Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
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 support libraries operating in listed buildings.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
Each local authority is responsible for assessing the needs of their local communities and designing a library service, including locations and buildings, to meet those needs within their available resources.
Core funding for libraries is through the Local Government Finance Settlement. In 2026-27 the government will make available £78 billion in Core Spending Power for local authorities in England, a 6.1% increase compared to 2025-26.
Some listed buildings housing libraries may be able to benefit from the Department’s Heritage at Risk Capital Fund, operated by Historic England, which provides grants of up to £1 million to individuals and organisations legally responsible for conserving listed landmarks and has a budget of up to £60 million over the next four years.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many MP surgeries have Ministers in her Department had with MPs (a) in the period July 2024 to January 2025 and (b) since January 2025.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
Our records show that in the period between July 2024 and January 2025, DCMS Ministers held four MP surgeries.
In the period between January 2025 and 17 July 2026, DCMS Ministers held 34 MP surgeries.
Asked by: Alex Ballinger (Labour - Halesowen)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information her Department holds on the Reform Party holding discussions with the Gambling Commission on Crypto Gambling.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The Gambling Commission, as the independent regulator for gambling, has responsibility for making decisions around licensing. The Gambling Commission has not been approached or held any discussion with the Reform Party on crypto gambling.
Asked by: Dan Norris (Independent - North East Somerset and Hanham)
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 heritage railways on the economy.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government does not hold data on the economic impact of heritage railways on the UK economy.
DCMS official statistics currently uses the Standard Industry Classification (SIC) code 91.03 Operation of historic sites and similar visitor attractions as a narrow proxy for the heritage sector. In 2024, the SIC code Operation of historic sites and similar visitor attractions contributed an estimated 10,000 jobs with a Gross Value Added estimated at £0.8 billion.
Historic England, Government statutory advisors on the historic environment, estimated England's heritage sector overall contributed £15.3 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) to the UK economy in 2022, with a total estimated employment of 201,000 workers.
The Heritage Railway Association, the largest heritage rail trade body, values the economic contribution of the UK's heritage rail sector at roughly £600 million annually. This sum is generated through tourism, local business spending, and the support of thousands of jobs and volunteers across the country.
Asked by: Alex Ballinger (Labour - Halesowen)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to Investigate Europe's report entitled Payment firms handled millions for companies linked to unlicensed gambling network, published on 9 July 2026, whether the payments association is part of the illegal gambling task force.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
We are committed to taking action on the illegal gambling market. Since its launch in January this year, the Illegal Gambling Taskforce has worked with payment providers and other relevant stakeholders to consider the best way to tackle the issue of payments relating to illegal gambling.
We plan to report on the progress made by the Illegal Gambling Taskforce once it has completed its first year, and will consider whether to set out membership of the Taskforce at that point.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 adequacy of the provision of youth services in local communities.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
As set out in section 507B of the Education Act 1996, local authorities have a statutory duty to secure, so far as is reasonably practicable, sufficient educational and recreational activities for young people.
On the 10th December, the Government published ‘Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy’ alongside a State of the Nation report. It is backed by over £500 million of funding over the next few years from DCMS for things to do outside of school, support when and where young people need it, more safe spaces and access to trusted adults. This includes investing in selected local areas to develop high-quality youth offers and local leadership through our Local Youth Transformation Programme. Learnings will be shared across the youth and local government sectors to establish national best practices.
We have also worked to ensure that metrics covering youth services are included within the Local Outcomes Framework under the priority outcome very Child Achieving and Thriving’ to increase consistency and quality of youth service delivery across local areas.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many agency staff were employed by her Department in each of the last five years.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The table below sets out the number of Core DCMS agency staff employed by DCMS in each of the last five financial years:
Financial Year | Core DCMS Agency Staff |
2021-22 | 191 |
2022-23 | 137 |
2023-24 | 113 |
2024-25 | 55 |
2025-26 | 30 |
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
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 with Cabinet colleagues to facilitate the transferring of funds to Ukrainian charities.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The UK remains one of Ukraine's leading humanitarian donors, having committed up to £577 million in humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and the wider region since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. Through trusted humanitarian partners, UK support helps protect vulnerable people affected by the conflict, promote respect for International Humanitarian Law, and provide lifesaving assistance to those most affected by Russia's continued attacks.
The Charity Commission for England and Wales also published guidance for charities and trustees responding to the crisis in Ukraine in March 2022.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions her Department has had with rugby governing bodies on the future of professional rugby.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The governance of rugby union is a matter for the Rugby Football Union (the national governing body for rugby union), which is independent of the Government.
The Government monitors the financial situation of rugby union closely and continues to work with the RFU, representatives of Prem and Champ clubs as well as the Tier Two Board, and the wider sport sector to support the ongoing sustainability of elite and community level rugby union.
I have met with the RFU and Prem Rugby previously to discuss the long-term financial sustainability of professional rugby union, and my officials regularly engage with the RFU and Prem Rugby on this issue.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with Prem Rugby on the long-term financial sustainability of professional rugby union.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The governance of rugby union is a matter for the Rugby Football Union (the national governing body for rugby union), which is independent of the Government.
The Government monitors the financial situation of rugby union closely and continues to work with the RFU, representatives of Prem and Champ clubs as well as the Tier Two Board, and the wider sport sector to support the ongoing sustainability of elite and community level rugby union.
I have met with the RFU and Prem Rugby previously to discuss the long-term financial sustainability of professional rugby union, and my officials regularly engage with the RFU and Prem Rugby on this issue.