Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 implications for her policies of the number of nightclub closures in the UK since 2020.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The government recognises the vital role night-time economy business plays in supporting local economies and our communities. Healthy night-time economy businesses play a key role in supporting our creative industries, including musicians, DJs and performance artists, as well as supporting tourism and strengthening day economy businesses.
The government is creating a fairer business rate system and has extended RHL relief at 40% for 2025-26. Beyond this, the government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties from 2026-27. This reform, on which a Discussion Paper was published at Autumn Budget 2024, will provide certainty for businesses regarding their bills. The government is also reducing alcohol duty on qualifying draught products and transforming the apprenticeship levy to support businesses including in the nighttime economy.
Following the Autumn Budget, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has confirmed it will continue to support Arts Council England’s (ACE’s) successful Supporting Grassroots Music Fund which provides grants to grassroots music organisations - including those that host or promote electronic music – such as venues, rehearsal and recording studios, promoters and festivals. ACE continues to engage with industry through targeted webinars and events to promote the Fund to the club sector and encourage applications.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 1 November 2024 to Question 10847 on Leisure Centres: Government Assistance, whether she plans to hold further rounds of the Swimming Pool Support Fund.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government recognises that sports facilities in communities up and down the country help to support more people to get active wherever they live.
The previous Swimming Pool Support Fund was a targeted, one-time, urgent package which has now closed, and further funding rounds were not built into the programme by the previous government.
The responsibility of providing access to public swimming pools lies at Local Authority level. The Government continues to encourage Local Authorities to support swimming facilities.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of the Gratitude Games.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston
The Government recognises the impact that sport and physical activity has on physical and mental health, and the importance of welfare and wellbeing for everyone participating in sport at all levels.
The Government's role in the support of bidding for and hosting major sporting events is set out in the Gold Framework. The Gratitude Games do not meet the criteria as set out in the Gold Framework and therefore would not be within scope for support. We encourage all organisations to continue to work together to support mental health through sport and physical activity.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, in what way her Department plans to consult the British racing industry prior to the publication of the Gambling Act Review White Paper.
Answered by Chris Philp - Shadow Home Secretary
The Gambling Act Review is wide-ranging and aims to ensure that the regulation of gambling is fit for the digital age. We will publish a white paper setting out our conclusions and next steps in the coming months.
Ministers and officials have meetings with various stakeholders to support ongoing work and policy development. There has also been a wide-ranging series of meetings to support the Gambling Act Review, including with representatives of the racing industry. Records of ministerial meetings are published quarterly and are available on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure professional athletes can train visa free for more than 180 days outside the UK.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston
It is up to the individual (including professional athletes) to check the rules of each country they intend to travel to ahead of time, whether an EU member state or non-EU country, in case they need to apply for a visa, work permit, or provide other documentation. UK nationals are able to travel visa-free to the Schengen Area for short-term visits (up to 90 days in 180) for a limited number of activities, including attending sporting events, tourism and short-term study. For those undertaking longer-term stays (exceeding the 90 days limit), a visa and/or work permit may be required directly from the host nation.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether indoor play centres and other children’s activities in venues for that purpose can commence from 12 April 2021 as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston
The ‘COVID-19 Response - Spring 2021’ published 22 February advises that indoor entertainment and visitor attractions can resume at Step 3, which will commence no earlier than 17 May. This includes indoor play centres.
The timings outlined in the roadmap are indicative, and the Government will be led by data, rather than fixed dates. Before taking each step, the Government will review the latest data and will only ease restrictions further if it is safe to do so. The indicative, ‘no earlier than’ dates in the roadmap are all contingent on the data and subject to change.
Each full step of the roadmap will be informed by the latest available science and data and will be five weeks apart in order to provide time to assess the data and provide one week’s notice to businesses and individuals.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he plans to take to ensure that the consultation on Remote customer interaction published by the Gambling Commission aligns with the Government’s forthcoming review of the Gambling Act 2005.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston
The Gambling Commission requires operators to monitor play and to intervene where players may be at risk of harm. Its consultation and call for evidence on Remote Customer Interaction is considering whether further requirements are needed for how operators identify and interact with customers who may be at risk.
The Commission will be led by the evidence it receives in deciding its next steps, and its findings may also inform its advice to government on the Review of the Gambling Act 2005. Following a one month extension to allow extra evidence to be submitted, the deadline for submissions was 9 February.
The government launched the Review of the Gambling Act 2005 in December with a Call for Evidence, which runs until 31 March. The Review aims to strike the right balance between preventing harm and respecting consumers’ freedom of choice. More information about the Call for Evidence and how to make a submission is available here:
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what further funding will be made available to support small charities affected by the covid-19 outbreak, in addition to the £750 million announced in April 2020.
Answered by John Whittingdale
Small charities play an invaluable role in this country in providing public services and the government recognises the challenges and uncertainty that some small charities are dealing with, particularly those organisations that rely on trading or fundraised income
which have been hit by the covid-19 national restrictions.
The £750 million package will continue to support charities’ and social enterprises’ vital work in the fight against the coronavirus crisis over the winter period. In addition to this, an unprecedented package of measures across the economy has been set up to support people and businesses through this period of financial uncertainty. For example, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been, and continues to be a lifeline to a multitude of organisations, including charities. The Chancellor has announced that the government is extending the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme until 31 March 2021 to support individuals and businesses who are impacted by disruption caused by COVID-19 this winter. More details on all of the business support measures and eligibility details are available on GOV.UK.
Government is continuing to work closely with the civil society sector to understand the ongoing impact of the crisis on small charities, and to consider what additional policy measures might be appropriate in the months ahead. This includes working with the Institute of Fundraising to publish guidance on how to fundraise safely as an important source of income for small charities. To support this work we have set up a cross government network to share intelligence on challenges facing critical organisations and sub-sectors.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the continued delivery of essential mobile telephone infrastructure to rural areas after the completion of the Mobile Infrastructure Project on 31 March 2016.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Improving mobile coverage remains a priority for the Government, and our landmark agreement in December 2014 with the four mobile network operators (MNOs) to provide voice and SMS text coverage to at least 90% of the UK landmass by 2017 will significantly improve coverage in the UK. It guarantees £5 billion of investment in mobile infrastructure, and as a result mobile services will come to some areas for the first time. It will halve partial not-spots (where the is coverage from at least one MNO, but not all four), and cut total not spots by two thirds by end 2017. Additionally, Telefonica has a licence obligation to deliver indoor 4G coverage to 98% of premises in the UK by 2017. Other MNOs have indicated that they will match this commitment.