entertainment venues. Building regulations regarding the use of materials are the responsibility of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the cost of the BBC TV licence in terms of the general cost of living.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The cost of the licence fee will rise in line with inflation on 1 April, to provide the BBC with a stable financial footing to deliver for audiences and support the wider creative industries.

The Government recognises the financial difficulties being faced by households and is committed to ensuring the BBC’s funding model is sustainable, fair and affordable. To support the public with the cost of the TV licence, we will also continue to support the Simple Payment Plan to spread payments through smaller instalments. Free licences remain available for over-75s on Pension Credit, with reduced fees for care home residents and blind individuals.

The ongoing Charter Review will ensure the BBC is sustainably and fairly funded to provide value for licence fee payers and drive growth, opportunity and good jobs across the country.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has assessed the adequacy of the Green Book's methodology of the social and health benefits of places of worship, including when determining levels of capital and tax relief support.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

DCMS welcomes the new Green Book, including its treatment of social and health benefits. DCMS interventions in listed places of worship were assessed in line with Green book methodology. The Culture and Heritage Capital Programme, provides supplementary guidance to the Green Book which increasingly helps us understand and articulate the growth, health and wellbeing impacts of interventions like the Places of Worship Renewal Fund.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to monitor the impact of the ban on mixed-product promotional offers and the cap on bonus wagering requirements on high-risk gambling behaviour.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government is committed to strengthening protections for those at risk of gambling harm. We continue to monitor the best available evidence that assesses the impact of consumer protection measures when making future policy decisions.

Alongside monitoring the best available evidence, we have commissioned a robust evaluation of a subset of the measures introduced through the Gambling Act Review, including socially responsible incentives. We expect the findings of that evaluation to be published by the end of this year. This work will be supported by the statutory gambling levy, which directs 20% of its funding toward independent research to fill critical gaps in the evidence base. This will also include a proportion of funding for the Gambling Commission to direct further research in line with the licensing objectives.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what recent progress has been made in negotiations relating to cultural mobility, with particular reference to CITES-regulated instruments moving between the UK and EU.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government has reset the UK’s relationship with the EU, and committed to help our touring artists in our manifesto. This is in full recognition of the challenges that touring artists, and their support staff, face when touring in Europe. Our aim is to identify practical solutions to ensure that UK artists can continue to perform across Europe with minimal barriers while respecting the regulatory frameworks on both sides.

At the inaugural UK-EU Summit, the UK and European Commission committed to supporting UK-EU cultural exchange, recognising the activities of touring artists. This is in the UK’s national interest, and the EU’s interest.

By ensuring artists and crew can tour more easily, we can support shared economic growth, job creation, and artistic innovation across our continent.

Therefore, we will continue to engage constructively with the EU and Member States to explore solutions that improve mobility arrangements for touring across Europe.

Specifically on CITES, The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) recently consulted on potential reforms to the UK’s CITES framework, including Musical Instrument Certificates, with the aim of ensuring the system is clear, proportionate, and effective.

This consultation provided the opportunity for the music sector to make its voice heard directly on the proposals for fees, charges, and processes, ensuring the unique needs of touring artists are fully reflected in the outcome. The consultation closed on 23 October 2025, and responses are currently being analysed by Defra. The outcome of the consultation, and associated amendments, will be discussed and reviewed across Government.

DCMS will continue working closely with Defra and other partners, including the EU, to ensure the impacts on the music sector are properly understood and considered.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of Arts Council England staff are disabled at each pay quartile.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The table outlines the proportion of disabled and non-disabled members of Arts Council England (ACE) staff in each quartile’ between April 2024 and March 2025. Unlike gender pay gap data, there are no requirements or guidance on how disability pay gap data must be collected or reported.

ACE are only able to provide such data based on the information staff choose to disclose, and so these figures are based on those who have identified as one of i) disabled, ii) not disabled, or iii) prefer not to say. Please note that this data does not add up to 100% because a number of ACE staff chose ‘prefer not to say’ when asked to disclose their status.

ACE has undertaken a number of initiatives in recent years to increase recruitment prospects for disabled candidates at both the attraction and selection stages. For example, ACE explicitly welcomes applications from people with experience of disability for roles such as National Council positions, which shows their intention to broaden applicant pools at the attraction stage.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many Young Futures Hubs have been set up.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The first eight Early Adopter Young Futures Hubs are due to be operational before 31st March 2026. The host local authorities for the Early Adopters can be found on gov.uk

The timeline for rollout of the remaining 42 Young Futures Hubs will be determined in due course.

The Government has developed Young Futures Hubs as part of the recently published National Youth Strategy - Youth Matters. The National Youth Strategy sets out a new long-term vision for young people and an action plan for delivering this across the country.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the increase in youth gambling participation, including the rise in unregulated gambling reported in the Young People and Gambling Survey 2025; and what further protections they will put in place for those aged 11–17.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Young People and Gambling Survey 2025 identified an increase in youth participation in gambling from 27% to 30% compared to the previous year. This appears to have been driven by an increase in unregulated betting, such as between friends and family (from 15% to 18%).

As part of the gambling statutory levy, we have committed 20% to gambling harm research, which may include assessments of youth gambling participation. This is alongside 30% of levy funding for prevention activities, commissioned by the Office for Health Inequalities and Disparities (OHID), which may include education or awareness raising programmes to help protect those aged 11-17 from gambling related harm. We will continue to monitor the best available evidence when considering possible policy interventions under regulations as set out in the Gambling Act 2005.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of the impact of gambling sponsorship in sport on young people; and whether they plan to further restrict that sponsorship.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government is committed to strengthening protections to protect young people from gambling-related harm. We are clear that wherever gambling advertising and sponsorship appears, it must be socially responsible. All major sports have published their gambling sponsorship Codes of Conduct which sets minimum standards for gambling sponsorships to ensure these arrangements are socially responsible. Additionally, the Premier League’s decision to ban front-of-shirt sponsorship by gambling firms will start at the beginning of the 2026/27 season.

We are working closely with sports bodies to review the implementation and impact of the Codes of Conduct to ensure they have meaningful impact and to inform the most appropriate next steps for gambling sponsorship.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help support ex-footballers with neurodegenerative diseases.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

My department is taking important steps to ensure that former football players with neurodegenerative diseases, and their families, receive the support they need.

The Secretary of State and I have met with affected family members and ex-footballers, including individuals associated with the Football Families for Justice organisation, to discuss player safety and welfare for those suffering from neurodegenerative diseases.

Our immediate priority is to push the football authorities for greater clarity on the funding available through the Brain Health Fund, and ensure that there is a clear and publicly available articulation of the scope of this funding and process for accessing it. Further to this, we are actively discussing with relevant stakeholders to explore whether funding can be expanded to involve other footballing organisations.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure children, especially from lower-income families, have access to regular, free community sports activities.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, including children and young people, have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.

The Government provides the majority of support for community sport through Sport England, our Arm’s Length Body for grassroots sport, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery Funding. Sport England’s work focuses on increasing participation in grassroots sport, including providing more opportunities for children and young people from all backgrounds to be active.

As examples of the support they provide, Sport England’s online resource, Buddle, offers free online guidance to support sports clubs offering sport and physical activity opportunities for everyone, including children and young people. They ​also encourage ​the sport sector to prioritise young people's perspectives through their free online Youth Voice Innovation Storybook.

Sport England also use campaigns to encourage young people to get active.The Studio You partnership for PE teachers is powered by their This Girl Can campaign and funded by The National Lottery, and ​is a digital exercise platform for teenage girls across England, ​w​hich teaches a variety of non-competitive activities to ensure no girl is left behind in PE. The Play Their Way campaign for sports coaches e​mpowers coaches to adopt a child-first approach to coaching​ s​o ​children and young people have the best experience possible when developing their interest in sport.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure stable, long-term funding for free community sports activities.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, including children and young people, have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.

The Government provides the majority of support for community sport through Sport England, our Arm’s Length Body for grassroots sport, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery Funding. Sport England’s work focuses on increasing participation in grassroots sport, including providing more opportunities for children and young people from all backgrounds to be active.

As examples of the support they provide, Sport England’s online resource, Buddle, offers free online guidance to support sports clubs offering sport and physical activity opportunities for everyone, including children and young people. They ​also encourage ​the sport sector to prioritise young people's perspectives through their free online Youth Voice Innovation Storybook.

Sport England also use campaigns to encourage young people to get active.The Studio You partnership for PE teachers is powered by their This Girl Can campaign and funded by The National Lottery, and ​is a digital exercise platform for teenage girls across England, ​w​hich teaches a variety of non-competitive activities to ensure no girl is left behind in PE. The Play Their Way campaign for sports coaches e​mpowers coaches to adopt a child-first approach to coaching​ s​o ​children and young people have the best experience possible when developing their interest in sport.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent underage access to gambling via loot boxes, skin betting and other third party markets linked to video games.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government is committed to ensuring games are enjoyed safely and responsibly by everyone, including children.

Prizes that can be won via loot boxes do not have a monetary value, cannot be cashed-out, and are of value only within the context of the game. They are therefore not legally classified as gambling. However, where products do amount to unlicensed gambling, such as unlicensed skin betting, the Gambling Commission has shown that it will take swift enforcement action. There are currently no licensed gambling operators which offer skin betting.

In July 2023 the video game industry published new loot box principles to improve protections for players. Following a 12-month implementation period, the government commissioned independent academic research to assess the effectiveness of this guidance. We have engaged relevant government departments and regulators to consider the research. We will publish the report and set out our next steps in the near future..

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Twycross on Thursday 15 January (Hansard: HL Deb col 183), when they expect to publish the report on industry-led guidance on loot boxes.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

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 in the near future, alongside our next steps.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether support will be made available through the Arts Everywhere funding to heritage ships of historic national significance.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Over the course of this parliament £1.5 billion will be invested in arts venues, museums, libraries and heritage attractions across England. Historic ships, where they are registered as accredited museums, can apply for the Museum Estate and Development Fund, the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund, and tax incentives like the Museums and Galleries Exhibitions Tax Relief, and Museum VAT Refund Scheme. The Government also continues to support National Historic Ships UK who lead on research, publications, training, recording and similar activities relating to the preservation of historic vessels.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to publish further information on the new Places of Worship Renewal Fund.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Further details regarding the eligibility criteria and application process on the new Places of Worship Renewal Fund, will be published in due course. The fund will be focused on England, because Heritage is a devolved policy area. We are working closely with other funders in the sector to ensure that opportunities for funding places of worship throughout the UK are maximised.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance and funding streams are available to support independent, family-owned cultural and educational attractions that contribute to community engagement and heritage preservation.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

This Government recognises the importance of local heritage assets in contributing to local community engagement. Through our dedicated funds, such as the £15m Heritage at Risk Capital Fund, delivered by Historic England, and the £4.85m Heritage Revival Fund, delivered by the Architectural Heritage Fund, we support communities and local community organisations to care for and in some cases take ownership of and repurpose heritage assets for community benefit. Support is provided throughout various project stages, and may include guidance and advice on project plans, to funding for feasibility studies and larger capital grants for repairs.

On the 21st of January, the Secretary of State announced a £1.5bn Arts Everywhere package. The package includes nearly £200 million new funding for heritage protecting and preserving heritage buildings across the country:

• £60 million for at risk heritage which provides grants towards repairs and conservation of historic buildings.

• £41 million for the Heritage Revival Fund which helps communities to take control of and look after local heritage and bring buildings back into public use.

Further details regarding the application process,eligibility criteria and guidance, for both funds, will be announced in due course.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund offers grants between £10,000 and £10 million to projects that connect people and communities to the UK’s heritage.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2026 to Question 109187 and Question 109186 on Religious Buildings: Wales, what additional funding was agreed with the Treasury to support the Places of Worship Renewal Fund; and what amount of proportional funding was made available to the Welsh Government.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

At the Spending Review 2025, HM Treasury agreed budgets for Departments for a three-year period for Resource DEL, and a four-year period for Capital DEL. The Department then completed a Business Planning process to allocate this funding to programmes. This included £92 million (£23 million per year) for the Places of Worship Renewal Fund.

At Spending Reviews, the Devolved Governments generally receive Barnett consequentials as a proportion of overall departmental settlements, not specific funding lines or programmes. Decisions on the allocation of this funding are then for the Devolved Governments to take. We are not therefore able to provide Barnett numbers relating to specific policy measures.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support England Hockey to help ensure there is appropriate provision of playing facilities for amateur hockey clubs.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government provides the majority of 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 England Hockey.

We are also investing £98 million into new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities across the UK through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme in 2025/26. Projects funded through the programme include new artificial multi-sport grass pitches, changing pavilions and floodlights. At least 40% of funded projects have a multi-sport offer, allowing more people to participate in a wider variety of sports.

£85 million will be invested through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities across the UK in 2026/27, with £68.35 million to be invested in England. An additional £15 million will be invested into innovative facilities in England, to allow more people to participate in sports they wish to.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what support her Department provides to increase participation in grassroots sport in (a) Leicester and (b) Leicestershire.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, has access to and benefits from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.

That is why we provide the majority of support for grassroots sport through our arm’s length body, Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million of National Lottery and exchequer funding. The City of Leicester received a total of £971,350 of Sport England funding in 2024/25. The County of Leicestershire received a total of £1,937,467 million of Sport England funding in 2024/25.

In addition, on 27 January, the Government announced that £85 million of the £400 million package for grassroots sport facilities will be invested in during 2026/27, funding the continuation of the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme. This funding is designed to increase participation opportunities and benefit the areas most in need, with 50% investment going to the 30% most deprived areas in the UK.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help support the provision of multi-use pitches.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government provides the majority of 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 England Hockey.

We are also investing £98 million into new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities across the UK through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme in 2025/26. Projects funded through the programme include new artificial multi-sport grass pitches, changing pavilions and floodlights. At least 40% of funded projects have a multi-sport offer, allowing more people to participate in a wider variety of sports.

£85 million will be invested through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities across the UK in 2026/27, with £68.35 million to be invested in England. An additional £15 million will be invested into innovative facilities in England, to allow more people to participate in sports they wish to.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed changes to the Women’s FA Cup on (a) domestic women’s leagues, (b) player welfare and (c) fans.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Football Association (the national governing body for football) is independent of the Government and independently determines how they organise their competitions.

Karen Carney’s 2023 Independent Review of Women’s Football made a series of recommendations for key stakeholders in the game to take forward which included a recommendation that the FA make a clear commitment to equalising FA Cup prize money as soon as is feasible. Following the review, the Minister for Sport has convened the Women’s Football Taskforce with industry stakeholders including the FA and Football Supporters’ Association, to drive forward the recommendations of Karen Carney’s review.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Football Supporters Association regarding proposed changes to the Women’s FA Cup.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Football Association (the national governing body for football) is independent of the Government and independently determines how they organise their competitions.

Karen Carney’s 2023 Independent Review of Women’s Football made a series of recommendations for key stakeholders in the game to take forward which included a recommendation that the FA make a clear commitment to equalising FA Cup prize money as soon as is feasible. Following the review, the Minister for Sport has convened the Women’s Football Taskforce with industry stakeholders including the FA and Football Supporters’ Association, to drive forward the recommendations of Karen Carney’s review.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the FA regarding proposed changes to the Women’s FA Cup.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Football Association (the national governing body for football) is independent of the Government and independently determines how they organise their competitions.

Karen Carney’s 2023 Independent Review of Women’s Football made a series of recommendations for key stakeholders in the game to take forward which included a recommendation that the FA make a clear commitment to equalising FA Cup prize money as soon as is feasible. Following the review, the Minister for Sport has convened the Women’s Football Taskforce with industry stakeholders including the FA and Football Supporters’ Association, to drive forward the recommendations of Karen Carney’s review.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will review the inclusion of first aid education within Young Futures Hubs after the initial phase of early adopters.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Specific services and activities available in each hub will depend on the needs of the community and its young people, with a focus on upstream intervention. Some Young Futures Hubs may choose to include first aid education.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the contribution of uniformed and non-uniformed youth volunteering organisations to the aims of the National Youth Strategy.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

On the 10th December 2025, the Government published ‘Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy’. It is a 10 year plan to ensure every young person across the country has somewhere to go, someone who cares for them and a community they feel part of. It includes 2 clear ambitions - by 2035:

• To have halved the participation gap in enriching activities between disadvantaged young people and their peers.

• For half a million more young people to have access to a trusted adult outside of their home.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport commissioned an independent provider (Ipsos) to conduct an evaluation covering the Uniformed Youth Fund from 2022 to 2025, which was published on 11th September 2025. The research found uniformed youth organisations (UYOs):

• contribute to the social and emotional development of young people by providing them with structured activities and supportive environments, enhancing young people’s cooperation skills, communication, and confidence;

• enhance education and career opportunities for young people by providing them with valuable skills for life and work and supporting their academic attainment through diverse activities;

• provide supportive and inclusive environments where young people feel safe, a sense of belonging for young people through their uniforms, and fostering trusted relationships with peers and adult leaders.

The Department has a rich evidence base supporting the positive outcomes of youth organisations and young people's attendance of these. There’s a wide range of positive outcomes from youth interventions, such as on employability, skill development, and that it can be preventative in terms of crime.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what her proposed timetable is for announcing current and future funding streams for the National Youth Strategy including Richer Young Lives, Youth Facilities and the Youth Workforce.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

‘Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy’ is a 10 year plan to ensure every young person across the country has somewhere to go, someone who cares for them and a community they feel part of.

This is backed by over £500 million of new youth funding over the next 3 years. The funding underpinning the first steps of the Strategy will be available from the next financial year 2026/2027.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the number of designated areas where children can safely improve their cycling skills.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, including children and young people, have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.

The Government provides the majority of support for community sport through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery Funding. This includes long term investment to British Cycling, which receives up to £33.5 million for the funding period 2022-2029 to invest in grassroots cycling initiatives.

Sport England has also provided funding of £5.35 million to projects with cycling as the main beneficiary in 2024/2025. Sport England’s work focuses on increasing participation in grassroots sport, including cycling, providing more opportunities for children and young people from all backgrounds to be active.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help support partnerships between schools and grassroots cycling clubs to increase participation in physical activity among pupils.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, including children and young people, have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.

The Government provides the majority of support for community sport through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery Funding. This includes long term investment to British Cycling, which receives up to £33.5 million for the funding period 2022-2029 to invest in grassroots cycling initiatives.

Sport England has also provided funding of £5.35 million to projects with cycling as the main beneficiary in 2024/2025. Sport England’s work focuses on increasing participation in grassroots sport, including cycling, providing more opportunities for children and young people from all backgrounds to be active.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps is her Department taking to help reduce the barriers preventing young people from engaging with grassroots cycling organisations.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, including children and young people, have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.

The Government provides the majority of support for community sport through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery Funding. This includes long term investment to British Cycling, which receives up to £33.5 million for the funding period 2022-2029 to invest in grassroots cycling initiatives.

Sport England has also provided funding of £5.35 million to projects with cycling as the main beneficiary in 2024/2025. Sport England’s work focuses on increasing participation in grassroots sport, including cycling, providing more opportunities for children and young people from all backgrounds to be active.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support Sport England.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, has access to and benefits from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.

That is why we provide the majority of support for grassroots sport through our arm’s length body, Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million of National Lottery and exchequer funding.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance her Department provides to Arts Council England regarding the political neutrality of National Portfolio Organisations.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government is committed to freedom of speech, including in the cultural sector, and the Secretary of State has expressed an unequivocal ambition that the era of the government stoking “culture wars” should be over. The government is clear that whilst it is right that protections from discrimination exist, this does not prohibit people from expressing their views, opinions or beliefs which are also protected. However, it is important to protect people from illegal discrimination, harassment, and hate speech.

Arts Council England (ACE) makes decisions about which organisations and projects to fund independently of government and Ministers, which means there is no question of any political involvement in arts funding decisions. ACE supports freedom of speech within the limits of the law and recognises the expression of different beliefs as protected under the Equality Act 2010. ACE staff receive training on these matters and are guided by their Dignity at Work policy.

DCMS expects all ACE staff to uphold the Nolan principles, which includes objectivity. That principle notes that holders of public office must act and make decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias. ACE also supports the rights of artists and cultural organisations to express themselves freely, including through work that is challenging, provocative, or political. They have also published guidance aimed at supporting cultural organisations in managing complex situations that might arise from presenting challenging work, which is available on their website.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that arts organisations receiving public funding do not discriminate against events based on the political or philosophical viewpoints of the speakers.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government is committed to freedom of speech, including in the cultural sector, and the Secretary of State has expressed an unequivocal ambition that the era of the government stoking “culture wars” should be over. The government is clear that whilst it is right that protections from discrimination exist, this does not prohibit people from expressing their views, opinions or beliefs which are also protected. However, it is important to protect people from illegal discrimination, harassment, and hate speech.

Arts Council England (ACE) makes decisions about which organisations and projects to fund independently of government and Ministers, which means there is no question of any political involvement in arts funding decisions. ACE supports freedom of speech within the limits of the law and recognises the expression of different beliefs as protected under the Equality Act 2010. ACE staff receive training on these matters and are guided by their Dignity at Work policy.

DCMS expects all ACE staff to uphold the Nolan principles, which includes objectivity. That principle notes that holders of public office must act and make decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias. ACE also supports the rights of artists and cultural organisations to express themselves freely, including through work that is challenging, provocative, or political. They have also published guidance aimed at supporting cultural organisations in managing complex situations that might arise from presenting challenging work, which is available on their website.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Game changer for the nation, published on 19 June 2025, how much and what proportion of the funding for new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities will be allocated to support (a) gyms, (b) swimming pools and (c) leisure centres; and what his planned timetable is for the allocation of this funding.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring public access to grassroots sports facilities, including gyms, pools and leisure centres, which are vital spaces for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy, and which play an important role within communities.

The £400 million funding announced last June will support facilities across the country. We will ensure that this funding promotes health and wellbeing, and helps to remove the barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups.

We are working with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, before setting out further plans on how future funding will be allocated.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help promote tourism in coastal communities.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

DCMS is committed to ensuring that tourism contributes to growth and jobs across all parts of the country including in rural and coastal communities.

The forthcoming Visitor Economy Growth Strategy will set out a long term plan to increase visitor flows across the UK, boost value, and deliver sustainable growth. Central to this strategy is the delivery of greater regional dispersal, ensuring that visitor income is spread effectively across regional destinations, including rural and coastal communities.

VisitEngland is launching a major domestic marketing campaign pilot in February, specifically highlighting the seaside resorts of the North West. This initiative aims to drive a surge in visits and overnight stays during the vital shoulder season, providing essential year-round support for local businesses.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Isle of Wight will be eligible for funding under the National Youth Strategy; and what steps are being taken to ensure that the Island is supported thought the national funding criteria.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

‘Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy’ is a 10 year plan to ensure every young person across the country has somewhere to go, someone who cares for them and a community they feel part of.

This is backed by over £500 million of new youth funding over the next 3 years from DCMS, which complements a range of funding committed by other departments. The majority of the funding underpinning the first steps of the Strategy will be available from next the financial year 2026/27. We will share more information as our plans develop, including details on the eligible areas for funding.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how the schools identified to receive support through the National Youth Strategy will be selected; and whether schools on the Isle of Wight will receive support.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government's National Youth Strategy is a 10-year plan designed to ensure that every young person nationwide has somewhere to go, someone who cares for them, and a community they feel a part of. Schools are key to implementing the strategy including through enrichment activities, especially for disadvantaged youth.

DCMS, in partnership with DfE, will invest £22.5 million over 3 years to enable up to 400 schools across England to deliver a youth-voice led, tailored enrichment offer. This funding will help schools meet the Enrichment Framework benchmarks and ensure disadvantaged pupils have access to good enrichment activities, supporting their wellbeing, personal development, and life skills.

The programme is currently in the design phase, and we will share the selection criteria in due course.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance her department provides on ensuring that sports facilities and stadia in (a) Leicester, (b) the East Midlands and (c) the UK are safe and welcoming environments for women and girls.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is committed to supporting every aspect of women’s sport and ensuring all sports facilities and stadia are welcoming and safe for women and girls.

We’ve launched the Women’s Sport Taskforce to tackle challenges and barriers facing women and girls in sport, from grassroots to elite, and are harnessing the power of hosting major sporting events, such as investing £6.7 million into the Impact 25’ programme for the Women’s Rugby World Cup to make facilities more accessible for women.

We are also investing £80.3 million in high-quality grassroots sports facilities through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities (MSGF) Programme in England in 2025/26, and will also invest £68.35 million in 26/27. We will more than double priority access to grassroots football pitches for women and girls over the next four years. MSGF funded facilities should reserve at least 20% of priority use slots for women and girls teams. Our delivery partner in England, the Football Foundation, has recently announced the Lionesses HERe to Play Fund which will help to ensure grassroots sports facilities across England are welcoming, safe and accessible for a new generation of women and girls.

Our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England’s This Girl Can campaign has also worked with ukactive, CIMSPA and Women’s Aid to publish new guidance to help fitness and leisure facilities continue to create safer spaces for women and girls to be active.

In addition, the safety of all those who attend sporting fixtures is a priority for the Government. The Government funds the Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA) whose purpose is to ensure sports grounds are safe for everyone, including women and girls. The SGSA continues to support world class standards of physical supporter safety for all attendees.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the economic risks, (2) social impacts, and (3) costs, of prediction markets; and what consideration have they given to further regulation or restriction of such systems.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

In order to operate in Great Britain, any prediction market would require a licence from the Gambling Commission, the independent regulator for gambling. If approved, they would be classified as a ‘Betting Intermediary’ and subject to regulation under the Gambling Act 2005. We will monitor the potential impacts of prediction markets and consider further action if needed.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what is her planned timescale for further reviewing reform of annual society lottery licence limits.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Society lotteries are a vital fundraising tool for many charities, community groups, sports clubs and other non-commercial organisations. We want to see them continue to thrive, alongside the National Lottery.

On 26 June 2025, the Government announced it would not be making further changes to society lottery limits, and has no plans to review this decision.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how her Department plans to promote the National Year of Reading within policy and strategy for public libraries.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Public libraries are central to the success of the National Year of Reading’s campaign to engage people of all ages with reading. The Reading Agency has been appointed to work with sector partners to deliver and support public library engagement. The Summer Reading Challenge in 2026, and World Book Night, the annual celebration of reading for adults on 23 April 2026, will be key moments for libraries during the National Year of Reading 2026. Throughout the year, The Reading Agency will provide public libraries with resources, toolkits, and print and digital materials to support their work.

This is part of the broader programme of government support for the National Year of Reading including the £5 million funding for secondary schools to purchase books the Chancellor announced during her budget speech.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to prevent funding gaps during the transition from the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme to the new Places of Worship Renewal Fund.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Places of Worship Renewal Fund will provide an equivalent overall level of financial support to that provided by the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, £23 million per annum.

The new Places of Worship Renewal Fund is a capital fund providing grants upfront, which in some cases, may award a greater proportion of the project costs than what would have previously been received through the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme.

We are aware of concerns regarding the transition between the two schemes. Guidance, including eligibility criteria and application process on the new Places of Worship Renewal Fund, will be published in due course.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Places of Worship Renewal Fund will provide (a) equivalent to and (b) greater financial support than the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme; and what steps she is taking to ensure transitional funding for places of worship.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Places of Worship Renewal Fund will provide an equivalent overall level of financial support to that provided by the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, £23 million per annum.

The new Places of Worship Renewal Fund is a capital fund providing grants upfront, which in some cases, may award a greater proportion of the project costs than what would have previously been received through the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme.

We are aware of concerns regarding the transition between the two schemes. Guidance, including eligibility criteria and application process on the new Places of Worship Renewal Fund, will be published in due course.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2026 to Question 108796, where the portrait of William Shakespeare formerly displayed in the Pillared Room at 10 Downing Street is located.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government Art Collection (GAC) 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. The GAC removed this portrait from the Pillared Drawing Room at No.10 to install a refreshed display of artworks celebrating 125 years of the Government Art Collection, planned prior to the General Election in July 2024. Locations of artworks in the collection can be found on the GAC’s website.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

DCMS does not have, nor will have, the facility to offer payroll deductions for employees who wish to join a credit union.

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Found: My officials are discussing it with DCMS, too.

Found: Sport 1st Floor 100 Parliament Street London SW1A 2BQ E: enquiries@dcms.gov.uk www.gov.uk/dcms

Found: non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS

Found: independent non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS

Found: B114:C114)Radiological and Nuclear Change Programme (MoD)0.1=SUM(B115:C115)1.9AI Deepfake Detection (DCMS

Found: raised this when we first started discussing the Section 73 scheme with the Charity Commission and the DCMS

Found: Departments: Dan Jarvis MP, from the Cabinet Office and the Home Office, and Ian Murray from DSIT and DCMS

Found: Obviously we have had conversations with DCMS for some time about the value and importance of CIISA

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an estimate with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport of the additional costs incurred by musicians seeking to perform in the European Union due to delays in the issuance of (a) A1 forms and (b) Musical Instrument Certificates since 2021.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the importance of touring to the UK’s world‑leading music sector and continues to work closely with industry to support musicians performing in the European Union.

A1 Forms

HMRC has not made an estimate, jointly or separately with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), of any additional costs incurred by musicians as a result of delays in the issuance of A1 forms since 2021.

While musicians may use the CA3837 A1 application form, this form is also used by many other self‑employed individuals. HMRC does not record applicants’ occupations within the A1 process, and the systems used do not capture or store any information that would allow us to identify touring musicians as a distinct group. It is therefore not possible to provide data on processing times or outstanding applications specifically for musicians for any of the years requested.

HMRC recognises how important it is for customers to receive their A1 certificates promptly and is strengthening the service to support this.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average length of time taken to issue A1 forms to touring musicians was in each year since 2021.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the importance of touring to the UK’s world‑leading music sector and continues to work closely with industry to support musicians performing in the European Union.

A1 Forms

HMRC has not made an estimate, jointly or separately with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), of any additional costs incurred by musicians as a result of delays in the issuance of A1 forms since 2021.

While musicians may use the CA3837 A1 application form, this form is also used by many other self‑employed individuals. HMRC does not record applicants’ occupations within the A1 process, and the systems used do not capture or store any information that would allow us to identify touring musicians as a distinct group. It is therefore not possible to provide data on processing times or outstanding applications specifically for musicians for any of the years requested.

HMRC recognises how important it is for customers to receive their A1 certificates promptly and is strengthening the service to support this.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many A1 form applications from touring musicians were outstanding at the end of each year since 2021.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the importance of touring to the UK’s world‑leading music sector and continues to work closely with industry to support musicians performing in the European Union.

A1 Forms

HMRC has not made an estimate, jointly or separately with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), of any additional costs incurred by musicians as a result of delays in the issuance of A1 forms since 2021.

While musicians may use the CA3837 A1 application form, this form is also used by many other self‑employed individuals. HMRC does not record applicants’ occupations within the A1 process, and the systems used do not capture or store any information that would allow us to identify touring musicians as a distinct group. It is therefore not possible to provide data on processing times or outstanding applications specifically for musicians for any of the years requested.

HMRC recognises how important it is for customers to receive their A1 certificates promptly and is strengthening the service to support this.

Found: 28 Commons Library Research Briefing, 16 February 2026 Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS

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Found: progress Money and tax Financial resilience of DCMS-sponsored

Found: progress Money and tax Financial resilience of DCMS-sponsored

Found: progress Money and tax Financial resilience of DCMS-sponsored

Found: embedded directly into government departments including DSIT, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS

Found: of this research was influenced by a study the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS

Found: Technology Cyber Security Longitudinal Survey Wave Five: Technical Annex Q_TELNUMBER ASK IF WANT DCMS

Found: formally assessed for compliance with the Code of Practice for Statistics since their transfer from DCMS

Found: to DEFRA -0.1 -0.1 (Section F) Transfer in funding to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS

Found: Notes to Editors DCMS has around 400 regulated Public Appointment roles across 42 Public Bodies including

Found: Notes to Editors DCMS has around 400 regulated Public Appointment roles across 42 Public Bodies including

Found: Notes to Editors DCMS has around 400 regulated Public Appointment roles across 42 Public Bodies including

Found: tackle this threat, the Home Office in collaboration with the Accelerated Capability Environment, DSIT, DCMS

Found: embedded directly into government departments including DSIT, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS

Found: Notes to Editors DCMS has around 400 regulated Public Appointment roles across 42 Public Bodies including

Found: monthly circulation figures (2024) with additional information provided by publishers upon request by DCMS

Found: monthly circulation figures (2024) with additional information provided by publishers upon request by DCMS

Found: Notes to Editors DCMS has around 400 regulated Public Appointment roles across 42 Public Bodies including

Found: Economic Estimates: Earnings 2023 and employment Oct 2022 to Sept 2023 for the DCMS Sectors and Digital

Found: support, development and monitoring Online safety guidance if you own or manage an online platform – DCMS

Found: • Keep it Fringe is supported by £1 million from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS

Found: the NMRW being part of a Government Department — TNA itself is a Non‑Ministerial Department of the DCMS

Found: On the 21 January 2025, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), announced funding for arts

Found: – this includes any regular income from a local authority (excluding capital), Higher Education, DCMS