Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of growth of the digital economy in the last five years; and what assessment he has made of its contribution to GDP.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Growth in the Digital Sector (measured by GVA) between 2009 and 2014 was 26.3% (in comparison to a 20% growth of the UK Economy as a whole). According to DCMS research, the digital sector accounted for 6.9% Gross Value Added in 2010, and 7.3% in 2014.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the proportion of small and medium-sized enterprises in (a) West Sussex and (b) Mid Sussex that will have access to superfast broadband by completion of phase two of the superfast broadband programme.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
By the end of phase two of the Superfast Broadband Programme approximately 95% of homes and businesses in West Sussex will have access to superfast broadband. For the Mid Sussex constituency over 96% of premises will have access to superfast broadband by the end of the project.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department has examined the funding of horseracing from remote gambling in France and Ireland to inform its policy on the funding of horseracing in Britain.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
To inform work to replace the current levy system, we have commissioned an independent economic analysis of the costs and funding of horseracing. This economic analysis work will also examine relevant comparable models
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to paragraph 2.152 of Budget 2015, published in March 2015, whether his Department has had discussions with the European Commission on the compatibility of the Horserace Betting Right with the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
Officials have held discussions with the European Commission on the compatibility of a new Horserace Betting Right with the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department has examined the funding of horseracing in (a) Ireland and (b) France to inform its policy making on the Horse Betting Levy.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
To inform work to replace the current levy system, we have commissioned an independent economic analysis of the costs and funding of horseracing. This economic analysis work will also examine relevant comparable models.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what timetable he has set for the implementation of the Horserace Betting Right; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
Work is continuing on the detailed policy design of the replacement for the existing levy. We will make a further announcement in due course.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when he intends to bring forward legislative proposals to replace the horserace betting levy with a horserace betting right.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
Work is continuing on the detailed policy design of the replacement for the existing levy. We will make a further announcement in due course.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) funding of horseracing and (b) effect of Race Fields legislation in Australia.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
To inform work to replace the current levy system, we have commissioned an independent economic analysis of the costs and funding of horseracing. This economic analysis work will also examine relevant comparable models, including the Australian system, however any reform of the Levy will need to comply with EU law.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of changes in revenue from the Horserace Betting Levy arising from the activities of remote betting operators based offshore.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
The levy rate is set annually and is paid by bookmakers based in Great Britain, it does not currently apply to betting operators based offshore. The Government remains committed to replacing the current levy system to create a level playing field for British based and offshore gambling operators.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to paragraph 2.144 of the Summer Budget 2015, what progress has been made on designing the Horserace Betting Right; and when he plans to publish his proposals on that matter.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
Work is continuing on the detailed policy design of the replacement for the existing levy.
As part of the design work we commissioned an independent economic analysis of the costs and funding of racing. This will draw on information provided by betting and racing, and will be key to assessing what level of funding from betting to racing would be reasonable.
We will make a further announcement in due course