Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to protect customers from the practice of telephone slamming.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Ofcom, as the independent telecommunications regulator, introduced rules in May 2005 to protect consumers against slamming. Its most recent rules, updated in June 2015, prohibits all telephone companies from engaging in dishonest, misleading or deceptive conduct, and oblige providers to ensure consumers fully understand and consent to a contract before it is agreed.
Ofcom’s most recent complaints data shows that slamming complaints have reduced significantly to an average of 140 complaints per month, compared with an average of over 700 in 2010. Ofcom can take action if companies repeatedly breach these rules and has the power to fine companies up to 10% of their annual turnover and to require them to remedy any issues that have arisen, including repaying affected customers who have lost money. In addition, safeguards have been built into the landline/broadband switching process on the Openreach network that are designed to protect consumers from being slammed. Consumers are required to receive a letter informing them that a switch is scheduled and that there is a 10-day switchover period, during which the order can be stopped if a customer has been inadvertently signed up.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will discuss with mobile telephone companies steps to reduce and standardise the time between a provider unlocking a phone and the owner of that phone being able to use it with another provider.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The Government wants to reduce the cost and hassle of switching mobile providers for consumers. We expect industry to start automatically unlocking customers’ handsets at the end of their contracts, and will consult this year on ending the practice of handset locking for customers outside their initial contract period.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what his policy is on the introduction of application fees for listed building consent.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
Ministers are considering a number of measures relating to local Heritage management as part of the Cultural White Paper, which will be published in due course.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many responses have been received to his Department's consultation on business rate relief for local newspapers; and if he will extend that relief to local magazine publishers.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
We are currently analysing the responses to the consultation with the Department forCommunities and Local Government.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to support the expansion of children's theatres across the UK.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The Government believes it is important for all young people to have access to the very best arts and culture, and will continue to support children's theatres through Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Organisations (NPOs)and Grants for theArts projects.
For example, 2012 – 2015 (year to date) NPO funding has provided over £74 million to organisations that provide support to children and young people’s theatre, while Grants for theArts has invested £4 million ofNationalLottery funds in theatre projects specifically for children and young people. TheGovernment'sTheatres Taxrelief, launched during the last Parliament,also supports new and touring theatre productions across the UK and includes children’s theatres.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress he has made on promoting greater access to the arts for young people from all backgrounds.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
TheGovernmentbelievesthatchildrenfromall backgrounds should haveaccessto the very best artsandculture in and out of school.
We supportthe Arts Council's recently launched CulturalEducation Challenge (details can be found at:http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/news/arts-council-news/arts-council-england-launches-cultural-education-c/)which ensures that all children and young people of all backgrounds have access to great arts and culture, and that every child can create, compose, and perform; visit, experience and participate in the arts.
The Government is also supporting music and cultural education programmes with an investment of £460 million between 2012 and 2016 and is working closely with Arts Council England to promote diversity across the country; Arts Council England has allocated £6m of strategic funds to a new diversity fund for 2015-18.