Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding her Department has allocated to councils to deliver cultural services in (a) 2010, (b) 2018 and (c) 2024 as of 17 April 2024.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The funding of local cultural services and organisations is a matter for individual local authorities, but the Government strongly supports their doing so, not least because of the significant economic, social, and wellbeing benefits cultural organisations deliver. The Local Government Finance Settlement for 2024–25 makes available up to £64.7 billion for local authorities — an increase in Core Spending Power of up to £4.5 billion or 7.5% in cash terms on 2023–24. This above-inflation increase demonstrates the Government’s commitment to supporting local authorities. The majority of this funding is not ring-fenced, so local authorities can consider how best to balance their local priorities.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has for funding for councils to deliver cultural services in the next two years; and if she will increase such funding.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The funding of local cultural services and organisations is a matter for individual local authorities, but the Government strongly supports their doing so, not least because of the significant economic, social, and wellbeing benefits cultural organisations deliver. The Local Government Finance Settlement for 2024–25 makes available up to £64.7 billion for local authorities — an increase in Core Spending Power of up to £4.5 billion or 7.5% in cash terms on 2023–24. This above-inflation increase demonstrates the Government’s commitment to supporting local authorities. The majority of this funding is not ring-fenced, so local authorities can consider how best to balance their local priorities.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
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 encourage girls from disadvantaged backgrounds to take up cricket.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is committed to supporting women's sport at every opportunity including pushing for greater participation.
There has been real progress in the number of women and girls taking up cricket in recent years, and wider developments in the women’s game, as noted by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket report. Initiatives like Chance to Shine, which receives funding from Sport England, play an important role in that. The project is focussed in areas with a lack of accessible clubs and green spaces making cricket accessible to young people throughout the country. More widely, Sport England’s This Girl Can campaign has already inspired millions of women and girls to get active regardless of shape, size and ability.
However, we recognise that there is more to do. The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket report notes that while progress has been made in the women’s game, there are still areas for concern. Clearly the sport needs to reflect carefully on these findings and consider how best to deliver clear and sustained cultural change across cricket. The Government will review the findings of the report and we welcome the ECB’s commitment to bring forward a plan to tackle these serious issues, which must be addressed fully.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will make an assessment of the implications for its policies of claims of racism and discrimination at Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government was extremely concerned by the reports of racism at Yorkshire County Cricket Club. We are absolutely clear that racism has no place in cricket, sport, or wider society, and we expect all sports to take this seriously.
We welcome the steps taken so far by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and YCCC but expect to see clear and sustained evidence of cultural change across the sport resulting from these actions and will hold them to account on this.
The Government will continue to work with the Sports Councils, national governing bodies and sector partners on eradicating racism from sport.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many people aged over 75 in a) Luton South b) East of England and c) England have been identified as not paying the TV Licence fee since the end of the over-75s concession in August 2020.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport does not hold this information. Under the Communications Act (2003), a fee for a television licence is payable to the BBC. The enforcement and administration for non-payment of the licence fee is the responsibility of the BBC as a body independent from the government.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when her Department plans to publish its response to the Fan-Led Review of Football Governance.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has endorsed the principle that football requires a strong, independent regulator to secure the future of our national game. We are working at pace to consider the recommendations of the Fan Led Review, and determine the most effective way to deliver an independent regulator.
The DCMS Secretary of State committed to Parliament on 3 March to bring forward our Government response as soon as possible.
This response will be issued in the coming weeks.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the impact of increased homeworking during the covid-19 outbreak on her Department’s carbon footprint.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DCMS monitors and reports on its greenhouse gas emissions - information on this is published in the Greening Government Commitments Annual Report.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to measure its carbon footprint.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
All Departments are required to measure and report their greenhouse gas emissions quarterly as part of the Greening Government Commitments. Departmental emissions, and their progress against emissions reductions targets, are published annually in the Greening Government Commitments Annual Reports.
Departments may also publish their greenhouse gas emissions data as part of their own Annual Report and Accounts.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has published a plan setting out the steps it plans to take to transition to net zero emissions.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DCMS is committed to reducing emissions and energy consumption wherever possible, as part of the UK’s transition to net zero. The Department’s current targets to make progress on reducing emissions have been published, as part of the Greening Government Commitments.
The Government published the Net Zero Strategy in October 2021, which sets out policies and proposals for decarbonising all sectors of the UK economy to meet our net zero target by 2050.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has implemented a training programme to provide civil servants with skills to support its transition to net zero.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DCMS is committed to the 2050 net zero target and is developing a capability training programme for our staff that will ensure we have the skills required to support the transition.
As part of this we are in contact with the Government Skills and Curriculum Unit (GSCU) who are developing a cross Whitehall training programme focused on climate capability. The new Government Curriculum will include modules on the implications of Net Zero, climate change and wider environmental issues for the government.
We expect the first phase of this training to be piloted from April 2022 followed by a second phase where the GSCU will look at tailored provision for specific functions and professions, and will signpost the training and other resources on Net Zero which are already being provided internally at practitioner and expert levels by government Departments.
We will ensure that any staff requiring these skills at DCMS are enrolled on this training.