Asked by: Royston Smith (Conservative - Southampton, Itchen)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential implication for its polices of the announcement by Meta that it plans to discontinue its funding for the Community News Project on local journalism.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The government is disappointed to see that Meta is closing its Community News Project. We are working to support journalism and local newsrooms to ensure the sustainability of this vital industry, and our new digital markets regime will help rebalance the relationship between the most powerful platforms and those who rely on them – including press publishers.
Additionally, our support for the sector has included the delivery of the £2 million Future News Fund; the zero rating of VAT on e-newspapers; the extension of a 2017 business rates relief on local newspaper office space until 2025; the publication of the Online Media Literacy Strategy; and the BBC also supports the sector directly, through the £8m it spends each year on the Local News Partnership, including the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
Asked by: Derek Thomas (Conservative - St Ives)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will meet representatives of regional news groups to discuss the viability of the Community News Project.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The government is disappointed to see that Meta is closing its Community News Project. We are working to support journalism and local newsrooms to ensure the sustainability of this vital industry, and our new digital markets regime will help rebalance the relationship between the most powerful platforms and those who rely on them – including press publishers.
Additionally, our support for the sector has included the delivery of the £2 million Future News Fund; the zero rating of VAT on e-newspapers; the extension of a 2017 business rates relief on local newspaper office space until 2025; the publication of the Online Media Literacy Strategy; and the BBC also supports the sector directly, through the £8m it spends each year on the Local News Partnership, including the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
Ministers and officials regularly meet with stakeholders, including from the local press and from among the tech platforms, to discuss relevant policy interests and concerns.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the announcement by Meta that it plans to discontinue funding for the Community News Project on (a) student journalists, (b) local communities and (c) the broader media landscape.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The government is disappointed to see that Meta is closing its Community News Project. We are working to support journalism and local newsrooms to ensure the sustainability of this vital industry, and our new digital markets regime will help rebalance the relationship between the most powerful platforms and those who rely on them – including press publishers.
Additionally, our support for the sector has included the delivery of the £2 million Future News Fund; the zero rating of VAT on e-newspapers; the extension of a 2017 business rates relief on local newspaper office space until 2025; the publication of the Online Media Literacy Strategy; and the BBC also supports the sector directly, through the £8m it spends each year on the Local News Partnership, including the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
Ministers and officials regularly meet with stakeholders, including from the local press and from among the tech platforms, to discuss relevant policy interests and concerns.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of discontinuing of funding for the Community News Project on diversity and representation of local news teams across the UK.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The government is disappointed to see that Meta is closing its Community News Project. We are working to support journalism and local newsrooms to ensure the sustainability of this vital industry, and our new digital markets regime will help rebalance the relationship between the most powerful platforms and those who rely on them – including press publishers.
Additionally, our support for the sector has included the delivery of the £2 million Future News Fund; the zero rating of VAT on e-newspapers; the extension of a 2017 business rates relief on local newspaper office space until 2025; the publication of the Online Media Literacy Strategy; and the BBC also supports the sector directly, through the £8m it spends each year on the Local News Partnership, including the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
Ministers and officials regularly meet with stakeholders, including from the local press and from among the tech platforms, to discuss relevant policy interests and concerns.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has had recent discussions with Meta on funding for the Community News Project.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The government is disappointed to see that Meta is closing its Community News Project. We are working to support journalism and local newsrooms to ensure the sustainability of this vital industry, and our new digital markets regime will help rebalance the relationship between the most powerful platforms and those who rely on them – including press publishers.
Additionally, our support for the sector has included the delivery of the £2 million Future News Fund; the zero rating of VAT on e-newspapers; the extension of a 2017 business rates relief on local newspaper office space until 2025; the publication of the Online Media Literacy Strategy; and the BBC also supports the sector directly, through the £8m it spends each year on the Local News Partnership, including the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
Ministers and officials regularly meet with stakeholders, including from the local press and from among the tech platforms, to discuss relevant policy interests and concerns.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to take steps to help support community journalism projects.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The government is disappointed to see that Meta is closing its Community News Project. We are working to support journalism and local newsrooms to ensure the sustainability of this vital industry, and our new digital markets regime will help rebalance the relationship between the most powerful platforms and those who rely on them – including press publishers.
Additionally, our support for the sector has included the delivery of the £2 million Future News Fund; the zero rating of VAT on e-newspapers; the extension of a 2017 business rates relief on local newspaper office space until 2025; the publication of the Online Media Literacy Strategy; and the BBC also supports the sector directly, through the £8m it spends each year on the Local News Partnership, including the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
Ministers and officials regularly meet with stakeholders, including from the local press and from among the tech platforms, to discuss relevant policy interests and concerns.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question
To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church is taking to collaborate with local schools and educational institutions to promote positive values and to engage with students and educators.
Answered by Andrew Selous - Second Church Estates Commissioner
Church of England schools are community schools educating over a million children a day. As a community school in many parts of the country, particularly our major cities, this means the majority of pupils are from non-Christian backgrounds, from other faith communities and from global majority ethnic backgrounds. All Church of England schools follow the national curriculum and also the Church of England’s vision for education, prioritising education of the whole child and promoting the spiritual, intellectual and emotional resources needed to live a good life. The vision for education encourages the development of the skills of wisdom, hope, community and respect; fostering a society where people can work together and have an understanding of British values, democracy, rule of law and the dignity of the human person. More details about this vision and the church schools can be found here: https://www.churchofengland.org/about/education-and-schools
Awards of nearly £13 million have been made for dioceses to help churches support more children, young people and families. The grants from the Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board of the Archbishops’ Council will revitalise parishes and start new congregations. The investments build on already successful projects to create new congregations and reach children and young people in areas including Bolton, Bournemouth, Guildford, Southampton and Wakefield. More information is available here: Church of England announces £13 million of grants to reach children, youth and families | The Church of England
Asked by: Simon Fell (Conservative - Barrow and Furness)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans for the Defending Democracy Taskforce to publish an (a) plan of action and (b) report on its conclusions.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
As set out in the Integrated Review Refresh, the Defending Democracy Taskforce is now an enduring Government function. It is a cross-departmental and inter-agency initiative seeking to protect the democratic integrity of the UK from foreign influence. The Taskforce is working on bringing together all components of the system, working across Government and with Parliament, the UK Intelligence Community, devolved governments, local authorities, the private sector and civil society on the full range of threats facing our democratic institutions.
Meetings of the Taskforce are complemented by wider engagement with partners outside central government and Parliament. The Taskforce will continue to use targeted engagement activities to raise awareness of the Taskforce’s priorities in tackling current and future threats.
The work of this Taskforce reports to the Prime Minister via the National Security Council.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their response to the Council of Europe report on the observation of the 2023 presidential election in Montenegro.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK welcomes the Council of Europe's (CoE) Report on the Presidential elections in Montenegro. Election monitoring is a vital tool for promoting and encouraging democracy. The UK contributed to the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) observer mission to Montenegro's Presidential elections. We also supported a local Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) which reported irregularities and broadcast an early results forecast, contributing to the integrity of the election. We will provide ongoing support for electoral reform analysis. The UK will continue to encourage Montenegro to strengthen electoral practices in line with ODIHR and CoE recommendations.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the recent alleged assault on Hong Kong protestors by Chinese activists in Southampton, what assessment they have made of the provisions in place to protect people from Hong Kong who have moved to the UK from (1) physical, and (2) non-physical, intimidation from mainland Chinese individuals and groups.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
It would not be appropriate to comment on individual cases. As you would expect, we continually assess potential threats in the UK, and take protection of individuals’ rights, freedoms, and safety in the UK very seriously.
Through our world class police forces and the agencies that work with them, we take a proactive approach to protecting individuals and communities from all manner of threats. All at-risk communities should remain alert but not alarmed, and report incidents or suspicious activity through to the Police.
Home Office officials work closely with the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office and the Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities, as well as other government departments, to ensure that the UK is a safe and welcoming place for both those who hold BN(O) (British National Overseas) status and other Hongkongers.
In April 2021, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities launched the UK-wide Welcome Programme to support BN(O) status holders.
The Programme includes:
More widely, The Security Minister is leading work to protect the democratic integrity of the UK from foreign interference through the Government's Defending Democracy Taskforce. A key priority for the Taskforce is to review the UK’s approach to transnational repression (foreign interference in communities) to ensure we have a robust and joined up response across government and law enforcement. Further, the National Security Bill, now in its final stages, represents the biggest overhaul of state threats legislation in a generation, and will drastically improve our tools to deal with the full range of state threat activity. The Bill contains provisions that will leave those seeking to coerce, including through threats of violence, for, or with the intention to benefit, a foreign state liable to prosecution in a way that they currently are not.