Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when her Department plans to make an announcement on the future of the Listed Place of Worship Grant Scheme.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Departmental settlements have been set following the Budget announcement on October 30. Individual programmes will now be assessed during the departmental Business Planning process.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much her Department spent on communications in the last year for which data is available.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Communications supports the government in delivering for the public, ensuring information is shared widely and effectively, informed by data and using a broad range of channels. In DCMS, an in-house team delivers communications with a limited supporting budget, used for example to help deliver campaigns that reach members of the public who don’t frequently engage with traditional media. In addition, internal communications ensures staff are informed and engaged - a proven driver of productivity - in support of delivering government and departmental priorities.
Spend on communications for the Department for Culture, Media & Sport during the 2023/24 financial year was £552,010.27 as outlined below:
Communications spending for FY 2023/24 | |
Media monitoring and services | £242,753.55 |
Campaigns | £156,121.22 |
Research & Evaluation | £107,775.00 |
Digital services & equipment | £20,510.50 |
Internal Communications | £24,850.00 |
To note, the figures for 2023/24 are still being audited and so could be subject to change. The Annual Report and Accounts to be published in November 2024 post audit.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many staff in Arts Council England have job titles which include the words (a) equality, (b) diversity, (c) inclusion, (d) gender, (e) LGBT and (f) race.
Answered by Julia Lopez
The average number of Arts Council England employees (headcount) during the most recent reported year (2022-23) was 700. 11 members of staff have job titles which include one of these words.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many staff in the Big Lottery Fund have job titles which include the words (a) equality, (b) diversity, (c) inclusion, (d) gender, (e) LGBT and (f) race.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The National Lottery Community Fund currently has four employees with job titles which include the words (a) equality, (b) diversity, (c) inclusion, (d) gender, (e) LGBT or (f) race.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many staff in their Department have job titles that include the words (a) equality, (b) diversity, (c) inclusion, (d) gender, (e) LGBT and (f) race.
Answered by Julia Lopez
There are five roles in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport that contain any of these words. This includes roles in our sector teams with responsibility for taking forward the government’s commitment to increasing participation in sport.
The Government is auditing the cost-effectiveness of all activities that support the equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) of the workforce, through the review of EDI spending announced last June. As stated in the Autumn Statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Minister for Cabinet Office will be outlining the final proposals in response to the review in due course.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many equalities impact assessments her Department completed in each of the last five years for which data is available.
Answered by Julia Lopez
Under the Public Sector Equality Duty (the Duty) all public authorities, including Government departments, are required by law to ensure that they have due regard to certain equality considerations when carrying out their functions. While ‘equality impact assessments’ may be produced, there is no legal requirement for duty assessments to be recorded in a specific format.
We do not centrally collate equalities impact assessments in the department, but are confident that we are meeting the Duty in our decision-making processes.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Department spent on unconscious bias training in each of the last five years.
Answered by John Whittingdale
All staff are expected to complete Diversity and Inclusion e-learning on an annual basis. This includes modules on unconscious bias. All e-learning is free of charge to staff as it is covered by the department’s annual payment to access Civil Service Learning.
In addition to this DCMS spent £7,500+VAT in f/y 2019/20 on face to face unconscious bias training.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many members of staff in their Department have one or more of the words equality, diversity, inclusion, gender, LGBT or race in their job title.
Answered by John Whittingdale
On 1st September 2020, 10 members of staff in DCMS had equality, diversity, inclusion, gender, LGBT or race in their job title.
This includes staff working on diversity and inclusion policy for the department in the People and Workplace directorate, as well as diversity and inclusion across DCMS policy areas.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many members of staff in his Department have either equality, diversity or inclusion in their job title.
Answered by John Whittingdale
On 1st September 2020, 10 members of staff in DCMS had equality, diversity or inclusion in their job title.
This includes staff working on diversity and inclusion policy for the department in the People and Workplace directorate, as well as diversity and inclusion across DCMS policy areas.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he plans to take in relation to the findings of the Gambling Commission on the death of Chris Bruney.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston
The Gambling Commission has a range of sanctions at its disposal to hold operators to account for failures. These include financial penalties and the review of both operator licences and personal management licences, as well as criminal prosecution where appropriate. As part of its recent action against PT Entertainment Services (PTES), the Commission is continuing to investigate the roles of individual licence holders and will take appropriate action if necessary.
The government and the Gambling Commission monitor on an ongoing basis whether changes to legislation or licence conditions are needed. We are looking at the issues raised by this case and any lessons to be learned.