Asked by: Julia Lopez (Conservative - Hornchurch and Upminster)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to alter the membership of the Expert Panel for her Department's BBC Funding Model Review.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is committed to the licence fee for the remainder of the current Charter period. The Government will keep an open mind about the future of the licence fee, and will engage with the BBC and other relevant stakeholders before deciding on next steps.
Asked by: Julia Lopez (Conservative - Hornchurch and Upminster)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on (a) legislation to govern artificial intelligence models and (b) the impact of that legislation on the creative industries.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Discussions between and within the two departments have been ongoing since the General Election, based on the Government’s belief in both human-centred creativity and the potential of technology to open up new creative frontiers. The whole government is committed to ensuring AI development supports, rather than undermines the power of human creativity, innovation and the provision of trustworthy information.
The Secretary of State also intends to meet with counterparts across government to discuss a range of issues to ensure the continued growth of our world-leading creative industries. This will include artificial intelligence models and their impact on the creative industries, which will require close collaboration between the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Intellectual Property Office.
Asked by: Julia Lopez (Conservative - Hornchurch and Upminster)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what underspends are projected in (a) her Department and (b) each of its arms length bodies in (i) this financial year and (ii) the Spending Review period.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
As of 24 May 2024, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is not forecasting to underspend on the budget as agreed at the Main Estimate.
As the Chancellor set out in her speech on Monday 29 July, this department has inherited a number of forecasted spending pressures. This is also the case for each of the department’s arm’s-length bodies.
We are currently in the final year of this Spending Review period with no budget set beyond March 2025. Future budgets will be dealt with as part of the upcoming Spending Review.
Asked by: Julia Lopez (Conservative - Hornchurch and Upminster)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the cost is of redeveloping Casement Park for Euro 2028.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Department for Communities in Northern Ireland is responsible for the redevelopment of Casement Park. We want the whole of the UK to benefit from hosting EURO 2028, which is why the Government is looking closely at the Casement Park redevelopment.
This Government has taken swift action, working at pace with all the partners involved to assess the options available.
We will update the House regarding redevelopment of the stadium for EURO 2028 as soon as we are in a position to.
Asked by: Julia Lopez (Conservative - Hornchurch and Upminster)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she expects her Department's BBC Funding Model Review is to conclude and publish its findings.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is committed to the licence fee for the remainder of the current Charter period. The Government will keep an open mind about the future of the licence fee, and will engage with the BBC and other relevant stakeholders before deciding on next steps.
Asked by: Julia Lopez (Conservative - Hornchurch and Upminster)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she will continue the BBC Funding Model Review.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is committed to the licence fee for the remainder of the current Charter period. The Government will keep an open mind about the future of the licence fee, and will engage with the BBC and other relevant stakeholders before deciding on next steps.
Asked by: Julia Lopez (Conservative - Hornchurch and Upminster)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has for new efficiency savings in (a) her Department and (b) each of its arms length bodies.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
As laid out in the Spending Review 21 Settlement, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport was required to manage a decreasing funding settlement over this period. This department’s funding was further reduced following the Machinery of Government change in February 2023. This reduction has therefore been incorporated into our yearly budget planning, ensuring greater levels of efficiency.
Our arm’s-length bodies have had to absorb below-inflation increases to their budgets through this Spending Review period, and so have been required to continuously generate further efficiencies.
Future efficiency plans will be incorporated into the next Spending Review, and this government is committed to ensuring that this department and its arm’s-length bodies are providing the greatest levels of efficiency and productivity.
Asked by: Julia Lopez (Conservative - Hornchurch and Upminster)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what amount of her 2024-25 departmental budget was underspent on 24 May 2024.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
As of 24 May 2024, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is not forecasting to underspend on the budget as agreed at the Main Estimate. As the Chancellor set out in her speech on Monday 29 July, this department, along with other government departments, has inherited a number of forecasted spending pressures.
Asked by: Julia Lopez (Conservative - Hornchurch and Upminster)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the National Institute for Health and Care Research has commissioned any research into the link between Bisphenol A (BPA) and breast cancer.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Cancer remains a priority for the Government, and we spend £1.5 billion on health and care research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) each year. Cancer is our biggest area of spend, and in 2022/23 the NIHR spent over £121.8 million on cancer research. This includes significant research on breast cancer risk, screening, and early detection and diagnosis.
While we have not funded research looking into a link between Bisphenol A and breast cancer, we welcome high quality research proposals into any aspect of health and care, including potential cancer risks.
Asked by: Julia Lopez (Conservative - Hornchurch and Upminster)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her Department's planned timetable is for the completion of feasibility works for (a) platform six at Upminster station and (b) the other 50 projects granted Access for All accessibility funding on 24 May 2024.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Following the previous government's announcement on 24th May 2024, we are carefully considering the best approach to the Access for All programme. Given the short time since the general election, I regret I am not yet able to comment on next steps regarding specific stations, including Upminster station. However, please be assured that we are committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognise the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.