Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing an inquiry into the events which led to the closure of the Presidents Club Charitable Trust.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
This is a matter for the Charity Commission as independent registrar and regulator of charities in England and Wales. The Commission has said that, on seeing the reported events, it immediately contacted the Presidents Club Charitable Trust and called for an urgent meeting. The Commission is also engaging with the Financial Times whose investigation uncovered the activities of the Presidents Club Charity Dinner, and has requested any further evidence to ensure it can look into these matters fully and robustly. The Commission has said that it will deal robustly with any misconduct or mismanagement it finds, will consider what further regulatory action may be required and will ensure that the charity is wound up in an orderly manner and that any remaining funds are distributed correctly. The Commission has also confirmed that it is in discussion with Equality and Human Rights Commission about these matters.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he plans to have discussions with the Charity Commission as result of the closure of the Presidents Club charitable club; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
This is a matter for the Charity Commission as independent registrar and regulator of charities in England and Wales. The Commission has said that, on seeing the reported events, it immediately contacted the Presidents Club Charitable Trust and called for an urgent meeting. The Commission is also engaging with the Financial Times whose investigation uncovered the activities of the Presidents Club Charity Dinner, and has requested any further evidence to ensure it can look into these matters fully and robustly. The Commission has said that it will deal robustly with any misconduct or mismanagement it finds, will consider what further regulatory action may be required and will ensure that the charity is wound up in an orderly manner and that any remaining funds are distributed correctly. The Commission has also confirmed that it is in discussion with Equality and Human Rights Commission about these matters.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the role of her Department was in drafting the Government's childhood obesity plan.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
The childhood obesity plan was developed and drafted by Department of Health with input from departments across Government, including the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. DCMS will continue to work with DH on the implementation of the actions within the plan.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on students living away from home of the closure of the iPlayer loophole.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The Government consulted on adding on-demand programme services to the TV licence framework as part of its Green Paper published in July last year. Under the new proposals, all individuals will need to be covered by a TV licence if they stream or download television programmes through on-demand services provided by the BBC (notably the iPlayer). If an individual has a licence already, then they are automatically covered to watch BBC on-demand services under the new proposals.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make representations to the BBC on ensuring the Your Paintings archive is maintained as on online resource.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
As set out in the Government's White Paper, A BBC for the future: a Broadcaster of Distinction, the government encourages the BBC to do more to open up its archive and ensure that it can be used by the public and as wide a range of institutions and organisations as possible. How the BBC presents its online content is matter for the BBC. Your Paintings is now available on artuk.org.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Government's proposal to ensure that those who watch BBC iPlayer services are subject to the requirement to pay the license fee will include those who use BBC iPlayer radio services.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The requirement to hold a TV licence will be extended to people streaming or downloading television programmes through on-demand services provided by the BBC (notably iPlayer) and will not include those who listen to radio services.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what account his Department is taking of the substance of responses to Question 11 in the Government's consultation on the future of the BBC published in July 2015, which are set out in Annex 7 of its White Paper, A BBC for the future: a broadcaster of distinction, published in May 2016, in formulating its policy on paying for access to BBC iPlayer services.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Responses to all questions in the BBC Charter Review public consultation were analysed and the results published in a Summary of Responses document in April. This document set out the strong support for the continued provision of the licence fee from consultation respondents, as well as significant support for reform or modernisation. On the basis of this, and wider consultation with stakeholders, the government has committed to modernise the licence fee to include BBC on-demand programmes.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will take steps to ensure that the National Gallery pays its employees the London Living Wage.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Where possible the Government supports the London Living Wage. However, the Department's sponsored Museums and Galleries operate at arm's length from the Department, and as such they have responsibility for their own staffing and service arrangements, including wage levels.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the value for money of security provision at the Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The National Gallery operates at arm's length from the Department, and as such they have responsibility for their own staffing and service arrangements, including security services. As such the Department has not assessed provision of security at the Salisbury Wing.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the value and duration is of the contract between the National Gallery and CIS Security for the provision of security at the Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The National Gallery operates at arm's length from the Department, and as such they have responsibility for their own staffing and service arrangements, including security services. As such the Department does not hold information on specific contracts.