Asked by: Alex Davies-Jones (Labour - Pontypridd)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications were (a) received and (b) granted for people seeking an (i) International Sportsperson visa and (ii) Creative Worker (Temporary Work) visa so they could participate in wrestling performances in each year since 2010.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Home Office publishes data on visas in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on international sportspersons and temporary worker visas are published in tables ‘Vis_D01’ for applications and ‘Vis_D02’ for outcomes of the Entry clearance visa applications and outcomes detailed datasets, as part of the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’.
Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data relates to year ending June 2023. Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’.
Wrestling in the UK is governed by the British Wrestling Association and holders of International Sports Persons visas may enter the UK to coach and compete in competitions.
Those performers appearing in the UK in professional exhibitions may apply under the Creative Worker (Temporary Worker) visa route.
However, the published data does not record the applicant’s sport.
Asked by: Alex Davies-Jones (Labour - Pontypridd)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the UKCA mark and its application for construction products or other materials applies to rings constructed for wrestling or boxing; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
In order for the UKCA mark to be applied to a construction product, the product must meet the definition of a construction product as set out by the United Kingdom Construction Products Regulations, and be covered by either a United Kingdom designated standard or United Kingdom Technical Assessment.
Wrestling and boxing rings in themselves do not meet this definition of construction products, and are covered by neither a United Kingdom designated standard, nor a United Kingdom Technical Assessment, under the United Kingdom Construction Products Regulations. They therefore do not need to be UKCA-marked in order to be placed on the market of Great Britain.
If the component parts of a wrestling or boxing ring have been marketed as individual products for use in construction, however, they will be subject to the same rules as construction products, which may include the requirement to apply the UKCA mark.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to the Iranian authorities condemning the execution of the wrestling champion Navid Afkari by the Iranian regime.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The execution of Navik Afkari by the Iranian authorities was deplorable. The UK Government made clear its public condemnation of the action on 12 September. The UK Government is firmly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country, as a matter of principle, and we unreservedly support the right to peaceful protest. Iran's human rights record is of serious and longstanding concern to the UK. The continued use of the death penalty, weak rule of law and restrictions on freedoms of expression remain deeply worrying. We share the concerns of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran that death sentences were handed down and/or implemented following proceedings that did not comply with fair trial and due process safeguards. The UK is committed to holding Iran to account on a wide range of human rights issues, including the right to a fair trial. We will continue to take action with the international community to press Iran to improve its poor record on all human rights issues.
Asked by: Alex Davies-Jones (Labour - Pontypridd)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department classifies professional (performance) wrestling as a sport or performance art for the purposes of observing covid-19 guidelines.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
For the purposes of observing Covid-19 guidelines, we advise participants and spectators of this form of wrestling to refer to both the Performance Arts Guidance (for managing rehearsals, training and audiences), and the Phased Return of Sport and Recreation Guidance (for guidance related to physical activity).
Professional Activity, such as professional wrestling, is permitted in line with Stage 4 of the performing arts roadmap within venues that are able to host such activities in line with Covid secure guidance. From 14 September, venues such as theatres, concert halls and other entertainment venues that host such events will need to ensure they are Covid secure in line with the relevant guidance, and that groups within the audience are limited to six. Venues will also need to ensure that groups are kept separate from one another to ensure they do not mix and do not exceed the new legal limits and that they adhere to new legal requirements around track and trace.
Asked by: Alex Davies-Jones (Labour - Pontypridd)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance his Department has published on the safe operation of professional wrestling training schools during the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
For the purposes of observing Covid-19 guidelines, we advise participants and spectators of this form of wrestling to refer to both the Performance Arts Guidance (for managing rehearsals, training and audiences), and the Phased Return of Sport and Recreation Guidance (for guidance related to physical activity).
Professional Activity, such as professional wrestling, is permitted in line with Stage 4 of the performing arts roadmap within venues that are able to host such activities in line with Covid secure guidance. From 14 September, venues such as theatres, concert halls and other entertainment venues that host such events will need to ensure they are Covid secure in line with the relevant guidance, and that groups within the audience are limited to six. Venues will also need to ensure that groups are kept separate from one another to ensure they do not mix and do not exceed the new legal limits and that they adhere to new legal requirements around track and trace.
Asked by: Alex Davies-Jones (Labour - Pontypridd)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether professional wrestling matches and events are permitted under lockdown restrictions for performance art and theatre during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
For the purposes of observing Covid-19 guidelines, we advise participants and spectators of this form of wrestling to refer to both the Performance Arts Guidance (for managing rehearsals, training and audiences), and the Phased Return of Sport and Recreation Guidance (for guidance related to physical activity).
Professional Activity, such as professional wrestling, is permitted in line with Stage 4 of the performing arts roadmap within venues that are able to host such activities in line with Covid secure guidance. From 14 September, venues such as theatres, concert halls and other entertainment venues that host such events will need to ensure they are Covid secure in line with the relevant guidance, and that groups within the audience are limited to six. Venues will also need to ensure that groups are kept separate from one another to ensure they do not mix and do not exceed the new legal limits and that they adhere to new legal requirements around track and trace.
Asked by: Alex Davies-Jones (Labour - Pontypridd)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether professional wrestling matches and events are currently permitted to take place during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
For the purposes of observing Covid-19 guidelines, we advise participants and spectators of this form of wrestling to refer to both the Performance Arts Guidance (for managing rehearsals, training and audiences), and the Phased Return of Sport and Recreation Guidance (for guidance related to physical activity).
Professional Activity, such as professional wrestling, is permitted in line with Stage 4 of the performing arts roadmap within venues that are able to host such activities in line with Covid secure guidance. From 14 September, venues such as theatres, concert halls and other entertainment venues that host such events will need to ensure they are Covid secure in line with the relevant guidance, and that groups within the audience are limited to six. Venues will also need to ensure that groups are kept separate from one another to ensure they do not mix and do not exceed the new legal limits and that they adhere to new legal requirements around track and trace.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government in which Olympic and Paralympic sports there has been a reduction in real terms in funding support from UK Sport since 2012.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
UK Sport makes funding awards on a four year cycle in line with the Olympic and Paralympic calendars, and is currently supporting 46 Summer & Winter Olympic and Paralympic sports. These four year awards are reviewed each year through the Annual Investment Review process which measures sports against an agreed set of annual targets. The 18 sports which have seen a reduction in funding since 2012 are:
Archery
Badminton
Basketball
Goalball
Handball
Judo
Powerlifting
Swimming
Synchronised Swimming
Table Tennis
Visually Impaired Football
Volleyball (indoor, sitting and beach)
Water polo
Wheelchair fencing
Wheelchair basketball
Wrestling
Asked by: Diane Abbott (Independent - Hackney North and Stoke Newington)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department took to ensure that primary and secondary schools in England marked anti-bullying week; and what steps her Department is taking to tackle homophobic bullying in schools.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The Government has sent a clear message to all schools that bullying is unacceptable and that they should take steps to prevent it from happening and to tackle it when it does.
While it was a matter for schools to determine whether to mark anti-bullying week, the Department for Education supported activities held as part of anti-bullying week. Nick Gibb, Minister of State for School Reform, attended an event hosted by the Diana Award to celebrate the work of its anti-bullying ambassadors. Edward Timpson, Minister of State for Children and Families, attended an event hosted by the Anti-Bullying Alliance, which focused on the bullying of children with special educational needs and disabilities. He also attended an anti-bullying assembly at the Ark Global Academy in London which featured WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment, which champions anti-bullying in the USA) as part of the lead-in to anti-bullying week.
As well as raising the profile of the occasion via the Department’s twitter account, we also published two pieces of advice at the beginning of anti-bullying week. The first is to on help teachers to guard themselves against cyberbullying and what to do if it happens. This information is published online at:
The second piece of advice is for parents on how to help keep their children safe from cyberbullying, the signs to look for that they might be being cyberbullied and how to respond if they are. This information is published online at:
The Department is providing just under £4 million to anti-bullying organisations over two years (2013-15) and it has recently launched two grant programmes: a £25 million voluntary and community sector grant which includes work to address all bullying in schools; and a £2 million grant in conjunction with the Government Equalities office to support projects that specifically tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying in schools.
Asked by: Andrea Leadsom (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to announce the findings of the Green Paper on improving the safety and reducing risks to young drivers.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The safety of young people on our roads is very important to us. Too many young people die, too often; we are wrestling with how to make things safer, while not unduly restricting the freedom of our young people. We want young people to be able to get to work and training, to education and to leisure activities, and we want them to do so safely. We are finding this a difficult balance, with passionate voices on both sides.
On 27 January 2014, we held a meeting with the insurance industry and agreed the Department would commission new research into how telematics can change the behaviour and attitudes of learner drivers. We look forward to insurance companies sharing their data so that we can undertake this research.
We are also in the process of undertaking some focus groups with parents, young people and employers to get a better understanding of the issues from their perspective.