Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 5 March 2025, to Question 33995, on Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Internet what proportion of spending on the First Draft podcast was allocated to its (a) production and (b) promotion.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
I refer the Hon Member to my answer to PQ 33995.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department is updating its impact assessment on restrictions on advertisements for less healthy food and drink products.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
DCMS is working closely with the Department for Health and Social Care, the lead department for the less healthy food and drink advertising restrictions, to monitor and assess the impacts and potential impacts of the legislation which was enacted by the previous government.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much time officials in her Department spent on the production of the First Draft podcast.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The podcast was created and delivered as part of the DCMS Communications Teams' day to day work at no extra cost.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many officials in her Department are responsible for the First Draft podcast.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The podcast was created and delivered as part of the DCMS Communications Teams' day to day work at no extra cost.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the cost to the public purse was of the First Draft podcast.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The podcast was created and delivered as part of the DCMS Communications Teams' day to day work at no extra cost.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
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 implications for her policies of EY's report entitled TV distribution after 2034, published in February 2024.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government has an ongoing project on the future of TV distribution after 2034, which is considering how people receive their television now and in the next decade. The evidence being considered as part of this process includes EY’s report. DCMS also published independent research on the future of TV distribution on 8 November 2024.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull 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 implications for his Department’s policies of the press notice from the Advertising Standards Authority entitled Media restrictions on advertisements for “less healthy” food and drink products: consultation update, published on 13 January 2025.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
I have met the ASA and Ofcom twice to discuss the statement and the ASA’s subsequent consultation and officials are closely engaged with stakeholders. Implementing advertising restrictions for less healthy food or drink on television and online is a manifesto commitment for this government. To support this, it is important that the ASA’s guidance provides clarity to industry, including advertisers and broadcasters. The ASA published a consultation on an updated version of its guidance on 18 February and I encourage those with an interest to engage with it. We are keen to ensure a proportionate outcome, limiting advertising for identifiable less healthy food products, incentivising advertisers and food producers to move towards healthier options, and maintaining strong advertising and broadcasting sectors.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to publish the National Youth Strategy.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
We plan to publish the National Youth Strategy in the summer, with an interim report to come out in the spring.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
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 implications for her policies of the proposal by the Welsh government to enable local authorities to charge a visitor levy.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Tourism is a devolved policy matter and we work closely with the Devolved Administrations. My department will carefully monitor the proposal by the Welsh government. Tax policy is a matter for HM Treasury and there are currently no plans to introduce a similar tax in England.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
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 (a) the Guardian Media Group and (b) Tortoise Media on the proposed buyout of the Observer newspaper.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
It would be inappropriate to comment on any live merger case. As is clear under the Enterprise Act, this is a quasi-judicial process for the DCMS Secretary of State alone to exercise the statutory powers based on the evidence and following the established regulatory process. If there are any updates to report, Parliament will be informed in the usual way.