Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had on a (1) bilateral basis, or (2) EU-wide basis, about cabotage for UK musicians who are touring in the EU.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We are working closely with the music industry, and engaging with the EU and EU Member States to tackle the challenges facing UK musicians and their support staff, including reduced access due to restrictions on the number and type of permitted transport movements when touring in the EU. 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.
On 7 April, Sir Chris Bryant 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 to such a meeting since the UK’s exit from the EU. The Minister used the opportunity to forge closer, more cooperative ties with his EU counterparts, including on matters related to touring. The Minister and senior DCMS officials have previously engaged the EU on this matter bilaterally, including during an introductory call with EU Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Culture, Youth and Sport Glenn Micallef and in recent engagements with Polish, French, German, Italian, Danish and Swedish counterparts.
The UK Government remains in constructive dialogue with the EU on this and other EU reset priorities. Cabinet Office Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds and Maroš Šefčovič have been tasked with moving discussions forward and leaders will take stock at the UK-EU Summit in May.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan for the £30 million allocated to prevention for the gambling statutory levy to be administered by a statutory body.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As set out in the Government’s response to the consultation on the statutory levy, further consideration of the evidence is needed in order to appoint an appropriate body to lead the prevention strand of the levy system. We will confirm our decisions in due course. Prevention is a critical part of the government’s approach to tackling gambling-related harm and we need to take the time to get the policy right whilst ensuring that necessary legislation is passed to meet our commitment to having the levy in place by April 2025.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of The Lancet Public Health Commission on gambling, published on 24 October; and what plans they have to respond.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government is committed to strengthening protections to ensure that people can continue to enjoy gambling, without the risks that can ensue from harmful gambling. We are acutely aware of the impact harmful gambling can have on individuals and their families. We are committed to reviewing the best available evidence from a wide range of sources and working with all stakeholders in order to support the industry and ensure there are robust protections in place to protect those at risk, and we have noted the Lancet Public Health Commission’s report. We will provide further updates to the House soon.
The Gambling Commission’s Gambling Survey of Great Britain collects official statistics on gambling behaviour in Great Britain including participation rates of bet in play and participation rates and Problem Gambling Survey Index scores for online instant win games (online and in person), betting on sports and racing (online and in person) and fruit and slots games (online and in person).
The Gambling Commission is responsible for the implementation of a number of the regulatory reforms set out in the white paper, such as introducing new regulations to make online games safer. This has included introducing a limit on spin speeds for online slots games in 2021, with additional rules coming into force from January 2025 to reduce the speed and intensity of online products.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of in-game sports gambling and other high-speed gambling activities.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government is committed to strengthening protections to ensure that people can continue to enjoy gambling, without the risks that can ensue from harmful gambling. We are acutely aware of the impact harmful gambling can have on individuals and their families. We are committed to reviewing the best available evidence from a wide range of sources and working with all stakeholders in order to support the industry and ensure there are robust protections in place to protect those at risk, and we have noted the Lancet Public Health Commission’s report. We will provide further updates to the House soon.
The Gambling Commission’s Gambling Survey of Great Britain collects official statistics on gambling behaviour in Great Britain including participation rates of bet in play and participation rates and Problem Gambling Survey Index scores for online instant win games (online and in person), betting on sports and racing (online and in person) and fruit and slots games (online and in person).
The Gambling Commission is responsible for the implementation of a number of the regulatory reforms set out in the white paper, such as introducing new regulations to make online games safer. This has included introducing a limit on spin speeds for online slots games in 2021, with additional rules coming into force from January 2025 to reduce the speed and intensity of online products.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the decision to fly ancient hominid remains into space, what assessment they have made of the case for strengthening protections for ancient hominid and human remains; and what discussions they have had, and intend to have, about reinforcing such protections internationally.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
Human remains less than 1,000 years old in UK museum collections are protected under the Human Remains Act 2004. The Act regulates the acquisition, storage, use and disposal of human bodies, organs and tissue. It also requires a licence for organisations holding and displaying human remains. This Act ensures that there is strong protection in place for human remains in UK museums.
Museums are independent of HM Government and it is for the trustees of each museum to make decisions about their collections. However, we expect museums to exercise appropriate care for their collections including ancient hominid and human remains which are outwith the scope of the Human Remains Act 2004.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the long-term and secure future of the Roscoe Botanical Garden.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government recognises the importance of Liverpool's Botanical Collection as one of the oldest such collections in the world.
The medical, scientific, educational, and horticultural importance of these rare plants is significant, as well as the benefits they can have for health and wellbeing in the local community and more widely.
We support the steps that Liverpool City Council is making to secure the future of the gardens and encourage it to apply to the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to making provision for (1) free roaming for Ukrainian phones in the UK, and (2) free roaming for UK phones in Ukraine.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
Mobile telephone operators currently offer a range of surcharge-free or low-cost options, both for Ukrainian telephones in the UK, and for UK telephones in Ukraine. For example, the UK’s largest mobile telephone operator, EE, has made mobile roaming free for both Ukrainian phones in the UK, and UK telephones in Ukraine.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that the Online Safety Bill will protect local councillors and council employees at all levels of local government from online abuse.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
The Online Safety Bill will protect all users, including local councillors and council employees, from abuse online.
Services in scope of the Bill will need to ensure that illegal content in scope is removed swiftly and that the risk of it appearing and spreading is minimised by effective systems. Category one services must be clear how they address priority content that is harmful to adults, and enforce their terms of service consistently. Priority categories of content which are harmful to adults and children will be set out in secondary legislation and are likely to include some types of online abuse and harassment.
Ofcom will have a suite of enforcement powers available to use against companies who fail their duties. These powers include fines for companies of up to £18 million or 10% of qualifying annual global turnover, and business disruption measures.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to (1) promote, (2) encourage, and (3) support, charitable status for public interest journalism.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
As set out in the response to the Cairncross Review, published in January 2020, the government has concluded that the current Charities Act system accommodates appropriate options for public interest journalism. Therefore the government has worked with the Charity Commission which has published advice on when undertaking or funding public interest journalism can be charitable. This advice also raises awareness of the more detailed guidance available for those publishers in England and Wales interested in pursuing charitable status.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to intervene in the National Railway Museum’s decision to move Locomotion No. 1 from Darlington to Shildon.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The historic locomotive, Locomotion No.1, is owned by the Science Museum Group, and it is up to the Museum itself to determine where and to whom it loans objects from its collection. The Science Museum Group operates independently, at Arm’s Length from Government. We will not become involved in, or seek to influence, curatorial decisions.