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Written Question
Television: Sports
Thursday 26th October 2023

Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of ensuring the digital terrestrial broadcast of international sporting events; and if she will make it her policy to continue digital terrestrial television beyond 2034.

Answered by John Whittingdale

The Government remains committed to the future of digital terrestrial television (DTT), the technology which underpins Freeview. Millions of households across the UK, including in Scotland, rely on DTT. This is particularly true of rural communities and older people.

We also recognise the crucial role that DTT services play in the wider UK broadcasting system, in particular in helping ensure that public service content continues to be widely available and free-to-air to all audiences.

For these reasons, the Government has already legislated to secure the continuity of DTT until at least 2034.

As the sector evolves, it is right that we continue to evaluate the future distribution of television services. To that end, and as set out in the Broadcasting White Paper, the Government has asked Ofcom to continue to track changes in DTT viewing and to undertake an early review on market changes that may affect the future of content distribution before the end of 2025.

We have also recently launched a major research and engagement programme looking at how UK audiences will get their TV in the decades to come, including DTT, satellite, cable, and online.

Before any decisions about the future of terrestrial television are made, close consideration will be given to how any changes would impact audiences, and especially those who rely on DTT as their primary means of watching television.


Written Question
Radio and Television
Monday 23rd October 2023

Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the social value to (a) the elderly, (b) rural communities and (c) vulnerable people of free to air broadcast (i) TV and (ii) radio services.

Answered by John Whittingdale

The Government remains committed to the future of free to air TV and radio services. Millions of households across the UK rely on these services, particularly vulnerable people, the elderly and rural communities. We also recognise the crucial role that free-to-air television and radio services play in the wider UK broadcasting system, in particular in helping ensure that public service content continues to be widely available and free-to-air to all audiences.

More detailed data on the usage of free-to-air radio and TV is available from a variety of sources. For example, Ofcom produces its Media Nations report which reviews key trends in the media sector and sets out how audiences are served across the UK. The most recent report was published in August 2023 and can be found here. Ofcom also publishes the results of a number of annual surveys addressing these issues, as well as an interactive data set in the form of its annual Communications Market Report. Many of these publications include relevant analysis broken down by age group and/or geographic area.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport also commissions and publishes its own research on a range of topics, including in relation to radio and TV. For example, the Digital Radio and Audio Review (published October 2021) looked at the landscape for radio over the coming years, and noted that traditional radio, including FM services, was valued by many listeners – particularly those who were older or vulnerable.

We have also recently launched a major research and engagement programme looking at how UK audiences will get their TV in the decades to come, including digital terrestrial television (DTT), satellite, cable, and online.

Before any decisions about the future of terrestrial television are made, close consideration will be given to how any changes would impact audiences, and especially those who rely on DTT as their primary means of watching television.


Written Question
Television: Digital Broadcasting
Monday 23rd October 2023

Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an estimate of the potential impact on the cost of living of digital terrestrial television ending in 2034.

Answered by John Whittingdale

The Government remains committed to the future of digital terrestrial television (DTT), the technology which underpins Freeview. Millions of households across the UK, including in Scotland, rely on DTT. This is particularly true of rural communities and older people.

We also recognise the crucial role that DTT services play in the wider UK broadcasting system, in particular in helping ensure that public service content continues to be widely available and free-to-air to all audiences.

For these reasons, the Government has already legislated to secure the continuity of DTT until at least 2034.

As the sector evolves, it is right that we continue to evaluate the future distribution of television services. To that end, and as set out in the Broadcasting White Paper, the Government has asked Ofcom to continue to track changes in DTT viewing and to undertake an early review on market changes that may affect the future of content distribution before the end of 2025.

We have also recently launched a major research and engagement programme looking at how UK audiences will get their TV in the decades to come, including DTT, satellite, cable, and online.

Before any decisions about the future of terrestrial television are made, close consideration will be given to how any changes would impact audiences, and especially those who rely on DTT as their primary means of watching television.


Written Question
Digital Broadcasting: Scotland
Monday 16th October 2023

Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact on Scottish viewers of the expiry of digital terrestrial television licenses in 2034.

Answered by John Whittingdale

The Government remains committed to the future of digital terrestrial television (DTT), the technology which underpins Freeview. Millions of households across the UK, including in Scotland, rely on DTT. This is particularly true of rural communities and older people.

We also recognise the crucial role that DTT services play in the wider UK broadcasting system, in particular in helping ensure that public service content continues to be widely available and free-to-air to all audiences.

For these reasons, the Government has already legislated to secure the continuity of DTT until at least 2034.

As the sector evolves, it is right that we continue to evaluate the future distribution of television services. To that end, and as set out in the Broadcasting White Paper, the Government has asked Ofcom to continue to track changes in DTT viewing and to undertake an early review on market changes that may affect the future of content distribution before the end of 2025.

We have also recently launched a major research and engagement programme looking at how UK audiences will get their TV in the decades to come, including DTT, satellite, cable, and online.

Before any decisions about the future of terrestrial television are made, close consideration will be given to how any changes would impact audiences, and especially those who rely on DTT as their primary means of watching television.


Written Question
Sports: Coronavirus
Monday 7th June 2021

Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment he has made of the comparability factors to be applied to the summer phase of the UK Government’s Sport Recovery Package.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

For the summer phase of the Sport Survival Package, as with all government interventions, the Green Book guidance was applied. The Green Book is issued by HM Treasury, providing guidance on how to appraise policies, programmes and projects.The Treasury’s five case model is the means of developing proposals in a holistic way that optimises the social / public value produced by the use of public resources. Therefore, the Sport Survival Package has been assessed using a cost benefit analysis, ensuring value for money.


Written Question
Cricket: Children
Thursday 12th March 2020

Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many people under 18 years of age have participated in cricket since 2005.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

Data from the Active Lives Children and Young People Survey show that in the 2018-19 academic year 575,800 children and young people in England aged 5-16 participated in cricket at least once a week. This is an increase of 1.8% since the previous year (441,500 in 2017-18) when the survey was launched. Data on those aged 16+ is collected through the Active Lives Survey. Reports and data tables for both surveys can be found on Sport England’s website: https://www.sportengland.org/know-your-audience/data/active-lives.

Grassroots sport is a devolved matter, so data on cricket participation in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a matter for the devolved administrations of those nations.


Written Question
Sports: Young People
Thursday 12th March 2020

Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)

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 on participation rates by young people of media coverage of sporting events listed under Group A under the terms outlined in Part IV of the Broadcasting Act 1996; and if he will make statement.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

Britain is a sporting superpower; our shared victories in London and Rio demonstrated not only our sporting prowess but also the pride and passion for sport that is central to our national identity. That is why the Broadcasting Act 1996 ensures that events of special national significance such as the Olympics and Paralympics can be seen as widely as possible. While DCMS has not conducted a study into the impact of viewing the specific events listed in 'Group A' on children's activity levels, we know that they have the power to unite the nation, and to inspire us all to get active.

The Active Lives Children and Young People Survey shows that 3.3m (46.8%) of children and young people (aged 5-16) in England met the Chief Medical Officers’ guidance on physical activity in 2018-19. This is an increase of 279,000 since the previous year. However this means that over half do not do enough exercise to benefit their health. The School Sport and Activity Action Plan, published last July, set out government’s commitment to tackling this important issue, and ensuring that all children and young people have access to at least 60 minutes of high quality sport and PE every day.


Written Question
Rugby: Public Participation
Thursday 12th March 2020

Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with the (a) Scottish Rugby Union, (b) Irish Rugby Football Union, (c) Welsh Rugby Union and (d) Rugby Football Union on increasing participation rates in rugby union.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Secretary of State and I meet with sports national governing bodies on a regular basis to ensure they are supporting grassroots participation in line with the objectives of the government's Sporting Future strategy. Ministers continue to work with national governing bodies of sport to ensure that the Sporting Future strategy is implemented effectively, and that grassroots participation is supported.

Sport is a devolved matter and therefore support for grassroots sport and physical activity in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the respective Home Nations Sports Councils and devolved governments.

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is in regular contact with Sport England, which is the organisation directly responsible for investing in and supporting grassroots sport in England. Through Sport England, government is investing £12.6m in the RFU over 2017-21 for its work on participation and supporting talented young athletes. Since 2016, England has invested a further £12.61m in multi-sport projects where rugby union is identified as one of the sports benefitting.


Written Question
Sports Competitors: Visas
Thursday 12th March 2020

Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions officials in her Department have had with their counterparts in the Home Office on the effect of Tier 4 visa regulations on amateur sports.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

DCMS and Home Office officials are in regular contact on matters relating to visas for sport. The Home Office also routinely engages with sports governing bodies, organisations within the sport sector and other government departments on visa issues.

Home Office definitions of amateur and professional sports persons contained in the immigration rules were established following full consultation with all recognised sports governing bodies. The full definitions can be found in the document attached. The rules surrounding entering the UK on a Tier 4 (General) student visa can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/tier-4-general-visa.

Tier 4 visas have restrictions imposed regarding what work can be undertaken during the period agreed. For example, one of the conditions of holding a Tier 4 visa is that foreign students must not work in certain jobs, for example professional sportsperson or sports coach.


Written Question
Rugby: Listed Events
Thursday 12th March 2020

Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with Six Nations Rugby Limited and their representatives on their tournaments’ listing under the terms outlined in Part IV of the Broadcasting Act 1996.

Answered by John Whittingdale

I have had no such discussions with Six Nations Rugby Ltd or their representatives. The Government is clear that the existing list works well, and strikes the right balance between retaining free-to-air sports events for the public, and allowing rights holders to negotiate agreements in the best interests of their sport. The Government has no current plans of undertaking a review of the list, or of moving the Six Nations from the category B list to the category A list. As a Group B event, live coverage of the Six Nations Rugby tournament may be broadcast by a subscription television service provided that secondary coverage is offered to the eligible free-to-air broadcasters.