Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Foster and Julia Lopez

Thursday 23rd May 2024 Commons Chamber

[Julia Lopez]

I certainly agree, and we have been putting forward that strategy, but it is a very dynamic market. We are now seeing challenges to local reporting from artificial intelligence, and we are considering how we can protect some of these publications, because we agree that they are such an important part of our local democracy. If any other Members want to bob on this question and name-check their local media, I shall be happy to pay fulsome tribute to their journalists.

[Kevin Foster (Torbay) (Con)]

The Minister must have guessed that a mention of the Torbay Weekly, which was launched four years ago under its editor Jim Parker, would be coming in this supplementary question.

On a more serious note, one of the worrying trends we have seen is the way that national corporations will buy a historic local title, turn it into a weekly and run into the ground. Even when such corporations close down a newspaper, they refuse to release the title so that it can perhaps be used by a local group that is trying to put together a multimedia platform to continue local accountability. What steps could the Government take to resolve that?

[Julia Lopez]

There is surely no greater publication in my hon. Friend’s constituency than the Torbay Weekly. I should also say that this House has made it clear just how strongly it feels about BBC local radio services in the course of this Parliament, and I hope to see them protected in the next Parliament. He is absolutely right about the challenge of publications being bought up. We want to support some of the microsites, and we are looking at how we can use Government advertising spend to try to help support them.

--- Later in debate ---

[Kevin Foster (Torbay) (Con)]

T4. The reputation of Torbay’s iconic tourism sector has been badly hit by recent events relating to local water supplies. What discussions has the Minister had with colleagues in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs about ensuring that support is provided and paid for by South West Water to compensate for that?

[The Minister for Media, Tourism and Creative Industries (Julia Lopez)]

I know that the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Keighley (Robbie Moore), whom I met earlier this week, is very engaged in this issue, and our stakeholders in the south-west and Visit England are looking into any necessary information that they can give to tourists. They will continue to keep that under review, but I empathise deeply with local businesses, particularly tourism businesses, and residents. It is important to say that the majority of those businesses in Brixham were not affected by this outbreak. It is a wonderful place to visit. It has a fantastic local MP, and I am sure that he will provide everybody who visits the region with a very warm welcome.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Foster and Julia Lopez

Thursday 18th April 2024 Commons Chamber

[Julia Lopez]

Our Department has a huge number of initiatives under way to help people to deal with skills shortages, not just in the heritage sector but in the creative industries. The Secretary of State and I were discussing that with the Creative Industries Council just this week. One of the challenges that we face is the dynamism of the workforce and the need to ensure that it has the specific skills of the kind that the hon. Lady mentioned. We are looking at bootcamps and T-levels, which are much more practical vocational skills. I am happy to look into and discuss with the noble Lord Parkinson what more we can do with the heritage sector.

[Kevin Foster (Torbay) (Con)]

5. What recent discussions she has had with the National League on the financial sustainability of Torquay United Football Club.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Foster and Julia Lopez

Thursday 11th January 2024 Commons Chamber

[Julia Lopez]

I thank the hon. Lady for highlighting this issue, which the Cabinet Office leads on. The DCMS has been in talks with the Cabinet Office about that spend. As I say, I have spoken to groups such as Reach about this previously. I was in the Cabinet Office during the pandemic, when some large adverts were used and some of the issues faced were about regularity; the Government spent a large amount of money with local newspapers because of that audience reach, because of older readership and so on. So the Government do a lot in this area, but I appreciate that there is always more we can look to do and I understand the point she is making about online advertising.

[Kevin Foster (Torbay) (Con)]

5. What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on developing new sports facilities in Devon and Cornwall.

BBC Local Radio: Proposed Reduction in Provision

Debate between Kevin Foster and Julia Lopez

Tuesday 1st November 2022 Commons Chamber

[Julia Lopez]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising the importance of the sports content in particular. I know there is so much passion for people’s local clubs, and if that news service is not there for those local clubs, that sense of disconnection becomes more prominent. I have not had time fully to absorb the proposals, and I think there is some talk of sports content being untouched by them, but I will ask his question of the director-general when I see him.

[Kevin Foster (Torbay) (Con)]

BBC Radio Devon is a key part of the news picture in my constituency. We have already seen the decline in commercial media, with the local daily paper becoming weekly and newsrooms closing. How will my hon. Friend satisfy herself that when the BBC promises sports coverage, that is not just commentary—for example, of tonight’s game—but about fully covering the clubs, as we have seen BBC Radio Devon covering well a number of issues affecting Torquay United?

[Julia Lopez]

I am glad my hon. Friend has taken the opportunity to raise the wonderful club of Torquay United and the important coverage that BBC local journalists provide to grassroots sport, which is key to ensuring that support for those small clubs continues. I shall ask the director-general about the importance of services in Devon and other rural counties when I see him.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Foster and Julia Lopez

Monday 5th September 2022 Commons Chamber

[Kevin Foster]

We are working constructively with 350 local authorities to ensure people get the accommodation they need. Given the cohort, that is clearly a challenge as there are large families and a balance needs to be struck with local authorities meeting their housing duties to local people. This also involves working with others, but we are grateful to see the number of local authorities taking part; their reaction is far better than that of the Lib Dem leader of my local council who initially, until he made a U-turn, refused to take part.

[Julia Lopez (Hornchurch and Upminster) (Con)]

17. What progress she has made on recruiting additional police officers in the London region.