Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many category B4 gaming machine permit holders have been investigated in each year since 2010 for breaching Gambling Commission licensing requirements relating to permitted locations.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
As specified in the Gambling Act 2005, B4 gaming machines can only be located in casinos, betting shops, tracks with pool betting, bingo halls, Adult Gaming Centres, members’ clubs, miners’ welfare clubs or commercial clubs. Most B4 machines are located in clubs. The Gambling Commission and relevant Local Authority are responsible for issuing the necessary licences and permits. The Gambling Act 2005 also specifies the circumstances in which local authorities can revoke licences: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/19/schedule/13.
Local Authorities are responsible for compliance and enforcement measures of B4 machines located in clubs, which is financed from the income the licensing authority receives by way of premises and permit fees.
All forms of illegality in gambling are taken seriously as the inherent risk is that the protections afforded by legally sited and properly supervised machines are not present. The Gambling Commission will continue to work with and support licensing authorities in addressing such issues. Any evidence for illegally sited B4 gaming machines should be reported immediately to the relevant Local Authority.
Neither the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport nor the Gambling Commission hold figures on the number of investigations or revoked licences for B4 gaming machines.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the risk to the public posed by breaches of Gambling Commission requirements relating to permitted locations by permit holders of category B4 gaming machines.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
As specified in the Gambling Act 2005, B4 gaming machines can only be located in casinos, betting shops, tracks with pool betting, bingo halls, Adult Gaming Centres, members’ clubs, miners’ welfare clubs or commercial clubs. Most B4 machines are located in clubs. The Gambling Commission and relevant Local Authority are responsible for issuing the necessary licences and permits. The Gambling Act 2005 also specifies the circumstances in which local authorities can revoke licences: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/19/schedule/13.
Local Authorities are responsible for compliance and enforcement measures of B4 machines located in clubs, which is financed from the income the licensing authority receives by way of premises and permit fees.
All forms of illegality in gambling are taken seriously as the inherent risk is that the protections afforded by legally sited and properly supervised machines are not present. The Gambling Commission will continue to work with and support licensing authorities in addressing such issues. Any evidence for illegally sited B4 gaming machines should be reported immediately to the relevant Local Authority.
Neither the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport nor the Gambling Commission hold figures on the number of investigations or revoked licences for B4 gaming machines.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what limit has been placed on the number of fixed-odds betting terminals which can be situated in work-place staff canteens.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
B2 gaming machines (more commonly known as Fixed-Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) which have a maximum stake of £100) are not permitted in work-place staff canteens. They can only be made available in casinos, betting shops or at tracks where pool betting is licensed.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
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 7 March 2017 to Question 65637, non Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Brexit, what (a) EU agencies and other organisations are within her Department's remit, (b) staff time was spent on engagement with those bodies and (c) financial resources were spent on engagement with those bodies in 2015-16.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The following EU agencies and other organisations are within DCMS’ remit:
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what (a) EU agencies and other organisations within her Department's remit the Government plans to withdraw from when the UK leaves the EU, (b) staff time was spent on engagement with those bodies and (c) financial resources were spent on engagement with those bodies in 2015-16.
Answered by Matt Hancock
As set out in the recent White Paper (The United Kingdom’s exit from and new partnership with the European Union), the Government will discuss with the EU and Member States our future status and arrangements with regard to EU agencies. It would not be appropriate to prejudge the outcome of the negotiations
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate his Department has made of the number of households in which the occupants qualify for free television licences that will make voluntary payments in each year up to 2022.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The Government has agreed that the BBC will be able to ask for voluntary payment of the licence fee from those aged 75 and over who are entitled to a free licence. We are working with the BBC to implement the legal aspects of this agreement, but the number of households which may choose to make such a payment is unknown.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to page 50 of the White Paper, A BBC for the future: a broadcaster of distinction, published in May 2016, if he will publish details of the appointment process for members of the new BBC unitary board.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
As a result of the proposals set out in the White Paper the BBC, for the first time, will be responsible for appointing at least half of its own board members. This approach will enhance the independence of the BBC and its Board. For the public appointments to the new Unitary Board, these will be made in line with OCPA processes, with final approval coming from the Queen's Council. Appointments made by the BBC to the new board will also follow public appointments best practice, including independent members on the selection panels.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to page 50 of the White Paper, A BBC for the future: a broadcaster of distinction, published in May 2016, if he will publish details of the public appointments process for the chair, deputy chair and non-executive members from the four nations of the UK for the new BBC unitary board.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
As a result of the proposals set out in the White Paper the BBC, for the first time, will be responsible for appointing at least half of its own board members. This approach will enhance the independence of the BBC and its Board. For the public appointments to the new Unitary Board, these will be made in line with OCPA processes. With particular reference to the appointment of the four national representatives the Government's intention is to follow the existing protocol of involving each of the devolved administrations in the process for the relevant representative.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to pages 13 and 39 of the White Paper, A BBC for the future: a broadcaster of distinction, published in May 2016, what his Department plans to spend the £85 million of new funding for the World Service on.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The additional Government funding for the BBC World Service was agreed as part of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015 and will be provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. It will be used to provide additional language services subject to agreement by the Foreign Secretary and the BBC Trust.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Culture and Digital Economy of 23 May 2016, Official Report, column 371, what estimate his Department has made of the number of households that will not request broadband access under the broadband universal service obligation.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
We do not yet have a specific estimate for the future take-up under the broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO). Once in place the USO will act as a safety net giving homes and businesses the right to a fast broadband connection of at least 10 Mbps where superfast broadband is not available. Superfast broadband is available to 90% of premises, up from 45% in 2010 and roll-out will continue when the Government’s target of at least 95% superfast broadband coverage by the end of 2017 has been met. The Government is committed to reinvesting funding to extend superfast broadband to as many rural homes and businesses as possible.