Australia: News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code

Lord Fowler Excerpts

Thursday 25th February 2021 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Barran (Con)]

The noble Lord is right that these are global companies and some international co-ordination will be required to have the maximum impact. We are very much working with partners, as I said in response to the noble Lord, Lord Puttnam. We are also aware that other countries around the globe and the major platforms are looking at the work we are doing. We are leading in our ambition in this field.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

My Lords, the time allowed for this Question has elapsed. That brings Question Time to an end.

Online Gambling: Stake Limits

Lord Fowler Excerpts

Tuesday 9th February 2021 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Barran (Con)]

The Gambling Commission has been very active, particularly in the last year with the risks around Covid and lockdown. We are currently looking at funding, and there is a consultation out on an uplift to Gambling Commission fees, to make sure that it can keep pace with the industry.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

My Lords, the time allowed for this Question has elapsed, which brings Question Time to an end.

Music Sector: Working in Europe

Lord Fowler Excerpts

Wednesday 3rd February 2021 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Barran (Con)]

To clarify for my noble friend, our work with the industry did not start on 20 January, and I am sorry if I was not clear on that point. The Secretary of State established a new round-table group which has met for the first time, but all our work in this area has been informed by feedback from the sector. In relation to my noble friend’s wider points, I will respond in writing if I may.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

My Lords, I am sorry, but the time allowed for this Question has elapsed.

EU: Musicians

Lord Fowler Excerpts

Thursday 28th January 2021 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Barran (Con)]

Those export earnings are extremely important but, as the noble Lord understands very well, the ecosystem of the music sector is very broad. There will be larger groups that will be less impacted directly by some of these changes, but our creative and cultural sector is made up of a multiplicity of talented smaller groups of musicians who we absolutely see as critical and want to support.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

My Lords, the time allowed for this Question has elapsed.

Television Licence Evasion

Lord Fowler Excerpts

Tuesday 26th January 2021 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Barran (Con)]

The noble Viscount is right —my notes say 30 June rather than 20 June, but we will not argue about that. In relation to his second point, that is absolutely correct; about 0.6% of those non-payers were prosecuted, which is the lowest in Europe.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

I call the noble and learned Lord, Lord Morris of Aberavon. Lord Morris? No, he is not here. I call the noble Lord, Lord Foster of Bath.

[Lord Foster of Bath (LD) [V]]

My Lords, over the last few months the Rupert Murdoch-owned radio station talkRADIO has been using its broadcasting licence to wage war against the BBC licence fee and its collection. Last week saw a particularly egregious example, which was blatant and inaccurate propaganda, designed to pursue commercial self-interest. Does the Minister agree that if it is to maintain its reputation as the guardian of impartiality and accuracy in broadcasting, Ofcom should investigate and act?

[Baroness Barran (Con)]

The noble Lord is right that it is absolutely Ofcom’s responsibility to address issues such as the one he has just raised.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

My Lords, the time allowed for this Question has elapsed. We now come to the fourth Oral Question.

Grassroots Sporting Fixtures and Facilities

Lord Fowler Excerpts

Monday 11th January 2021 Lords Chamber

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

My Lords, the time allowed for this Question has elapsed. We now come to the fourth Oral Question.

Covid-19: Arts Sector

Lord Fowler Excerpts

Tuesday 15th December 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Barran (Con)]

The Government have not been wasting their time. We have announced the largest support package for the cultural sector of £1.5 billion, which we think will sustain the cultural ecosystem, allow venues to reopen and protect jobs. However, as I said to the noble Viscount, Lord Colville, we are working closely to understand where there are barriers to freelancers accessing support.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

We are making slow progress on this Question. I call the noble Baroness, Lady Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury.

[Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury (LD) [V]]

My Lords, the allocation last week of more from the culture recovery fund was received with relief by many venues, but performing arts production is not a tap that you can just turn on and off. The news yesterday that London is going into tier 3, as mentioned by the noble Lord, Lord Flight, has caused great anxiety. Can the Minister confirm that cultural venues will be eligible to receive tier 3 local restrictions support grant compensation?

--- Later in debate ---

[Baroness Barran (Con)]

The Government recognise the tremendous efforts that many venues have gone to and we have a venues steering group, which is working through a number of these issues. We are looking at options around insurance and indemnity and are very happy to have conversations with the Treasury about this, but we need evidence that that is the only barrier to reopening.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

My Lords, the time allowed for this Question has elapsed. We now come to the second Oral Question.

Streaming Platforms: Age Ratings

Lord Fowler Excerpts

Tuesday 8th December 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Barran (Con)]

I am very happy to take those suggestions back to the department.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

My Lords, the time allowed for this question has elapsed. We now come to the fourth Oral Question.

Covid-19: Football League

Lord Fowler Excerpts

Tuesday 10th November 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Barran (Con)]

With regard to the timing of the review, this is a manifesto commitment and we are keen to get started with it as soon as time allows, but all noble Lords will understand the pressure that our officials and Ministers are under at the moment. The scope of the fan-led review has not been determined, and anticipating the answers before we have set this might be premature.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

My Lords, the time allowed for this Question has elapsed, and this brings Question Time to an end.

Covid-19: Support for Entertainment and Music Industry Freelancers

Lord Fowler Excerpts

Monday 9th November 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Barran (Con)]

As the noble Baroness knows, the aim of the Culture Recovery Fund is to sustain the ecosystem of the cultural sector. Obviously, choices need to be made within that. I dare to suggest that, had we prioritised new projects over existing ones, there might have been criticism about the ones that lost out. We have worked very hard to ensure that this money has a great geographical and sectoral reach and that it stimulates employment, particularly for our important freelancers.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

My Lords, the time allowed for this Question has elapsed, and it brings Question Time to an end.