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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with representatives from the film and television industry and with theatre producers on ensuring the casting process is accessible to talented performers across the regions and nations of the UK.

We are working with arts and screen bodies to improve access across our sectors. We regularly meet industry, and identifying and developing talent across the UK is an area of focus - as highlighted at the recent British Film Institute (BFI) Skills Strategy launch. The BFI is leading on a range of measures, including the introduction of diversity standards, to improve access opportunities across all BFI Lottery funded activities. In addition, UK Theatre and Society of London Theatre are working with industry to develop a practical tool to support theatres in considering diversity during the casting process; and one of the BBC's new public purposes is to reflect, represent and serve the diverse communities of all the UK's nations and regions across its output and services.