Asked by: Stuart Andrew (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Spring Statement of 26 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to her Department's planned budget for the 2025-26 financial year on the National Youth Strategy.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
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.
Asked by: Stuart Andrew (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Spring Statement of 26 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to her Department's planned budget for the 2025-26 financial year on access to sport for young people.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
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.
Asked by: Stuart Andrew (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Spring Statement of 26 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to her Department's planned budget for the 2025-26 financial year on access to sport for disabled people.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
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.
Asked by: Stuart Andrew (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Spring Statement of 26 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to her Department's planned budget for the 2025-26 financial year on access to sport.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
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.
Asked by: Stuart Andrew (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Spring Statement of 26 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to her Department's planned budget for the 2025-26 financial year on support for the creative industries.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
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.
Asked by: Stuart Andrew (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Spring Statement of 26 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to her Department's planned budget for the 2025-26 financial year on support for independent cinemas.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
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.
Asked by: Stuart Andrew (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Spring Statement of 26 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to her Department's planned budget for the 2025-26 financial year on listed places of worship.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
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.
Asked by: Stuart Andrew (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the effectiveness of proposed exemptions to cooling-off rights within the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 subscription regime for preventing consumers from accessing digital content for free.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
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.
Asked by: Stuart Andrew (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the potential impact of the subscriptions regime in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 on the level of investment in the video on-demand sector.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
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.
Asked by: Stuart Andrew (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she is taking steps with Ofcom on implementing fair terms of carriage for public service broadcasters on streaming platforms under the Media Act 2024.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
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/.