Asked by: Colleen Fletcher (Labour - Coventry North East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what funding her Department allocated to projects to support grassroots sports facilities in Coventry in each of the last five years.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Over the last five years, DCMS has provided over £1.26m of funding to support grassroots sports facilities in Coventry, to improve access and increase participation.
Over £1.26m has been invested as part of the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme, via the Football Foundation, to seven clubs/organisations (The Futures Trust, Firefighters Jfc, CM Sports FC, Coventry Saracens Junior FC, Coventry Copsewood Junior FC, Coventrians RFC, Firefighters Jfc). This funding went towards a range of improvements - from a new full-sized third generation artificial grass pitch to new goalposts and changing rooms.
Spencer Park in Coventry has also received funding through the Park Tennis Court Renovation programme. £78,000 has been used to improve the public tennis courts there.
Asked by: Colleen Fletcher (Labour - Coventry North East)
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 trends in the levels of loneliness and social isolation in (a) Coventry North East constituency, (b) Coventry, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England; and what (i) financial and (ii) other steps her Department is taking to tackle loneliness and social isolation in those areas.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
DCMS collects data on levels of loneliness in England through its annual Community Life Survey (CLS), which suggests that prevalence of loneliness in 2021-22 remained similar to pre-COVID levels, with 6% of adults reporting that they are always or often lonely. Levels of loneliness in the West Midlands in 2021-22 were similar to levels in England (7% always or often lonely). Data is not available to estimate loneliness levels at a constituency level.
The government launched the Know Your Neighbourhood (KYN) Fund in March 2023, an up to £30 million package of funding designed to widen participation in volunteering and tackle loneliness in 27 disadvantaged areas across England. The KYN Fund will run until March 2025, with funding allocations taking place up until March 2024. A key focus of the programme is to generate and share learning on how people in disadvantaged areas can be supported to volunteer and improve their social connections, which will help to support sustained action beyond the lifetime of the Fund. Four areas in the West Midlands fall in scope of the KYN Fund: Wolverhampton, Sandwell, Stoke-on-Trent and Cannock Chase.
Furthermore, the government continues to take action to tackle loneliness across England through public communications to reduce the stigma about loneliness, building the evidence base on loneliness and supporting other government departments and external organisations to consider loneliness in their work.
Copies of the fourth annual report on the government's world-first tackling loneliness strategy are available in the Libraries of the House of Commons and Lords and online.
Asked by: Colleen Fletcher (Labour - Coventry North East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of trends in the levels of loneliness and social isolation in (a) Coventry North East constituency, (b) Coventry, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England in each of the last three years; and what (i) financial and (ii) other steps her Department is taking to tackle loneliness and social isolation in those areas.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
DCMS collects data on levels of loneliness in England through its annual Community Life Survey, which suggests that prevalence of loneliness has remained similar to pre-COVID levels, with 6% of adults reporting that they are always or often lonely. Secondary analysis of this data suggests that young adults (aged 16-34) are five times as likely to be lonely compared to people aged 65+ whilst people that experienced mental distress were four times as likely to be lonely than those who did not.
The Department does not routinely collect data on loneliness in local areas. However, DCMS works closely with experts such as the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to monitor other data sources and build our understanding. In 2021, ONS published the first estimates of loneliness at a local authority level, which suggests 11% of adults over 16 in Coventry feel lonely often or always. However, as the ONS report states, because of small sample sizes and large confidence intervals, local authorities should not be ranked against each other. Unfortunately we don’t have the data available to estimate loneliness levels at a regional or constituency level.
The Government continues to take action to tackle loneliness through public communications to reduce the stigma about loneliness, building the evidence base on loneliness and supporting other government departments and external organisations to consider loneliness in their work.
Copies of the first, second and third annual reports on the government's work on tackling loneliness are available in the Libraries of the House and online.
Asked by: Colleen Fletcher (Labour - Coventry North East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate she has made of the average cost to households in (a) Coventry North East constituency, (b) Coventry, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England for broadband connectivity in each of the last three years.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We do not hold broadband data on pricing at a regional or local-level. The prices consumers pay depends on a number of factors, including availability and choice of different providers, and how they take-up their services, for instance, whether they take-up additional services in bundled telecoms packages. Broadly, UK data shows that the telecoms market is competitive, with a range of services and deals being delivered to consumers at good value for money. Ofcom’s Pricing Trends Report based on 2020 data, which is its latest research on pricing, shows that average monthly spend on fixed services (broadband and landline combined) was £40.87 in 2020, £38.37 in 2019, and £39.92 in 2018.
The Government has worked with providers to deliver low-cost, social tariffs for those in receipt of Universal Credit and other means-tested benefits. BT, Virgin Media O2, Sky, and a number of others, now offer broadband social tariff to the average cost of broadband. Between them, these products are available in 99% of the UK. Ofcom has a statutory duty to report on the affordability of telecommunication services, and we are working closely with them to monitor the market.
Asked by: Colleen Fletcher (Labour - Coventry North East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what (a) financial and (b) other steps her Department is taking to help support grassroots sports initiatives in (a) Coventry North East constituency, (b) Coventry, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
All generations and communities should be able to enjoy the physical and mental health, wellbeing, social and other benefits of being active.
Since 2018, the department has invested £308,544 into a wide range of grassroots sport projects within the Coventry North East constituency through Sport England. This is part of the £2,468,509 invested in Coventry, and over £87 million invested in the West Midlands during the same period. In addition, the Football Foundation, a charity jointly-funded by Sport England, has granted over £2.3m to the West Midlands to develop football and multi-use grassroots sports facilities in 2021/22.
In 2020 alone, Sport England distributed over £340 million of Exchequer and Lottery funding to support the development of grassroots sport in England, in addition to £100 million through the National Leisure Recovery Fund.
As well as the above funding, the government is also making significant investments in the region as part of preparations for the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Birmingham; and will be investing £205m across the UK over the next three years to further develop quality local sports facilities for community use.
Asked by: Colleen Fletcher (Labour - Coventry North East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of public funding for tourism in (a) Coventry and (b) the West Midlands in each of the last three years.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
VisitBritain and VisitEngland are responsible for promoting the UK as a tourist destination, through a range of different initiatives and campaigns. In each of the last three years, VisitBritain has been receiving grant-in-aid totalling ca £19.9 million and VisitEngland ca £7.1 million from DCMS, as well as additional funds. For example, almost £2 million across 20/22 and 2022/23 to promote the Birmingham Commonwealth Games taking place in Summer 2022.
While the department does not hold information on individual local authorities' public funding for tourism, the government has continued to support the tourism sector in Coventry and the West Midlands throughout the past three years. In addition to the £45 million Discover England Fund England's Waterways project, Coventry City of Culture, and the Commonwealth Games, the government has provided over £37 billion of grants, loans and tax relief to the UK’s leisure, hospitality and tourism sectors since March 2020
Last September we published Nick de Bois' review of Destination Management Organisations in England, which looked specifically at how tourism is structured, organised and funded at a local level in England. We are now carefully considering the recommendations made by Nick de Bois and hope to publish a response in the coming weeks.
Asked by: Colleen Fletcher (Labour - Coventry North East)
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 ensure social media platforms take a proactive approach to tackling online harm.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Online Safety Bill will usher in a new age of accountability for tech companies and for the first time they will be accountable to an independent regulator to keep their users, particularly children, safe from online harms.
The new regulatory regime will give them clear legal responsibilities to understand the risk of harm to users and put in place proactive systems and processes to improve user safety. In scope companies must take action to prevent the proliferation of illegal content and activity online and ensure that children who use their services are not exposed to harmful or inappropriate content. The biggest tech companies must also take action on legal content that may harm adults. We expect companies to take steps now to improve safety, and not wait for the legislation.
We are also taking action to protect users now. For example, DCMS has published safety by design guidance and a ‘one-stop shop’ for companies on protecting children online.
Asked by: Colleen Fletcher (Labour - Coventry North East)
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 tackle digital exclusion in (a) Coventry North East constituency and (b) Coventry.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government’s 10 Tech Priorities include building a tech savvy nation where no-one is left behind by the digital revolution. For this reason, the government is working to ensure that everyone has digital access to further their training and improve employment prospects.
DCMS officials recently held a roundtable with local stakeholders in the West Midlands to share insights on how to support access into the digital sector locally. We recently published a report using the findings from the roundtable, which provides suggestions on how to further help level up the West Midlands digital ecosystem.
Using the reports findings, DCMS will continue to support the West Midlands Local Digital Skills Partnership that is working with partners to help tackle the region's digital inclusion challenges.
In addition, DCMS has supported initiatives such as the Digital Lifeline fund, which provided tablets, data and free digital support to over 5,000 people with learning disabilities who would otherwise find it difficult to get online. So far 394 devices and connectivity have been distributed to local delivery partners and centres in the West Midlands and 31 in the Coventry District. There are 29 Good Things Foundation Online centres across Coventry, providing support to those who are digitally excluded.
Furthermore, in September 2021, the Government body, the Inclusive Economy Partnership (IEP), partnered with industry leaders to launch the Digital Inclusion Impact Group to tackle digital exclusion. One of the pilot programmes is Dell Donate to Educate, which will support children across England with the right access to technology at school and at home.
Asked by: Colleen Fletcher (Labour - Coventry North East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of trends in the levels of loneliness and social isolation in (a) Coventry North East constituency, (b) Coventry, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England; and what (i) financial and (ii) other steps her Department is taking to tackle loneliness and social isolation in those areas.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
DCMS collects data on levels of loneliness in England through its annual Community Life Survey. In addition, the Department commissioned a Community Life Survey Re-Contact Survey last year, to provide data on the period April 2020 to March 2021. These sources suggest that prevalence of loneliness has remained similar to pre-COVID levels, with 6% of adults reporting that they are always or often lonely.
The Department does not collect robust data on loneliness in local areas. However, DCMS works closely with experts such as the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to monitor other data sources and build our understanding. ONS recently published the first estimates of loneliness at a local authority level. As the ONS report states, because of small sample sizes and large confidence intervals, local authorities should not be ranked against each other.
The Department continues to take action to tackle loneliness through public communications to get people talking about loneliness, and supporting organisations across different sectors. This includes:
Awarding £260,000 to 9 organisations through the Loneliness Engagement Fund, to deliver communications and engagement activity that reaches groups at a higher risk of loneliness, including young people and people with disabilities.
Continuing to deliver and expand our Tackling Loneliness Hub, which provides a space for over 70 organisations across the public, private and voluntary sectors to share expertise and develop innovative ways to tackle loneliness on an online platform.
Sharing practical tips and signposting to support through our public communications activity. During Loneliness Awareness Week in June, we partnered with organisations including TikTok, BT and the Royal Mail to reach more people than ever.
Copies of the first and second reports on the government's work on tackling loneliness are available in the Libraries of the House and online. A third annual progress report will be published in February 2022.
Asked by: Colleen Fletcher (Labour - Coventry North East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent estimate his Department has made of the total net economic effect of overseas tourists visiting (a) Coventry, (b) the West Midlands and (c) England in each of the last five years; and what assessment he has made of the impact of the covid-19 outbreak on the contribution of overseas tourism to the economy in those areas.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
VisitBritain is responsible for collecting data regarding the volume and value of inbound visits to the regions and nations of Great Britain, including the West Midlands. In 2019, inbound visitors made 2.43m visits to the West Midlands, with a total expenditure of £1.05bn. In 2018, they made 2.2m visits to the region, spending £957.36m; in 2017, 2.33m, spending £896.78m; in 2016, 2.22m, spending £915.72m; and in 2015, 2.11m visits, spending £873.68m.
England as a whole received 36.11m inbound visits in 2019, with visitors spending £24.78bn. In 2018, it received 35.04m visits, with visitors spending £23.12bn. In 2017, 36.17m visits were made to England, spending £24.94bn. In 2016, 34.52m visits were made, spending £22.54bn, and in 2015, inbound visitors made 32.57m visits, spending £21.15bn.
Due to low sample sizes, it is not possible to provide an estimate of the economic impact of overseas visitors to Coventry.
VisitBritain data on the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the contribution of overseas tourism to the economy in the areas mentioned is not yet available, though VisitBritain will continue to collect and publish these data sets.
More widely, the government recognises the significant impact of COVID-19 on inbound tourism with, for example, inbound flight arrivals to the UK down around 90% on 2019 levels for much of 2020 and into 2021. The government has published a Tourism Recovery Plan which sets a framework to recover inbound visitor numbers and spend to 2019 levels by the end of 2023 – two years faster than independent forecasts predict. The Plan sets out government support for the tourism sector, including the allocation of at least £19 million to domestic and international marketing activity.