Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with Local Authorities on the use of libraries as warm spaces in winter 2023-24.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The delivery of public library services is a responsibility for upper-tier local authorities under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964. It is for those authorities to determine provision based on local needs and priorities, including the use of libraries as warm hubs.
Last winter, a number of local authorities indicated that they intended to use public and community-managed buildings including libraries to provide additional support and advice to local residents following the rise in energy costs. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport engaged with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to ensure that the Government’s Energy Bill Relief Scheme supported businesses and non-domestic customers such as libraries and other community spaces. Libraries and archives were also eligible to receive an enhanced level of support under the Energy Bills Discount Scheme.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have asked the trustees of the British Museum for a complete list of items lost, stolen or damaged while in its custody over each of the past 10 years, and when an inventory of such items will be published.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
My department is closely monitoring the situation at the British Museum, and engaging directly with the Museum on this concerning issue.
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has spoken with the Chairman of the British Museum about this issue on a number of occasions and has sought assurances on the immediate measures that have been put in place to increase security at the Museum. She has also sought assurances on the details of the scope and timetable for the independent review of security which the Museum has instigated, led by a former trustee, Nigel Boardman, and the Chief Constable of British Transport Police, Lucy D’Orsi.
The matter is also currently under investigation by the Economic Crime Command of the Metropolitan Police. The British Museum is working with the police to support their investigations.
My department and I will continue to work closely with the British Museum – and the wider museums sector – to ensure that lessons are learned from this incident once the independent review is complete.
Further details on this matter have been set out in the Written Statements which the Secretary of State and I made to Parliament on 4 September 2023 (HCWS994 and HLWS979).
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact upon the reputation of the British Museum caused by recent concerns over the security of its collections; and whether they have any plans to review the museum’s governance.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
My department is closely monitoring the situation at the British Museum, and engaging directly with the Museum on this concerning issue.
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has spoken with the Chairman of the British Museum about this issue on a number of occasions and has sought assurances on the immediate measures that have been put in place to increase security at the Museum. She has also sought assurances on the details of the scope and timetable for the independent review of security which the Museum has instigated, led by a former trustee, Nigel Boardman, and the Chief Constable of British Transport Police, Lucy D’Orsi.
The matter is also currently under investigation by the Economic Crime Command of the Metropolitan Police. The British Museum is working with the police to support their investigations.
My department and I will continue to work closely with the British Museum – and the wider museums sector – to ensure that lessons are learned from this incident once the independent review is complete.
Further details on this matter have been set out in the Written Statements which the Secretary of State and I made to Parliament on 4 September 2023 (HCWS994 and HLWS979).
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they were first informed of concerns about security at the British Museum; and what action the museum’s trustees were asked to undertake to address those concerns.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
My department is closely monitoring the situation at the British Museum, and engaging directly with the Museum on this concerning issue.
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has spoken with the Chairman of the British Museum about this issue on a number of occasions and has sought assurances on the immediate measures that have been put in place to increase security at the Museum. She has also sought assurances on the details of the scope and timetable for the independent review of security which the Museum has instigated, led by a former trustee, Nigel Boardman, and the Chief Constable of British Transport Police, Lucy D’Orsi.
The matter is also currently under investigation by the Economic Crime Command of the Metropolitan Police. The British Museum is working with the police to support their investigations.
My department and I will continue to work closely with the British Museum – and the wider museums sector – to ensure that lessons are learned from this incident once the independent review is complete.
Further details on this matter have been set out in the Written Statements which the Secretary of State and I made to Parliament on 4 September 2023 (HCWS994 and HLWS979).
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are confident that the full extent of losses sustained through the recent spate of thefts from the British Museum is known.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
My department is closely monitoring the situation at the British Museum, and engaging directly with the Museum on this concerning issue.
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has spoken with the Chairman of the British Museum about this issue on a number of occasions and has sought assurances on the immediate measures that have been put in place to increase security at the Museum. She has also sought assurances on the details of the scope and timetable for the independent review of security which the Museum has instigated, led by a former trustee, Nigel Boardman, and the Chief Constable of British Transport Police, Lucy D’Orsi.
The matter is also currently under investigation by the Economic Crime Command of the Metropolitan Police. The British Museum is working with the police to support their investigations.
My department and I will continue to work closely with the British Museum – and the wider museums sector – to ensure that lessons are learned from this incident once the independent review is complete.
Further details on this matter have been set out in the Written Statements which the Secretary of State and I made to Parliament on 4 September 2023 (HCWS994 and HLWS979).
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham 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 has taken to determine the prevalence of reinforced autoclave aerated concrete (RAAC) in (a) museums, (b) art galleries, (c) listed buildings, (d) buildings owned by charities and (e) libraries.
Answered by John Whittingdale
Departments have been asked to report on the current picture of suspected and confirmed RAAC in their estates as soon as possible. This will be updated on a regular basis as new buildings are identified and surveying and remediation are carried out.
Government published lists of education settings confirmed as having RAAC on Wednesday 6 September and committed to providing further updates.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many (a) museums, (b) art galleries, (c) listed buildings, (d) buildings owned by charities and (e) libraries her Department knows contain reinforced autoclave aerated concrete (RAAC).
Answered by John Whittingdale
Departments have been asked to report on the current picture of suspected and confirmed RAAC in their estates as soon as possible. This will be updated on a regular basis as new buildings are identified and surveying and remediation are carried out.
Government published lists of education settings confirmed as having RAAC on Wednesday 6 September and committed to providing further updates.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with (a) charities and civil society organisations, (b) museums and (c) art galleries on the presence of reinforced autoclave aerated concrete (RAAC) in their buildings.
Answered by John Whittingdale
Departments have been asked to report on the current picture of suspected and confirmed RAAC in their estates as soon as possible. This will be updated on a regular basis as new buildings are identified and surveying and remediation are carried out.
Government published lists of education settings confirmed as having RAAC on Wednesday 6 September and committed to providing further updates.
Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has taken recent steps to determine the prevalence of reinforced autoclave aerated concrete (RAAC) in libraries.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The delivery of public library services, including the maintenance of the buildings through which that is done, is a responsibility for upper-tier local authorities under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964.
On 1 May 2019, the Standing Committee on Structural Safety issued a safety alert on the failure of RAAC planks. Local authorities, like other building owners, are advised to follow available professional guidance. We are working with sector bodies, like the LGA, to ensure library services are alerted to available advice and guidance.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made a recent estimate of the potential impact of changes to the superannuation contributions adjusted for past experience (SCAPE) discount rate on costs for arms-length museums and galleries that are listed in Schedule 1 to the Superannuation Act 1972; whether those heritage institutions will receive funding to meet any shortfall; if she will make it her policy to introduce financial mechanisms to help heritage institutions manage additional costs in the long-term; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has not centrally made any recent estimates of the impact of changes to the superannuation contributions adjusted for past experience (SCAPE) discount rate on costs for national museums and galleries.
In prior spending review periods and to this point DCMS has supported its arm’s-length museums and galleries captured through the Superannuation Act 1972 with additional funding to assist with increased pension costs.
DCMS has already committed to provide additional financial support to assist with pension pressures in 2023-24 to the national museums and galleries listed in the Act and will be working with our ALBs to set prudent budgets for the financial year 24-25 in due course.