Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Independent - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what capital funding is available to local authorities to help (a) develop and (b) refurbish leisure centres.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The ongoing responsibility of providing access to public sport and leisure facilities lies at Local Authority level. Local Authorities work in partnership with operators who manage leisure services.
Decisions on future funding available for Local Authorities will be set out as part of departmental spending plans in the coming weeks.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Independent - Runcorn and Helsby)
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 trends in the number of youth clubs available to young people since 2010.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not hold the data requested. Local authorities have a statutory duty to secure, so far as is reasonably practicable, sufficient provision of educational and recreational leisure-time activities for young people in their area. This is funded from the Local Government settlement, which is due to rise to more than £64 billion in 2024-25. We have worked with local authorities and with the youth sector to update the statutory guidance that underpins local authorities’ duty to support them in adequately meeting the needs of young people.
The Government recognises the vital role that youth services and activities play in improving the life chances and wellbeing of young people, which is why we have committed to the National Youth Guarantee. This includes the delivery of up to 300 new and refurbished youth spaces and services in left behind areas through the Youth Investment Fund, totalling over £300 million.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Independent - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of implementing the recommendation of the Fan-Led Review of Football Governance on a transfer levy on premiership football clubs; and whether she has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the matter of that proposed levy.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Government published its response to the recommendations made by the Independent Fan-Led Review of Football Governance in April 2022. The Government recognises the need for the long-term financial sustainability of football clubs, throughout the football pyramid.
The Government will publish a White Paper on Football Governance reforms imminently, and it will set out our detailed plans to improve the financial stability and governance of football clubs across all leagues.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Independent - Runcorn and Helsby)
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 need to accelerate the roll-out of high speed internet in rural communities.
Answered by Julia Lopez
Over 73% of premises in the UK can now access gigabit-capable broadband, which is a huge leap from January 2019, when coverage was just 6%. The competitive and pro-growth regulatory environment we have created is enabling suppliers to expand their networks to reach more homes and businesses, and we are making excellent progress with Project Gigabit, rolling out fast, reliable broadband to rural and hard-to-reach parts of the UK.
We are awarding a series of contracts to suppliers to deliver gigabit-capable connectivity to areas that the market will not go to without subsidy. We have already awarded six contracts and in total, we have made almost £1 billion of funding available through our live contracts and procurements, to cover up to 681,500 premises. We have also recently increased the maximum value of vouchers through the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, to support suppliers to connect premises in particularly hard-to-reach areas.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Independent - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to help ensure that companies that are given contracts for high-speed internet installation deliver on the promised broadband speeds.
Answered by Julia Lopez
The Project Gigabit (Gigabit Infrastructure Subsidy) contracts and the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme require suppliers to deliver gigabit-capable infrastructure as part of the specification. The full requirements are set out in the terms and conditions for both interventions.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Independent - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to publish the Community Life Survey 2021-2022.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Community Life Survey 2021-2022 is due to be published in February 2023. Further details on the exact publication date will be released by the end of January at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/announcements/community-life-survey
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Independent - Runcorn and Helsby)
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 value of the current and future role of the Your School Games programme; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing increased funding for that programme for the National Network of School Games Organisers.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Sport and physical activity provide important physical and mental health benefits and also help to develop vital social connections and leadership skills that will set young people up for life.
The Government is committed to ensuring that children and young people can be physically active and to increase the chances for children to take part in competitive sport.
The School Games form a key part of this. In the academic year 2021/22, the School Games delivered over 2.19 million participation opportunities and 2,500 events across the country, with an equal number of boys and girls taking part.
The Government confirmed that the School Games Organisers will continue for the 2022/23 academic year and is considering the position beyond that point.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Independent - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the timetable is for the Department's response to the consultation on the English portion of dormant assets funding.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The consultation on the English portion of dormant assets funding closed on Sunday 9 October and received over 3,300 responses.
The consultation has enabled the public, civil society sector, and the Dormant Assets Scheme’s voluntary industry participants to have their say in how funds are spent in England.
The Government is considering all responses and plans to publish a response in early 2023 setting out the future social and/or environmental purposes of the English portion.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Independent - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of provisions for autistic children to attend (a) major sporting events and (b) Premier league football games.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
As set out in the National Autism Strategy published in 2021, the government aims to encourage businesses and organisations across the country to take steps to become more autism friendly to help tackle exclusion, loneliness and social isolation. As part of this, we expect sports organisations and major sporting events to do all they can to ensure autistic spectators have the best possible experience.
In 2016, the Premier League, alongside The Shippey Campaign and The Lord’s Taverners, launched a programme to fund sensory rooms in 20 top-flight clubs. These provide a more comfortable and appropriate environment for autistic children to watch football matches. They are in use at several Premier League clubs including Chelsea FC, Manchester City FC and Arsenal FC.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Independent - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the adequacy and effectiveness of the (a) Gambling Commission and (b) Financial Conduct Authority, in the context of the collapse of Football Index.
Answered by Chris Philp - Shadow Home Secretary
The independent review into the regulation of Football Index, undertaken by Malcolm Sheehan QC and published last September, identified lessons to be learnt and provided recommendations for both the Gambling Commission and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Both regulators have taken steps to address the issues identified in the report. The Gambling Commission has updated the frameworks for risk based regulation so that product novelty is properly considered alongside other factors in determining the level of scrutiny an operator is placed under. The Commission has also consulted on tighter rules for the terminology used to describe gambling products.
The Commission and FCA have also worked together to strengthen their Memorandum of Understanding in response to Mr Sheehan’s recommendations, including with new escalation routes and commitments on timeliness of responses to ensure regulatory impasses can not remain unsolved. The FCA has additionally nominated an Executive Director to oversee the relationship with the Commission.
Our Review of the Gambling Act 2005 called for evidence on the powers and resources of the Commission and how it uses them, and we will publish a White Paper in the coming weeks.