Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will publish all correspondence she has received from the Union of European Football Association since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
As was the case under the previous government, the Department does not share private correspondence provided to us, including by international organisations.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
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 (a) the Football Association, (b) the Women's Super League and (c) football clubs on the adequacy of the provision of mental health services for female professional football players.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is committed to supporting every aspect of women’s sport, including player welfare.
In 2023, Karen Carney OBE published a major Independent Review of Women’s Football. The Review placed a significant emphasis on the importance of player welfare and recommended uplifting the medical support requirements within licensing criteria, as well as extending players’ access to medical provision for a period of six months following retirement. The Review also highlighted the importance of performance psychologists within high-performance sports. It recommended that this role become mandatory, to provide players with a clearly identifiable route, should they wish to raise any concerns regarding their wellbeing.
This Government fully endorses those recommendations and looks forward to ensuring tangible progress is made. The Minister for Sport met with women’s football stakeholders - including the FA and the Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL) - in November 2024 to advise them of her intent to track progress against the Review recommendations. At this meeting, the Minister emphasised the importance of the welfare and duty of care to players, and advised stakeholders that she is keen to drive progress in this area. The Minister will shortly reconvene the group to understand progress against the recommendations of the Review, including around mental health provision for players.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
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 impact of the proposed two-tier test system on (a) grass-roots and (b) county level cricket in England and Wales.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Test cricket is the pinnacle of the game, and provides vital funds that filter down to the grassroots game. County level and international cricket competition formatting, and consideration of its impact, is the responsibility of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
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 potential impact of the Football Association's decision to scrap FA cup replays on the financial sustainability of (a) EFL teams and (b) non-league football teams.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government recognises the emotive and financial significance of the FA Cup, especially for smaller clubs.
The matter of FA Cup scheduling, including replays, is ultimately a matter for the football authorities. We expect the FA and Premier League to consult with the EFL and other leagues further down the pyramid on moves such as this and reach agreements collectively.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of recategorising sporting events designated as listed events under the Ofcom Code on Sport and Other listed and Designated Events.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The listed events regime aims to ensure many of the nation's biggest sporting events are free-to-air wherever possible while protecting competition organisers' ability to raise income from the sale of broadcast rights to invest in their sports. The government has no plans to amend the regime at this time.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
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 Education on (a) sport in and (b) other aspects of the school curriculum review.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport regularly engages with the Secretary of State for Education on a range of issues, including school sport. Minister Peacock recently attended a roundtable discussion with PE and school sport sector leaders, hosted by the Minister for Schools.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport will work closely with the Department for Education on the curriculum review.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help ensure the financial sustainability of rugby union in England.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Rugby Union has a vital role to play in our national identity. I recently met with the Rugby Football Union and Premiership Rugby to discuss the future of the sport. The RFU is independent of the Government and is responsible for the regulation of rugby union, and for protecting and promoting the financial sustainability of the sport.
DCMS continues to work with the RFU, representatives of Premiership clubs and Championship clubs, and the wider sport sector to support the ongoing sustainability of elite and community level rugby union.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with people recovering from gambling addiction on reform of the gambling industry.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Ministers and officials have undertaken significant engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, including those with lived experience of gambling-related harm, to inform the government’s work to reduce gambling harm in line with its manifesto commitment.
As set out in the Government’s response to the consultation on the statutory levy, it is a priority that in this crucial transition period, the valuable experience and services in the current system, particularly treatment and support services which help people in need across Great Britain, are protected. We are clear that operators must continue to provide financial contributions at their current levels until the levy is in force, and have received reassurances from the industry that this will be delivered. The Government is also clear that the third sector, which has delivered important work to tackle gambling harm, will continue to play a key role in the future system and contribute to the research, prevention and treatment supported by levy funding.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps with the shadow Football Regulator to prevent English football clubs from joining breakaway leagues.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Football Governance Bill will create a Regulator that will be able to prevent English clubs from joining a future breakaway competition, taking into account factors like sustainability, heritage, fairness and meritocracy.
The Regulator will be obliged to gather the views of fans and consult the FA before it prohibits a competition.
This approach is the most effective way of stopping unwanted competitions that do not adhere to the principles of how sport operates in this country, are not supported by fans, and that risk undermining the English football pyramid.
The Shadow Football Regulator is a transition team that is working in parallel with the passage of the Football Governance Bill to set up the Independent Football Regulator. It does not have powers to regulate or take forward the provisions in the Football Governance Bill until after Royal Assent.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support the gambling research, education and treatment sector; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the new statutory levy on that sector.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Ministers and officials have undertaken significant engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, including those with lived experience of gambling-related harm, to inform the government’s work to reduce gambling harm in line with its manifesto commitment.
As set out in the Government’s response to the consultation on the statutory levy, it is a priority that in this crucial transition period, the valuable experience and services in the current system, particularly treatment and support services which help people in need across Great Britain, are protected. We are clear that operators must continue to provide financial contributions at their current levels until the levy is in force, and have received reassurances from the industry that this will be delivered. The Government is also clear that the third sector, which has delivered important work to tackle gambling harm, will continue to play a key role in the future system and contribute to the research, prevention and treatment supported by levy funding.