Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will provide a list of (a) professional staff networks and (b) social clubs operating within his Department; and if she will provide the (i) budgets and (ii) FTE staff time allocated to each group within each of the last three years.

(a) DCMS has the following staff networks:

• Ability Network (Beyond Disability)

• Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Network

• Carers Network

• Direct Appointee Network

• EU Nationals Network

• Faith and Belief Network

• Fair Treatment Ambassadors

• Flexible Working and Job Share Network

• Gender Equality Network

• Grade B Network (HEO / SEO Grade equivalent)

• Grade C&D Network (AO & EO Grade equivalent)

• Green Network

• Ideas Panel Network

• LGBT+ Network

• Mental Health and Wellbeing Network

• New Joiner Network

• North Network

• Parenting Network Group

• Social Mobility Network

• South West Network

• Volunteering Network

(b) The Sports and Social Network is a Network for all staff to access and organise sport and social activity in DCMS. The social clubs that currently operate within this network include:

• Choir

• Football teams:

• London Men’s team

• London Women's team

• Manchester team

• Netball

• Film Club

• Book Club

• Bake Club

• Board Games

• Meditation Club

(i) Budgets allocated to each group within each of the last three years

The annual budget allocated to all network activity is £10,000. This has been the same for the past three years. Networks are able to access funding on a case by case basis for events or training.

(ii) FTE staff time allocated to each group within each of the last three years

FTE staff are not allocated to networks, the role of network chair is a voluntary role and as such the time they allocate to each network is not recorded or reported upon. As part of the DCMS ‘business deal’ for network chairs, in agreement with line management and subject to business need, 10% of the network chair’s working hours can be allocated to network activity increasing to up to 20% in periods of high demand.