Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the coastal tourism industry; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
We recognise the COVID-19 crisis has significantly impacted the coastal tourism industry. DCMS, DEFRA, MHCLG and VisitEngland remain in regular contact with tourism stakeholders and Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) in coastal regions to closely monitor the situation and to assess the economic effects.
The Chancellor has announced a host of measures to support businesses and individuals through the crisis, including those in the tourism sector. This includes the recently extended Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Bounce Back Loans scheme.
Through VisitEngland, we announced a £1.3 million scheme to provide financial support to DMOs at risk of closure due to COVID-19. The DMO Resilience Fund has supported a number of coastal DMOs around the country, as well as the National Coastal Tourism Academy, enabling them to continue their vital business support work.
From 4 July, people will be allowed to enjoy holidays at the coast in England. To help coastal tourism businesses prepare, we have published reopening guidance on Gov.uk for the visitor economy as well as hotels and other guest accommodation.
We set up the Cultural Renewal Taskforce to help our sectors’ businesses prepare to reopen when it is safe to do so. Within this taskforce, I meet regularly with stakeholders through the Visitor Economy Working Group. We will continue to engage with the industry to assess how we can most effectively support the coastal tourism’s recovery.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of covid-19 on the Cornish tourism industry; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
We recognise the COVID-19 crisis has significantly impacted tourism across the UK, including in Cornwall. Both DCMS and VisitEngland remain in regular contact with tourism stakeholders and Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) in the South West - including the South West Tourism Alliance and Visit Cornwall - to closely monitor the situation and to assess the economic effects.
The Chancellor has announced a host of measures to support businesses and individuals through the crisis, including those in the tourism sector. This includes the recently extended Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Bounce Back Loans scheme.
Through VisitEngland, we announced a £1.3 million scheme to provide financial support to DMOs at risk of closure due to COVID-19. The DMO Resilience Fund has supported a number of DMOs in the South West, including £22,400 support for VisitCornwall, enabling them to continue their vital business support work.
From 4 July, people will be allowed to enjoy holidays in England. To help tourism businesses prepare, we have published reopening guidance on Gov.uk for the visitor economy as well as hotels and other guest accommodation.
We set up the Cultural Renewal Taskforce to help our sectors’ businesses prepare to reopen when it is safe to do so. Within this taskforce, I meet regularly with stakeholders through the Visitor Economy Working Group. We will continue to engage with stakeholders to assess how we can most effectively support tourism’s recovery across the UK.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on tourism to London; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
We recognise the COVID-19 crisis has significantly impacted tourism across the UK, including in London. Both DCMS and VisitEngland remain in regular contact with tourism stakeholders and Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) to closely monitor the situation and to assess the economic effects in all regions of the UK. We also appreciate the importance of inbound tourism to London; we recognise that the current travel restrictions present difficulties for the sector.
In addition, the Government and the Mayor of London recently established the London Transition Board to discuss how the capital is responding to COVID-related challenges.
The Chancellor has announced a host of measures to support businesses and individuals through the crisis, including those in the tourism sector. This includes the recently extended Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Bounce Back Loans scheme.
Through VisitEngland, we announced a £1.3 million scheme to provide financial support to DMOs at risk of closure due to COVID-19. The DMO Resilience Fund has supported a number of DMOs in the South East, including Visit Greenwich, enabling them to continue their vital business support work.
From 4 July, people will be allowed to enjoy holidays in England. To help tourism businesses in the capital prepare, we have published reopening guidance on Gov.uk for the visitor economy as well as hotels and other guest accommodation. We will continue to engage with stakeholders to assess how we can most effectively support tourism’s recovery across the UK.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made on the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on orchestras; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
In order to support the sustainability of the Arts sector, including classical orchestras, DCMS has worked closely with Arts Council England (ACE) to provide a tailored package of financial support. In March, ACE announced a £160m emergency response package to complement the financial measures already announced by the Government and to ensure immediate resilience of this vital sector. In addition, ministers have continued to engage with leading members of the orchestral sector on specific guidance to enable orchestras to resume live performances as soon as possible, and how to safely resume activity within current regulations.
This package includes £140 million of support for artistic organisations including orchestras; and £20 million of financial support for individuals, including self-employed classical musicians, so they can better sustain themselves, and their work, in the coming months. More than 9000 individuals and organisations have been successful in applying for this emergency funding.
Furthermore, self-employed classical musicians are among the millions of people (including freelancers) who can now benefit from the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, which will provide those eligible with cash grants worth up to £2,500 per month. We expect that the Self-Employed Income Support scheme will cover 95% of people who receive the majority of their income from self-employment.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many (a) solar panels and (b) wind turbines his Department's buildings (a) have in 2020 and (b) had in each of the last five years.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The Department’s energy is supplied by HMRC, from whom DCMS leases office space. The department has no buildings of its own.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much energy his departmental buildings have used in (a) each of the last five years and (b) 2020 to date.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The Department’s energy is supplied by HMRC, from whom DCMS leases office space. DCMS has no buildings of its own. As such we have no direct contact or relationship with any energy suppliers.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on tourism in each of the English regions; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
We recognise the COVID-19 crisis has significantly impacted tourism across England. Both DCMS and VisitEngland remain in regular contact with tourism stakeholders and Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) around the country to closely monitor the situation and to assess the economic effects.
The Chancellor has announced a host of measures to support businesses and individuals through the crisis, including those in the tourism sector. This includes the recently extended Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Bounce Back Loans scheme.
Through VisitEngland, we announced a £1.3 million scheme to provide financial support to DMOs at risk of closure due to COVID-19. This allowed DMOs to continue their vital business support work, providing advice and guidance for tourism businesses across England.
My Department has established a Cultural Renewal Taskforce to help our sectors’ prepare to safely reopen. Within this taskforce, I chair a specific Visitor Economy Working Group which is developing guidance to help tourism businesses to safely reopen.
We will continue to engage with stakeholders to assess how we can most effectively support the tourism sector’s recovery from Covid-19. As soon as it is safe to do so, we will encourage people to book trips and support domestic tourism.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on bed and breakfast owners; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
We are aware that these are extremely difficult conditions for tourism businesses such as bed and breakfasts. My officials and I continue to hold detailed discussions with representatives of the holiday accommodation industry, including the Bed and Breakfast Association, to gather as much intelligence as possible on COVID-19’s economic impacts.
The UK Government has announced a comprehensive support package to protect businesses and workers, including B&B owners, against the current economic emergency. This includes the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. We have also introduced a Bounce Back Loan scheme to help small businesses access loans of up to £50,000, with a 100% government-backed guarantee for lenders.
To accommodate certain small businesses previously outside the scope of the business grant funds schemes, the Government has allocated additional funding to Local Authorities in England in the form of a discretionary grant fund of up to £617m. The guidance pertaining to this fund specifically refers to Bed and Breakfasts that pay council tax as being in scope.
We are committed to helping tourism businesses through this crisis – and we will actively encourage people to book holidays as soon as it is safe to do so.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will place in the Library a list of the workplace benefits that his Department provides to its staff with caring responsibilities.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
DCMS recognises the importance of providing a supportive workplace for employees who have caring responsibilities. Our aim is to enable individuals to undertake their caring responsibilities while at the same time feeling engaged and valued in the workplace.
DCMS has adopted the Civil Service wide Carers' Charter and has the following workplace policies to support carers.
Flexible working and job sharing - to support employees’ work-life balance particularly those with caring responsibilities.
Special leave - policy sets out the provision and entitlements to paid special leave and unpaid career breaks to support employees.
Parental Leave - Parental leave available to working parents to look after their child or to make arrangements for the child’s welfare.
Carer’s Passport- which is a Charity for Civil Servants initiative to help civil servants with specific caring responsibilities.
Internal Carer’s Network - support for carers in the department enabling them to meet other carers and to share issues and information.
Employee Assistance programme - access to advice and counselling.
Foster Carers’ & Family and Friends Carers’ Leave - policy to support employees who care for children under a fostering or family and friends care arrangement.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many statues of former slave owners have been removed by local authorities in each of the last five years.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
This information is not held by my Department.