Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what was the cost to the public purse of the coronation on 6 May 2023.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla was a hugely important state occasion, which brought millions of people around the country together in celebration, and showcased the best of the United Kingdom to the world. The Government is delighted to have supported the Coronation to ensure that the events were safe and well-planned.
As with all events of this kind, we are unable to give costs until after the spend has been reconciled.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
What steps the Government is taking to help tackle harmful content online that encourages or assists suicide.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The draft Online Safety Bill will make companies more accountable for protecting people online, with all platforms having to identify and remove content that encourages suicide.
They will also have to ensure children are prevented from accessing material which promotes suicide or self-harm.
If platforms fail in their duties under the Bill, they will face tough enforcement action including fines of up to 10% of global annual qualifying turnover.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the highest hourly rate paid for legal advice was by (a) his Department and (b) each of his Department's arms length bodies in 2018.
Answered by Michael Ellis
(a) A large proportion of DCMS's legal advice is provided by the Government Legal Department (GLD) on an annual fixed fee basis. Additional legal advice is obtained from GLD on an hourly rate basis and the Department regularly engages private sector legal services from Counsel and external legal firms. Hourly rates are not available without reviewing individual invoices from the various legal service providers, which would incur disproportionate cost. Advice from counsel is, save for very limited and exceptional circumstances, provided at rates which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/attorney-generals-panel-counsel-practical-information#rates.
(b) This information is not held centrally and to collect this information would incur a disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the provision of high-speed broadband infrastructure on productivity.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
SQW Consulting’s UK Broadband impact study in 2013 estimates that the availability and take-up of faster broadband speeds will add about £17 billion to the UK’s annual Gross Value Added (GVA) by 2024.
This Government is helping increase productivity across the UK by investing in and widening access to key digital infrastructure. We are on track to deliver our commitment to provide superfast broadband coverage to 95% of the UK by the end of 2017.Our£40m Broadband Connection Voucher Scheme was taken up by over 55,000 small and medium sized businesses - who employ a million people right across the UK and are already reporting, on average, a £1,300 per year increase in profits and a new job being created for every four new connections. ThePrime Minister recentlyannounced plans to ensure that every home and business can have access to fast broadband by the end of this Parliament.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to improve the UK's productivity.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
SQW Consulting’s UK Broadband impact study in 2013 estimates that the availability and take-up of faster broadband speeds will add about £17 billion to the UK’s annual Gross Value Added (GVA) by 2024.
This Government is helping increase productivity across the UK by investing in and widening access to key digital infrastructure. We are on track to deliver our commitment to provide superfast broadband coverage to 95% of the UK by the end of 2017.Our£40m Broadband Connection Voucher Scheme was taken up by over 55,000 small and medium sized businesses - who employ a million people right across the UK and are already reporting, on average, a £1,300 per year increase in profits and a new job being created for every four new connections. ThePrime Minister recentlyannounced plans to ensure that every home and business can have access to fast broadband by the end of this Parliament.