Asked by: Paul Davies (Labour - Colne Valley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the BBC on the financial pressures it faces.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Secretary of State is a strong supporter of the BBC and, with Charter Review approaching, wants to ensure the long term financial sustainability of the corporation.
Ministers and officials in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have regular discussions with the BBC, and the Secretary of State had her first formal meeting on the Charter Review process with the Director General in November 2024.
As part of the next Charter Review, discussions with the BBC will continue to focus on how to ensure the BBC thrives well into the next decade and beyond. This will include ongoing discussions on a range of important issues, including future funding models. Funding the BBC through general taxation is not being considered.
Asked by: Paul Davies (Labour - Colne Valley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to encourage employers to create workplace environments that reduce employee loneliness.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) leads on the cross-government tackling loneliness programme, with multiple departments contributing towards the delivery of this work. DCMS is working closely with DHSC and DWP to consider loneliness in future health and workplace policies. This includes adding new loneliness data to the Public Health Outcomes Framework in February 2025, which will enable health organisations and Local Authorities to compare local loneliness data with other health outcomes to inform their work. We know that chronic loneliness negatively impacts physical health, mental health, employee productivity and wellbeing, with those who are unemployed at increased risk of loneliness. Therefore, DWP Jobcentres carry out an important role in identifying people at risk of loneliness, directing people to tailored support such as social prescribing, volunteering opportunities, befriending schemes and other local community opportunities and helping them return, or prepare to return, to the labour market.
Asked by: Paul Davies (Labour - Colne Valley)
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 assess the effectiveness of loneliness reduction initiatives; and whether she plans to take steps to amend her policies in the context of the findings of these assessments.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is working to build the evidence base on loneliness including the demographic groups most affected and the effectiveness of interventions. It uses available evidence to keep policies under review.
For example, DCMS has recently published two new qualitative research reports, including one exploring how and why young disabled people experience loneliness and what could be done to reduce it. The research programme for the year 2024/25 includes engaging with existing research on the most effective ways to measure loneliness levels.
DCMS is working with external researchers to evaluate the effectiveness of the Know Your Neighbourhood Fund. The Fund aims to widen participation in volunteering and tackle loneliness. The evaluation will assess the effectiveness of the Fund in achieving these aims.
DCMS also seeks to support stakeholders and grassroots organisations to evaluate their work robustly by facilitating information sharing and learning via the Tackling Loneliness Hub, an online platform for professionals working to reduce loneliness.
Asked by: Paul Davies (Labour - Colne Valley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to provide funding for research on effective interventions to tackle loneliness across different demographics.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is working to build the evidence base on loneliness including the demographic groups most affected and the effectiveness of interventions. It uses available evidence to keep policies under review.
For example, DCMS has recently published two new qualitative research reports, including one exploring how and why young disabled people experience loneliness and what could be done to reduce it. The research programme for the year 2024/25 includes engaging with existing research on the most effective ways to measure loneliness levels.
DCMS is working with external researchers to evaluate the effectiveness of the Know Your Neighbourhood Fund. The Fund aims to widen participation in volunteering and tackle loneliness. The evaluation will assess the effectiveness of the Fund in achieving these aims.
DCMS also seeks to support stakeholders and grassroots organisations to evaluate their work robustly by facilitating information sharing and learning via the Tackling Loneliness Hub, an online platform for professionals working to reduce loneliness.
Asked by: Paul Davies (Labour - Colne Valley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to integrate loneliness prevention programmes into the healthcare system.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) leads on the cross-government tackling loneliness programme, with multiple departments contributing towards the delivery of this work. DCMS is working closely with DHSC and DWP to consider loneliness in future health and workplace policies. This includes adding new loneliness data to the Public Health Outcomes Framework in February 2025, which will enable health organisations and Local Authorities to compare local loneliness data with other health outcomes to inform their work. We know that chronic loneliness negatively impacts physical health, mental health, employee productivity and wellbeing, with those who are unemployed at increased risk of loneliness. Therefore, DWP Jobcentres carry out an important role in identifying people at risk of loneliness, directing people to tailored support such as social prescribing, volunteering opportunities, befriending schemes and other local community opportunities and helping them return, or prepare to return, to the labour market.
Asked by: Paul Davies (Labour - Colne Valley)
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 help (a) reduce the stigma associated with and (b) encourage more people to seek help for loneliness.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
To reduce the stigma associated with loneliness and to encourage people to seek help, the government provides advice through the Better Health: Every Mind Matters campaign’s advice pages.
Asked by: Paul Davies (Labour - Colne Valley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to (a) help build new grassroots football facilities and (b) renovate existing pitches for grassroots football in Colne Valley constituency.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
High-quality, inclusive facilities help clubs to get more people active and by backing these clubs, the Government will support more people to get onto the pitch wherever they live.
Colne Valley constituency has benefitted from £40,798 of DCMS investment across five sites under the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities programme to date.
The Government will invest £123 million throughout 2024/25 to build and upgrade pitches and facilities UK wide. Funding from the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme is invested in England through Sport England and our delivery partner, the Football Foundation.
The Football Foundation plans their investment pipeline based on Local Football Facility Plans (LFFPs). These plans have been developed in partnership with local authorities and are in the process of being refreshed to reflect the current landscape. The existing LFFP for Colne Valley, Kirklees can be found by visiting the Football Foundation’s website.
Should a constituent have an enquiry about prospective investment at a specific facility, they can get in touch with the Football Foundation directly via enquiries@footballfoundation.org.uk.
Asked by: Paul Davies (Labour - Colne Valley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department plans to take to work with (a) community organisations and (b) mental health services to support the creation of networks for men experiencing loneliness.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Chronic loneliness (feeling lonely often or always) can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender or background, although some groups, such as young people aged 16-25, are known to be at a higher risk. The government’s current work to tackle loneliness supports organisations working with a diverse range of groups at risk of chronic loneliness to take action. This includes delivering the Know Your Neighbourhood Fund, a grant fund designed to widen participation in volunteering and tackle loneliness in 27 disadvantaged areas across England.
We also support a range of organisations through the Tackling Loneliness Hub, an online platform for professionals working to reduce loneliness, and provide advice on loneliness through the Better Health: Every Mind Matters campaign’s advice pages.
The government is committed to continuing to tackle loneliness and to support people to connect with others. We will continue to engage with a wide range of organisations, including community organisations and health providers, as part of this work.
Asked by: Paul Davies (Labour - Colne Valley)
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 tackle loneliness in men aged (a) 18 to 30, (b) 30 to 60 and (c) over 60.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Chronic loneliness (feeling lonely often or always) can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender or background, although some groups, such as young people aged 16-25, are known to be at a higher risk. The government’s current work to tackle loneliness supports organisations working with a diverse range of groups at risk of chronic loneliness to take action. This includes delivering the Know Your Neighbourhood Fund, a grant fund designed to widen participation in volunteering and tackle loneliness in 27 disadvantaged areas across England.
We also support a range of organisations through the Tackling Loneliness Hub, an online platform for professionals working to reduce loneliness, and provide advice on loneliness through the Better Health: Every Mind Matters campaign’s advice pages.
The government is committed to continuing to tackle loneliness and to support people to connect with others. We will continue to engage with a wide range of organisations, including community organisations and health providers, as part of this work.
Asked by: Paul Davies (Labour - Colne Valley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps with relevant football bodies to help increase British Asian representation in football (a) on and (b) off the pitch.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
We welcome the football industry’s ongoing commitment to provide fair opportunities for all. Since the publication of the independent Fan-Led Review in November 2021, the football leagues and the sport’s national governing body, the Football Association (FA), have introduced enhanced equality requirements for football clubs. It is ultimately for the FA to decide on the specific aims and appropriate initiatives to increase diversity and inclusion in the sport.
The Code for Sports Governance sets out the standards all sporting organisations must meet in return for public funding from either UK Sport or Sport England. Sports organisations at Tier 3 of the Code, which includes the FA, are required to agree a diversity and inclusion action plan (DIAP) with Sport England and/or UK Sport, which will be published and updated annually.
The Government acknowledges that there is still more progress to be made and will continue to work with the leagues, the FA, and other organisations on this.