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 his Department's planned expenditure on workforce training for staff in public libraries is for (a) 2016-17, (b) 2017-18, (c) 2018-19 and (d) 2019-20.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Public libraries are funded and run by local authorities. My Department has through Arts Council England’s Library Development Funding, which supports the development of public libraries in England including workforce training, provided £680,000 in 2012/13; £683,000 in 2013/14; £595,000 in 2014/15; and £744,000 in 2015/16. Workforce development is also one of the priorities of the Leadership for Libraries Taskforce, established in 2015 by my Department and the Local Government Association.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 steps his Department is taking to provide assistance to public libraries to address digital exclusion.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
DCMS is engaging with national Digital Engagement partners to help users of public libraries get online and to tackle digital exclusion. Thanks to Government funding, over 99% of public libraries in England will provide free access to Wi-Fi from March 2016. BT and Barclays have worked together to provide free Wi-Fi in 100 libraries and community centres in deprived areas across England; and Lloyds Banking Group and Halifax Community Bank have piloted a scheme to match local branch staff with libraries to deliver basic digital skills training to adults in the UK. Tackling digital exclusion is also one of the priorities of the Leadership for Libraries Taskforce, established in 2015 by DCMS and the Local Government Association. The Taskforce has been working in partnership with the Tinder Foundation on new approaches through libraries to build digital skills in socially excluded, hard to reach groups and address digital exclusion.
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, on what date his Department plans to host a round table on ad blocking; who he plans to invite to that event; and what outcomes he expects from that event.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
There are currently plans to host a roundtable with representatives from all sides of the argument to discuss ad blocking in the coming weeks. Once we have heard their views, we will consider what role there is for Government.
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, when his Department plans to publish the results of the consultation into a universal service obligation for superfast broadband.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
In November 2015, the Prime Minister announced the Government’s intention to introduce a broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) with the ambition to give people the legal right to request a connection to broadband with speeds of 10 Megabits per second (Mbps), no matter where they live. We intend to publish a consultation on our approach to introducing a broadband USO shortly, and will respond to that consultation in due course.
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 his Department's expenditure was on Wi-Fi provision for public libraries in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13, (d) 2013-14, (e) 2014-15 and (f) 2015-16 to date.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Public libraries are funded and run by local authorities. However, the Government provided funding in 2015-16 which means that by March 2016, free WiFi will be available in 99% of public libraries in England. In total, 70 local authorities will have received funding of around £2.7 million to upgrade or install WiFi in 1017 public libraries. In addition, through the Government’s super connected cities programme, WiFi was previously installed in 288 libraries across 14 cities, UK-wide by the end of March 2015.
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, how many public libraries have received funding from his Department to provide free wi-fi services since 2010.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Public libraries are funded and run by local authorities. However, the Government provided funding in 2015-16 which means that by March 2016, free WiFi will be available in 99% of public libraries in England. In total, 70 local authorities will have received funding of around £2.7 million to upgrade or install WiFi in 1017 public libraries. In addition, through the Government’s super connected cities programme, WiFi was previously installed in 288 libraries across 14 cities, UK-wide by the end of March 2015.
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 his Department's planned expenditure on wi-fi provision for public libraries is for (a) 2016-17, (b) 2017-18, (c) 2018-19 and (d) 2019-20.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Public libraries are funded and run by local authorities. However, the Government provided funding in 2015-16 which means that by March 2016, free WiFi will be available in 99% of public libraries in England. In total, 70 local authorities will have received funding of around £2.7 million to upgrade or install WiFi in 1017 public libraries. In addition, through the Government’s super connected cities programme, WiFi was previously installed in 288 libraries across 14 cities, UK-wide by the end of March 2015.
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, how many places of worship have received financial support from his Department for essential roof repairs since 2015.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Listed places of worship represent some of the nation’s finest heritage. Since 2015 DCMS has provided £30m of financial support to 502 places of worship across the UK for essential roof repairs. Applications opened for a further funding round of £25m in December 2015. Successful applicants will be announced in due course.
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 assessment he has made of the potential effects of the UK leaving the EU on arts and culture in the UK.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
At the February European Council, the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the United Kingdom a special status in a reformed European Union. The Government's position, as set out by the Prime Minister to the House on 22 February, is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.
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, when his Department plans to publish its Triennial Review of gambling machine stakes and prize limits; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Evennett
In April 2015 the previous Government introduced regulations requiring authorisation of stakes over £50 on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals through a “verified account” or staff interaction.The Government published its evaluation of the £50 regulations on 21 January, which can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-gaming-machine-circumstances-of-useamendment-regulations-2015
We will now consider the findings of the evaluation before deciding if there is a need for further action.