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Written Question
Gambling: Taxation
Monday 11th September 2023

Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - North Tyneside)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of implementing the statutory gambling operator levy as a smart levy.

Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The government’s recent white paper set out a range of proportionate measures to tackle practices and products which can drive harm and ensure that people who are at risk of gambling harm and addiction are protected. This includes a statutory levy on operators that will help fund research, education and treatment for those struggling with gambling addiction.

We will shortly consult on the details of how the levy will be designed, including proposals on the total amount to be raised by the levy and how it will be constructed, ensuring that a rate is fair and proportionate for different gambling sectors, including the land-based gambling industry. This approach will account for the varying association of different sectors with harm and their financial position.


Written Question
Gambling
Thursday 7th September 2023

Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - North Tyneside)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of increasing limits on (a) stakes and (b) prizes for the land-based gambling industry.

Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Our gambling white paper set out the government’s plans for modernising the regulation of gambling in Great Britain. This included a number of measures to adjust outdated and overly restrictive rules to enable the land-based sectors to thrive sustainably. The reforms strike a balance between respecting the choices of people who gamble safely, and ensuring those that are at risk of gambling harm and addiction are protected and safeguarded.

The white paper proposed a raft of changes which will benefit the land-based sector, including a reform of outdated restrictions on gaming machine supply and modernisation of payment methods across the land-based sector. Since publishing the white paper, ministers and officials have engaged with representatives across the land-based sector to understand a range of issues of interest, including stakes and prizes.


Written Question
Telecommunications: Infrastructure
Thursday 18th November 2021

Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - North Tyneside)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what progress her Department has made on analysing responses to its consultation on reform of the Electronic Communications Code which closed on 24 March 2021.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Officials in my Department have finished reviewing the responses received during the consultation and are preparing the Government’s response, which will be published in due course. Reforms will be brought forward as part of the Product Security and Telecommunication Infrastructure Bill announced in the Queen’s Speech in May 2021.


Written Question
Telecommunications: Infrastructure
Thursday 18th November 2021

Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - North Tyneside)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of a streamlined negotiation process for access agreements under the Electronic Communications Code to allow for the installation of full fibre broadband in Multi Dwelling Units.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Telecommunications Infrastructure (Leasehold Property) Act gained Royal Assent in March 2021. This Act aims to address one stated policy barrier: making it easier for telecoms companies to access multi-dwelling units - such as blocks of flats - where a tenant has requested a new connection, but the landlord has not responded to requests for access rights.

The Act inserts a new Part 4A to the Electronic Communication Code which provides a process that telecommunications operators could use to gain code rights to multi-dwelling premises for a defined period. This only applies where:

  • a lessee in occupation in a multi-dwelling building has requested a telecommunications service from an operator.

  • to connect the property the telecoms operator requires an access agreement with another person such as the landlord.

  • the landlord has not responded to the telecoms operator’s request for access.

My Department published a consultation which sought views on the terms which will accompany the interim Code rights provided to operators who have successfully applied for an order made under Part 4A of the Electronic Communications Code. The consultation closed on Wednesday 4 August. Responses are being considered and the consultation response will be published in due course, with regulations laid as soon as possible.


Written Question
Electronic Cigarettes: Disinformation
Monday 19th April 2021

Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - North Tyneside)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to tackle online misinformation on the vaping industry.

Answered by Caroline Dinenage

The Department of Health and Social Care and PHE meet with the Independent British Vape Trade Association to discuss industry concerns and wider regulatory matters, including misinformation.

E-cigarettes in the UK are tightly regulated by the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 (TRPR) and the Nicotine Inhaling Products (Age of Sale and Proxy Purchasing) Regulations 2015 (NIP). These regulations aim to reduce the risk of harm to children; to protect against any risk of renormalisation of tobacco use; and to provide assurance on relative safety for users. The regulations include restrictions on mainstream TV and radio advertising; prevent sale to under 18s; and limit both tank sizes and nicotine content.

DCMS works closely with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) who facilitate the self-regulation of the UK advertising sector through the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising (BCAP Code) and The UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising and Direct & Promotional Marketing (CAP Code) - which applies to online advertising. The ASA has a clear framework for advertisers to follow in relation to what is and is not allowed when making health claims about vapes or e-cigarettes.

The Better Health national marketing campaign on smoking cessation, delivered by Public Health England, has been effective at helping challenge misinformation surrounding e-cigarettes. The campaign is supported by public health professionals at a local level, helping smokers switch to e-cigarette products.

The key consideration for advertisers is whether their marketing communications do anything further than provide basic, factual information about the products. Any content that appears to make the product seem more attractive is likely to be regarded as promotional and therefore likely to be ruled against by the ASA and removed.

More information about the ASA’s approach can be viewed here: https://www.asa.org.uk/asset/97E623E4-3A64-4215-81A5C4BD6D82D1E0.A1727AC1-C340-4B08


Written Question
Electronic Cigarettes: Advertising
Monday 22nd March 2021

Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - North Tyneside)

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 potential effect on reducing levels of smoking of improving public perception of e-cigarettes and vape products, including allowing manufactures, retailers and brands of e-cigarette products to communicate comparative health claims and switching messages that are agreed by the relevant public health bodies to adult smokers.

Answered by Caroline Dinenage

E-cigarettes in the UK are tightly regulated by the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 (TRPR) and the Nicotine Inhaling Products (Age of Sale and Proxy Purchasing) Regulations 2015 (NIP). These regulations aim to reduce the risk of harm to children; to protect against any risk of renormalisation of tobacco use; and to provide assurance on relative safety for users. The regulations include restrictions on mainstream TV and radio advertising; prevent sale to under 18s; and limit both tank sizes and nicotine content.

My department works closely with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) who facilitate the self-regulation of the UK advertising sector through the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising (BCAP Code) and The UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising and Direct & Promotional Marketing (CAP Code). The ASA has a clear framework for advertisers to follow in relation to what is and is not allowed when making health claims about vapes or e-cigarettes.

It would appear that the key consideration for advertisers is whether their marketing communications do anything further than provide basic, factual information about the products. Any content that appears to make the product seem more attractive is likely to be regarded as promotional and therefore likely to be ruled against by the ASA and removed.

More information about the ASA’s approach can be viewed here: https://www.asa.org.uk/asset/97E623E4-3A64-4215-81A5C4BD6D82D1E0.A1727AC1-C340-4B08-9820666C89AE18CB/


Written Question
Tourism
Tuesday 17th November 2020

Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - North Tyneside)

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 role the coach travel sector can play in revitalising the UK tourism industry; and when he last met with representatives of the Confederation of Passenger Transport to discuss the revitalisation of the tourism industry.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

Coaches are an important part of the UK tourism industry, and play a key role each year in connecting visitors with holiday destinations across the country. We are engaging with a broad range of tourism stakeholders to assess how we can most effectively support the sector’s recovery.

I have discussed the problems facing the coach travel sector in detail with my Ministerial counterparts in the Department for Transport, who hold overall responsibility for coach travel, as well as my counterparts in the Devolved Administrations. The Department also continues to engage with the Coach Tourism Association via the Tourism Industry Events Response Group (TIER).

In July my officials attended a cross-Government Ministerial roundtable on problems facing the coach industry, which was attended by the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT). I have also responded to written correspondence from the CPT.


Written Question
Performing Arts: Coronavirus
Friday 6th November 2020

Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - North Tyneside)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to Guidance for people who work in performing arts, including arts organisations, venue operators and participants, updated by his Department on 28 October 2020, what plans his Department has to publish an indicative date for reaching stage 5 of re-opening live performance venues.

Answered by Caroline Dinenage

Following the new national restrictions being put in place from 5 November to 2 December, we are currently at Stages 1 & 2 of the Performing Arts Roadmap, meaning that rehearsals, training and performances for broadcast and recording purposes (without an audience) can take place. We recognise the importance of giving the sector clarity for when Stage 5 activity can resume and acknowledge the lead in time required for programming, casting and rehearsing productions.

We have always said that further reopening would be dependent on the public health context at the time. DCMS has convened a Venues Steering Group which includes representatives from leading sector organisations as well as Public Health England and other experts to develop an action plan for maximizing activity under Stages 3 and 4, when it is permitted, and for how we safely proceed to Stage 5. DCMS will continue to work with the sector to establish an appropriate pilot process for testing the return to stage 5 activity when appropriate and are working closely with the Department for Health and Social Care on the Government Mass Testing Programme.


Written Question
Sports: Television
Thursday 16th January 2020

Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - North Tyneside)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

What steps her Department is taking to increase sports coverage on free-to-air television.

Answered by Nigel Adams

The listed events regime strikes a balance between retaining free-to-air sporting events for the public while allowing rights holders to negotiate agreements in the best interests of their sport.

To give equal recognition to disabled and women’s sports, the government is currently consulting on the addition of the Paralympics and certain women’s events to the listed events regime. However, the government does not have any plans to carry out a full review of the list.


Written Question
Lotteries: Reform
Wednesday 7th November 2018

Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - North Tyneside)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when he plans to publish the outcome of his Department's consultation on society lottery reform which closed on 7 September 2018.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

The consultation on society lottery reform closed on 7 September. There were over 1,600 responses. My officials are now carefully considering the evidence and I hope to respond to the consultation in the first half of next year.