Stuart Andrew

As has been the case under successive administrations, it is a long-standing principle that Civil Service advice is given and treated in confidence.

The Commissioner for Public Appointments is carrying out an inquiry into the campaign to appoint a new Chair of the Independent Football Regulator. The Government is co-operating fully with the Commissioner's office.

Decisions on which artists perform at events and festivals are a matter for event organisers, who must take into account any legal considerations, and meet the requirements of their license, in consultation with relevant authorities.

We unequivocally condemn threatening remarks made towards any individual. Political intimidation and abuse must have no place in our society. We recognise the chilling effect that harassment and intimidation of elected representatives can have on our democracy. Support for proscribed organisations is wholly unacceptable, with criminal offences set out in the Terrorism Act 2000.

Decisions on which artists perform at events and festivals are a matter for event organisers, who must take into account any legal considerations, and meet the requirements of their license, in consultation with relevant authorities.

We unequivocally condemn threatening remarks made towards any individual. Political intimidation and abuse must have no place in our society. We recognise the chilling effect that harassment and intimidation of elected representatives can have on our democracy. Support for proscribed organisations is wholly unacceptable, with criminal offences set out in the Terrorism Act 2000.

No, but thanks for asking.

At the recent Spring Statement, we reiterated the fiscal rules that would guide this Government. The government has taken a number of difficult but necessary decisions on tax, welfare, and spending to fix the foundations of the public finances, fund public services, and restore economic stability.

However, we recognise the vital role that charities play up and down the country, by providing crucial support to different groups and communities.

DCMS continues to support charities in several ways. This includes delivery of a number of grant schemes, such as the £25.5 million Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Energy Efficiency Scheme, which is supporting frontline organisations across England to improve their energy efficiency and sustainability.

Support for charities is also 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 distributed to be provided in due course.

Within the tax system, we provide support to charities through a range of reliefs and exemptions, including reliefs for charitable giving. The tax reliefs available to charities are a vital element in supporting charitable causes across the UK, with more than £6 billion in charitable reliefs provided to charities. The biggest individual reliefs provided are Gift Aid at £1.6 billion and business rates relief at nearly £2.4 billion.

My Department regularly engages with the Department for Business and Trade on a range of issues relating to the implementation of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act 2024.

The Department for Business and Trade’s consultation on the implementation of these measures closed on 10 February 2025, and they are currently analysing responses.

There have been no changes to the budget for this Scheme for financial year 2025-26 as a result of the Spring Statement. As announced in January, the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme has been extended for one year with an overall budget of £23 million, until 31 March 2026.

DCMS’ budget for the 2025-26 financial year was confirmed by HM Treasury at Autumn Budget 2024, not at the Spring Statement.

The creative industries are one of the government’s eight priority Industrial Strategy sectors. At the Creative Industries Growth Summit in January, we announced a £60 million package of support for the sector, providing a major boost to the wider economy. We also set out new commitments from the British Business Bank, the UK’s economic development bank, and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) in January to strengthen their support for the creative industries, in addition to making shorter apprenticeships available from August 2025, building towards a more flexible growth and skills levy. These first steps in delivering on our ambitions for the creative industries will be expanded upon with the publication of the Sector Plan.

The government recognises the importance of cinemas as part of the UK’s film industry and as community assets. The Government’s tax incentives, including the new Independent Film Tax Credit, are bolstering the slate of films available to be shown in British cinemas. The BFI’s Film Audience Network (BFI FAN) is a collaboration of 8 film hubs, managed by leading film organisations and venues around the UK which provides support to cinemas on a local level.

DCMS’ budget for the 2025-26 financial year was confirmed by HM Treasury at Autumn Budget 2024, not at the Spring Statement.

The creative industries are one of the government’s eight priority Industrial Strategy sectors. At the Creative Industries Growth Summit in January, we announced a £60 million package of support for the sector, providing a major boost to the wider economy. We also set out new commitments from the British Business Bank, the UK’s economic development bank, and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) in January to strengthen their support for the creative industries, in addition to making shorter apprenticeships available from August 2025, building towards a more flexible growth and skills levy. These first steps in delivering on our ambitions for the creative industries will be expanded upon with the publication of the Sector Plan.

The government recognises the importance of cinemas as part of the UK’s film industry and as community assets. The Government’s tax incentives, including the new Independent Film Tax Credit, are bolstering the slate of films available to be shown in British cinemas. The BFI’s Film Audience Network (BFI FAN) is a collaboration of 8 film hubs, managed by leading film organisations and venues around the UK which provides support to cinemas on a local level.

This Government fully recognises the importance of youth services to help young people live safe and healthy lives, and we remain committed to giving all young people the chance to reach their full potential. That is why we are developing a National Youth Strategy to set out a new vision for young people and an action plan for delivering this.

In 2025/26, has committed to funding over £85 million of capital funding to create fit-for-purpose spaces in places where it is most needed, which includes £26 million for youth clubs to buy new equipment and do renovations under the Better Youth Spaces Fund. We will be launching the Local Youth Transformation pilot this year, which will support local authorities to build back capability to improve local youth offers. Further funding allocations for specific youth programmes will be set out in due course.

We will publish the Strategy this summer, following the Spending Review.

Access to sport and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health and this Government is committed to ensuring everyone, no matter their age, background or ability, should be able to play sport and be active. The majority of grassroots sport funding is provided by our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, that will invest in excess of £250 million of exchequer and lottery funding through 2025/26.

We are also supporting more people in getting active wherever they live through continuation of the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme. On 21 March the Government announced £100 million funding to be delivered through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme during 2025/26, supporting high-quality, inclusive facilities across the UK.

The Government puts children and young people at the heart of our priorities. This includes breaking down barriers to opportunity for every child to access high-quality sport and physical activity, especially those who are less likely to be active. We have committed to protecting time for physical education and supporting the role grassroots clubs play in expanding access to sport. The expert-led review of the school curriculum will ensure that all children can engage with a broad range of subjects, including PE and sport.

Sport England is also committed to increasing participation in sport and physical activity for disabled people and improving their access to sport facilities. Sport England runs specific initiatives like the 'We are Undefeatable' campaign, impacting directly on disabled people, and those with a long-term health condition. Sport England also has partnerships with organisations such as Disability Rights UK, Activity Alliance, Aspire, and Sense, to help more disabled people get active.

Access to sport and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health and this Government is committed to ensuring everyone, no matter their age, background or ability, should be able to play sport and be active. The majority of grassroots sport funding is provided by our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, that will invest in excess of £250 million of exchequer and lottery funding through 2025/26.

We are also supporting more people in getting active wherever they live through continuation of the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme. On 21 March the Government announced £100 million funding to be delivered through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme during 2025/26, supporting high-quality, inclusive facilities across the UK.

The Government puts children and young people at the heart of our priorities. This includes breaking down barriers to opportunity for every child to access high-quality sport and physical activity, especially those who are less likely to be active. We have committed to protecting time for physical education and supporting the role grassroots clubs play in expanding access to sport. The expert-led review of the school curriculum will ensure that all children can engage with a broad range of subjects, including PE and sport.

Sport England is also committed to increasing participation in sport and physical activity for disabled people and improving their access to sport facilities. Sport England runs specific initiatives like the 'We are Undefeatable' campaign, impacting directly on disabled people, and those with a long-term health condition. Sport England also has partnerships with organisations such as Disability Rights UK, Activity Alliance, Aspire, and Sense, to help more disabled people get active.

Access to sport and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health and this Government is committed to ensuring everyone, no matter their age, background or ability, should be able to play sport and be active. The majority of grassroots sport funding is provided by our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, that will invest in excess of £250 million of exchequer and lottery funding through 2025/26.

We are also supporting more people in getting active wherever they live through continuation of the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme. On 21 March the Government announced £100 million funding to be delivered through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme during 2025/26, supporting high-quality, inclusive facilities across the UK.

The Government puts children and young people at the heart of our priorities. This includes breaking down barriers to opportunity for every child to access high-quality sport and physical activity, especially those who are less likely to be active. We have committed to protecting time for physical education and supporting the role grassroots clubs play in expanding access to sport. The expert-led review of the school curriculum will ensure that all children can engage with a broad range of subjects, including PE and sport.

Sport England is also committed to increasing participation in sport and physical activity for disabled people and improving their access to sport facilities. Sport England runs specific initiatives like the 'We are Undefeatable' campaign, impacting directly on disabled people, and those with a long-term health condition. Sport England also has partnerships with organisations such as Disability Rights UK, Activity Alliance, Aspire, and Sense, to help more disabled people get active.

This Government fully recognises the importance of youth services to help young people live safe and healthy lives, and we remain committed to giving all young people the chance to reach their full potential. That is why we are developing a National Youth Strategy to set out a new vision for young people and an action plan for delivering this.

In 2025/26, has committed to funding over £85 million of capital funding to create fit-for-purpose spaces in places where it is most needed, which includes £26 million for youth clubs to buy new equipment and do renovations under the Better Youth Spaces Fund. Further funding allocations for specific youth programmes will be set out in due course.

My Department regularly engages with the Department for Business and Trade on a range of issues relating to the implementation of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act 2024.

The Department for Business and Trade’s consultation on the implementation of these measures closed on 10 February 2025, and they are currently analysing responses.

My Department is working closely with Ofcom to progress implementation of the Media Act 2024. The Act delegates certain powers to the Secretary of State and to Ofcom in terms of designating ‘in-scope’ services and developing relevant guidance.

The new online prominence regime, under the Act, seeks to support effective negotiations between public service broadcasters and TV platforms for the carriage of designated PSB services (referred to in the Act as “internet programme services”). It does so via a set of “agreement objectives” which both parties must act consistently with, as well as Ofcom guidance, which they are required to consult on.

Further information on Media Act implementation can be found on Ofcom’s website: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and-on-demand/Media-Act-Implementation/.

My Department is working closely with Ofcom to progress implementation of the Media Act 2024. The Act delegates certain powers to the Secretary of State and to Ofcom in terms of designating ‘in-scope’ services and developing relevant guidance.

The new online prominence regime, under the Act, seeks to support effective negotiations between public service broadcasters and TV platforms for the carriage of designated PSB services (referred to in the Act as “internet programme services”). It does so via a set of “agreement objectives” which both parties must act consistently with, as well as Ofcom guidance, which they are required to consult on.

Further information on Media Act implementation can be found on Ofcom’s website: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and-on-demand/Media-Act-Implementation/.

DCMS Ministers received advice on changes to the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme including careful consideration of the potential equality impacts of the changes, in particular with regard to the protected characteristic of religion or belief. A separate equality screening or impact assessment document has not been produced, so will not be placed in the Library of the House.

The decision to make changes to the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme was made with careful consideration of the public sector equality duty outlined in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, ensuring that the objectives in that section were taken into account. There is no legal requirement to publish an equality impact assessment.

The Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport and the Minister for Sport, Media, Civil Society and Youth regularly meet with Ministerial counterparts from the Department for Education on a range of issues, including Physical Education and school sport.

Schools play a key role in allowing all children to have high quality opportunities to take part in PE and sport, setting them up for a lifetime of physical activity. The Government is committed to protecting time for physical education in schools. The expert-led review of the curriculum will ensure that all children can engage with a broad range of subjects, including PE and sport.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, should have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.

The Government provides the majority of funding for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding each year. Sport England’s work focuses on increasing participation in sport, including tennis, at grassroots level to give more and better opportunities to all.

Sport England provides long term investment to the Lawn Tennis Association, the National Governing Body for tennis in Britain, which receives up to £10.2 million for five years to invest in community tennis initiatives that will benefit everyone.

Details of ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

We do not have any plans to publish an equality impact assessment in relation to changes to the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme.

The Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme was established to provide grants towards VAT paid on repairs and maintenance to the nation's listed places of worship. Based on past claims we estimate that 94% of applications will not be affected by the £25,000 cap.

DCMS leads on heritage policy covering a wide range of historic buildings; representatives from the churches have largely restricted their comments to matters of repair and renovation works to listed places of worship.

None.

I have met with Historic England several times formally and informally since July 2024 when we have discussed a wide range of issues affecting heritage buildings, heritage at risk and planning reform. These discussions have also included discussions on listed places of worship that are at risk.

The Government holds a range of meetings with representatives of religious organisations. DCMS officials have met with the Church of England and Catholic Bishops’ Conference to discuss the changes and ministers have exchanged correspondence with representatives from most denominations.

The Minister for Gambling has indicated her support for the previous government’s 2023 gambling white paper. This government has moved quickly to implement a number of proposals, including the statutory levy and online slots stake limits. We are considering the best available evidence from a wide range of sources to inform decisions on the remaining measures relating to the land-based sector. We are moving forward with measures to modernise the regulations for land-based casinos and are working as quickly as we can to ensure that legislation is laid in Parliament as soon as possible to implement these measures.

The impact of the Concussion Guidelines for Grassroots Sport is currently being evaluated by the Department for Health and Social Care, with DCMS involvement, including an assessment of how National Governing Bodies have made use of the guidelines. The evaluation is expected to be published in 2025.

The Sports Concussion Research Forum, established by DCMS and chaired by the Medical Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation, published its independent report into the key research questions in this important area in September 2024 - https://www.ukri.org/publications/concussion-in-sport/

Evidence-based sports research is an important component in ensuring that sport is made as safe as possible for all participants and I would encourage the sport sector to prioritise addressing the gaps in concussion in sport research identified in the Forum’s report.

The Government will continue to discuss athlete safety, including the recording of head injuries, with relevant stakeholders and the sports sector to ensure that everyone can take part in sport as safely as possible.

The impact of the Concussion Guidelines for Grassroots Sport is currently being evaluated by the Department for Health and Social Care, with DCMS involvement, including an assessment of how National Governing Bodies have made use of the guidelines. The evaluation is expected to be published in 2025.

The Sports Concussion Research Forum, established by DCMS and chaired by the Medical Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation, published its independent report into the key research questions in this important area in September 2024 - https://www.ukri.org/publications/concussion-in-sport/

Evidence-based sports research is an important component in ensuring that sport is made as safe as possible for all participants and I would encourage the sport sector to prioritise addressing the gaps in concussion in sport research identified in the Forum’s report.

The Government will continue to discuss athlete safety, including the recording of head injuries, with relevant stakeholders and the sports sector to ensure that everyone can take part in sport as safely as possible.

The impact of the Concussion Guidelines for Grassroots Sport is currently being evaluated by the Department for Health and Social Care, with DCMS involvement, including an assessment of how National Governing Bodies have made use of the guidelines. The evaluation is expected to be published in 2025.

The Sports Concussion Research Forum, established by DCMS and chaired by the Medical Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation, published its independent report into the key research questions in this important area in September 2024 - https://www.ukri.org/publications/concussion-in-sport/

Evidence-based sports research is an important component in ensuring that sport is made as safe as possible for all participants and I would encourage the sport sector to prioritise addressing the gaps in concussion in sport research identified in the Forum’s report.

The Government will continue to discuss athlete safety, including the recording of head injuries, with relevant stakeholders and the sports sector to ensure that everyone can take part in sport as safely as possible.

The impact of the Concussion Guidelines for Grassroots Sport is currently being evaluated by the Department for Health and Social Care, with DCMS involvement, including an assessment of how National Governing Bodies have made use of the guidelines. The evaluation is expected to be published in 2025.

The Sports Concussion Research Forum, established by DCMS and chaired by the Medical Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation, published its independent report into the key research questions in this important area in September 2024 - https://www.ukri.org/publications/concussion-in-sport/

Evidence-based sports research is an important component in ensuring that sport is made as safe as possible for all participants and I would encourage the sport sector to prioritise addressing the gaps in concussion in sport research identified in the Forum’s report.

The Government will continue to discuss athlete safety, including the recording of head injuries, with relevant stakeholders and the sports sector to ensure that everyone can take part in sport as safely as possible.

With reference to Section 5.2 of Adapting historic homes for energy efficiency: a review of the barriers, the findings showed that although requirements in retrofit standards are driving demand and increasing numbers of providers delivering the required standards, there has been concern in the sector about the quality of provision. Based on these findings, Historic England has been working with Cadw and Historic Environment Scotland to improve, revise and update the content of the award.

I have not held any such discussions, but my officials discuss this and other related issues as part of ongoing engagement with their DESNZ and MHCLG counterparts. In addition, in July, Historic England, the UK government's statutory advisor on England's historic environment, published guidance to support the decarbonisation of historic buildings.

https://historicengland.org.uk/whats-new/news/new-advice-on-adapting-historic-buildings-for-energy-and-carbon-efficiency/