Asked by: Lord Freyberg (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many meetings about artificial intelligence and copyright issues took place between Ministers and officials from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and representatives of the Tony Blair Institute between July 2024 and March 2025; and what the dates and outcomes were of those meetings.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
No meetings took place between Ministers and officials from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and representatives of the Tony Blair Institute between July 2024 and March 2025.
Asked by: Lord Freyberg (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential economic benefits of establishing a dedicated Cultural Heritage Zone in Stoke-on-Trent, similar to models employed in Jingdezhen, China, that might integrate pottery production with cultural tourism and educational opportunities.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government recognises Stoke-on-Trent’s rich ceramics heritage and its potential for economic growth. While no formal assessment has been made of the potential economic benefits of a dedicated Cultural Heritage Zone, we are continuing to support the city’s creative and heritage sectors through a range of initiatives. Our support includes £370,000 to boost creative industry skills in Stoke-on-Trent College, alongside the Small Community and Heritage Assets Grants Programme which has supported creative businesses in the region.
Asked by: Lord Freyberg (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what interdepartmental collaboration exists between the Department for Business and Trade and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to develop a comprehensive strategy for the sustainable growth of Stoke-on-Trent's pottery industry as both a manufacturing sector and a cultural asset.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government recognises Stoke-on-Trent’s rich ceramics heritage and its potential for economic growth. While no formal assessment has been made of the potential economic benefits of a dedicated Cultural Heritage Zone, we are continuing to support the city’s creative and heritage sectors through a range of initiatives. Our support includes £370,000 to boost creative industry skills in Stoke-on-Trent College, alongside the Small Community and Heritage Assets Grants Programme which has supported creative businesses in the region.
Asked by: Lord Freyberg (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is taking to support the creative arts sector in its discussions with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on artificial intelligence and copyright.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government recognises the importance of the UK’s copyright regime to the economic success of the creative industries, one of eight growth-driving sectors as identified in our Industrial Strategy. We are committed to supporting rights holders by ensuring they retain control over and receive fair payment for their work, especially as technology advances to include AI.
This is an area where the Department for Culture, Media and Sport works closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and the Intellectual Property Office (IPO). We are actively working with stakeholders to ensure copyright protections remain robust and fit for purpose.
As part of this commitment, we have launched a public consultation on Copyright and AI, which opened on the 17 December and closed on the 25 February. This consultation sought to engage stakeholders across AI and the creative industries to assess and address the evolving challenges of copyright regulation.
We will now consider the full range of responses we have received through our consultation on any new approach. No decisions will be taken until we are absolutely confident we have a practical plan that delivers each of our objectives. We will continue to develop our policy approach with DSIT and the IPO in partnership with creative industries, media and AI stakeholders - supporting our brilliant artists and the creative industries to work together with the AI sector to harness the opportunities this technology provides.
Asked by: Lord Freyberg (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to (1) reduce the costs of sponsoring foreign skilled makers, and (2) establish a centralised database to facilitate workshop exchanges and streamline short-term travel abroad for UK apprentices and craftspeople.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government is committed to supporting our heritage, culture and creative industries to thrive for years to come.
We recognise the value of cross-border exchanges for craftspeople, particularly in Europe. The UK has a number of visa routes suitable for people coming to work in skilled trades, or to do training or work experience. More broadly, the Government will work to improve the UK’s trade and investment relationship with the EU by tearing down unnecessary barriers to trade.
The Government recognises there are skills gaps and shortages in creative sectors and is working with industry to identify current and future skills needs. Across the economy, the people that create and work in businesses will be central to successful growth, and the Government has already taken some steps to support this, including establishing Skills England. We have heard calls from businesses for greater flexibility in our apprenticeships system, and greater flexibility in how employers spend levy funds. And we are acting. That’s why our reformed growth and skills levy will deliver greater flexibility for learners and employers.
Asked by: Lord Freyberg (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they are taking to facilitate cross-border exchange of craftspeople, particularly between the UK and countries such as France and Germany, where journeying is a key element of their craft education systems.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government is committed to supporting our heritage, culture and creative industries to thrive for years to come.
We recognise the value of cross-border exchanges for craftspeople, particularly in Europe. The UK has a number of visa routes suitable for people coming to work in skilled trades, or to do training or work experience. More broadly, the Government will work to improve the UK’s trade and investment relationship with the EU by tearing down unnecessary barriers to trade.
The Government recognises there are skills gaps and shortages in creative sectors and is working with industry to identify current and future skills needs. Across the economy, the people that create and work in businesses will be central to successful growth, and the Government has already taken some steps to support this, including establishing Skills England. We have heard calls from businesses for greater flexibility in our apprenticeships system, and greater flexibility in how employers spend levy funds. And we are acting. That’s why our reformed growth and skills levy will deliver greater flexibility for learners and employers.
Asked by: Lord Freyberg (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have for funding mechanisms to support training and development in the UK's heritage craft sector.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government is committed to supporting our heritage, culture and creative industries to thrive for years to come, celebrating our nation's wealth of talent and driving economic growth into communities across the country. We want the craft sector and British arts and culture as a whole to thrive.
As a new administration, we are currently exploring a wide range of policy options to support skills development. We are working closely with the Department for Education and engage with the heritage and skills sectors regularly in order to understand and address skills gaps. The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports traditional craft skills and training in a variety of ways, including funding projects that train people in traditional crafts and skills. They also run a Heritage Crafts programme which offers bursaries to help people train in heritage crafts or develop their skills.
Asked by: Lord Freyberg (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to commission research into the value of mobile libraries to ensure changing usage patterns keep up with the rise of digital resources.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
Arts Council England collects data from local authorities and publishes a basic dataset of information on public libraries in England. The dataset for 2022 shows the number of libraries in England (both statutory and non-statutory) from April 2010 to 31 December 2022, and includes information on the number of mobile vehicles operating. It can be found here.
The Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 requires all local authorities to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service, and each local authority is responsible for determining how best to meet the needs of its communities, including the appropriateness of mobile library provision. The funding and costs of providing mobile library provision is a matter for individual local authorities; therefore, no such data are held by DCMS.
The Government’s Libraries Improvement Fund is investing £20.5 million in over 90 library services to upgrade their buildings and technology to reflect the changing needs of users. This funding includes supporting the purchase of a new mobile library vehicle in North Yorkshire and also in Warwickshire to deliver the first sensory mobile public library in the UK.
We will be publishing a refreshed Government strategy for public libraries later this year, informed by the independent review of English public libraries conducted by Baroness Sanderson of Welton. The forthcoming strategy will set out our plans to ensure that people across the country can benefit from excellent library services, and HM Government will explore opportunities to increase library use and engagement in line with Baroness Sanderson’s independent review recommendations.
Asked by: Lord Freyberg (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what funding and support is currently given to mobile libraries that service remote or under-served communities.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
Arts Council England collects data from local authorities and publishes a basic dataset of information on public libraries in England. The dataset for 2022 shows the number of libraries in England (both statutory and non-statutory) from April 2010 to 31 December 2022, and includes information on the number of mobile vehicles operating. It can be found here.
The Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 requires all local authorities to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service, and each local authority is responsible for determining how best to meet the needs of its communities, including the appropriateness of mobile library provision. The funding and costs of providing mobile library provision is a matter for individual local authorities; therefore, no such data are held by DCMS.
The Government’s Libraries Improvement Fund is investing £20.5 million in over 90 library services to upgrade their buildings and technology to reflect the changing needs of users. This funding includes supporting the purchase of a new mobile library vehicle in North Yorkshire and also in Warwickshire to deliver the first sensory mobile public library in the UK.
We will be publishing a refreshed Government strategy for public libraries later this year, informed by the independent review of English public libraries conducted by Baroness Sanderson of Welton. The forthcoming strategy will set out our plans to ensure that people across the country can benefit from excellent library services, and HM Government will explore opportunities to increase library use and engagement in line with Baroness Sanderson’s independent review recommendations.
Asked by: Lord Freyberg (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the (1) total, and (2) regional, cost of providing mobile libraries; how are those figures split between capital and running costs; and what are the comparable figures for each year since 2009.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
Arts Council England collects data from local authorities and publishes a basic dataset of information on public libraries in England. The dataset for 2022 shows the number of libraries in England (both statutory and non-statutory) from April 2010 to 31 December 2022, and includes information on the number of mobile vehicles operating. It can be found here.
The Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 requires all local authorities to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service, and each local authority is responsible for determining how best to meet the needs of its communities, including the appropriateness of mobile library provision. The funding and costs of providing mobile library provision is a matter for individual local authorities; therefore, no such data are held by DCMS.
The Government’s Libraries Improvement Fund is investing £20.5 million in over 90 library services to upgrade their buildings and technology to reflect the changing needs of users. This funding includes supporting the purchase of a new mobile library vehicle in North Yorkshire and also in Warwickshire to deliver the first sensory mobile public library in the UK.
We will be publishing a refreshed Government strategy for public libraries later this year, informed by the independent review of English public libraries conducted by Baroness Sanderson of Welton. The forthcoming strategy will set out our plans to ensure that people across the country can benefit from excellent library services, and HM Government will explore opportunities to increase library use and engagement in line with Baroness Sanderson’s independent review recommendations.