Oral Answers to Questions

Tracey Crouch Excerpts

Thursday 4th June 2015 Commons Chamber

[Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)]

1. What assessment he has made of the implications for his Department’s policies of the designation of bridge as a mind sport.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Tracey Crouch)]

My hon. Friend will know that bridge is not currently designated as a sport. The High Court will consider a judicial review on the definition of sport from the English Bridge Union in September, to which the Government will respond accordingly.

[Bob Blackman]

I welcome my hon. Friend to her post. Her prowess on the football field is well known, but I wish to address the issue of mind sports. At the moment, Sport England refuses to fund bridge, chess, go and other mind sports. Her predecessor was investigating this, but will she update us on what progress has been made to ensure that Sport England does recognise mind sports for their ability to train the mind?

[Tracey Crouch]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his kind words. As he rightly said, Sport England does not currently recognise the term “mind sports” and does not provide funding to games such as bridge and chess. As I mentioned, the High Court is considering a judicial review of the definition of “sport” from the English Bridge Union. I recognise that many of these games are enjoyed by many people and that the mental agility required in this activity can help with conditions, bringing many health or wellbeing benefits. I therefore suggest that if he would like to seek funding support for these games, he does so through the Department for Education or the Department of Health.

[Alex Chalk (Cheltenham) (Con)]

2. What steps his Department is taking to improve broadband coverage in Gloucestershire.

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[Mr Simon Burns (Chelmsford) (Con)]

5. What plans the Government have to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the battle of Waterloo.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Tracey Crouch)]

The Government have announced over £1 million of funding for Waterloo 200—the organisation supporting the commemoration of the battle of Waterloo. It has planned a number of high-profile events, including a service at St Paul’s Cathedral on 18 June 2015. In addition, £1 million has been made available to support the restoration of the Hougoumont farmhouse, and the Ministry of Defence is sending bands and guards of honour to various events.

[Mr Burns]

Given that the battle of Waterloo was a tremendous victory for the British, what other activities are being rolled out by other organisations to celebrate this splendid victory?

[Tracey Crouch]

I am sure that my right hon. Friend will agree that this has been an exciting project. In addition to the service at St Paul’s, Waterloo 200 has planned an education programme in 200 schools, to introduce children to the history of the battle, and a descendants campaign. They are also involved with the planned re-enactment of the battle in Belgium. In addition, a number of exhibitions are being held in the United Kingdom and Europe, and I am pleased that many of the events have benefited from heritage lottery funding.

[Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield) (Lab/Co-op)]

“Scum of the earth”—that is the term Wellington used not for politicians, but for the soldiers who bravely fought at Waterloo. Can we not have more celebrations here in Westminster for the defeat of a cruel dictator, which ushered in 99 years of peace—we have not done that since—and especially about Hougoumont, where 5,000 men died that day? I challenge every Member of the House to visit Hougoumont and learn about that.

[Tracey Crouch]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his comments. Of course, he will know that there is a very good picture of the battle in the Royal Gallery, which for reasons of sensitivity we occasionally have to cover. I am sure that all the planned events will be much appreciated.

[Mr Speaker]

I call Diana Johnson.

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[Mr Simpson]

Alas, Mr Speaker, I was not, but my hon. Friend the Member for North East Somerset (Mr Rees-Mogg) was. I congratulate the Minister on her appointment. What will we do to celebrate the two thirds of the Duke of Wellington’s army that were, in fact, not British? Some 36% of His Grace’s army were British, of whom about one third were Scots and Welsh—the Scots were fighting for the Union—but 45% were Germans; not Prussians, but Hanoverians and others. I think that we should give credit to what, ultimately, was the first NATO army.

[Tracey Crouch]

My hon. Friend is a great military historian, and I often listen carefully to what he says about these battles. As he knows, the battle obviously took place with a coalition. Events are being planned across Europe, and we are working with various Governments across the whole European Union. A number of events are taking place in Scotland, including regimental exhibitions at the National Army Museum in Edinburgh.

[Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab)]

6. What recent assessment he has made of the regional distribution of arts funding.

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[Andrew Rosindell (Romford) (Con)]

9. What his policy is on the flying of the Union flag in Parliament Square for the state opening of Parliament.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Tracey Crouch)]

Mr Speaker, as you and, indeed, my hon. Friend will be aware, the state opening of Parliament is a designated day for flying the Union flag on Government buildings, but not Parliament Square. The ceremonial arrangements for the state opening of Parliament are a matter for the Palace of Westminster and the Earl Marshal, and any changes cannot be made without their approval.

[Andrew Rosindell]

I thank the Minister for her reply, but will she assure the House that never again will we have the shameful spectacle of empty flagpoles in Parliament Square for the state opening of Parliament on the arrival of Her Majesty the Queen? Will she agree to meet me and representatives of the Flag Institute to ensure that we get the flying of flags in Whitehall and in Parliament Square right for the future?

[Tracey Crouch]

I know that my hon. Friend is a great expert on these matters, and the Secretary of State and I have some sympathy with his views on the state opening of Parliament. I have therefore asked my officials to raise this issue with the Earl Marshal to look into the possibility of flying the Union flag on the square for future state openings and to establish what the associated costs would be. In the meantime, I would be very happy to meet him and the president of the Flag Institute to discuss it further.

[Andy McDonald (Middlesbrough) (Lab)]

Flags can undoubtedly be a powerful demonstration of pride in our culture and our economic vibrancy. Does the Minister agree that companies that fear an exit from the EU should be encouraged to fly the European flag to demonstrate their commitment to the single market, together with the Union flag, which they might replace on St George’s day with the English flag, on St Andrew’s day with the saltire, on St David’s day with the ddraig goch, and on St Patrick’s day with the tricolour?

[Tracey Crouch]

I would like to say that I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for asking that question, but that would not be true. Designated days for flying the Union flag are decided by Her Majesty the Queen, and any changes to designated days are for Her Majesty to make. It would therefore be an issue for the Department to discuss with Her Majesty.

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

10. Whether he plans to meet FIFA representatives to discuss arrangements for the World cup; and if he will make a statement.

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[Martin Vickers (Cleethorpes) (Con)]

T2. Cleethorpes is a thriving, successful seaside resort, but additional help is always useful. Will the Minister outline what support the Government intend to give to our seaside resorts?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Tracey Crouch)]

I have fond memories of my time in Cleethorpes while I was at Hull University. Towns like Cleethorpes contribute a great deal to the tourism economy. We will continue to promote such areas through various marketing campaigns, and will create sustainable growth and jobs through the coastal communities fund.

[Mrs Sharon Hodgson (Washington and Sunderland West) (Lab)]

T4. Will the Secretary of State update the House on the details of the Government’s plans for the review of the secondary ticketing market, which was set up under the Consumer Rights Act 2015?

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[Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (Lab)]

T6. When are we going to get a report or some action on the improvement of football governance? We do not want a repetition of what happened in Coventry over the past four or five years.

[Tracey Crouch]

As a Tottenham fan, I find it very difficult to talk about Coventry positively—I am still suffering a broken heart from the 1987 FA cup. We take football governance incredibly seriously and are looking at issues such as financial sustainability. The situation at Coventry raised some real questions. We have met some of the football authorities already. We will be meeting the Football League shortly.

[Mr Speaker]

As an Arsenal fan, I find it not difficult but quite impossible to talk positively at any time about Tottenham.

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[Philip Davies (Shipley) (Con)]

T7. The first ever mixed ability rugby world cup is taking place in Bingley in my constituency between 17 and 21 August this year. May I invite the Secretary of State and the sports Minister to this historic occasion to see at first hand the opportunities it gives to people who would otherwise never get them to play rugby, and the high quality of rugby that is played?

[Tracey Crouch]

I congratulate my hon. Friend, and indeed the former Member for Bradford South, Gerry Sutcliffe, on all the work they have done to ensure that mixed ability rugby is played in the area. If my diary permits, I would be delighted to attend.

[Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab)]

Is the Minister aware of the campaign by the Writers’ Guild, “Free is NOT an Option”, which is based on a survey that found that TV writers are increasingly being asked or pressurised to write scripts for free, even when they are established writers who have previously written for the same show? What can we do to ensure that creative work is valued in the same way as other work?

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[Bridget Phillipson (Houghton and Sunderland South) (Lab)]

The north-east continues to lose out when it comes to lottery funding. What will Ministers do to ensure that there is greater transparency around the national lottery, so that we can keep up the pressure to shift money out of London to the regions?

[Tracey Crouch]

Since the national lottery was formed, it has raised more than £33 billion for good causes and made more than 450,000 grants across the UK. I will perhaps reassure the hon. Lady by saying that 70% of all grants have been awarded outside London and the south-east.

[Suella Fernandes (Fareham) (Con)]

T10. Kern Ltd, a Fareham business providing packaging systems in my constituency, was one of the first local businesses to take up the connection voucher scheme. What plans are there to assess the effectiveness of the scheme?