Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the British Council in promoting UK soft power through the global dissemination of Shakespeare and related cultural programming.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The British Council plays a crucial role supporting the UK's interests around the world, supported by its work on UK education, as well as its work to promote UK arts and culture, and the English language, including a love of the works of Shakespeare. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is providing a non-Official Development Assistance uplift of £40 million across the Spending Review period to the British Council, which underlines our continued support for their important work.
Asked by: Polly Billington (Labour - East Thanet)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending Do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation forms to include a confirmation of consultation field that must be signed by the patient or family to make it effective.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
No assessment of the potential merits of amending Do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DNACPR) forms to include a confirmation of consultation field that must be signed by the patient or family has been undertaken.
When a DNACPR decision is being made, the clinician should consider the patient’s wishes and every effort should be taken to reach an agreement with the patient or, if they lack capacity, their family or representative. If the patient or their family or representative do not agree with the decision, they should be given time to ask for a second opinion or review. This is in line with the National Health Service guidance for DNACPR decisions. Guidance and information for the public on DNACPR decisions is available on the NHS website, including information on asking for a second opinion or a review and what to do if there are concerns about, or disagreement with, a DNACPR form in a patient’s or family member’s medical records.
Professional guidance on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation is provided by clinical bodies such as the British Medical Association, the Resuscitation Council UK, and Royal College of Nursing, to support consistent decision-making, and to reflect these principles.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support employment opportunities in i) theatre, and ii) the television and film sector, in Leeds Central and Headingley constituency.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We want to boost opportunities and support so that people from across the country, including those in Leeds Central and Headingley, feel like a creative career is an option for them.
In the Creative Industries Sector Plan, we committed to delivering a refreshed UK-wide £9 million creative careers service. The government will partner with industry to equip the next generation of young people with the ambition and knowledge to work in the Creative Industries, including theatre and the television and film sector. The programme is designed to raise young people’s awareness of creative careers and pathways into them by providing specialist advice and information, and is designed in collaboration with employers to support young people from all backgrounds. This year, this included funding for UK Music and Music Local to hold a Music Careers Day and activities engaging young people in schools in Leeds, focussing on careers in the creative industries.
We are also supporting young people in the Leeds Central and Headingley constituency through Arts Council England funding. This funding enables organisations such as Leeds Playhouse, Red Ladder Theatre Company and British Youth Music Theatre to offer training, placements and development opportunities, while Leeds Heritage Theatres and Transform Festival provide work experience and skills relevant to theatre, TV and film careers
Our Creative Places Growth Fund will devolve £150m in total over 3 years to 6 Mayoral Strategic Authorities for them to distribute, according to local barriers and opportunities, including West Yorkshire. This will allow areas to maximise the impact of national interventions, including providing business support for local creative businesses, supporting regional skills initiatives to support job creation, innovation capacity building programmes, or by providing sector specific support such as TV and film production funds.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what Government support is available to young people in Leeds Central and Headingley constituency seeking careers in i) theatre and ii) the television and film sector.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We want to boost opportunities and support so that people from across the country, including those in Leeds Central and Headingley, feel like a creative career is an option for them.
In the Creative Industries Sector Plan, we committed to delivering a refreshed UK-wide £9 million creative careers service. The government will partner with industry to equip the next generation of young people with the ambition and knowledge to work in the Creative Industries, including theatre and the television and film sector. The programme is designed to raise young people’s awareness of creative careers and pathways into them by providing specialist advice and information, and is designed in collaboration with employers to support young people from all backgrounds. This year, this included funding for UK Music and Music Local to hold a Music Careers Day and activities engaging young people in schools in Leeds, focussing on careers in the creative industries.
We are also supporting young people in the Leeds Central and Headingley constituency through Arts Council England funding. This funding enables organisations such as Leeds Playhouse, Red Ladder Theatre Company and British Youth Music Theatre to offer training, placements and development opportunities, while Leeds Heritage Theatres and Transform Festival provide work experience and skills relevant to theatre, TV and film careers
Our Creative Places Growth Fund will devolve £150m in total over 3 years to 6 Mayoral Strategic Authorities for them to distribute, according to local barriers and opportunities, including West Yorkshire. This will allow areas to maximise the impact of national interventions, including providing business support for local creative businesses, supporting regional skills initiatives to support job creation, innovation capacity building programmes, or by providing sector specific support such as TV and film production funds.
Asked by: Jayne Kirkham (Labour (Co-op) - Truro and Falmouth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what capital funds are open to independent cinemas.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Independent cinemas are vital anchors for local communities, offering cultural access for people across the UK and helping to sustain our high streets. Cinemas based in not-for-profit mixed arts venues in England may meet the eligibility criteria for Arts Council England's Creative Foundations Fund; we estimate this applies to approximately 13% of the 218 full-time independent cinemas in the UK. Independent cinemas can also apply for various public funding schemes through the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's Arm's Length Bodies if they meet the eligibility criteria. For example, through the British Film Institute, cinemas can access support for audience-facing projects through the BFI National Lottery Audience Projects Fund; and can join the BFI Film Audience Network and apply for funding to support projects that bring audiences together for screenings of UK independent and international films. This sector will also benefit from permanently lower business rates multipliers for Retail, Hospitality and Leisure venues, starting this year.
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Answer of 26 March 2026 to Question 114745 on Erasmus+ Programme, what her timeline is on determining the National Agency for Erasmus+.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Work is underway with the British Council ahead of their planned appointment as the UK’s National Agency in Summer/Autumn 2026.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with representatives of veterinary prescribers regarding the need to reduce antibiotic resistance in animals and the environment.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) regularly speaks to veterinary prescribers through antibiotic stewardship groups. These bring together government, veterinary profession and livestock sector representatives to support responsible use and reduce antimicrobial resistance (AMR). These include:
· The Cattle Antibiotic Guardian Group
· Pig Health and Welfare Council Antimicrobial Usage (AMU) Subgroup
· British Poultry Council Stewardship Group
· Responsible Use of Medicines Alliance (RUMA) Companion Animal and Equine Group
· RUMA Targets Taskforce meetings
· Ruminant Antibiotic Stewardship Roadmap Steering Group
· Medicine Hub Industry Liaison Group
· The electronic Medicine Book (eMB) Pigs Steering Group
These discussions aim to:
· Share research, AMU, AMR, and disease surveillance data
· Promote responsible antibiotic prescribing, storage and disposal
· Encourage creation and uptake of training and guidance, including for vets and animal keepers
· Improve health and disease prevention through herd/flock health planning
· Advise on metrics for monitoring AMU
· Improve accuracy, availability, and coverage of AMU data in livestock, companion animals, and horses
· Encourage antibiotic use data for auditing and benchmarking
· Discuss environmental transmission pathways with veterinary prescribers, and the impact of these on their prescribing
By focusing on stewardship and responsible use of antibiotics in animals, the risk of AMR in animals, and potential subsequent onwards transmission through the environment is reduced.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support the British Council in addressing identified financial pressures; and what further assistance is under consideration to ensure its long-term sustainability.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to (a) the answer I provided on 28 October 2025 in response to question 906060, (b) the oral evidence provided to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 9 December 2025 by the Permanent Under-Secretary to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and on 16 December 2025 by the Foreign Secretary, and (c) the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 26 March 2026 (Statement UIN HCWS1470), where these issues were addressed at length.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how the Government is assessing the financial sustainability of the British Council over the next 3 years; and what metrics or criteria are being used in that assessment.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to (a) the answer I provided on 28 October 2025 in response to question 906060, (b) the oral evidence provided to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 9 December 2025 by the Permanent Under-Secretary to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and on 16 December 2025 by the Foreign Secretary, and (c) the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 26 March 2026 (Statement UIN HCWS1470), where these issues were addressed at length.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the principal financial pressures facing the British Council; and what the main drivers of those pressures are.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to (a) the answer I provided on 28 October 2025 in response to question 906060, (b) the oral evidence provided to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 9 December 2025 by the Permanent Under-Secretary to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and on 16 December 2025 by the Foreign Secretary, and (c) the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 26 March 2026 (Statement UIN HCWS1470), where these issues were addressed at length.