Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the policy paper entitled A sustainable future - reforming club football governance, published on 23 February 2023, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring an equality, diversity and inclusion action plan as a condition of the football club licensing process.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government supports calls for further action to be taken on a range of issues in the domestic game, including equality, diversity and inclusion. We welcome the industry’s ongoing efforts to improve transparency and its commitment to provide equity and fair opportunities for all. Since the publication of the Fan-Led Review, the football leagues and the FA have introduced enhanced equality requirements for football clubs.
The Government acknowledges that there is still more progress to be made and will continue to work with the leagues, the FA, and other organisations to encourage reform where appropriate.
However, as set out in the White Paper and the government response to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee consultation, the primary strategic purpose of the Regulator will be to ensure that English football is sustainable and resilient for the benefit of fans and the local communities that football clubs serve. As such, the Regulator will focus on the financial sustainability of clubs, the systemic stability of the football pyramid and protecting club heritage.
Action on wider issues, including equality, diversity and inclusion, is best led by industry.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the prevalence of anterior cruciate ligament injuries in women’s football.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
It has been well documented that female football players are around three times more likely to suffer an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury than their male counterparts.
The Review of Women’s Football, published in July this year, examined the strategic priorities for the development of women's football and made recommendations on the future direction of the women's game. It highlighted the lack of sport exercise and scientific research which currently exists in women’s sport and that only 6% of sport exercise and science research involves only women. This lack of awareness means female athletes are often not being given the protection, expertise and support they need.
The Government has been speaking to the football authorities on all matters within the review, and is due to respond to the review in the autumn. We will address ACL injuries directly in that response, holding relevant stakeholders to account for action around player welfare.
Asked by: Julie Elliott (Labour - Sunderland 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 domestic sporting authorities on steps to reduce the number of Anterior Cruciate Ligament injuries among female athletes.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Review of Women’s Football, published in July this year, examined the strategic priorities for the development of women's football and made recommendations on the future direction of the women's game. It highlighted the lack of sport exercise and scientific research which currently exists in women’s sport and that only 6% of sport exercise and science research involves only women. This lack of awareness means female athletes are often not being given the protection, expertise and support they need.
The Government has been speaking to the football authorities on all matters within the review, and is due to respond to the review in the autumn. We will address ACL injuries directly in that response, holding relevant stakeholders to account for action around player welfare.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to promote chess in schools.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Government is committed to supporting pupils to have access to a wide range of enrichment opportunities, such as chess, which can be an important part of a rich educational experience. On 22 August 2023 the Department announced that it is providing £200,000 to at least 100 primary schools to improve access to chess for young people, particularly targeting girls and those receiving free school meals, who have been historically underrepresented in the game of chess. These grants will enable schools to purchase chess sets, provide access to weekly online chess tutorials, set up online platforms and access curriculum planning materials for teachers. The schools that are awarded this grant will share best practice on how other schools could establish strong chess enrichment to complement their existing provision.
Asked by: Pauline Latham (Conservative - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Gambling Commission made an assessment for the implication of its policies in 2017 when International Game Technology (IGT) reported that 27% of its suppliers had a high or medium exposure to modern slavery.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Commission does not have a specific responsibility in relation to scrutinising subcontractors of the National Lottery Operator, and as such, was not previously aware of IGT’s report.
The National Lottery is run by Camelot under licence by the Gambling Commission, and as such it is for the operator to ensure compliance with a range of reporting requirements, including under the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
The Section 5 National Lottery Licence requires the Operator to comply with all relevant laws to the extent they impose obligations or restrictions on it. It also requires any subcontractors to operate with due propriety.
Asked by: Pauline Latham (Conservative - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Gambling Commission made an assessment of the implications of its policies in 2017 when International Game Technology reported that 27% of its suppliers had a high or medium exposure to modern slavery.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Commission does not have a specific responsibility in relation to scrutinising subcontractors of the National Lottery Operator, and as such, was not previously aware of IGT’s report.
The National Lottery is run by Camelot under licence by the Gambling Commission, and as such it is for the operator to ensure compliance with a range of reporting requirements, including under the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
The Section 5 National Lottery Licence requires the Operator to comply with all relevant laws to the extent they impose obligations or restrictions on it. It also requires any subcontractors to operate with due propriety.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many domestically reared ducks have been released for the shooting industry; what assessment they have made of the conditions in which such birds live; what assessment they have made of the risk of avian flu and other diseases following these releases; what drug treatments are used for these diseases; and what assessment they have made of the risks these treatments represent.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Defra does not hold data on the number of ducks released for shooting. Defra publishes all its risk assessments on GOV.UK as part of the ‘Animal diseases: international and UK monitoring’ collection and continues to monitor the ongoing outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 in both wild and kept birds, working with the game farming sector and conservation bodies, and will keep the need for further risk assessments under review. No products have a market authorisation for treatment of HPAI in poultry (including ducks reared for shooting) and vaccination of poultry against avian influenza is not permitted.
No recent assessment has been made of the conditions in which such birds live. The welfare of ducks while they are being reared for shooting is protected by the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (until such time as they are released in the wild), which makes it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to any animal. In addition, the statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes provides advice on husbandry, housing and management.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with which stakeholders Ministers in her Department held discussions on the renewal of General Licence 43 for releasing gamebirds on protected areas between 1 May 2022 and 31 May 2023.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Department has held frequent meetings with stakeholders, including those interested in the release of gamebirds.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which organisations Ministers in her Department met between 1 May 2022 and 31 May 2023 to discuss General Licence 43 for releasing gamebirds in protected areas.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Department has held frequent meetings with stakeholders, including those interested in the release of gamebirds.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
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 encourage girls from disadvantaged backgrounds to take up cricket.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is committed to supporting women's sport at every opportunity including pushing for greater participation.
There has been real progress in the number of women and girls taking up cricket in recent years, and wider developments in the women’s game, as noted by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket report. Initiatives like Chance to Shine, which receives funding from Sport England, play an important role in that. The project is focussed in areas with a lack of accessible clubs and green spaces making cricket accessible to young people throughout the country. More widely, Sport England’s This Girl Can campaign has already inspired millions of women and girls to get active regardless of shape, size and ability.
However, we recognise that there is more to do. The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket report notes that while progress has been made in the women’s game, there are still areas for concern. Clearly the sport needs to reflect carefully on these findings and consider how best to deliver clear and sustained cultural change across cricket. The Government will review the findings of the report and we welcome the ECB’s commitment to bring forward a plan to tackle these serious issues, which must be addressed fully.