Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
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 with Cabinet colleagues to improve local government support for arts and culture.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Local authorities play a vital role in supporting the arts and cultural institutions, but they operate independently of central government. Ministers have no remit to intervene in the day to day affairs and decisions of local authorities, except where specific provision has been made in legislation.
The government is already taking action via the provisional 2025/26 Local Government Finance Settlement to begin addressing the significant challenges facing local government. Over £4 billion in additional funding for local government services was announced at the Autumn Budget 2024, including £1.3 billion which will go through the Settlement.
The government has also provided funding to local authorities to strengthen their arts, cultural, heritage, and visitor economy provision through programmes such as the Cultural Development Fund, the Museum and Estate Development Fund, and High Streets Heritage Action Zones.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
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 ensure access to high-quality local journalism.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Sustainability of high-quality local journalism is a priority for this Government.
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. This means 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.
We are working across Government and with other stakeholders as the Strategy develops and will announce further details in due course.