Oral Answers to Questions

Alex McIntyre Excerpts

Thursday 12th November 2026 Commons Chamber

[Lisa Nandy]

My right hon. Friend the Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Online Safety and I strongly believe that all children in this country deserve the right to live a richer, larger life through access to art, music, sports and culture. Over the last couple of decades, we have shamefully seen those opportunities stripped out of both our classrooms and our communities. I am working with the Education Secretary on reforms to the curriculum that will put art, sport, music, dance and drama back at the heart of the curriculum, where they belong. We are complementing that with a programme of work in our communities, including building music studios in libraries and other initiatives, and I would be delighted to work with the hon. Lady on that agenda.

[Alex McIntyre (Gloucester) (Lab)]

T1. If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.

[The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)]

May I start by wishing the men’s wheelchair rugby league world cup team the best in the final, which is being held tomorrow? I am sure the whole House wishes them all the best, and I hope they have considerably more success than your team often do, Mr Speaker.

On a much more serious note, I want to acknowledge the conviction of Russell Brand for rape and sexual assault. I pay tribute to the extraordinary women who bravely spoke out and to the persistent journalists who worked day in, day out to expose this abuse. This week we have seen other serious allegations being made. They are the latest in a long line of reported abuses of power in an industry where we have known for so long that power imbalances are huge, and that reputation and contacts are the foundations on which careers are built.

Next week, I will be meeting representatives from across media, entertainment and sport to discuss the action that we need to take, but I want to be clear with the House that if those protections are insufficient, the Government will not hesitate to take further action. For too long, too many people have had to choose between their career and their safety. People must be safe in their jobs, whistleblowers must be protected and those who abuse their position must no longer be able to hide.

[Alex McIntyre]

I was delighted by the recent Government announcement that more than £250,000 from the Heritage at Risk capital fund is being invested in the Fleece hotel in Gloucester. The hotel first opened in 1497, but it has sadly been closed to the public since 2002. Will the Secretary of State meet me to discuss how we can secure the remaining funding that is needed to get that historic site in Gloucester city centre open again?

[Lisa Nandy]

I thank my hon. Friend for his sterling campaigning work to protect such an important heritage asset. We were really pleased that the Fleece hotel could benefit from the Department’s investment through the Heritage at Risk capital fund. Other funding opportunities are available through Historic England, as well as through the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and I would be delighted to arrange for officials to work with my hon. Friend to see how we can best secure the future of that important site.