Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she (a) has had and (b) plans to have discussions with representatives of clubs for the elderly that are closing in autumn 2024 on their (i) financial situation and (ii) role in providing warm spaces for the elderly.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
This government recognises the vital role that charities play up and down the country, providing crucial support to different groups across society, including the elderly.
DCMS is supporting charities with their financial sustainability in a number of ways including delivering grants, growing the social investment market and supporting their ability to bid for contracts.
Since I was appointed to my role I have not yet had discussions with representatives for clubs for the elderly. However this new government is keen to reset the relationship with civil society, and I would welcome the opportunity to engage and discuss with them.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will have discussions with representatives of charities on the funding of organisations that provide clubs for the elderly.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
This government recognises the vital role that charities play up and down the country, providing crucial support to different groups across society, including the elderly.
DCMS is supporting charities with their financial sustainability in a number of ways including delivering grants, growing the social investment market and supporting their ability to bid for contracts.
Since I was appointed to my role I have not yet had discussions with representatives for clubs for the elderly. However this new government is keen to reset the relationship with civil society, and I would welcome the opportunity to engage and discuss with them.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress she has made in establishing a network of youth hubs; and what steps she is taking to support existing youth provision to work with youth hubs.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
This Government is committed to giving all young people the chance to reach their full potential and we recognise the importance of early intervention to ensure young people can live safe and healthy lives.
Fundamental to this is the delivery of the Young Futures Programme which will work to identify young people most at risk of being drawn into crime and other poor outcomes and create a network of Young Futures Hubs in communities across the country. We will work closely across government, with external partners and young people, to design and develop the proposals for Young Futures Hubs, in a cohesive and integrated way, ensuring they meet young people’s needs and build on existing provision and expertise. We will share more information in due course.
More broadly, this government recognises the vital role that youth services and activities play in improving young people’s life chances and wellbeing. As set out in section 507B of the Education Act 1996, 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 through the Local Government Settlement which amounts to over £60 billion this year.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help ensure the financial sustainability of charities.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
This government recognises the vital role that charities have played in providing, often life-saving work in our society in increasingly difficult circumstances.
DCMS is supporting charities with their financial sustainability in a number of ways. DCMS delivers a number of grant programmes which help voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs), including charities. For example, the £25.5m VCSE Energy Efficiency Scheme is supporting frontline organisations across England to improve their energy efficiency and sustainability, through independent energy assessments and capital grants. This funding runs until March 2025.
Support for charities is available through social investment which provides access to grants, repayable finance and a blend of the two. This government is continuing to look at how dormant assets can be used to support the availability of finance to facilitate VCSEs becoming more entrepreneurial and financially resilient. An estimated £350 million will flow into the Dormant Assets Scheme between 2024-28, with details on how this money will be allocated to be provided in due course.
Support is also available through the Contract Readiness Programme, a £900,000 package of support enabling VCSEs in England to better compete for government contracts. The programme provides fully funded training for VCSEs interested in bidding for public contracts. This aims to create more opportunities for VCSEs to secure contracts, helping to diversify their income and increase their sustainability. Since launch, over 850 VCSEs have benefitted from the programme. This programme will run until March 2025.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Minister for the Cabinet Office and the Secretary of State for the Home Department on (a) tours in European Union countries by UK musicians and (b) tours in the UK by musicians and artists from European Union countries.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is committed to working closely with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Home Office, Cabinet Office and other relevant Whitehall departments to address key issues for our outstanding world-class musicians and performing artists on areas such as visas and the movement of goods.
We seek to reset the relationship with our European friends, neighbours and allies. We recognise that strengthening the relationship will take time, but this Government is ambitious and wants to move forward as fast as possible, in line with our clear manifesto priorities in relation to the creative and cultural sectors.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of rejoining Creative Europe.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Our arts and creative industries significantly bolster the UK’s economic prosperity, contributing 5.7% of the UK’s total Gross Value Add in 2022 (£124.6 billion). These sectors enrich citizens’ lives, and play a vital role in presenting the UK as an attractive location to visit and invest.
The Government is dedicated to fostering their growth and improving the UK’s trade and investment relationship with the EU by dismantling unnecessary barriers to trade and will explore all funding options and opportunities for the arts and creative industries. We recognise that this will take time.
This Government is ambitious and wants to move forward as fast as possible, in line with our clear manifesto priorities for the creative and cultural sectors around supporting touring artists and facilitating cultural exchange.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
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 the potential impact of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete being present on heritage buildings that serve as (a) museums and (b) galleries; and if she will take steps to support their restoration.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Individual building owners are responsible for health and safety, including responding to safety alerts such as reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). DCMS is in regular contact with museum and gallery sector bodies, who have consulted their members and report that RAAC is not a widespread issue.
The department funds the Museum Estate and Development Fund through Arts Council England. The Fund makes substantial grants of up to £5 million to support infrastructure works and repairs, and RAAC mitigation works are eligible. DCMS Arm’s Length Bodies also provide a variety of Capital funds, resilience grant schemes, and expert buildings advice to the museums sector.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she plans to take to help support locations that are on the tentative list for designation as a world heritage site.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is actively engaging with all the sites on the UK's Tentative List, which includes regular check-in meetings and the provision of specific guidance on both UK Government and UNESCO processes for nominations.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
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 introduce a licensing scheme for short term holiday lets.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Short-term lets are an integral part of the UK’s visitor accommodation offer. The government is clear that they bring a range of benefits to local and national economies.
The government also recognises that communities in tourism destinations, particularly coastal and rural communities, must be able to benefit from thriving tourism but ensure the spirit of their community is preserved when holiday season ends.
Parliament legislated for a registration scheme for short-term lets in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023. The government is continuing to explore the introduction of such a scheme, which is now a statutory requirement.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
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 the potential merits of the introduction of a tourism tax.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
We have no plans to introduce a tourism tax.