Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport

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



Secretary of State

 Portrait

Lisa Nandy
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

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

Conservative
Stuart Andrew (Con - Daventry)
Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Conservative
Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Con - Life peer)
Shadow Minister (Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
Saqib Bhatti (Con - Meriden and Solihull East)
Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Conservative
Louie French (Con - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Culture, Media and Sport)
Ministers of State
Chris Bryant (Lab - Rhondda and Ogmore)
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State
Stephanie Peacock (Lab - Barnsley South)
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
There are no upcoming events identified
Debates
Thursday 3rd April 2025
Oral Answers to Questions
Oral Questions
Select Committee Docs
Thursday 3rd April 2025
17:21
Select Committee Inquiry
Thursday 19th December 2024
State of Play

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee wants to give everyone across the world of culture, media and sport the chance …

Written Answers
Tuesday 8th April 2025
Media: Men
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will hold discussions with media production companies …
Secondary Legislation
Monday 16th January 2023
Public Lending Right Scheme 1982 (Commencement of Variation) Order 2023
This Order brings into force on 13th February 2023 a variation of the Public Lending Right Scheme 1982 (“the Scheme”) …
Bills
Monday 18th July 2022
Data Protection and Digital Information Bill 2022-23
A Bill to make provision for the regulation of the processing of information relating to identified or identifiable living individuals; …
Dept. Publications
Tuesday 8th April 2025
00:01

Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Commons Appearances

Oral Answers to Questions is a regularly scheduled appearance where the Secretary of State and junior minister will answer at the Dispatch Box questions from backbench MPs

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

Westminster Hall debates are performed in response to backbench MPs or e-petitions asking for a Minister to address a detailed issue

Written Statements are made when a current event is not sufficiently significant to require an Oral Statement, but the House is required to be informed.

Most Recent Commons Appearances by Category
Apr. 03
Oral Questions
Feb. 27
Urgent Questions
Mar. 24
Written Statements
Mar. 26
Westminster Hall
Feb. 27
Adjournment Debate
View All Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Commons Contibutions

Bills currently before Parliament

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


Acts of Parliament created in the 2024 Parliament

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

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

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

Petitions

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

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

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

Trending Petitions
Petition Open
45,269 Signatures
(102 in the last 7 days)
Petitions with most signatures
Petition Open
45,269 Signatures
(102 in the last 7 days)
Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport has not participated in any petition debates
View All Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Petitions

Departmental Select Committee

Culture, Media and Sport Committee

Commons Select Committees are a formally established cross-party group of backbench MPs tasked with holding a Government department to account.

At any time there will be number of ongoing investigations into the work of the Department, or issues which fall within the oversight of the Department. Witnesses can be summoned from within the Government and outside to assist in these inquiries.

Select Committee findings are reported to the Commons, printed, and published on the Parliament website. The government then usually has 60 days to reply to the committee's recommendations.


20 Members of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee
Giles Watling Portrait
Giles Watling (Conservative - Clacton)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 2nd March 2020
John Nicolson Portrait
John Nicolson (Scottish National Party - Ochil and South Perthshire)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 2nd March 2020
Damian Green Portrait
Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 2nd March 2020
Baroness Elliott of Whitburn Bay Portrait
Baroness Elliott of Whitburn Bay (Labour - Life peer)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 2nd March 2020
Clive Efford Portrait
Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 2nd March 2020
Steve Brine Portrait
Steve Brine (Conservative - Winchester)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 2nd March 2020
Lord Brennan of Canton Portrait
Lord Brennan of Canton (Labour - Life peer)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 2nd March 2020
Jane Stevenson Portrait
Jane Stevenson (Conservative - Wolverhampton North East)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 19th October 2021
Simon Jupp Portrait
Simon Jupp (Conservative - East Devon)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 19th October 2021
Rupa Huq Portrait
Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 7th March 2022
Caroline Dinenage Portrait
Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 9th September 2024
Paul Waugh Portrait
Paul Waugh (Labour (Co-op) - Rochdale)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Tom Rutland Portrait
Tom Rutland (Labour - East Worthing and Shoreham)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Jo Platt Portrait
Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Natasha Irons Portrait
Natasha Irons (Labour - Croydon East)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 21st October 2024
James Frith Portrait
James Frith (Labour - Bury North)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Bayo Alaba Portrait
Bayo Alaba (Labour - Southend East and Rochford)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Liz Jarvis Portrait
Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Zöe Franklin Portrait
Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Damian Hinds Portrait
Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Member since 9th December 2024
Culture, Media and Sport Committee: Previous Inquiries
Impact of Covid-19 on the charity sector Impact of Covid-19 on DCMS sectors Combatting doping in sport inquiry Impact of Brexit on UK Creative industries, tourism and The Single Digital Market inquiry Channel 4 Annual Report 2016 inquiry Sport governance inquiry The work of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport inquiry BBC Annual Report and Accounts 2016-17 Disinformation and ‘fake news’ The work of Ofcom inquiry The work of the Charity Commission Live music inquiry The social impact of participation in culture and sport inquiry Appointment of the Chair of the Charity Commission Appointment of the Chair of Ofcom Wembley Stadium and the future of English football inquiry Immersive and addictive technologies inquiry Channel 4 Annual Report 2017 inquiry BBC Annual Report and Accounts 2017-18 inquiry The work of the Charity Commission inquiry BBC pay inquiry Channel 4 Annual Report 2018 inquiry Reality tv inquiry The future of English cricket inquiry BBC Annual Report 2018-19 and TV licences for over 75s inquiry The future of the National Lottery inquiry Administration of Football Clubs inquiry Garden tourism inquiry Lessons from the First World War Centenary inquiry Economics of music streaming Sport in our communities Connected tech: smart or sinister? Safety at major sporting events Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and the blockchain Women's sport Gambling regulation Current issues in rugby union Minority languages Appointment of Richard Sharp as Chair of the BBC The future of UK music festivals British Film and High-End Television Grassroots music venues British film and high-end television 2 BBC World Service Game On: Community and school sport Protecting built heritage State of Play The work of the Charity Commission Broadband and the road to 5G The future of public service broadcasting Concussion in sport Administration of Football Clubs The future of English cricket Disinformation and ‘fake news’ Garden tourism Immersive and addictive technologies Channel 4 Annual Report 2018 BBC Annual Report 2018-19 and TV licences for over 75s Live music The future of the National Lottery The work of Ofcom Reality tv The Social Impact of Participation in Culture and Sport The work of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Lessons from the First World War Centenary

50 most recent Written Questions

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

31st Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the planned changes to the Listed Places of Worship grant scheme on listed places of worship.

DCMS Ministers received advice on changes to the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, including consideration of the potential impacts of various options to scale the scheme.

The changes announced were necessary given the tight fiscal challenges we inherited from the previous government and considering competing financial demands in other parts of the heritage and cultural sector.Will continue the widest distribution of the scheme’s benefits within the available means. Based on previous scheme data, we expect 94% of claims to be unaffected by this change.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
1st Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what elite-level training facilities are used by British Cycling to support BMX (a) freestyle and (b) racing.

British Cycling has a dedicated elite training facility at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester.

Whilst not all disciplines use centralised facilities, all riders on the Olympic and Paralympic world class programme are supported by world-class coaching and support staff according to their specific needs.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
1st Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what elite-level training facilities are used by British Cycling to support mountain bike (a) cross-country and (b) downhill.

British Cycling has a dedicated elite training facility at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester.

Whilst not all disciplines use centralised facilities, all riders on the Olympic and Paralympic world class programme are supported by world-class coaching and support staff according to their specific needs.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
1st Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what elite-level training facilities are used by British Cycling to support (a) road cycling and (b) cyclocross.

British Cycling has a dedicated elite training facility at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester.

Whilst not all disciplines use centralised facilities, all riders on the Olympic and Paralympic world class programme are supported by world-class coaching and support staff according to their specific needs.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
31st Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will hold discussions with media production companies on producing more content to promote positive male role models.

The Government recognises the important positive contribution made by our creative industries, including our public service broadcasters, in informing, educating, and entertaining audiences. However, editorial decisions are ultimately a matter for individual production companies.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
25th Mar 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to encourage young children to participate in sports, and (2) to emphasise the benefits of physical activity.

The Government puts children and young people at the heart of our priorities. This includes breaking down barriers to opportunity for every child to realise the benefits of and access high-quality sport and physical activity, especially those who are less likely to be active.

The independent, expert-led review of the school curriculum will ensure that all children can engage with a broad range of subjects, including PE and sport.

The Government recently announced £100 million additional funding for the UK-wide Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme which funds new and upgraded pitches, facilities, and equipment. Funding will ensure that sites can provide a more inclusive and sustainable offer throughout the year for local communities, including for children and young people.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
27th Mar 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to designate the National Covid Memorial Wall as a national monument to commemorate those who died during the pandemic.

The Government recognises the significance of the National Covid Memorial Wall in London and its special role in supporting bereaved families to remember their loved ones. Its preservation was specifically recommended by the UK Commission on Covid Commemoration.

The Government is working closely with local partners including the Friends of the Wall and Lambeth Council, and other key partners to consider options, including the likely costs, for the longer term preservation of the Wall. We will respond to the report by the UK Commission in due course.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
27th Mar 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Lambeth Council, Friends of the Wall, and other volunteer groups about the ongoing maintenance of the National Covid Memorial Wall, and what assessment they have made of ongoing maintenance costs.

The Government recognises the significance of the National Covid Memorial Wall in London and its special role in supporting bereaved families to remember their loved ones. Its preservation was specifically recommended by the UK Commission on Covid Commemoration.

The Government is working closely with local partners including the Friends of the Wall and Lambeth Council, and other key partners to consider options, including the likely costs, for the longer term preservation of the Wall. We will respond to the report by the UK Commission in due course.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
31st Mar 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve access to investment and funding for video game developers in the UK, particularly those from under-represented groups.

The Government has announced £5.5 million funding for the UK Games Fund (UKGF) for 2025/26, which will provide grants to early-stage studios across the UK to develop prototypes and new intellectual property, and run development programmes for new graduates. The Fund includes diversity criteria in its assessment process for grant funding and encourages applicants to consider the British Film Institute’s Diversity Standards

Video games companies can also benefit from the Video Games Expenditure Credit, and can access support from the Create Growth Programme and UK Global Screen Fund, all of which require applicants to consider diversity criteria.

In January, the British Business Bank also committed to increase its support for the UK’s Creative Industries, including video games, to help them realise their full growth potential.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
2nd Apr 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage the video game industry to increase (1) diversity of characters shown in games, and (2) the diversity of main characters in games.

The Government has announced £5.5 million funding for the UK Games Fund (UKGF) for 2025/26, which will provide grants to early-stage studios across the UK to develop prototypes and new intellectual property, and run development programmes for new graduates. The Fund includes diversity criteria in its assessment process for grant funding and encourages applicants to consider the British Film Institute’s Diversity Standards

Video games companies can also benefit from the Video Games Expenditure Credit, and can access support from the Create Growth Programme and UK Global Screen Fund, all of which require applicants to consider diversity criteria.

In January, the British Business Bank also committed to increase its support for the UK’s Creative Industries, including video games, to help them realise their full growth potential.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
31st Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will hold discussions with the BBC on ensuring that the programmes it commissions reflect the views of people from across the UK.

As a public service broadcaster that matters hugely to public life, the BBC must be responsive to viewers and listeners and tell inclusive stories about the lives of all people, in all parts of the UK. Under the current Charter, the BBC has an obligation to ‘reflect, represent and serve the diverse communities of all of the United Kingdom’s nations and regions’. The BBC is operationally and editorially independent of the Government in determining how it meets that obligation, and it is for the independent regulator Ofcom to hold the BBC to account.

As part of the next Charter Review, the Government will engage with the BBC and others to consider how to ensure the BBC thrives well into the next decade and beyond. This will include discussions on a range of important issues and will start a national conversation to make sure the BBC truly represents and delivers for every person in this country

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
31st Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to increase access to grassroots sports in local communities.

The Government recognises the vital role that grassroots sports provide for people across the UK, including the physical and mental health benefits of participating in sport and how grassroots clubs can foster a sense of community cohesion and pride in place.

The Home Nation’s sports councils are responsible for the majority of investment in grassroots sport across the UK. However, DCMS is committed to improving the provision of high-quality grassroots sports facilities across the whole of the UK to enable as many people as possible to get active.

On 21 March, we announced an additional £100 million to be invested through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme. £3 million of this additional funding is to be invested in Northern Ireland through the Irish Football Association. This funding is designed to benefit the areas most in need, with 50% of investment going to the 30% most deprived areas in the UK. There will also be a strong focus on increasing provision for under represented groups, such as women and girls, ethnic minorities groups and disabled players. At least 40% of funded projects will also have a multi-sport offer, ensuring more can participate and get active across a variety of sports.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
31st Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to improve access to outdoor sports facilities during school holidays.

Everyone, including children and young people, should have the opportunity to play sport and do regular physical activity. The Government has committed to continued funding for grassroots facilities which will ensure that communities have access to high-quality, inclusive facilities, no matter where they live.

The Government recently announced £100 million additional funding for the UK-wide Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme which funds new and upgraded pitches, facilities, and equipment, so that sites can provide a more inclusive and sustainable offer throughout the year, including the school holidays.

More widely, the Government has confirmed more than £200 million of funding for the Holiday, Activities and Food (HAF) programme over the 2025/26 financial year. The HAF programme provides healthy meals, enriching activities and free childcare places to children from low-income families over the school holidays, benefiting their health, wellbeing and learning.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
31st Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will hold discussions with Ofcom on encouraging competition in broadcast news media.

The Department regularly engages with Ofcom on a range of issues including the importance of a competitive and diverse broadcasting sector.

Ofcom has a statutory duty under the Communication Act 2003 to secure and maintain a sufficient plurality of providers of different TV and radio services. Ofcom also has a duty to review the operation of media ownership rules across TV, radio and press every three years. Ofcom published their latest review on 15 November 2024.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
31st Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department has taken to assess the impact of the proposed streamlining of workers definitions on the creative industries.

We are committed to giving British creators increased security at work, and providing the creative industries with a regulatory and fiscal environment where imagination and innovation can flourish. To support this aim, DCMS is working closely with the sector to understand the implications of the Government’s Plan to Make Work Pay on the Creative Industries.

The Plan to Make Work Pay will represent the biggest upgrade in employment rights in a generation, bringing the UK back into line internationally. It tackles poor working conditions and job security, and by making work more flexible and more family-friendly, will support our wider programme across employment, health and skills policy to get Britain working.

This includes a commitment to consult on a simpler, two-part framework for employment status. Some reforms in The Plan to Make Work Pay will take longer to undertake and implement, and we see this consultation as a longer-term goal.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
1st Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make it his policy to consult on any changes to (a) actors' and (b) performers' employment rights within the cultural sector.

We are committed to giving British creators increased security at work, and providing the creative industries with a regulatory and fiscal environment where imagination and innovation can flourish. To support this aim, DCMS is working closely with the sector to understand the implications of the Government’s Plan to Make Work Pay on the Creative Industries.

The Plan to Make Work Pay will represent the biggest upgrade in employment rights in a generation, bringing the UK back into line internationally. It tackles poor working conditions and job security, and by making work more flexible and more family-friendly, will support our wider programme across employment, health and skills policy to get Britain working.

This includes a commitment to consult on a simpler, two-part framework for employment status. Some reforms in The Plan to Make Work Pay will take longer to undertake and implement, and we see this consultation as a longer-term goal.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
1st Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2025 to Question 35700 on Tower of London, whether the Government has had discussions with UNESCO on the potential impact of the planning application for a new Chinese Embassy at the Royal Mint on the Tower of London World Heritage site.

On 25 February 2025, DCMS submitted a ‘paragraph 172 notification’ letter to the World Heritage Centre that included updated information on a range of developments relating to the Tower of London World Heritage Site.

The letter included an update on the planning process for the redevelopment of the Royal Mint Court, noting that Historic England does not disagree with the conclusions of the Heritage Impact Assessment that any impacts on the Tower of London World Heritage Site from the proposed development would be minimal.

As the Heritage Impact Assessment has been submitted to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and since the Public Inquiry has closed, DCMS as State Party has not requested further specific advice from ICOMOS (the advisors to UNESCO).

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
2nd Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support British musicians touring in the EU.

We are working closely with the music industry to tackle the challenges facing UK musicians and their support staff when touring in the EU. We remain in open and constructive dialogue with the EU, with a view to improve arrangements across the European continent without seeing a return to free movement. Most recently, on 7 April, I attended the Informal Meeting for EU Culture Ministers in Warsaw as a guest of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. This is the first time a UK minister has been invited since Brexit. 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.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
2nd Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on (a) the long-term sustainability of Welsh National Opera’s full-time orchestra and (b) ensuring the continuation of its touring programme across England and Wales.

On behalf of the Secretary of State, last year I held a series of productive meetings with the Wales Office, Welsh Government, Arts Council England, and Welsh National Opera (WNO) to understand the issues in more detail and to see how, within the parameters of the arm’s length principle, DCMS can best help ensure a strong and secure future for the WNO.

Across all these meetings there was a recognition of the value of the WNO and its work - both for the people of Wales, and for people elsewhere in the UK. It was clear that all partners were keen to achieve a positive long-term future for the organisation.

Everyone wants to sustain the WNO, and so I was pleased to see additional funding of £755,000 allocated by the Arts Council of Wales to WNO last December. Funding decisions are of course for the Arts Council of Wales and Arts Council England, however, I welcome the tenure of the new joint CEOs and General Directors at WNO, and I am confident that they are now in a strong place to succeed.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
31st Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what advice her Department provides to creative industries considering the use of legal recourse when artificial intelligence has been used in breach of copyright.

It would be inappropriate for the Government to provide direct legal advice to individual creators or organisations, but we fully recognise the serious and evolving challenges posed by the use of copyrighted material in AI development.

The current UK Copyright Framework enables creative rights holders to prevent the unauthorised use of protected works, but this can be very difficult to implement in the context of AI, especially for individual firms and creators. We encourage rights holders who believe their work has been used unlawfully to seek independent legal advice.

More broadly, the Government is working to ensure that copyright and intellectual property frameworks remain robust and fit for purpose in the age of AI. We have received over 11,500 responses to our consultation, principally from creators. It is only right that we take the time to read and understand those responses and use them to shape our approach. We have been clear that AI developers must be more transparent about the content they use to train their models and that rights holders should have effective control of their works.

Addressing this is an urgent priority for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, but no decisions will be taken until we are absolutely confident we have a practical plan that delivers for the creative industries.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
25th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will make an assessment of the sustainability of local news outlets in (a) Greater Manchester and (b) North West of England.

Sustainability of local journalism across the country is an area of particular concern for this Government, including in Greater Manchester and the North West of England. We are developing a Local Media Strategy, in recognition of the importance of this vital sector. Our vision is a thriving local media that can continue to play an invaluable role as a key channel of trustworthy information at local level, reporting on the issues that matter to communities, reflecting their contributions and perspectives, and helping to foster a self-confident nation in which everyone feels that their contribution is part of an inclusive national story.

We are working across Government and with other stakeholders as the Strategy develops, and we recently held a roundtable discussion with local news editors from across the country, including from Manchester Evening news, to discuss our planned approach and explore further collaboration on the Strategy. We will announce further details in due course.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
25th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that more people from disadvantaged backgrounds take up journalism courses and training.

It is key that the public feel represented and reflected by the media. Journalism plays an invaluable role in the fabric of our society and we are committed to supporting a free, sustainable and plural media landscape. Encouraging more people from disadvantaged backgrounds to enter the industry may have a positive impact on the sustainability of the industry where it helps news publishers improve their appeal to currently underserved and under-represented audiences. Government believes that we need routes into journalism that are open to everyone, wherever they grow up.

High-quality apprenticeships available to support employers and learners in the news sector, including the Level 5 Journalist apprenticeship standard, are a means to help enable this. DCMS is working closely with DfE on their work to reform the growth and skills levy. The new growth and skills offer, with apprenticeships at the heart, will deliver greater flexibility for learners and employers in England, and will be aligned with the Industrial Strategy to create routes into good skilled jobs.

This support complements the industry’s own efforts, and we welcome the National Council for the Training of Journalists’ (NCTJ) recent launch of the new phase of the Community News Project, a major initiative to strengthen local journalism and improve local newsroom diversity across the UK through apprenticeship placements. This project demonstrates the type of industry collaboration which can help secure the future of local journalism, which we want to further encourage through our Local Media Strategy.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
17th Mar 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to develop a strategic vision for the future of sport in the UK.

The Government is clear that sport has a fundamental role to play in delivering its Plan for Change whether through getting the nation more active, driving growth through our world leading sport sector or tackling issues such as youth violence by offering positive routes of engagement.

We are committed to working in partnership with the sport sector to maximise the role it has to play across our society.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
27th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has plans to make changes to the rules on public notices for small online news publishers.

Public notices are important for ensuring that the public is kept informed of decisions made by their council which may affect their quality of life, local services or amenities, or their property. The independent 2019 Cairncross Review into sustainable journalism found that public notices are also an important source of revenue for local newspapers.

However, the Government is aware of feedback from some sectors about the audience reach of these notices and the desire for greater digitalisation. In this context, the sector’s Public Notice Portal is a welcome innovation, intended to take advantage of print publishers’ growing digital audiences and provide a centralised resource for all types of public notice. We are monitoring the progress of the Portal, and the effect that it has on the audience reach of public notices.

We also welcome the plans for expansion of the Portal, announced in December and funded by the Google News Initiative, including a fully searchable archive and new consultation functions to help public bodies and commercial entities engage with the public more effectively. We consider this type of industry innovation and collaboration to be integral to securing the sector’s future, and will seek to further support and incentivise it through our Local Media Strategy.



Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
27th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will withdrawn Bet365's UK operating licence for openly operating in China.

As the independent regulator, it is the Gambling Commission’s duty to ensure that operators comply with the requirements set out in the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice and to take appropriate regulatory action against those operators which fail to comply. Any decision to withdraw an operator’s licence lies with the Gambling Commission.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
27th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to regulate unregulated legal gambling.

Gambling in Great Britain is regulated by the Gambling Commission, which operates a point of consumption licensing regime. Most legal gambling in Great Britain is regulated.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
27th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent progress her Department has made on developing the National Youth Strategy.

The Secretary of State was pleased to announce the new National Youth Strategy, stating the Department’s commitment to delivering a strategy by and for young people through the most ambitious listening exercise in a generation. We have launched our nation-wide survey, with over 10,000 responses to date, and are holding events across all regions with young people and the youth sector. Our Youth and Expert Advisory Groups are now established and guiding us in our development. We will publish the strategy in the summer, with an interim report in the coming months.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
27th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to involve young people in Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes constituency in the development of the National Youth Strategy.

The Secretary of State was pleased to announce the new National Youth Strategy, stating the Department’s commitment to delivering a strategy by and for young people through the most ambitious listening exercise in a generation. We have launched our nation-wide survey, with over 10,000 responses to date, and are holding events across all regions with young people and the youth sector. Our Youth and Expert Advisory Groups are now established and guiding us in our development. We will publish the strategy in the summer, with an interim report in the coming months.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
26th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an impact assessment of the decision to allow sports betting in all casinos.

The Department has considered the available evidence and a full impact assessment will be published for the measure which allows casinos to site up to 80 gaming machines. The Government’s Better Regulation Framework classifies the sports betting measure as a de minimis measure, and therefore a de minimis assessment will be completed for this measure, although this won’t be published.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
26th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an impact assessment of the decision to allow up to 80 gaming machines in certain casinos.

The Department has considered the available evidence and a full impact assessment will be published for the measure which allows casinos to site up to 80 gaming machines. The Government’s Better Regulation Framework classifies the sports betting measure as a de minimis measure, and therefore a de minimis assessment will be completed for this measure, although this won’t be published.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
27th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will take steps to (a) strengthen and (b) enforce regulations on gambling advertising.

There are a range of robust rules in place through the Advertising Codes enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to ensure that gambling advertising and marketing, wherever it appears, is socially responsible and does not exacerbate harm. The ASA continually reviews the best available evidence to ensure rules are effective and updates protections as required.

As the statutory regulator for gambling in Great Britain, the Gambling Commission is further strengthening protections to improve customer control over the marketing they receive and the tightening rules on the design of incentives such as free bets. However, we recognise that more can be done to improve protections. We have set the gambling industry a clear task to raise standards and this work will be monitored closely.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
25th Mar 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 20 March (HL5602), what representations the government of China or its representatives have made to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport relating to the latest planning application for the Chinese Embassy, prior to and after the Secretary of State's call-in decision, and on what dates.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not received any representations on this matter from the Government of China or its representatives. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is the lead department on planning matters, and the final decision rests with its Secretary of State.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
27th Mar 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will develop a national definition of harmful gambling advertising.

We recognised that more can be done to raise standards in gambling advertising and we have set the gambling industry a clear task to raise standards in this area to ensure that the levels of gambling advertising does not exacerbate harm and this work will be monitored closely.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
21st Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 7 February 2025 to Question 27307 on Tourism: Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of increased local authority spending to promote UK tourism on (a) economic growth and (b) tax revenue.

Increased investment to promote UK tourism can, if well targeted, lead to an increase in economic growth, tax revenue and local prosperity.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
24th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to take steps to support the celebration of Ahmadiyya culture in the UK.

DCMS has no specific plans to do so.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
26th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to reply to correspondence from the hon. Member for Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey on the closure of local area radio broadcasters of (a) 3 December 2024, (b) 20 January 2025, (c) 20 February 2025 and (d) 12 March 2025.

The Hon Member was issued with a response on 26th March.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
27th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with Ofcom on the implementation of the Media Act 2024.

My Department is working closely with Ofcom to progress implementation of the Media Act 2024. The Act delegates certain powers to the Secretary of State and to Ofcom in terms of designating ‘in-scope’ services and developing relevant guidance.

The new online prominence regime, under the Act, seeks to support effective negotiations between public service broadcasters and TV platforms for the carriage of designated PSB services (referred to in the Act as “internet programme services”). It does so via a set of “agreement objectives” which both parties must act consistently with, as well as Ofcom guidance, which they are required to consult on.

Further information on Media Act implementation can be found on Ofcom’s website: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and-on-demand/Media-Act-Implementation/.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
27th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she is taking steps with Ofcom on implementing fair terms of carriage for public service broadcasters on streaming platforms under the Media Act 2024.

My Department is working closely with Ofcom to progress implementation of the Media Act 2024. The Act delegates certain powers to the Secretary of State and to Ofcom in terms of designating ‘in-scope’ services and developing relevant guidance.

The new online prominence regime, under the Act, seeks to support effective negotiations between public service broadcasters and TV platforms for the carriage of designated PSB services (referred to in the Act as “internet programme services”). It does so via a set of “agreement objectives” which both parties must act consistently with, as well as Ofcom guidance, which they are required to consult on.

Further information on Media Act implementation can be found on Ofcom’s website: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and-on-demand/Media-Act-Implementation/.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
27th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the potential impact of the subscriptions regime in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 on the level of investment in the video on-demand sector.

My Department regularly engages with the Department for Business and Trade on a range of issues relating to the implementation of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act 2024.

The Department for Business and Trade’s consultation on the implementation of these measures closed on 10 February 2025, and they are currently analysing responses.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
28th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the effectiveness of proposed exemptions to cooling-off rights within the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 subscription regime for preventing consumers from accessing digital content for free.

My Department regularly engages with the Department for Business and Trade on a range of issues relating to the implementation of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act 2024.

The Department for Business and Trade’s consultation on the implementation of these measures closed on 10 February 2025, and they are currently analysing responses.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
27th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Spring Statement of 26 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to her Department's planned budget for the 2025-26 financial year on the provision of youth services.

This Government fully recognises the importance of youth services to help young people live safe and healthy lives, and we remain committed to giving all young people the chance to reach their full potential. That is why we are developing a National Youth Strategy to set out a new vision for young people and an action plan for delivering this.

In 2025/26, has committed to funding over £85 million of capital funding to create fit-for-purpose spaces in places where it is most needed, which includes £26 million for youth clubs to buy new equipment and do renovations under the Better Youth Spaces Fund. Further funding allocations for specific youth programmes will be set out in due course.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
27th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme projects (a) were completed between 5 July 2024 and 27 March 2025 and (b) were incomplete on 27 March 2025; how much and what proportion of the funding allocated for the provision of multi-sport grassroots facilities in this financial year has (i) been and (ii) not been committed.

Since 5 July, a total of 728 Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities projects were completed in England (as of 13 March), 14 projects were completed in Scotland, 17 projects were completed in Wales and 11 projects were completed in Northern Ireland (all as of 27 March).

A total of 513 Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities projects remained incomplete in England, 16 remained incomplete in Scotland, 37 remained incomplete in Wales and 4 remained incomplete in Northern Ireland.

For the financial year 2024/25, other than a £1.2k underspend, the full £125m proposed investment into the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities programme has been committed, with delivery of projects funded ongoing. The Programme has sought to maximise value for money to ensure this funding directly impacts communities across the UK by providing high-quality sports facilities and offering places for people of all backgrounds to get active.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
26th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support access to leisure facilities in South Shropshire constituency.

The Government recognises that leisure facilities are important to communities up and down the country.

The ongoing responsibility for public leisure facilities lies at Local Authority level. Local Authorities work in partnership with operators who manage leisure services. The Government and Sport England continue to work closely with Local Authorities to monitor pressures in the sector and provide advice and guidance.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
27th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme on (a) businesses and (b) suppliers in the (i) building and (ii) crafts sector.

DCMS Ministers received advice on changes to the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, including careful consideration of the potential impacts of various options to scale the scheme.

We believe that the changes announced were necessary and adequate given the tight fiscal challenges we inherited from the previous government and considering competing financial demands in other parts of the heritage and cultural sector, and will continue the widest distribution of the scheme’s benefits within the available means. Based on previous scheme data, we expect 94% of claims to be unaffected by this change.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
27th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing to a one-off relief package within the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme to support (a) churches and (b) cathedrals in areas with lower economic activity.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport funds listed places of worship through the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. This is as generous as we are able to be within existing resources. We have no plans to set up a new grant scheme or package of support.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
26th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure long-term sustainable funding for youth services.

The Government will publish the National Youth Strategy this summer. The detail and scale of the funding commitments included in the strategy will be shaped by engagement with young people and the youth sector and will be dependent on Spending Review decisions.

In 2025/6, DCMS youth funding will include over £85 million of capital funding to create fit-for-purpose spaces in places where it is most needed. This includes the £26 million Better Youth Spaces Fund for youth clubs to buy new equipment and do renovations, and the completion of Youth Investment Fund projects underway. The new Local Youth Transformation pilot will improve capability to improve local youth offers. Further funding allocations for specific youth programmes will be communicated in due course.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
26th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of reductions in youth service funding on young people.

Local authorities have a statutory duty to secure, so far as is reasonably practicable, sufficient youth services for young people in their area. This is funded through the Local Government Funding Settlement.

We acknowledge the challenges facing the sector and the disparities across the country. That is why this Government has launched the co-production of an ambitious new National Youth Strategy, which will be developed together with young people and the youth sector.

We will also launch the Local Youth Transformation pilot in 2025/26, which will support local authorities to build back capability to improve local youth offers. We also have allocated over £85m of capital funding to create fit-for-purpose spaces in places where it is most needed. Further funding allocations for specific youth programmes will be communicated in due course.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
26th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to ensure that local authorities are carrying out their statutory duty to deliver youth services.

Local authorities hold the statutory duty to secure, so far as is reasonably practicable, sufficient provision of educational and recreational leisure-time activities for young people. Local Authorities fund youth services from their Local Government Settlement in line with local need, and this was increased to more than £69 billion in 2025/26 - a 6.8% increase in cash terms compared to 2024/25.

Although there is no legal requirement for local authorities to publish their plans, the guidance encourages local authorities to publish their assessment of local needs for youth services as well as the rationale for their actions and decisions. We will be launching the Local Youth Transformation pilot this year, which will support local authorities to build back capability to improve local youth offers.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
27th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 7047 on Holiday Accommodation: Licensing, what progress she has made on developing a short-term rental registration scheme.

We hope to be able to make further announcements soon.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)