Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
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 arts and music organisations following the UK's departure from Creative Europe.
Answered by John Whittingdale
His Majesty’s Government recognises the great value of the UK’s world-leading creative sectors. The creative industries continue to thrive and are a key high-growth sector of our economy, as well as bringing great joy and wellbeing to people’s lives. The sector contributed £108 billion to the economy in 2021, accounting for 6% of UK GVA, and employed 2.3 million people – 7% of the total UK workforce – with employment growth increasing at almost five times the rate of the economy more widely since 2011.
Since leaving the EU, the UK is no longer part of the Creative Europe programme. The Government decided not to seek continued participation in the Creative Europe programme, but to look at other, more targeted ways of supporting the UK’s cultural and creative sectors.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund delivers on a commitment to match EU funding across all four nations of the UK and gives local people control of how their money is spent, removing unnecessary bureaucracy and enabling them to invest in the cultural organisations that particularly matter to them.
Similarly, the £4.8bn Levelling Up Fund invests in local infrastructure projects which improve life for people across the UK, focusing on regeneration, local transport, and supporting cultural, creative and heritage assets. The second round of the Fund was announced in January 2023, and included more than £16 million for a new Production Village in Hartlepool, for instance, providing new jobs and opportunities in the creative industries and boosting the local economy.
Arts Council England supports the Four Nations International Fund, launched in 2021. This supports people working in the arts and creative industries across the UK, together with their counterparts in Europe and beyond.
This is in addition to support given through the Government's extension of the higher rates of theatre and orchestra tax relief for a further two years, as announced at the last Budget. This extension will continue to offset ongoing pressures and boost investment in our cultural sectors. Collectively, the two-year extension to the higher rates of theatre, orchestra and museums tax reliefs is estimated to be worth £350m over the five-year forecast period.
To support independent screen content – including film – to grow internationally, the Government launched the UK Global Screen Fund in April 2021 with initial funding of £7 million. We have committed a further £21 million to this Fund over the period 2022–25 to develop, distribute, and promote independent UK screen content in international markets.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has of the potential merits of the UK participating in Creative Europe.
Answered by John Whittingdale
His Majesty’s Government recognises the great value of the UK’s world-leading creative sectors. The creative industries continue to thrive and are a key high-growth sector of our economy, as well as bringing great joy and wellbeing to people’s lives. The sector contributed £108 billion to the economy in 2021, accounting for 6% of UK GVA, and employed 2.3 million people – 7% of the total UK workforce – with employment growth increasing at almost five times the rate of the economy more widely since 2011.
Since leaving the EU, the UK is no longer part of the Creative Europe programme. The Government decided not to seek continued participation in the Creative Europe programme, but to look at other, more targeted ways of supporting the UK’s cultural and creative sectors.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund delivers on a commitment to match EU funding across all four nations of the UK and gives local people control of how their money is spent, removing unnecessary bureaucracy and enabling them to invest in the cultural organisations that particularly matter to them.
Similarly, the £4.8bn Levelling Up Fund invests in local infrastructure projects which improve life for people across the UK, focusing on regeneration, local transport, and supporting cultural, creative and heritage assets. The second round of the Fund was announced in January 2023, and included more than £16 million for a new Production Village in Hartlepool, for instance, providing new jobs and opportunities in the creative industries and boosting the local economy.
Arts Council England supports the Four Nations International Fund, launched in 2021. This supports people working in the arts and creative industries across the UK, together with their counterparts in Europe and beyond.
This is in addition to support given through the Government's extension of the higher rates of theatre and orchestra tax relief for a further two years, as announced at the last Budget. This extension will continue to offset ongoing pressures and boost investment in our cultural sectors. Collectively, the two-year extension to the higher rates of theatre, orchestra and museums tax reliefs is estimated to be worth £350m over the five-year forecast period.
To support independent screen content – including film – to grow internationally, the Government launched the UK Global Screen Fund in April 2021 with initial funding of £7 million. We have committed a further £21 million to this Fund over the period 2022–25 to develop, distribute, and promote independent UK screen content in international markets.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with his international counterparts to help tackle reported human rights abuses in Manipur.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our diplomatic network in India closely follows reports of violence in the state of Manipur. We remain committed to championing human rights around the world and we work with the UN, OSCE (The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe), Council of Europe, G7 and other multilateral fora to promote Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB). The UK Government has a broad and deep partnership with the Government of India and we discuss all elements of our relationship, including issues where we have them. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister for South Asia, raised the current situation in Manipur with the Indian Government during his visit to India in May.
Asked by: John Howell (Conservative - Henley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the debate on the report entitled Humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, which was held at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 12 October 2023.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK noted the debate held at the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe on the Humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and looks forward to the outcomes of the recent visit of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights to the region. We welcome the continued high levels of international engagement on these issues, the successful peaceful resolution of which are vital to the ongoing stability of the South Caucasus.
Asked by: John Howell (Conservative - Henley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the debate on the report entitled, Examining the legitimacy and legality of the ad hominem term-limit waiver for the incumbent President of the Russian Federation, which was held at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 13 October 2023.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK values the work of the Parliamentary Assembly to the Council of Europe and our UK delegation in debating these important issues. Free and fair elections are the key to a functioning democracy, allowing citizens to choose how they are governed and by whom - democratic and open societies cannot flourish without them. The internal oppression carried out by the Russian Government fuels external aggression in Ukraine and elsewhere. We remain concerned about whether the 2018 Russian presidential election and the 2020 constitutional referendum were free and fair. The UK remains committed to holding Russia to account for its actions in Ukraine.
Asked by: John Howell (Conservative - Henley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he made of the implications for his policies of the debate on the report entitled The humanitarian crisis emerging for Afghanistan and Afghan refugees, which was held at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 13 October 2023.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The debate rightly shined a spotlight on the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and the need for international action. The UK continues to support the people of Afghanistan and coordinate with European and other partners. Afghanistan remains one of FCDO's largest bilateral aid programmes this financial year at £100 million. Since April 2021, the UK has disbursed over £593 million in aid to Afghanistan. This includes £17 million to support humanitarian organisations in Afghanistan's neighbouring countries. This has assisted Afghan migrants and asylum seekers moving across borders, and refugee and host communities in those countries. We continue to monitor the situation.
Asked by: John Howell (Conservative - Henley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the debate on the report entitled The role of the Council of Europe in preventing conflicts, restoring credibility of international institutions and promoting global peace, which was held at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 12 October 2023.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK recognises the vital role the Council of Europe has played in preventing conflict within Europe and wider member states since it was founded in 1949 following World War II. The Council's recent work in establishing a Register of Damages caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation in Ukraine is a good example of how a regional organisation can react swiftly in response to situations of conflict. The work of the European Court of Human Rights and the Committee of Ministers plays an important role in securing rights and freedoms across Europe, including against the threats to democracy at our doorstep.
Asked by: John Howell (Conservative - Henley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the debate on the report entitled Call for the immediate release of Osman Kavala, which was held at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 12 October 2023.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
We recognise the significance of the award of the Václav Havel Prize to Osman Kavala and the subsequent PACE debate. The award and the overwhelming vote in favour of the release of Mr Kavala, highlight that Osman Kavala remains in prison despite two separate rulings by the European Court of Human Rights calling for his immediate release, a call that the UK has consistently joined. We will continue to work with Council of Europe Member States including Turkey, to find a solution to the situation.
Asked by: John Howell (Conservative - Henley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he had for her policies of the debate on the report entitled Preventing and combating violence against women with disabilities, which was held at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 11 October 2023.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK values the work of the Parliamentary Assembly to the Council of Europe as well as our UK delegation in debating these important issues. The UK reaffirms its commitment to preventing and responding to violence against women and girls in all their diversity and we welcome calls for the intensification of efforts to address this violence.
The debate included reaffirming the commitments made to women and girls with disabilities outlined in the Istanbul Convention. As a ratifier of both the Istanbul Convention and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the UK is clear on our international commitments to upholding the rights of women and girls in all their diversity and preventing violence against them and prioritises this through policies and action at home and overseas.
Asked by: John Howell (Conservative - Henley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the debate on the report entitled Mental health and well-being of children and young adults, which was held at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 13 October 2023.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
We have made no such assessment.