Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she last met the (a) Rugby Football Union and (b) Premiership Rugby; and what issues were discussed.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
I met with senior RFU figures while supporting England at the opening fixture of the Women's Rugby World Cup. There I discussed the delivery of the tournament as well as other policy issues, including the demand for women’s sport, government support for women’s sport and the RFU’s legacy programme for the tournament: Impact 25. The Secretary of State and I also attended the Women’s Rugby World Cup 100 ‘Days to go’ launch event in May 2025, where we discussed tournament delivery with senior RFU figures and other stakeholders.
I met with Premiership Rugby in November 2024 to discuss the long-term financial sustainability of professional rugby union. Since then, my officials have engaged with Premiership Rugby regularly.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
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 grassroots ticket levy on the long term financial sustainability of small independent music festivals.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government supports the live music industry’s work to introduce a voluntary levy on tickets for stadium and arena shows. This will compliment the significant increase in government funding for the grassroots sector through our new Music Growth Package, of up to £30m over the next 3 years. This package will deliver concrete benefits for venues and emerging artists with touring, performance, mentoring and export opportunities.
Funding from the grassroots ticket levy will be distributed by the LIVE Trust to existing industry-led initiatives that will support grassroots festivals, as well as artists, promoters and venues. This targeted support will not only benefit current small festivals, but also help secure the pipeline of talent to safeguard their future and create the right conditions for future growth.
The Government is encouraged to see sector reporting showing that 44% of 2025 tickets on sale since July now include the levy, and 1.9 million levied tickets have been sold since January. Autumn ticket sales and the establishment of the LIVE Trust should mean even greater uptake by Winter. We want to see a voluntary levy be in place for as many concerts as possible in 2025 and 2026, and we will continue to convene the live music industry to drive progress. We would encourage all artists, promoters and venues to promote the levy.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
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 formulate the National Youth Strategy.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
We are co-producing the National Youth Strategy with young people and cross-sector experts.
We have already conducted Ministerial roundtables with young people as well as in-person and online focus groups. We have also launched a national survey to ask young people about their worries and hopes for the future, and created an engagement toolkit so organisations or MPs can run their own workshops and discussions with young people.
In addition, we have set up a Youth Advisory Group and an Expert Advisory Group to work alongside us throughout the development of the Strategy. We are also working closely with other Government Departments to ensure the Strategy is cross-cutting and better coordinates youth policy.
We will be publishing an interim report this spring and the Strategy will be published this summer.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what (a) statutory and (b) non-statutory bodies her Department has consulted on opportunities for grassroots music collaboration as part of the national youth strategy.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
We are developing a new National Youth Strategy with young people and cross-sector experts, and have set up a Youth Advisory Group and Expert Advisory Group as part of this engagement. Members of our Expert Advisory Group have a range of different professional and academic expertise related to young people and work in different fields including: youth work, music, creative skills industries, funding, policy development and sport. We are also in contact with a wide range of other stakeholders working with young people across relevant sectors.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
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 increase of employer National Insurance on the (a) operational costs and (b) financial profitability of small and medium sized tourist attractions.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government recognises the vital role that small and medium-sized tourist attractions play in supporting local economies and driving economic growth across all regions of Great Britain. The increase in employer National Insurance contributions will affect businesses across all sectors, which is why the Government has put in place mitigations to protect smaller businesses. The Government remains committed to supporting the tourism industry, and my department will continue working with the sector to understand cost pressures.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
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 20 December 2024 to Question 20261 on Rugby, if she will have further discussions with (a) the Rugby Football Union and (b) Premiership Rugby on (i) current governance issues and (ii) securing necessary partnerships to ensure the long-term stability of the game, in the context of the Rugby Football Union's rejection of a Special General Meeting about the future of the game and rugby governance.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
I meet regularly with stakeholders such as the Rugby Football Union and Premiership Rugby. The RFU is independent of the Government and is responsible for the regulation and governance of rugby union, and for protecting and promoting the financial sustainability of the sport.
My department will continue 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: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of A22's new Unify League proposals on English football.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Prime Minister has made it very clear that there will be no Super League-style breakaway from English football.
As part of the strengthened Football Governance Bill, the Regulator will be able to prevent English clubs from joining future breakaway competitions by taking into account factors such as sustainability, heritage and fairness. 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 Football Governance Bill was introduced on 24 October.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with (a) the Rugby Football Union, (b) Premiership Rugby and (c) the Rugby Players Association on the issues facing rugby union.
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, and my department is in regular contact with the rugby union authorities.
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. My department does not intend to conduct a review into the finances or governance of rugby union at this time.
My department 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: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will meet representatives of (a) Rugby Football Union, (b) Premiership Rugby, (c) Championship Clubs and (d) Community Clubs Union to discuss (i) future governance, (ii) financial stability and (iii) executive pay.
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, and my department is in regular contact with the rugby union authorities.
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. My department does not intend to conduct a review into the finances or governance of rugby union at this time.
My department 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: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will undertake a review of (a) financial pressures and (b) governance challenges facing 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, and my department is in regular contact with the rugby union authorities.
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. My department does not intend to conduct a review into the finances or governance of rugby union at this time.
My department 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.