Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what regulation is in place for the sale of cinema tickets within the UK.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The sale of cinema tickets in the UK is subject to the general consumer law with associated rights and protections. These are outlined on gov.uk here.
Furthermore, cinemas are required, under the Licensing Act 2003, to have secured a premises licence in order to screen films to the public. These licences include conditions requiring cinemas to restrict the admission of children to films in accordance with the film classification given by the Licensing Authority. In most circumstances, these are provided by the British Board of Film Classification (as the designated authority under the Video Recordings Act 1984), however the local Licensing Authority is ultimately responsible for issuing permission for a film to be shown in their locality. You can find out more about the requirements for showing films in public on gov.uk here.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support the educational arts sector.
Answered by John Whittingdale
His Majesty’s Government is committed to ensuring that all children and young people have a broad and balanced curriculum, of which creative education is a key part. We have a wide range of music and arts education programmes designed to improve access to the arts for all children, regardless of their background or where they live, and to maximise potential and unlock opportunity across the country. The Department for Education will continue to invest around £115 million per annum in cultural education over the next three years, through its music, arts, and heritage programmes.
The recently published Creative Industries Sector Vision highlighted our Creative Careers Promise, which will build on our educational arts offering to young people. As part of this, and as committed to in the Schools White Paper, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Education are working together to develop a Cultural Education Plan. This plan aims to highlight the importance of high-quality cultural education in schools, promote the social value of cultural and creative education, outline and support career progression pathways, address skills gaps, and tackle disparities in opportunity and outcome. It will also connect relevant organisations delivering cultural learning opportunities and to support the cultural education workforce, including freelancers.
This week, the Government announced 22 independent experts who will sit on an advisory panel to support the development of the Cultural Education Plan. This panel, chaired by the crossbench peer Baroness Bull, comprises teachers, education leaders, and representatives from the performing arts, museums, heritage and youth sectors, and the creative industries.
As part of their work, Baroness Bull, members of the panel, and officials from both Departments are undertaking a series of around 50 listening exercises, working with organisations including the Confederation of School Trusts, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Youth Agency, Creative UK, the Royal Society of Arts, and Arts Council England’s Youth Advisory Board.
This is on top of existing Government initiatives to support the arts in education, including £25 million for musical instruments as committed to alongside the National Plan for Music Education, exploring opportunities for enrichment activities as part of the Government’s wraparound childcare provision, improving creative apprenticeships, and supporting the rollout of relevant T-Levels.
Additionally, we recognise the rich cultural learning experiences that children and young people in England access through the cultural sector, and we are pleased that 79% of organisations being funded through Arts Council England’s 2023–26 national portfolio are delivering activities directly to children and young people – a 20% increase from the last national portfolio.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 21 June 2023 to Question 189203, whether the Sport England data shows how many local authority swimming pools were open in the North West in June 2013.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government does not hold data on individual swimming clubs, but Sport England data shows that the number of operational swimming pools on sites owned by Local Authorities in the North West in June 2013 was 239.
We regularly engage with Local Authorities and the Local Government Association (LGA) on the provision of swimming pools, particularly in light of the £63 million support package for swimming pools announced at the Budget. This package will help provide investment in energy efficiency measures to reduce future operating costs and make facilities sustainable in the long-term.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with local authorities on the provision of swimming facilities.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government does not hold data on individual swimming clubs, but Sport England data shows that the number of operational swimming pools on sites owned by Local Authorities in the North West in June 2013 was 239.
We regularly engage with Local Authorities and the Local Government Association (LGA) on the provision of swimming pools, particularly in light of the £63 million support package for swimming pools announced at the Budget. This package will help provide investment in energy efficiency measures to reduce future operating costs and make facilities sustainable in the long-term.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an estimate of the number of swimming clubs in the North West that have had their home training pool closed down since December 2019.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
We recognise the importance of ensuring public access to swimming pools, as swimming is a great way for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy. The responsibility of providing this access lies at Local Authority level, and the Government continues to encourage Local Authorities to support swimming facilities.
At the Budget, we announced a dedicated £63 million support package for swimming pools, which is targeted at addressing cost pressures facing public swimming pool providers. It will also help provide investment in energy efficiency measures to reduce future operating costs and make facilities sustainable in the long-term. Sport England continues to support swimming, having invested over £12 million in swimming and diving projects since April 2019.
While the Government does not hold data on individual swimming clubs, data held by Sport England shows that in the North West, in June 2019, there were 228 Local Authority swimming pools, compared with 224 in June 2023.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many council-run swimming pools were open in the North West in (a) December 2019 and (b) June 2023.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
We recognise the importance of ensuring public access to swimming pools, as swimming is a great way for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy. The responsibility of providing this access lies at Local Authority level, and the Government continues to encourage Local Authorities to support swimming facilities.
At the Budget, we announced a dedicated £63 million support package for swimming pools, which is targeted at addressing cost pressures facing public swimming pool providers. It will also help provide investment in energy efficiency measures to reduce future operating costs and make facilities sustainable in the long-term. Sport England continues to support swimming, having invested over £12 million in swimming and diving projects since April 2019.
While the Government does not hold data on individual swimming clubs, data held by Sport England shows that in the North West, in June 2019, there were 228 Local Authority swimming pools, compared with 224 in June 2023.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many council-run swimming pools were open in June (a) 2013 and (b) 2023.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
We recognise the importance of ensuring public access to swimming pools, as swimming is a great way for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy. The responsibility of providing this access lies at Local Authority level, and the Government continues to encourage Local Authorities to support swimming facilities.
At the Budget, we announced a dedicated £63 million support package for swimming pools, which is targeted at addressing cost pressures facing public swimming pool providers. It will also help provide investment in energy efficiency measures to reduce future operating costs and make facilities sustainable in the long-term. Sport England continues to support swimming, having invested over £12 million in swimming and diving projects since April 2019.
While the Government does not hold data on individual swimming clubs, data held by Sport England shows that in the North West, in June 2019, there were 228 Local Authority swimming pools, compared with 224 in June 2023.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether oversight structures are in place to regulate the standard of running tracks (a) operated and (b) owned by local authorities in England.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Local Authorities are responsible for maintaining the facilities in their own area including running tracks. The Government's Arm’s Length Body for grassroots sport, Sport England, provides extensive guidance to support the maintenance of sports facilities, which can be found here.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps her Department has taken with media stakeholders to help ensure that the FIFA Women's World Cup will be show on television.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Last summer we witnessed a major success in women’s sport as our very own Lionesses beat Germany at Wembley to lift the UEFA European Championship trophy. The Women’s World Cup this summer will again shine a light on women’s football and we want to make the most of this opportunity.
The Secretary of State made clear the need for a solution to FIFA and a statement was also published in May signed by the Governments of the UK, Germany, Spain, France and Italy urging both parties to reach an agreement. I welcome the announcement made on 14 June that all 64 matches in this summer's women's World Cup will be broadcast live on the BBC and ITV so our nation can cheer on their heroes as they take on the world at the Women's World Cup this summer and continue to inspire future generations.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what her timetable of future meetings with the Chair of the Future of Women's Football Review is; and if she will publish regular updates on those meetings.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
This Government is a staunch supporter of women’s football and the Future of Women’s Football Review is the next step in driving forward momentum for women’s football in this country.
Officials from the Department form the secretariat of the Review alongside the FA. Officials are in near daily contact with the Chair of the Review, and speak at least twice weekly with the Chair to discuss progress and analyse evidence. To date officials have collaborated with the Chair on nine individual stakeholder evidence sessions, a roundtable with Women’s Super League Clubs, and a roundtable with Women’s Championship Clubs. Officials will work with the Chair on a further eight stakeholder roundtables covering the key themes of the review over the next two weeks.
Ministerial engagement will take place in tandem with planned stakeholder roundtables over the coming weeks. The results of the Review will be published in the Chair’s final report, which will be published in spring 2023.