Oral Answers to Questions

Lisa Nandy Excerpts

Thursday 27th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Steve Witherden (Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr) (Lab)]

1. What steps her Department is taking to increase access to arts and culture.

[The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)]

For too long in this country, there has been a divide between access and excellence when it comes to the arts. Our Government believe that everybody deserves access to excellence—everyone, everywhere. We invest around £600 million every year via Arts Council England, and earlier this year, I was delighted to announce the £270 million arts everywhere fund to support exactly that aim.

[Steve Witherden]

In Wales, expressive arts is a mandatory part of the curriculum, helping to develop pupils’ creative, artistic and performance skills while also improving cognitive development, attainment in maths and English, behaviour and wellbeing. Given that England has seen a 42% decline in expressive arts GCSE entries since 2010, what plans does the Minister have to restore the status of arts and creative education and support a broader, more balanced curriculum?

[Lisa Nandy]

My hon. Friend is right to lament the decline in the number of pupils across England taking arts subjects, and this Government are determined to turn that around. That is why the Education Secretary and I have worked closely together. My hon. Friend will have seen the announcement she made about a broader, richer curriculum for all pupils, alongside the work I am doing to rebuild a broader, richer set of opportunities outside of the classroom. Under the last Government, enrichment was erased from both our classrooms and our communities. Under this Government, that is going to change.

[Pete Wishart (Perth and Kinross-shire) (SNP)]

UK Music’s excellent “This is Music” report found that it has become increasingly difficult for new musical artists to be heard and for careers to be built. Recompense through streaming services is minuscule and artist remuneration a real issue. On the live side, Brexit has made touring the EU almost impossible, and grassroots venues continue to close. Does the Secretary of State recognise that without meaningful action, we risk creating a music industry where only the privileged and rich can afford to build a career?

[Lisa Nandy]

I very much share that assessment, and we are determined that that is going to change. The hon. Member will be aware of the work that my right hon. Friend the Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts has been doing on the grassroots music levy. That is a voluntary levy. We hope the industry will step up and meet our target of 50% of all ticket sales imposing that levy in order to support grassroots music venues by the end of the year, but we have been really clear with the industry that if that does not happen, we will intervene and use statutory powers if necessary.

On the specific issue of EU touring, the hon. Member will be aware that my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office is pursuing that as a priority with the European Union, and we are confident that we will be able to build a better deal for not just our music artists but music artists right across Europe.

[Kim Johnson (Liverpool Riverside) (Lab)]

Since its success as European capital of culture in 2008, Liverpool has played a key role in the UK’s creative industries. Does my right hon. Friend agree that success should not only be measured in economic terms, and can she explain how social value and tackling the under-representation of groups should be used as a measure of success by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport?

[Lisa Nandy]

As, I think, the first black MP ever to represent Liverpool, my hon. Friend’s achievement is absolutely noted in this House. The way in which she has carried that work forward into this House, to ensure that she may be the first, but she certainly will not be the last, and that the voices of all people will be heard, is something that I deeply admire, and I know many other Members feel the same.

My hon. Friend is right to say that the vibrancy of the Liverpool city region has always been built on the most diverse range of music, voices and experiences. That most quintessentially British band, the Beatles, drew on their Irish heritage, Indian influences and the experience of black Americans from the south, and brought that vibrant music scene to Liverpool. I am working with the Mayor of the Liverpool city region and others to make sure that we continue that tradition and that the widest range of voices from across Liverpool are heard as part of that. I would be delighted to meet her to discuss that further.

[Mr Speaker]

I want to try to get to Question 10.

[Jess Brown-Fuller (Chichester) (LD)]

I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests, as I am the chair of the all-party parliamentary group for performing arts education and training— I said that as quickly as I could!

The music and dance scheme funds exceptional schools that train the next generation of artists who will go on to lead the industry, both on and off the stage. Those schools nurture talent regardless of wealth, and are the very definition of social mobility, but some are now at risk of closure because the fund is not guaranteed beyond next year. Will the Minister guarantee secure, ringfenced funding so that those vital institutions can continue to increase access to an industry that has been identified as a leading area of growth?

[Lisa Nandy]

I am very aware of the pressures the hon. Member describes. My Department is currently completing business planning, so we will be able to set out precise allocations going forward. I have also been working closely with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Education Secretary to ensure that Government take a cohesive approach to this issue across the board.

[Callum Anderson (Buckingham and Bletchley) (Lab)]

2. What discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on funding for youth services in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency.

--- Later in debate ---

[Richard Baker (Glenrothes and Mid Fife) (Lab)]

8. What assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a cap on the resale of concert tickets.

[The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)]

For too long, fans have been exploited by touts seeking to profiteer from the UK’s booming live events industry. Last week, we announced that time is up for ticket touts and that change is coming, by introducing a cap on the price that tickets can be resold for. We estimate that this will save fans over £100 million a year.

[Richard Baker]

This summer, thousands of music fans in Scotland were dismayed at having to pay hugely inflated prices to see their favourite bands, including Oasis, so my right hon. Friend’s announcement on capping the resale price of tickets will be welcome news for all those fans. Will she consider what further measures can be taken to ensure a fair deal on ticket prices for concert-goers across the UK?

[Lisa Nandy]

I can update my hon. Friend. Among the measures that we announced recently, we have introduced resale volume limits, which will prevent people from reselling more tickets than they were entitled to buy in the primary sale. Alongside the price cap, the Competition and Markets Authority will be able to fine non-compliant platforms up to 10% of their annual turnover, which could mean multimillion-pound fines for rogue firms if they target UK consumers.

In the case of Oasis, as many in this House will know, one of the great challenges was that many of the fans going into that queue did not know that the surge pricing model was being used, so they did not realise that they would paying vastly inflated prices by the time they got to the front of the queue. The CMA has looked at this and is taking steps to ensure that consumers have the full range of information that they need to prevent that from happening in future.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I am aware of tickets for the Belsonic event at the Boucher Road playing fields in Belfast previously appearing on secondary sites at more than four times their original price within minutes of going on sale, so I welcome the news from the Secretary of State. What progress has been made on perhaps introducing a 5% to 10% cap on the resale of concert tickets?

[Lisa Nandy]

In terms of the resale of concert tickets, we have taken a decision after a long period of consultation to cap the resale at the original price. The hon. Gentleman mentions some examples, and there are others; just recently, I looked at some Radiohead tickets that were on sale originally for £100 and were being resold on one of these platforms for more than £1,000. That is an absolute rip-off for fans and has gone on in plain sight for far too long, which is why we have announced that tickets will be resold for the original price. Time is up for the ticket touts.

[Mr Speaker]

What did you pay for your Oasis tickets, Jim?

[Sir John Whittingdale (Maldon) (Con)]

10. What discussions she has had with the BBC on renewal of the charter.

[The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)]

As the House would imagine, I am having daily conversations with the BBC leadership on a number of issues, including charter renewal. I have been clear that we stand by the BBC to secure its role at the heart of national life for decades to come, but the forthcoming charter review will be a vital opportunity for us collectively to shape the BBC’s future and consider how it needs to change in this new era. In particular, for years our nations and regions have been underserved and under-represented by the concentration of power in just one part of the country when it comes to our television industry, and we are determined that the BBC will continue to lead the way on changing that.

[Sir John Whittingdale]

The Secretary of State will be aware that, as the Public Accounts Committee has pointed out, last year the BBC lost more than £1 billion as a result of evasion and households declaring that they no longer need a licence. That figure is going to grow over the course of the next charter, so will she look at finding other ways in which we can close the funding gap?

[Lisa Nandy]

Yes. As the right hon. Gentleman would imagine, we are looking at a whole range of options around BBC funding to ensure that it is sustainably funded for many years to come. In particular, we are very keen to ensure that people feel a sense of ownership and belonging over the BBC, which is why the point about the nations and regions is so important. Ofcom recently produced a report in which it showed that of the top Scottish producers who fulfil the Scottish quota, for example, only one third are actually based in Scotland among the public sector broadcasters. That is a disgrace, and we are determined that it will change.

[Anna Sabine (Frome and East Somerset) (LD)]

The BBC removed a part of Rutger Bregman’s Reith lecture in which he alleged that Donald Trump was the most openly corrupt President in US history, doing so only after legal advice prompted by Mr Trump’s lawsuit against it. The threat of legal action is creating a dangerous precedent for media censure. If the national broadcaster cannot air robust and defensible claims even in a series of lectures designed to spark debate on contemporary issues, what hope is there for any part of our free press effectively to challenge power? We know that the Prime Minister has spoken directly with Mr Trump since the lawsuit was filed, so can the Secretary of State confirm whether the PM raised the issue of the BBC and insisted that Trump drop his ridiculous lawsuit?

[Lisa Nandy]

I became aware of the particular issue that the hon. Lady raises last night, and I will discuss it with the BBC chairman at our next meeting on Monday. Obviously it is absolutely essential that our broadcasters can broadcast a full range of voices without fear or favour, whether it is pressure from Governments of any political persuasion in the UK or from Governments overseas. This Government will always fiercely defend that.

[Charlie Dewhirst (Bridlington and The Wolds) (Con)]

11. What discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on gambling duties.

[The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)]

As the Secretary of State responsible for the gambling industry, I have obviously been working closely with the Chancellor to ensure that the measures she announced yesterday protect people who gather great joy from an industry that is worth huge amounts to the UK economy and enjoyed by millions. In particular, the measures are to protect bingo halls, dog tracks, racing tracks, pubs and coastal communities. The measures we announced yesterday will start to make a significant dent in the numbers of children living in poverty—a legacy disgracefully left by the last Government—but the hon. Gentleman can be confident that we have made fairer choices to ensure that we protect things that millions of people in this country enjoy.

[Charlie Dewhirst]

The Chancellor’s announcements in yesterday’s Budget in relation to gambling duty could cost the industry up to 16,000 jobs, largely in the high- tech part of that industry, and move £6 billion of gambling stakes into the black market. I know that the Secretary of State is a very reasonable individual—she would make an excellent future leader of her party—so does she agree that taxing something does not necessarily stop it from happening, and that this will move problem gamblers into a less regulated, illegal space?

[Lisa Nandy]

The Minister for gambling, my hon. Friend Baroness Twycross, and I have obviously looked at this issue as part of the work we have been doing in the run-up to the Budget, and I am sure she would be happy to discuss it further with the hon. Gentleman. We have sought to limit the economic impact of this decision on the high street and focus the tax rises on parts of the gambling industry that have lower operating costs. For precisely the reasons the hon. Gentleman has outlined, we have also brought forward measures in the Budget to permanently lower business rates for over 750,000 retail and hospitality properties, which we think will help mitigate some of the impact on betting shops. We are aware of the challenges that the hon. Gentleman has raised, but Governments cannot duck choices, and our choice is to lift 450,000 children out of poverty to make a dent in the figure of 4.5 million left by the previous Government.

[Ms Polly Billington (East Thanet) (Lab)]

I congratulate my right hon. Friend and, indeed, the Chancellor on making the decision to tax online gambling in particular. The fact that people effectively have a casino in their pocket destroys lives and families, and it is right that we send that strong signal, as well as make sure money is available to tackle the insidious moral scar of child poverty that was left by the previous Government. Can my right hon. Friend confirm how we will ensure that the way we conduct gambling in this country provides better protection to those families and individuals who end up being exposed to some of the most insidious practices of the gambling industry?

[Lisa Nandy]

I agree with my hon. Friend that child poverty is a moral scar on the soul of this nation. Where we differ slightly is that for me and our Government, this is not about sending a signal to the gambling industry. It is simply about making the right choices—the fairest choices—in order to reverse some of the damage done by the last Government. Gambling is enjoyed by millions of people in this country without harm, but it does cause significant harm for a minority. We introduced the gambling levy to ensure that we can invest in prevention and support for those affected, and we have allocated an additional £26 million to the Gambling Commission over the next three years, to increase investment, resources and capacity to tackle the illegal market. As the hon. Member for Bridlington and The Wolds (Charlie Dewhirst) has raised and as my hon. Friend has mentioned, the illegal market is where an unregulated industry can cause serious harm, and we are determined to tackle it.

[Mr Luke Charters (York Outer) (Lab)]

T1.   If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.

[The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)]

Mr Speaker, this Labour Government are committed to delivering for communities in every part of our United Kingdom. That is why we have launched the town of culture competition, to celebrate the people, heritage and creativity of the towns that enrich our national story. I encourage every town—even Chorley—to apply, and urge Members across the House to keep an eye out for the applications, which will be opening soon.

We have also launched Euro 2028, bringing global audiences and economic opportunity to cities across the UK and Ireland, and we are acting to protect fans everywhere by cracking down on ticket touts. Finally, I congratulate Scotland on qualifying for the world cup for the first time in 28 years.

[Mr Speaker]

Or watch rugby league.

[Lisa Nandy]

“Or watch rugby league”, says Mr Speaker. Football is nothing without the fans, and my hon. Friend is right to say that it must be affordable for people across the country. The Premier League has shown enormous leadership through the £30 away cap—that is an excellent example of that principle. This is precisely why this Government wasted no time in passing the Football Governance Act 2025 with the permission of both Houses, which implements minimum engagement standards, including requiring clubs to consult fans on ticket prices.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Secretary of State.

[Mr Speaker]

It is topicals. Come on.

[Lisa Nandy]

I think the hon. Gentleman united us all, wishing a happy Lancashire Day, but perhaps that was the beginning and end of the cross-party unity. I am enormously proud that this Government have finally acted on the calls from mayors across the political spectrum—including one Boris Johnson in 2013 when he was the Mayor of London—to implement a visitor levy on short-term overnight accommodation. We have not just done that: we have handed the power to regions themselves to implement it. The shadow Secretary of State talks about the burden on industry. He will know full well that the levy will be paid by visitors, not by the tourism industry. It surely cannot be right that England is the only country in the G7 where a national Government prevent their local authorities and mayors from implementing tourist levies.

[Nigel Huddleston]

I am afraid I disagree. For a second time, DCMS sectors are left reeling following a Labour Budget that failed to deliver meaningful support on business rates for hospitality and leisure. The Government introduced a new tax on tourism and whacked up taxes on the gambling industry. Instead of being supported, DCMS sectors just got hammered. Who is to blame for this disastrous Budget for DCMS sectors? Is it DCMS Ministers for failing to make the case, or the Treasury for not listening?

[Lisa Nandy]

I have a lot of time for the hon. Gentleman, but with respect, he is talking absolute nonsense. This Government inherited a situation where there had been no strategy for this country’s young people for nearly two decades, where the arts had been underfunded, where capital projects had not been gripped and where sports were left languishing while demand soared. We have turned that around, with the new covenant with civil society to extend that partnership to every part of the country, a new national youth strategy, and funding for arts everywhere, not just in some parts of the country. I am proud of the Budget, especially as it introduces a visitor levy that will raise millions of pounds in parts of the country that were underserved by the last Conservative Government for far too long.

[Harpreet Uppal (Huddersfield) (Lab)]

T4.  Huddersfield contemporary music festival is the UK’s largest international festival dedicated to new music, and the programme this year has more than 30 world and UK premieres. Will the Minister join me in paying tribute to this festival, which brings national and international musicians to Huddersfield every November, and will he set out what the Government are doing to ensure we invest in culture in towns like mine?

[Sir John Whittingdale (Maldon) (Con)]

T3.  Yesterday I had a roundtable meeting with a number of UK-based AI firms that have reached licensing agreements with owners of rights in the creative industries and publishing industries. Rather than just talking to big tech, will she and the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology meet those UK-based companies that are trying to do the right thing?

[Lisa Nandy]

Yes, of course, and in fact we already are. The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology and I have convened a series of roundtables, and we are not just talking to big tech companies, but a full range of tech companies, hearing a range of views. For the first time, we are bringing together creators and tech companies. Many of them, as the right hon. Gentleman alludes to, are starting to create their own deals, which we encourage. We do not believe that that negates the need for licensing or the transparency in the legislation that we promised here and in the other place, but I am happy to continue that conversation with them and with him.

[Martin Rhodes (Glasgow North) (Lab)]

T5. What assessment has the Secretary of State made of how hosting UEFA Euro 2028 will benefit communities across the UK, particularly through its social impact programme?

[Greg Smith (Mid Buckinghamshire) (Con)]

T2. Much of Buckinghamshire’s tourist economy is under- pinned by walkers coming to enjoy our countryside and the beautiful Chilterns, but on top of the tourism tax, the industry is threatened by the Secretary of State’s Government threatening to plaster Buckinghamshire with solar panels, which will drive the walkers away. What representations is she making to her colleague the Energy Secretary to protect tourism in Buckinghamshire?

[Lisa Nandy]

Obviously I speak regularly to the Energy Secretary, and I am happy to do so, but the hon. Gentleman should know that I share my right hon. Friend’s commitment to turning this country into a clean energy powerhouse and ensuring that the hon. Gentleman’s constituents and mine receive the benefits in the form of lower bills and better energy security.

The point of the visitor levy is that it gives powers to local areas to raise their own funds and decide how they are spent. I would have thought that everybody in this House should be able to support that.

[Joe Powell (Kensington and Bayswater) (Lab)]

T6.   At every resident meeting I host, I hear horror stories about the misuse of short-term lets, including illegal sub-letting, breaching London’s 90-day cap, late-night parties, and conditions that violate building insurance and fire safety. When will the hugely welcome mandatory register for short-term lets come online, and what difference will it make to ensuring that homes are not hotels?

[Joe Robertson (Isle of Wight East) (Con)]

The Isle of Wight Youth Trust is set to lose £200,000-worth of funding by the end of the financial year. Early support hubs will lose funding across the country, and up to half the 24 surveyed said that they may close services. Will the Secretary of State speak to cross-departmental colleagues to ensure that bridge funding is put in place, so that no young person loses out?

[Lisa Nandy]

Our forthcoming national youth strategy will meet our pledge to ensure that there is no reduction in youth funding and that every pound is spent better, with a particular focus on rebuilding those places and spaces that have been allowed to fall into disrepair or have been lost. On the particular issue that the hon. Gentleman raises, I appreciate that it is urgent. I am happy to take it away with the Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, my hon. Friend the Member for Barnsley South (Stephanie Peacock), and to ensure that we get the hon. Gentleman a proper reply.

[Dave Robertson (Lichfield) (Lab)]

T7. Mohamed Fayed, the former owner of Harrods, sexually abused hundreds of female employees over decades. Reporters tried to reveal his crimes, but it was only after his death that the true extent of the scandal began to emerge, because of media fears about strategic lawsuits against public participation. What steps will the Department take to ensure that rich and powerful men like Fayed cannot use SLAPPs to silence their critics in the media?

[Lisa Nandy]

I can hear from those on the other side of the House that a lot of hon. Members feel very strongly about this issue, and they have made representations on it over a long period of time. My hon. Friend will know that new measures are coming into force in June to address SLAPPs in relation to cases of economic crime. That was started under the previous Government and has continued under this one. It is my belief that we should take sexual harassment and abuse every bit as seriously as economic crime, and this is an area where action is long overdue. I am happy to work with the media Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh South (Ian Murray), to achieve that.

[Several hon. Members rose—]