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Written Question
Dormant Assets Distribution Fund
Thursday 3rd September 2020

Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the current value is of un-allocated funds in the Dormant Assets Distribution Fund.

Answered by John Whittingdale

Reclaim Fund Ltd annually receives dormant assets and reserves the amount required to meet customer reclaims. The remainder is allocated to The National Lottery Community Fund for distribution. In an unprecedented move to respond to the Covid-19 crisis, all money available for distribution this financial year was allocated in May 2020 as part of the government’s announcement of £150m of dormant assets funding. This money is supporting charities, social enterprises, and vulnerable communities to respond to and recover from the pandemic. There are therefore no unallocated funds available for England at this time.


Written Question
Dormant Assets Distribution Fund
Thursday 3rd September 2020

Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the value of the dormant assets that are planned to be transferred to the Dormant Assets Distribution Fund from dormant bank accounts in (a) financial year 2020-21 and (b) the next four financial years.

Answered by John Whittingdale

The dormant assets scheme is managed by Reclaim Fund Ltd (RFL), who estimate that £68m of new assets will be received by them in 2020, followed by £83m in 2021 and £54m in 2022. Estimates are not made beyond this point, but RFL anticipates that ongoing levels will remain broadly similar in 2023. It should be noted that the dormant asset scheme is voluntary and so estimates can vary over time.


Written Question
Dormant Assets Distribution Fund
Wednesday 2nd September 2020

Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent estimate he has made of the value of dormant (a) stocks, (b) shares, (c) bonds and (d) insurance policies available for transfer to the Dormant Assets Distribution Fund.

Answered by John Whittingdale

Currently, the dormant assets scheme only accepts bank and building society accounts. A consultation on expanding the scheme to include a wider range of dormant financial assets, such as shares and insurance policies, closed in mid-July. The government response to this consultation will be published this Autumn. We are working with industry stakeholders to estimate the value of the assets in scope for inclusion as part of this.


Written Question
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Public Opinion
Friday 26th June 2020

Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much his Department spent on (a) opinion polling and (b) focus groups in each month since January 2019.

Answered by Caroline Dinenage

The information requested is not held centrally and therefore can only be provided at disproportionate costs.


Written Question
Members: Correspondence
Friday 22nd February 2019

Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when he plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Bradford South of 30 November 2018 requesting a meeting in relation to Channel 4 and Bradford.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

I congratulate the city of Leeds on being named as the location for Channel 4’s new National Headquarters. This will stimulate growth and creativity across the broader region, including Bradford, for years to come. The Department will respond formally to the letter from the Hon Member for Bradford South and other Members across the region shortly.


Written Question
Arts: Yorkshire and the Humber
Thursday 8th September 2016

Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what Government funding schemes are available to member trusts for restoration of cultural venues in Yorkshire.

Answered by Matt Hancock

Various grant schemes are available for the restoration of cultural venues in Yorkshire. The Heritage Lottery Fund have several schemes which can be used for restoring cultural venues, including their Heritage Grants, Sharing Heritage, and Townscape Heritage, amongst others. From the Arts Council, these include Grants For The Arts, Small Capital Grants, and Large Capital Grants. Historic England also give grants to properties on the Heritage at Risk Register, and these can be used for the restoration of cultural venues.


Written Question
Historic Buildings: Repairs and Maintenance
Tuesday 6th September 2016

Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what per head funding is allocated to restoring historic cultural buildings in each region and constituent part of the UK.

Answered by Matt Hancock

This data is not held centrally.


Written Question
Arts: Finance
Wednesday 13th July 2016

Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he plans to take to reduce disparities in spending on culture and the arts between London and cities in the North of England.

Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot

Arts and culture has a hugely positive impact on people's lives and we are committed to broadening access to the arts across the whole country.

Arts Council England are increasing the percentage of Lottery funding distributed outside London from 70 per cent to 75 per cent including over £30 million from their Ambition for Excellence fund that will be spent outside of the capital.

Our Culture White Paper - the first strategy for the sector in more than 50 years - sets out how we will increase access across the country and ensure arts and culture are open to all.