Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support regional and local media.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Supporting and sustaining local and regional media across the country is a particular concern for this Government, including in Tewkesbury and more broadly across Gloucestershire. The Government understands the important work that local and regional media do, including outlets such as Gloucestershire Live and the Cotswold Journal. We are developing a Local Media Strategy, in recognition of the importance of this vital sector. Our vision is a thriving local media that can continue to play an invaluable role as a key channel of trustworthy information at local level, reporting on the issues that matter to communities, reflecting their contributions and perspectives, and helping to foster a self-confident nation in which everyone feels that their contribution is part of an inclusive national story. The overarching goal of the Strategy is to empower communities through a thriving local media which reflects the issues that matter to them, helping to drive community wellbeing and local growth.
We are working across Government and with other stakeholders as the Strategy develops. DCMS ministers held a roundtable discussion with local news editors last year to discuss the planned approach and collaboration with industry on the Strategy. An industry working group has been meeting regularly since June to consider the issues in more detail. More will be announced on the Strategy in the coming months.
Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat - Tewkesbury)
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 the BBC Board on ensuring that it continues to report on local and regional stories of interest.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Secretary of State meets regularly with the Chair to discuss a wide range of issues.
The Government is currently undertaking a review of the BBC’s Royal Charter. The Green Paper sets out our ambition for the BBC to tell a unifying national story that represents all communities across the UK, and to ensure the BBC provides locally relevant services as it supports the delivery of high quality local journalism.
Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of fragmented media systems on democracy.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
It is essential that the public has access to a wide range of views from a variety of accurate and trusted sources to support democratic participation. DCMS is committed to supporting the future sustainability of the media sector and is working across Government to help ensure a coordinated and coherent approach to upholding democracy.
Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat - Tewkesbury)
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 help strengthen public confidence in safeguarding within the Church of England.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
All charities should be safe and trusted spaces for everyone; whether employees, volunteers or members of the public.
The Charity Commission for England and Wales recently issued a Regulatory Action Plan to the Archbishops' Council of the Church of England. This followed concerns that the charity's trustees were taking too long to implement reforms to safeguarding in the Church of England.
The Charity Commission has also recently issued Official Warnings to two Church of England diocesan boards of finance for failures in how safeguarding allegations were handled.
The Commission is monitoring the Church charities' compliance with the respective Action Plan and Official Warnings, and will take any steps it considers necessary and within its regulatory remit to hold trustees of Church charities to account.
Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat - Tewkesbury)
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 children’s educational content creators on online platforms.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is committed to supporting high-quality, culturally relevant, UK-made children’s content, and the considerable benefits it brings. The popularity of online services, including video-sharing platforms, means there is now more choice than ever for young audiences. The Government is engaging with creators, producers, broadcasters, and video-sharing platforms to see how they can work more closely together to surface UK-made, high-quality content. We want to ensure children’s programming is easily accessible, and continues to inform, educate, and entertain young people into the future.
Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat - Tewkesbury)
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 ensure that online platforms offer children diversity of content.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is committed to supporting high-quality, culturally relevant, UK-made children’s content, and the considerable benefits it brings. The popularity of online services, including video-sharing platforms, means there is now more choice than ever for young audiences. The Government is engaging with creators, producers, broadcasters, and video-sharing platforms to see how they can work more closely together to surface UK-made, high-quality content. We want to ensure children’s programming is easily accessible, and continues to inform, educate, and entertain young people into the future.
Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to develop a UK major events strategy.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The UK is a world-class host for major events, and the government is investing in a decade-long pipeline to drive economic growth and community impact.
Support for sporting events is already established through the Gold Framework. Additionally, DCMS will launch a new Visitor Economy Growth Strategy next year to strengthen the business events industry and enhance the UK's global competitiveness.
The Department welcomes the CMS Select Committee Inquiry into major events and continues to engage with industry to address challenges and identify further opportunities for collaboration and growth.
Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps is she taking to incorporate culture and community in national strategic ambition.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Culture and community are integral to our national strategic ambition, serving as powerful catalysts for economic growth: the Creative Industry sector contributes 2.4 million jobs and £124 billion GVA to the economy, and social cohesion: evidence shows that cultural participation can make communities feel safer and stronger.
As a department, we are working across government to ensure that national strategies - such as the National Youth Strategy, the Industrial Strategy, Pride in Place and Arts Everywhere - recognise the value of culture in bringing together communities and driving social cohesion. In line with the Pride in Place strategy, we are committed to supporting those communities most in need, working with communities to invest in the spaces and structures that bring people together and restore a sense of pride in the places we live.
Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat - Tewkesbury)
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 impact of business events on economic growth.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Business events can generate economic growth, create jobs, and boost the visitor economy across the country. In 2024, business events contributed a reported £33.6 billion to the UK economy as a whole according to data from UK Events.
The average business traveller spends more than double that of a leisure tourist (£209 v £101) and, with 38% taking place outside of London, business events are an example of how events can support economic growth across the UK
The British Tourist Authority also supports organisations in attracting international business events across UK cities via the Business Events Growth Programme. In the 2024-25 financial year, the programme financially supported 36 international events across Britain and generated an additional £27.5 million in expenditure. These events were aligned with key Government priority sectors including healthcare and life sciences, engineering and manufacturing, technology, renewable energy and creative industries.
Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of financial support for parish choristers.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government supports the arts sector, including choirs and singing, through its arm’s-length body, Arts Council England (ACE). For the 2024/25 financial year, ACE has allocated £1.83 million in National Lottery Project Grants to projects classified under 'Choral,' which includes support for parish choirs.
Furthermore, while not exclusively for choirs, the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme offers financial assistance for essential maintenance or works to listed church buildings that may affect the music programme (e.g. repairing an organ). This scheme helps cover the costs and associated VAT for such works.
Additional funding opportunities are available from charities such as the Cathedral Music Trust, The Royal School of Church Music, and The Ouseley Church Music Trust.