Asked by: Baroness Finn (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will provide a list of all Civil Service committees that exercise management functions in relation to the Civil Service, including the membership of each committee; and what changes, if any, have been made to the Civil Service Governance Framework since the publication in November 2023 of the Independent Review of Governance and Accountability in the Civil Service by Lord Maude of Horsham.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
A review was carried out in April 2024 that resulted in the streamlining of civil service governance structures and fora.
Current Civil Service committees that exercise management functions in relation to the Civil Service include the:
Civil Service Board
People Board
Civil Service Operations Board
Location and Property Board
Data and Digital Board
Senior Leadership Committee
Membership of these committees are as follows:
Civil Service Board:
Cat Little CB (Chair - CS Chief Operating Officer, Cabinet Office)
Sir Chris Wormald (Cabinet Secretary, Cabinet Office)
Tamara Finkelstein CB (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)
Dame Bernadette Kelly (Department for Transport)
Sir Matthew Rycroft (Home Office)
Sir Peter Schofield (Department for Work and Pensions)
Dame Antonia Romeo (Ministry of Justice)
Sarah Healey CB CVO (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government)
James Bowler CB (HM Treasury)
Sir Philip Barton (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
John Paul Marks (Scottish Government)
David Williams CB (Ministry of Defence)
Jeremy Pocklington CB (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
People Board:
Sarah Healey (Chair - Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Fiona Ryland (Government Chief People Officer, Cabinet Office)
Sir Philip Barton (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
Sir Jim Harra ( HM Revenue & Customs)
Gareth Davies (Department for Business and Trade)
Dr Andrew Goodall (Welsh Government)
Susan Acland-Hood (Department for Education)
Sarah Munby (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Beth Russell (HM Treasury)
Phil Swallow (Home Office, Non Executive Board Member)
Professor Dame Angela McLean (Government Office for Science)
Susannah Storey (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Civil Service Operations Board:
Cat Little (Chair - CS Chief Operating Officer, Cabinet Office)
Joanne Davidson (Digital and Data)
Marco Salzedo / Clare Gibbs (Commercial)
Conrad Smewing / James McEwen (Finance)
Fiona Ryland (People)
Nick Smallwood (Project Delivery)
Tara Smith (Department for Business and Trade)
Nina Cope (Ministry of Defence)
Justin Holliday (HM Revenue and Customs)
Debbie Alder (Department for Work and Pensions)
Jane Cunliffe (Department for Education)
Location and Property Board:
Jeremy Pocklington CB (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero - Chair)
Angela MacDonald (HM Revenue and Customs)
Susan Acland-Hood (Department for Education)
Peter Schofield (Department for Work and Pensions)
Sarah Munby (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Antonia Romeo (Department of Justice)
John-Paul Marks (Scotland Office)
Nick Joyce (Department For Transport)
David Kuenssberg (Home Office)
Catherine Webb (HM Treasury)
Damian Paterson (Government Legal Department)
Sarah Harrison (Cabinet Office)
Nina Cope (Ministry of Defence)
Sarah Homer (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs)
Catherine Vaughan (Department for Business and Trade)
Juliet Chua (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
Data and Digital Board:
Sarah Munby (Chair - Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Joanna Davinson (Government Chief Digital Officer)
Sir Ian Diamond (Office of National Statistics)
Jim Harra (HM Revenue and Customs)
Susan Acland-Hood (Department for Education)
Peter Schofield (Department for Work and Pensions)
Matthew Rycroft (Home Office)
Paul Lincoln (Ministry of Defence)
Megan Lee Devlin (Ministry of Justice)
Conrad Smewing (HM Treasury)
Bella Powell (Government Security Group)
Doug Gurr (Non-Executive Board Member, Department for Health and Social Care)
Paul Willmott (Non-Executive Board Member, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Senior Leadership Committee:
Dame Antonia Romeo (Chair - Ministry of Justice)
Sir Chris Wormald (Cabinet Secretary, Cabinet Office)
Cat Little - (CS Chief Operating Officer, Cabinet Office)
Sarah Healey (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government)
James Bowler (HM Treasury)
Sir Philip Barton (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
Fiona Ryland (Government Chief People Officer, Cabinet Office)
Baroness Gisela Stuart (First Civil Service Commissioner)
Tamara Finkelstein (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)
Dame Bernadette Kelly (Department for Transport)
Brian McBride (Lead Non Executive Board Member, MoD)
Sir Matthew Rycroft (Home Office)
Sir Peter Schofield (Department for Work and Pensions)
David Williams (Ministry of Defence)
Asked by: Jim Dickson (Labour - Dartford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Statutory levy and online slot stake limits to be introduced to tackle gambling harm, published on 27 November 2024, what steps she plans to take to monitor the spending of the 30% of levy funding allocated for prevention.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
As set out in the Government’s response to the consultation on the statutory levy, the levy will for the first time provide dedicated, statutory investment for prevention activity in the gambling space. This could include a range of projects and services to increase awareness of risks and prioritising early intervention measures. To guarantee sufficient accountability and transparency within the new system, including the use of funding allocated for prevention alongside research and treatment, we will establish appropriate governance arrangements consisting of a Levy Board for the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments to monitor the health and impact of the levy system, and an Advisory Group to provide informal advice to lead commissioning bodies regarding strategic and funding priorities. The UK government will also formally review the statutory levy system within five years with the first formal review expected by 2030.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Wyre Forest (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are the dates of meetings the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has had since 5 July with her counterparts in the Scottish Parliament, Senedd Cymru, and the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport met with Angus Robertson MSP on 31 July and 20 August 2024. She has not yet met with her counterparts in Senedd Cymru and the Northern Ireland Assembly since 5 July.
The Minister for Sport, Media, Civil Society and Youth met with Maree Todd MSP on 9 September 2024; with Neil Gray MSP on 9 September and 16 September 2024; with Kate Forbes MSP on 19 November 2024; with Jack Sargeant MS on 16 September and 20 September 2024; and met with Gordon Lyons MLA on 8 October 2024. The Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism met with Minister Gordon Lyons MLA on 3 September 2024.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 2 February 2024 to Question 11521 on Government Departments: Sick Leave, if he will make an estimate of the number of staff days lost to long term sick absences in each Department in 2023.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The table below provides the estimates requested, number of long term sick days lost per department, along with our preferred measure, Average Working Days Lost (AWDL) per staff year which accounts for workforce size and composition. Data is provided for the main Ministerial Departments consistent with the answer of 2 February 2024 to Question 11521.
Long term sickness absence by Main Department, days lost and average working days lost per staff year, 2023
| 2023 (year ending 31 Mar 2023) | |
Department | Long Term Sick Days Lost | Average Working Days Lost |
Cabinet Office | 24,260 | 2.3 |
Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities | 8,360 | 2.0 |
Department Culture Media and Sport | 3,370 | 1.4 |
Department for Environment | 25,560 | 2.1 |
Department for Education | 19,790 | 2.5 |
Department for Transport | 75,190 | 4.8 |
Department for Health and Social Care | 34,180 | 3.3 |
Department for Work and Pensions | 367,360 | 4.7 |
HM Customers and Revenue | 305,190 | 4.5 |
HM Treasury | 4,230 | 1.5 |
Home Office | 139,980 | 3.8 |
Ministry of Defence | 173,050 | 3.2 |
Ministry of Justice | 580,740 | 6.9 |
Scottish Government | 151,000 | 5.8 |
Welsh Government | 21,560 | 3.9 |
Asked by: Helen Grant (Conservative - Maidstone and Malling)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding has been allocated to (a) football, (b) rugby union, (c) rugby league, (d) cricket, (e) basketball and (f) netball facilities through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme since 2021.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is acting to support more people in getting onto the pitch wherever they live via the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme, which is investing £123 million UK-wide throughout 2024/25. This will ensure that everyone, regardless of background, has access to and benefits from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.
The Programme’s aim is to provide a multi-sport benefit with up to 40% of funded projects supporting at least one other sport on a sustainable and regular basis. Our delivery partner for the programme in England, the Football Foundation, works closely with Sport England and the respective National Governing Bodies of other sports to encourage development of multi-sport projects and promote collaboration between clubs at local level. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, our delivery partners are the Scottish Football Association, Cymru Football Foundation and Irish Football Association, who each work with applicants to ensure that there is a multi-sport offering in various projects.
Between 2021 and 2024, Sport England and delivery partners in other parts of the UK invested £204 million into Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities, providing new and upgraded pitches and facilities.
Asked by: Blair McDougall (Labour - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative changes to enable the viewing of films in communal spaces in sheltered accommodation without a licence.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
This is a devolved area of competence in Scotland. Decisions about introducing legislative changes would be for the Scottish Government.
In England and Wales, the exhibition of films in communal spaces is regulated through the Licensing Act 2003. Local authorities act as the ‘licensing authority’ when determining what activity requires a licence.
The Licensing Act 2003 contains an exemption for entertainment activity that is provided on or behalf of a local authority, healthcare provider or school provider (see para. 16.16 of the Revised Guidance issued under s.182 of the Licensing Act 2003). The exemption applies to activity that takes place on defined premises between 08.00 - 23.00. This exemption may apply to sheltered accommodation, and we would encourage those interested in exhibiting films in communal spaces in sheltered accommodation to consider on a case by case basis whether they would fall under this exemption.
The government is not planning any legislative changes in this area.
Asked by: Chris Kane (Labour - Stirling and Strathallan)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment has she made of the impact of the UK Film industry on Scotland's economy.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Creative Industries policy is an area of devolved competency in Scotland. It is the responsibility of the Scottish Government to make an assessment of the economic impact of the UK Film Industry on Scotland. However, a report from Screen Scotland estimates that in 2021 the wider Film & TV sector in Scotland supported 10,940 FTE (full time equivalent) workers, with an overall economic contribution to Scotland’s economy of £627.1 million. Furthermore, VisitScotland’s research shows that up to 18% of inbound visitors from its top international markets visit a film or TV location during their trips to Scotland.
Through our Arm’s Length Body the British Film Institute (BFI), the government supports the film sector across the UK. The government has worked with the BFI to ensure a wide range of funding and initiatives are available to support Scottish production and the development of talent. Examples of support for the Scottish film industry include the BFI Film Fund, the BFI NETWORK and the BFI Film Audience Network, which use National Lottery Funding for development, production, distribution and promotion, supporting Scottish films, Scottish audiences and emerging Scottish filmmakers.
The British Film Commission (BFC), a national body predominantly funded by DCMS, also supports and promotes UK-wide film and high-end television production, including in Scotland. It works in close partnership with Screen Scotland, the national screen agency for Scotland funded by the Scottish Government and the National Lottery. Scotland is featured as part of all BFC marketing campaigns and assets, including show reels, websites and brochures, that are designed to facilitate film making and promote British locations. The BFC facilitates regular business development meetings with international film and television clients for representatives from all UK nations, including Scotland.
DCMS also has regular meetings on the film industry with Devolved Government officials, in particular to discuss the DCMS-funded UK Global Screen Fund which is designed to boost international development, production, distribution, and promotional opportunities for the independent screen sector across all nations including Scotland.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the Charity Commission on guidance it provides to UK-registered charities on ensuring compliance with international law.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Charity Commission for England and Wales has produced guidance for charities on managing risks when working internationally, which can be found on its website here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/charities-how-to-manage-risks-when-working-internationally.
Ministers and officials meet regularly with the Charity Commission to discuss matters of mutual interest.
Charities in Scotland are registered with, and regulated by, the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR). The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland is the registrar and regulator of charities in Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Martin McCluskey (Labour - Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to meet with representatives of the Scottish arts and culture sector.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
I am looking forward to meeting with local stakeholders, including representatives of the Scottish arts and culture sector when I attend the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2024 to Question 15373 on BBC Scotland, whether representations were made on extending the list of free-to-air matches to include Scottish (a) men's and (b) women's international (i) European and (ii) World cup qualifying fixtures.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
As outlined previously, Ministers and officials regularly receive representations from the Scottish Government on a range of issues. Members of the Scottish Government have raised the issue of Men’s football matches directly with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Sports policy is devolved. The Government’s view therefore remains that it would be for the Scottish Government to comprehensively evaluate whether there is currently the right balance between Scottish rights holders' ability to generate sufficient income to reinvest in Scottish sport, and access for Scottish audiences to those sporting events. The UK Government would then take those considerations into account.