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Written Question
Business: Cybercrime
Tuesday 29th October 2019

Asked by: Graham P Jones (Labour - Hyndburn)

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 improve the protection of businesses from cyber attacks after the cyber attack on Pitney Bowes.

Answered by Matt Warman

The Government is aware of the cyber attack on Pitney Bowes and urges all organisations to ensure they have appropriate cyber security controls in place to protect themselves.

The Government’s National Cyber Security Strategy (2016-2021) is backed with £1.9 billion investment to transform the nation’s cyber security and make the UK the safest place to live and do business online. As part of the strategy we have opened the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), which provides guidance and support to help businesses be more resilient to cyber attacks. This includes the Small Business Guide and an online staff training module, plus the Board Toolkit and '10 Steps to Cyber Security' guidance for larger organisations, as well as a programme of business engagement activity. The NCSC is the lead Government organisation for managing cyber incidents and has led on 658 incidents in the last year, providing support to almost 900 victim organisations, handling almost 1,800 incidents since commencing operations.

In addition, the Government is currently undertaking a Review of Cyber Security Incentives and Regulations to help understand the effectiveness of Government support to date and what more can be done to ensure businesses of all sizes are effectively managing their cyber risks.


Written Question
Huawei: 5G
Monday 7th October 2019

Asked by: Graham P Jones (Labour - Hyndburn)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on shared intelligence from the US Government on Huawei's proposed role in developing the UK's 5G network.

Answered by Matt Warman

DCMS Ministers have regular discussions with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on a range of cyber security topics, including in relation to the UK’s telecommunications networks.

Widespread deployment of 5G and full fibre networks is a primary objective of Government policy. The Government published the Telecoms Supply Chain Review in July, which recommended the introduction of a new framework for telecoms security based on evidence and a hard-headed assessment of the risks. The Government has not yet made a final decision on individual high risk vendors and the additional controls that will be applied to them.


Written Question
Public Service Broadcasting
Tuesday 4th December 2018

Asked by: Graham P Jones (Labour - Hyndburn)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions has he had with Ofcom on ensuring that public service broadcasters retain a prominent position in electronic programming guides.

Answered by Margot James

The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has regular meetings with Ofcom as part of normal government business. The Government recognises the value and importance of high quality public service content and the need for this to be widely accessible to viewers. That is why under the Digital Economy Act 2017, the government required Ofcom to publish a report which looks at the ease of finding PSB content across all platforms. Ofcom’s consultation on proposed changes to the linear EPG Code and the future of the prominence regime closed in October and the government looks forward to the publication of its findings.


Written Question
Wembley Stadium
Monday 19th November 2018

Asked by: Graham P Jones (Labour - Hyndburn)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 November 2018 to Question 185569 on Wembley Stadium, if he will publish the minutes of the meeting between the Minister for Sport and Civil Society and the Chief Executive of the Football Association.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities

Details about such meetings, including discussion and schedules, are kept confidential - to allow full and frank discussions between Ministers and agencies.


Written Question
Wembley Stadium
Tuesday 6th November 2018

Asked by: Graham P Jones (Labour - Hyndburn)

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 and with whom on the proposed sale of Wembley Stadium since 13 September 2018.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

Since that date, the Minister for Sport and Civil Society spoke to Martin Glenn, the Chief Executive of the Football Association. The Government has been clear all along that any proposed sale of the stadium was a commercial matter between The FA and Mr Khan and we respect Mr Khan's decision to withdraw his bid. I am confident Wembley will continue to thrive with the FA as its custodians.


Written Question
Radio Frequencies
Thursday 19th July 2018

Asked by: Graham P Jones (Labour - Hyndburn)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of delays to the funding scheme for owners and operators of Programme Making and Special Events equipment as a result of the 700 MHz clearance; and when he plans to publish that scheme.

Answered by Margot James

The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport agreed that the 700 MHz Programme will compensate PMSE users and its design has taken account of responses through the consultations with stakeholders. It will put funding towards replacement of up to 20,000 pieces of PMSE equipment.

The release of the PMSE Compensation Scheme will be made by Ofcom before the end of summer 2018.


Written Question
Television: Local Broadcasting
Friday 16th March 2018

Asked by: Graham P Jones (Labour - Hyndburn)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much local content television channels established under the Local Digital Television Programme Services Order 2012 have broadcast since their inception.

Answered by Margot James

Since the launch of the first local television service in Grimsby in November 2013, a total of 34 local TV stations have launched across the UK. Ofcom collects information annually on the performance of local television services and has included analysis of the sector's performance in its annual Communication Market Report published since 2016. The Communications Market Reports for 2016 and 2017 are available from the Ofcom website.


Written Question
Television: Local Broadcasting
Friday 16th March 2018

Asked by: Graham P Jones (Labour - Hyndburn)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what information his Department holds on the annual operating (a) profits and (b) losses of local television stations established under the Local Digital Television Programme Services Order 2012.

Answered by Margot James

Since the launch of the first local television service in Grimsby in November 2013, a total of 34 local TV stations have launched across the UK. Ofcom collects information annually on the performance of local television services and has included analysis of the sector's performance in its annual Communication Market Report published since 2016. The Communications Market Reports for 2016 and 2017 are available from the Ofcom website.


Written Question
Public Libraries: Theft
Wednesday 14th March 2018

Asked by: Graham P Jones (Labour - Hyndburn)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will estimate the number of books that are stolen each year from local authority-run libraries and illegally sold.

Answered by Michael Ellis

The Department does not collect information about the number of books from local authority run libraries that are stolen and sold each year. Local library authorities are responsible for providing public library services including managing book stock available for library lending.


Written Question
Gaming Machines: Reviews
Thursday 29th June 2017

Asked by: Graham P Jones (Labour - Hyndburn)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when her Department plans to make an announcement on its review of fixed odds betting terminals.

Answered by Matt Hancock

A review of gaming machines and social responsibility measures was launched in October 2016, which included a look at the Fix Odds Betting terminals. Purdah interrupted the final stages of our consideration of the evidence received and the subsequent internal, cross government process of approval and sign off. I'm afraid, therefore, that we are back at the start of the process and that as a consequence of it taking at least 12 weeks I would not expect any further announcement until October at the earliest.