Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Answer of 23 October 2023 to Question 203179 on People's Postcode Lottery, if she will publish a consultation on removing the charity lottery annual sales limits.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
As set out in the response to WPQ 203179, the annual sales limits for society lotteries were reviewed 12 months after the reforms were implemented in 2020. The review concluded it was too soon to reach any firm view on the impact of the reforms, and that more data on the growth of the sector was needed before considering any further changes. I therefore have no current plans for a consultation.
My officials and I will continue working with the Gambling Commission, as part of its regulatory role, to keep the sector under review.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information her Department holds on the number charities that are funded through the charity lotteries managed by People’s Postcode Lottery that reached their annual sales limit in the last 12 months; and if her Department will bring forward legislative proposals to raise those limits.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government recognises the importance of society lotteries as a fundraising tool for charities and other organisations. Society lotteries are a vital source of funds for these organisations, raising over £400 million a year.
In 2020, we legislated to raise the annual sales limit for large society lotteries from £10 million to £50 million. Each organisation with a society lottery licence is therefore able to sell up to £50 million of tickets per year. Most society lottery operators have sales well within this annual limit, meaning there is plenty of scope for them to continue to grow.
The People’s Postcode Lottery (PPL) has indicated that 4 trusts are at the £50m limit and 10 trusts are expected to reach it by 2025. We have shared advice with PPL on mechanisms under the current framework that could help alleviate the pressure on their higher selling trusts.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
What representations she has received on increasing fundraising limits for charity lotteries.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
I have received representations about society lottery limits from a range of stakeholders, including society lottery operators, charities and national lottery stakeholders.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to covid-19 lockdown restrictions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of including mobile network outlets, which provide guidance to many customers unfamiliar with technology, on the list of essential retail outlets.
Answered by Matt Warman
The Government recognises the ongoing importance of telecommunications at this critical time.
Whilst the industry has continued to offer consumers support online and over the phone, we also appreciate the role that mobile phone retail outlets play in ensuring that everyone in society remains connected. Tougher national restrictions are necessary to help get the virus under control and to protect the NHS. The current set of restrictions strike the right balance between containing the virus and protecting society whilst allowing limited parts of essential retail to remain open. We are keeping this under constant review. The Government will continue to work closely with the sector to ensure consumers and businesses continue to receive the support they need.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make (a) instrumental musical tuition and (b) choir practices exempt from the limit of six persons meeting together during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
As of 14 September non-professional performing arts activity, including choirs, orchestras or drama groups can continue to rehearse or perform together where this is planned activity in line with the performing arts guidance and if they can do so in a way that ensures that there is no interaction between groups of more than six at any time. If an amateur group is not able to ensure that no mingling takes place between these sub-groups of no more than six (including when arriving at or leaving activity or in any breaks or socialising) then such non-professional activity should not take place.
We will continue to work with the Performing Arts sector to understand how the new regulations affect those engaging in activity. We have always been clear that the easing of restrictions depends on the prevalence of COVID-19.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether (a) outdoor Remembrance Sunday and (b) other outdoor remembrance services will be exempt from the rule of six covid-19 regulations; and if he will make statement.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
DCMS is only responsible for organising and delivering the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph on Whitehall on 8 November.
We have taken advice from Public Health England on the appropriate controls and mitigations to ensure safe social distancing and we will continually review the situation seeking advice from health experts and making necessary changes where and when required.
Those organising local Remembrance Sunday events across the UK should follow the guidance on outdoor events prepared and issued by the Events Industry Forum, with input from DCMS and in consultation with Public Health England and the Health and Safety Executive. This guidance can be found here. The Local Government Association has also issued guidance for local authorities about outdoor events here.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he make an assessment of the potential merits of including (a) water parks operating on lakes over a designated acreage, (b) water-skiing and (c) other water activities in the businesses that are permitted to open from 4 July 2020.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Sports and physical activity facilities play a crucial role in supporting adults and children to be active. The Government has made it clear that it will adopt a phased approach based on scientific and medical advice, and that the primary goal is to protect public health. The Government is in discussions with representatives from the sport and physical activity sector about the steps required to restart grassroots sport and will update the public when it is deemed safe to open up facilities such as water parks as soon as it is safe to do so.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will publish guidance on when (a) hotel and (b) resort spas will be permitted to re-open during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
My Department has been working closely with the sector, including UKHospitality, through the Visitor Economy Working Group to produce guidance on the reopening of the tourism sector. This will include guidance on hotels and other forms of accommodation. This guidance will be published shortly.
We will look at opening forms of holiday accommodation in Step 3 of the Government’s recovery strategy, currently planned for 4 July at the earliest. This will be subject to the further scientific advice and the latest risk assessment at the time.
We remain in regular contact with hotel stakeholders through the Visitor Economy Working Group and the Tourism Industry Emergency Response Group.
The Government is committed to reopening sports and physical activity facilities as soon as it is safe to do so. We are holding regular discussions with representatives from the leisure sector and national sports organisations to develop guidance that will support them to open their facilities in a timely and safe manner once lockdown measures are eased.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Digital Media and Sport, into which step of the Government's covid-19 recovery strategy does the re-opening of public libraries fall.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
Although physical library locations are closed, library services have continued to provide and deliver services to their users throughout the lockdown period. Digital services have been sustained, as well as other elements of library services, such as no- or low-contact home library services.
The restoration of public libraries in England will be considered through the Recreation and Leisure taskforce, primarily as part of Step 3 of the government roadmap. The current planning assumption is that general reopening of library buildings will be no earlier than 4 July.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
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 the potential effect on opportunities for swimming for (a) club members and (b) the general public of the Royal Parks' plans for the Serpentine Lido.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Secretary of State has made no such assessment. This is an operational matter for the Chief Executive of The Royal Parks, who I have asked to write to you directly regarding this matter. We will place a copy in the House Library.