Asked by: Uma Kumaran (Labour - Stratford and Bow)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make it her policy to support bids for (a) the 2029 World Athletic Championships and (b) other major athletics events in London; and if she will hold discussions with the organisers of the UK bid for the 2029 World Athletic Championships.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is committed to delivering international events with pride, building upon the UK’s global reputation for excellence in staging major sporting events.
That is why I am pleased that we confirmed on 19 July that we will support a partnership bid to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships and World Para Athletic Championships in the UK.
Beyond this, we continue to work closely with our expert arm’s-length body UK Sport to explore all future hosting opportunities that will strengthen the UK’s major events pipeline. The UK has already secured a strong pipeline of events over the coming years, including the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, and UEFA 2028 European Championships, as well as backing a bid for the 2035 Football Women's World Cup.
Asked by: Uma Kumaran (Labour - Stratford and Bow)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support grassroots live music venues in London.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government recognises the value of the grassroots music sector - it provides the foundation for the entire music industry, fostering creativity, innovation and cultural expression.
The Government response to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee's report on grassroots music venues sets out our commitment to working across the music sector to support the sustainability of grassroots music. In particular, the Government is urging the live music industry to introduce a voluntary levy on tickets for stadium and arena shows, to help safeguard the future of the grassroots music sector. The Government response can be found here: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/45646/documents/225972/default/
As part of our support for the sector, we are continuing to help fund Arts Council England’s successful Supporting Grassroots Music Fund which provides grants to grassroots music venues, recording studios, promoters and festivals of live and electronic music in England, including London.