Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Gambling Commission took in 2011 in response to the announcement of an inquiry into the Health Lottery.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
From 2011 onwards, the Gambling Commission has provided advice and worked with the Health Lottery to ensure it remains compliant with its statutory responsibilities. The ongoing assessment of the Health Lottery has been in line with the Commission’s usual approach.
More information about licensing, compliance and enforcement under the Gambling Act 2005 can be found on the Gambling Commission’s website here. Where the Commission takes regulatory action against an operator, it publishes the details on its website.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of reviewing the Health Lottery’s licence to operate.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The oversight of both operating and personal management licences for society lotteries, including assessing an applicant’s suitability to hold a licence, is a matter for the Gambling Commission.
More information about the Gambling Commission’s principles for licensing and regulation and licensing, compliance and enforcement under the Gambling Act 2005 can be found on the Commission’s website here and here.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will request that the Gambling Commission provide an overview of where (a) the Health Lottery and (b) other large scale lotteries have not fulfilled their social responsibility duties; and if she will take steps as a result of this overview.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The oversight of operating licences for large scale lotteries such as the Health Lottery, including compliance with social responsibility duties, is a matter for the Gambling Commission. Where the Commission takes regulatory action against an operator, it publishes the details on its website.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what data her Department holds on (a) the number of fines imposed and (b) how many standards investigations have been launched by IPSO since 2014.
Answered by Julia Lopez
Since the report of the Leveson Inquiry was published in 2012, we have seen a fundamental reform of the self-regulatory landscape for the press, including the establishment of two new regulators, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) and The Independent Monitor for the Press (IMPRESS). The majority of traditional publishers—including 95% of national newspapers by circulation—are members of IPSO. A small number of publishers have joined IMPRESS.
These regulators enforce codes of conduct which provide guidelines on a range of areas, including discrimination, accuracy, privacy, and harassment. If they find that a newspaper has broken the code of conduct, they can order corrections.
The Government is committed to independent self-regulation of the press, and does not intervene in or oversee the work of IPSO.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of current trends in the levels of press (a) intrusion and (b) harassment of grieving families in the UK.
Answered by Julia Lopez
The Government is committed to a free and independent press, and does not intervene in what the press can and cannot publish. We are clear, however, that with this freedom, comes responsibility, which media organisations must take seriously. It is important that there exists an independent self regulatory regime to ensure that the press adheres to a wide set of clear and appropriate standards, and to offer individuals a means of redress where these are not met.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps are being taken by her Department to help prevent price increases over and above CPI by telecoms companies.
Answered by Julia Lopez
Annual price increases are contained within the terms and conditions that consumers agree to when taking out their communications service. Ofcom General Condition (c1.3) requires operators to provide customers with a clear summary of their contract terms - including any elements relating to price rises - prior to final sale.
We continue to engage with the sector regarding affordability and pricing. Customers should check whether they are in their minimum contract period as they may be able to save money by negotiating with their existing provider or consider switching. Figures released by Ofcom in November 2021, show that 35% of consumers in 2020 were out of contract, and the average out of contract broadband customer could save more than £61 a year by switching providers.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will provide details on the fourth round of the Cultural Development Fund; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston
The fourth round of the Cultural Development Fund (CDF) is expected to launch in Spring 2024. As per the announcement in May 2022, CDF rounds 3 and 4 will see up to £49.4m of further capital investment in innovative cultural and creative projects outside London over the Spending Review period 2022/23 - 2024/25.
CDF round 3 was launched in May 2022. Building on the success of the previous two rounds, this third round of funding will level up through cultural investment, increase access to creativity and culture, and support the visitor and wider local economies in places all over England.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to enable UK creative artists to tour freely across the EU.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
We are committed to supporting the creative sector to adapt to new arrangements with the EU. Ministers attended the Touring Working Group in June to hear directly from the sector.
Nearly all Member States offer visa and work permit free routes for creatives. This includes Spain and Greece, who changed their position following extensive engagement from the government and industry.
The Government is also implementing ‘dual registration’ to support specialist concert hauliers, taking effect this summer.