Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will prohibit bottom-towed fishing gear in all 41 Marine Protected Areas.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The consultation on the latest round of proposed fisheries byelaws, which proposes further restrictions on bottom trawling in 41 of England’s offshore Marine Protected Areas, closed on 29 September. The Marine Management Organisation is now carefully considering all responses received, and decisions will be made in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with the BBC on the adequacy of the political impartiality in its news and current affairs output.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Secretary of State meets regularly with the Chair of the BBC to discuss a wide range of issues.

For any public service broadcaster, accountability and trust are key. It is important that the BBC continues to demonstrate how it is working diligently to maintain the highest standards. The BBC is editorially and operationally independent of Government, and this is a crucial component of why people trust it.

The Charter Review is a key opportunity to set the BBC up for success long into the future. The Charter Review Green Paper published in December sets out the Government's ambition to ensure the BBC remains a trusted, independent source of news and consults on options to ensure it maintains the highest editorial standards.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking with local councils to tackle the anti-social use of fireworks in Hertfordshire.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Local authorities and the police have powers to tackle anti-social behaviour caused by misuse of fireworks. New Respect Orders will empower police and local councils, via court mandates, to impose stringent behavioural restrictions on individuals who repeatedly engage in antisocial behaviour. I recently met with the Scottish Government and was interested to hear about the initiatives they are deploying to tackle anti-social use of fireworks. Engagement with devolved governments and local authorities are a key part of the evidence gathering process as we consider future decisions in relation to the regulation of fireworks.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Fireworks Regulations 2004 on tackling the purchase of fireworks for anti-social use.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

There has been no assessment on the impact of the fireworks regulations 2004 on tackling purchase of fireworks for anti-social use.

I recognise that people hold a range of views on this issue. On 19th January, MPs debated two e-petitions relating to the sale and noise of fireworks respectively. As the Minister responsible, I will ensure that all evidence gathered, including views from the debate, and experiences shared by members of the public, are fully considered. I can assure you that public safety, the impact on people, animals and property, will remain central to this work.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance her Department provides to Arts Council England regarding the political neutrality of National Portfolio Organisations.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government is committed to freedom of speech, including in the cultural sector, and the Secretary of State has expressed an unequivocal ambition that the era of the government stoking “culture wars” should be over. The government is clear that whilst it is right that protections from discrimination exist, this does not prohibit people from expressing their views, opinions or beliefs which are also protected. However, it is important to protect people from illegal discrimination, harassment, and hate speech.

Arts Council England (ACE) makes decisions about which organisations and projects to fund independently of government and Ministers, which means there is no question of any political involvement in arts funding decisions. ACE supports freedom of speech within the limits of the law and recognises the expression of different beliefs as protected under the Equality Act 2010. ACE staff receive training on these matters and are guided by their Dignity at Work policy.

DCMS expects all ACE staff to uphold the Nolan principles, which includes objectivity. That principle notes that holders of public office must act and make decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias. ACE also supports the rights of artists and cultural organisations to express themselves freely, including through work that is challenging, provocative, or political. They have also published guidance aimed at supporting cultural organisations in managing complex situations that might arise from presenting challenging work, which is available on their website.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that arts organisations receiving public funding do not discriminate against events based on the political or philosophical viewpoints of the speakers.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government is committed to freedom of speech, including in the cultural sector, and the Secretary of State has expressed an unequivocal ambition that the era of the government stoking “culture wars” should be over. The government is clear that whilst it is right that protections from discrimination exist, this does not prohibit people from expressing their views, opinions or beliefs which are also protected. However, it is important to protect people from illegal discrimination, harassment, and hate speech.

Arts Council England (ACE) makes decisions about which organisations and projects to fund independently of government and Ministers, which means there is no question of any political involvement in arts funding decisions. ACE supports freedom of speech within the limits of the law and recognises the expression of different beliefs as protected under the Equality Act 2010. ACE staff receive training on these matters and are guided by their Dignity at Work policy.

DCMS expects all ACE staff to uphold the Nolan principles, which includes objectivity. That principle notes that holders of public office must act and make decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias. ACE also supports the rights of artists and cultural organisations to express themselves freely, including through work that is challenging, provocative, or political. They have also published guidance aimed at supporting cultural organisations in managing complex situations that might arise from presenting challenging work, which is available on their website.