theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of existing regulations for community transport provision. \p Simon Lightwood: Community transport operators play a vital role in connecting people with their communities, enabling access to employment, education and other essential services. Recognising the value of these services of social benefit, often provided by charities, the system of section 19 and section 22 permits provided in the Transport Act 1985 allows not-for-profit community transport operators to operate public service vehicles (PSVs) without the associated costs of a PSV operator’s licence.

The section 19 and section 22 permit system continues to support community transport services across the country and the Government provides guidance on the rules for permits and how to apply for them at Section 19 and 22 permits and obligations: not for profit passenger transport - GOV.UK.
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Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 January 2025 to Question 25028 on Buses: Sales, for what reason an end-of-sale date is not set for coaches. \p Simon Lightwood: No decision has been taken on whether to set an end of sale date for new non-zero emission coaches. We will consider all options to support the decarbonisation of the coach fleet.
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Lincoln Jopp:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with Transport for London on including Spelthorne within the Oyster Zone. \p Simon Lightwood: Ministers and officials have regular conversations with Transport for London on a variety of issues. Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor and TfL is responsible for operational decisions. Operators can consider and propose zonal changes where a positive business case can be demonstrated.
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Perran Moon:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a scrappage scheme for older higher polluting vehicles. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Government is committed to cleaning up our air and protecting the public from the harms of pollution. We review the various policy levers available to us on an ongoing basis.
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Sir Julian Lewis:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will expand the statutory requirements for local authorities to make mandatory the provision of free journeys for companions of people with (a) physical disabilities, (b) visual impairment and (c) learning disabilities who cannot travel on buses without those companions. \p Simon Lightwood: The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statutory obligations, such as extending the eligibility criteria, would therefore need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability.

Local authorities in England have the power to go beyond their statutory obligations under the ENCTS and offer additional discretionary concessions, such as offering companion passes for those travelling with someone eligible for the ENCTS.
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Seamus Logan:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of increasing funding for (a) carbon capture, usage and storage projects and (b) track two processes. \p Sarah Jones: This Government is committed to the delivery of CCUS, as demonstrated by our record investment of £21.7 billion in October and the signing of contracts to launch the first CCUS projects in the UK in December. CCUS requires significant resources, and it is right that it is considered within the Spending Review. My officials continue to engage with Track-2 clusters, and further decisions for future CCUS deployment will be taken in due course.
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Ann Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will meet with coal tip safety groups in Wales to discuss his Department's proposals to ban future coal licences. \p Michael Shanks: The responsibility for ensuring the safety of coal tips is a matter for the landowners and/or the Local Authority in most instances and is separate to the coal licensing duties in the 1994 Coal Industry Act.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring coal tip safety and just how much this issue resonates with local communities, particularly in the South Wales valleys, that is why the Government announced funding of £25m in 25/26 to the Welsh Government in the Budget, for making coal tips safe.
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Dr Simon Opher:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will publish a timeline for the implementation of his local power plans policy. \p Michael Shanks: We are progressing the Great British Energy (GBE) Bill through Parliament, and in October’s Spending Review the Chancellor announced £25 million to establish the company, with a further £100 million of capital funding to spend in 2025/26 so that GBE can start its important work to drive forward clean energy deployment this year.

GBE, once fully operational, will provide funding and support to local and combined authorities, and community energy groups, to roll out renewable energy projects. Plans are under development and further details will be announced in due course.
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Ann Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to introduce legislation to ban future coal licensing. \p Michael Shanks: The Government announced on 14th November 2024 its intention to introduce new legislation to restrict the future licensing of new coal mines. https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2024-11-14/hcws215
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Luke Myer:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans his Department has for the construction of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in Teesside. \p Michael Shanks: The Government has published a refreshed planning framework for new nuclear reactors (EN-7), including small and advanced modular reactors, for consultation. The proposed planning framework provides a robust set of siting criteria to enable the identification of potentially suitable sites. Government would welcome private developer interest in identifying potentially suitable sites once EN-7 is designated.
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Andrew Bowie:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions his Department has had with employers on the levels of (a) recognition and (b) uptake of the Energy Skills Passport in the recruitment process. \p Sarah Jones: The Department is a strategic partner of the Energy Skills Passport project in collaboration with industry stakeholders and the Scottish Government. The initial version of the passport launched on 22nd January 2025.

The project has wide support amongst the Oil and Gas and Offshore Wind sectors, and DESNZ continues to monitor the impact of the Passport.
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Andrew Bowie:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Energy Skills Passport will encourage oil and gas workers to find opportunities in the nuclear industry. \p Sarah Jones: The initial version of the digital passport was launched in January 2025. This first phase will help oil and gas workers identify routes into several career roles in the offshore wind sector.

The Department and Scottish government are working with RUK/OEUK industry partners to identify how best to expand the scope and functionality of passport in the future.
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Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department plans to align carbon pricing under the UK Emissions Trading Scheme with the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. \p Sarah Jones: Under the terms of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), the UK Government and EU agreed to give serious consideration to linking our respective carbon pricing schemes and to cooperate on carbon pricing. As part of our reset with the EU the Government continues to explore all options to improve trade and investment.
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Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department is preparing for the UK to enter the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. \p Sarah Jones: The UK has had its own standalone Emissions Trading Scheme since 2021. Under the terms of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), the UK Government and EU agreed to give serious consideration to linking our respective carbon pricing schemes and to cooperate on carbon pricing. As part of our reset with the EU the Government continues to explore all options to improve trade and investment.
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Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of increasing the UK carbon price to £147/tCO2 by 2030 on (a) energy-intensive manufacturing industries and (b) chemical industries. \p Sarah Jones: The Department has no plans to make an assessment of the potential impact of increasing the UK carbon price to £147/tCO2 by 2030. The Department previously published an impact assessment in July 2023 of the impact of the moving to the current United Kingdom Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) using the analysis at that time : https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64b91b522059dc00125d267b/developing-uk-ets-main-impact-assessment.pdf   The Department produces its own traded carbon values for modelling purposes which are used to estimate the financial cost of purchasing allowances in the UK ETS under different scenarios. This figure of £147/tCO2 is higher than in any of the scenarios in those projections. The Department’s most recent projections can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/traded-carbon-values-used-for-modelling-purposes-2024/traded-carbon-values-used-for-modelling-purposes-2024
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the environmental impact of running artificial intelligence technologies and the UK's Net Zero ambitions. \p Kerry McCarthy: The Department regularly engages across Government to promote the sustainable development of AI technologies in line with the UK’s Net Zero goals. This includes inter-departmental collaboration through initiatives such as the recently announced AI Energy Council and AI Growth Zones, aimed at addressing the growing energy demands of AI through sustainable, efficient, and scalable solutions.
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what disability rights organisations and campaigners her Department is consulting with on planned reforms the disability welfare system; and whether any user-led organisations have been consulted. \p Sir Stephen Timms: This government is committed to putting the views and voices of disabled people at the heart of all that we do. We have already started discussing the case for reform, including with representatives from the Disability Charities Consortium and the Disabled People’s Organisations Forum England. We intend to publish a Health and Disability Green Paper ahead of the Spring Statement later this year. After publication, the proposals will be subject to a consultation involving disabled people and representative organisations, with the conclusions to be set out in a white paper later in the year.
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Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has specific time targets for processing Carer’s Allowance claims for individuals with an underlying entitlement. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Department does not have any processing targets for Carer’s Allowance claims when there is an underlying entitlement element.

The current average clearance time for all Carer’s Allowance claims is 16.5 working days. This includes claims when there is underlying entitlement.
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Michelle Welsh:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of assessing money received from the settlement of an estate claim to be treated in line with money received from a (a) personal injury claim and (b) special compensation scheme settlement for cases related to (i) maternity and (ii) death of a baby for the purposes of Universal Credit entitlements. \p Sir Stephen Timms: We have no plans to change the Universal Credit capital rules to disregard the settlement payments from estates for cases related to (i) maternity and (ii) death of a baby for the purposes of Universal Credit entitlements.
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Richard Burgon:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of fraud in the social security system in financial year 2023-24 by benefit. \p Andrew Western: Estimates of the levels of fraud and error in the benefit system for the financial year 2023-24 can be found at: Fraud and error in the benefit system, Financial Year Ending (FYE) 2024 - GOV.UK
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Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with the National Crime Agency on tackling financial crime in relation to the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill. \p Andrew Western: The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill will help government better identify, prevent and deter public sector fraud and error and enable the better recovery of debt owed to the taxpayer. DWP has close links with other government departments and law enforcement agencies, including strong collaborative relationships with HMRC, Home Office and National Crime Agency, and will continue to build upon these to ensure the Bill measures are designed effectively.
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Noah Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support the delivery of the Youth Guarantee. \p Alison McGovern: The Department is taking a number of steps to deliver the Youth Guarantee, to ensure all 18-21 year olds in England have access to quality education, employment and training opportunities.

The Get Britain Working White Paper announced £45 million of funding to test delivery of the Youth Guarantee in eight trailblazer areas that will start delivering support from April 2025. These are: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, East Midlands, Liverpool City Region, Tees Valley, West of England, West Midlands, and two areas within the Greater London Authority. The trailblazers will be led by the Mayoral Strategic Authorities, providing learnings that will inform the future roll-out of the Guarantee across England.

The Guarantee will also be supported by our first national partnerships with The Premier League, Channel 4 and the Royal Shakespeare Company, who will generate a range of opportunities that engage young people and set them on the path to success.

There is already a range of existing provision available to young people, including the Department’s Youth Offer, which provides individually tailored Work Coach support for young people aged 16 to 24 and claiming Universal Credit.
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Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the impact of occupational and state pension payments on eligibility for Carer's Allowance. \p Sir Stephen Timms: I refer the honourable member to the answer I gave on 14 October 2024 to question UIN 6904, this outlines the interaction between Carer’s Allowance and State Pension. Personal pensions paid to the carer are not treated as earnings and therefore do not affect their Carer’s Allowance award. Some contributions to personal pensions can be deducted from earnings so as to calculate the net earnings figure for Carer’s Allowance purposes.

Social security is a transferred matter in Northern Ireland.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what purposes the Pensions Ombudsman has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months. \p Andrew Western: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country.

The Pensions Ombudsman has not engaged in the use of artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.
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Helen Whately:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2025 50 Question 22715 on Medical Certificates: Public Consultation, whether she plans to launch the fit note trailblazers. \p Alison McGovern: In 2024, the previous government announced that fit note trailblazers would be included in some of the 15 WorkWell pilot areas across Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) in England. Due to the timings of the General Election, they were not launched.

As part of £240m investment to support our employment reforms in the Get Britain Working White Paper, we are providing three ICBs with a share of £45m to become 'Health and Growth Accelerators'. These 3 ICBs are North East and North Cumbria, South Yorkshire, and West Yorkshire.

We are working with the accelerator ICBs to deliver an intervention aimed at improving the quality of work and health advice and support following a request for a fit note. This will ensure the fit note process is part of our wider system designed to get support to people who are already economically inactive or at risk of falling out of work due to ill health.
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Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Solicitor General, how much has been spent on external legal advice on international law since 5 July 2024. \p Lucy Rigby: The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has spent £0 on external legal advice that covers international law matters commissioned from 5th July 2024.

However, the AGO has spent £7,028.40 for external legal advice covering international law matters that was sought and received by the previous administration prior to 5th July 2024.
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Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which local authorities are part of the review into safety valve schemes. \p Catherine McKinnell: The areas taking part in this research are: Barnsley, Croydon, Darlington, Hammersmith and Fulham, Kent, Kirklees, Torbay, Salford, Surrey and York.
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Terry Jermy:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to extend to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support fund. \p Janet Daby: I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for South West Norfolk to the answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 26025.
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Jess Brown-Fuller:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to create a pathway for Ukrainian refugees to apply to UK universities. \p Janet Daby: The government remains committed to giving all Ukrainians in the UK the same access to education as enjoyed by UK citizens.

Persons granted leave under one of the Ukraine Schemes, including the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme, have access to higher education (HE) student support and home fee status on the same basis as those within other protection-based categories, such as refugees.

Support on applying to HE courses can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/higher-education-courses-find-and-apply, where students can explore a range of resources to help them apply to UK HE providers.

Organisations such as the UK Council for International Student Affairs also provide extensive information and support for Ukrainian students wishing to study in the UK, including a student advice line.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of the most recent long-term migration figures were accounted for by international students. \p Janet Daby: According to the latest Office for National Statistics estimates, net migration to the UK (immigration minus emigration) of international students was 262,000 in the year ending June 2024. Total net migration for the same period was 728,000, meaning international students' net migration made up 36% of total net migration.
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Bobby Dean:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to publish further information on proposed Young Future Hubs. \p Janet Daby: The government’s is committed to a Young Futures programme made up of Young Futures prevention partnerships and Young Futures Hubs.

Young Futures Hubs will bring together services to improve access to opportunities and support for young people at community level, promoting positive outcomes and enabling them to thrive.

To roll out Young Futures Hubs, the department will first establish early adopter hubs. These, and work with local areas, will inform the longer-term development of the programme, including how quickly we move to a greater number of hubs. Young Futures Hubs will build upon the successes of existing infrastructure and provision. We will set out more details in due course.

Young Futures Hubs are one part of delivering this within a much wider youth landscape. They will be designed to complement core services and wider initiatives spanning youth, education, employment, social care, mental health, youth justice and policing.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of potential impact of the time taken for education, health and care plan applications to be processed on children in Devon. \p Catherine McKinnell: The department wants to ensure that, where required, education, health and care (EHC) plan assessments are progressed promptly and, if needed, plans are issued as quickly as possible so that children and young people can access the support they need.

The department has been working closely with all statutory partners involved in delivering special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services in Devon since their local area SEND inspection in May 2022, which found that insufficient progress had been made against the four areas of significant weakness identified during their previous inspection in December 2018, including on the timeliness and quality of EHC plans.

In response to these findings, the department issued an improvement notice in September 2022, and an accelerated progress plan was developed with the local authority and integrated care board. In addition, the department and NHS England have both deployed SEND advisers to assist the local area and to offer advice and support. This includes analysis of EHC plans data and trends, facilitation of best practice exchange from other regions and guidance to enhance the quality of EHC plans.

The department also holds regular formal monitoring meetings with the local authority and partners as part of holding the local area to account for making the necessary improvements in services. As part of this work, there is robust monitoring of Devon’s EHC plans, including their timeliness, quality and the clearance of backlogs.

The latest monitoring meeting highlighted that the local authority and partners are taking steps to improve services, with some early impact on outcomes regarding the timeliness and quality of EHC plans. However, there remains substantial progress needed to ensure that all children and families receive the service they require and deserve, and we will continue to work closely with the local area and our support partners to closely monitor and ensure they deliver further improvements in services.
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Bradley Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has plans to increase funding for SEND provision in Bromsgrove constituency. \p Catherine McKinnell: This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

Following the 2024 Autumn Budget, the department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year, bringing total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND to £11.9 billion. Of that total, Worcestershire County Council is being allocated over £97 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG), an increase of £7.5 million on this year’s DSG high needs block, calculated using the high needs national funding formula (NFF). This NFF allocation is an 8.3% increase per head of their 2 to 18-year-old population, on the equivalent 2024/25 NFF allocation.

In addition to the DSG, local authorities will also receive a separate core schools budget grant (CSBG), and funding in respect of the increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions in 2025/26. This CSBG continues the separate grants payable this year, which are to help special schools and alternative provision with the costs of teachers’ pay and pension increases, as well as the costs of pay increases for other members of staff. Individual local authorities’ allocations for both grants for the 2025/26 financial year will be published in due course.
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Jess Brown-Fuller:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing a unique ID for every child to (a) facilitate data sharing between public bodies and (b) identify children not in school or any form of education. \p Stephen Morgan: Implementing a unique ID for every child has been regularly cited as a potential solution to bring together data on children’s interactions with different services. The government’s manifesto for the 2024 election included a commitment to this end (on page 81) and the government is committed to improving data sharing across services, with a single unique identifier, to better support children and families.

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, currently before Parliament, introduces a legal provision for a consistent identifier to be specified and the organisations required to use it, to be determined later through regulations. Alongside this, the department will initiate a pilot to establish how a consistent identifier can be effectively implemented.

The Bill also includes provisions for compulsory ‘Children Not in School’ registers in each local authority area in England. While the introduction of these registers does not depend on a consistent identifier, it may enhance data linking, which the department will explore through future piloting.
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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to include online safety education into the national curriculum in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools. \p Catherine McKinnell: As part of the statutory relationships and health education (RHE) in primary schools and relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) in secondary schools, pupils are taught about online safety and harms. This includes being taught about what positive, healthy and respectful online relationships look like, the effects of their online actions on others, how to recognise and display respectful behaviour online and where to get help and support for issues that occur online. The RHE statutory guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education/relationships-education-primary, and the RSHE statutory guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education/relationships-and-sex-education-rse-secondary.

Teaching about online safety also complements the computing curriculum, which covers the principles of online safety at all key stages, with progression in the content to reflect the different and escalating risks that pupils face. The statutory guidance for the computing curriculum is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-computing-programmes-of-study.

The RSHE statutory guidance is currently under review. The department is looking carefully at responses to the public the consultation conducted last year, considering the relevant evidence and discussing with stakeholders before setting out next steps to make sure the guidance draws from the best available evidence. As part of this process, the department will explore whether additional content is required, including content regarding online safety and harm.

In addition, the statutory ‘Keeping children safe in education’ guidance, which all schools and colleges must have regard to when drawing up and implementing their own safeguarding policies, has been strengthened with regards to online safety in recent years. Governing bodies and proprietors should ensure online safety is a running and interrelated theme whilst devising and implementing their whole school or college approach to safeguarding and related policies and procedures, including doing all that they reasonably can to limit children’s exposure to the harmful online content on the school’s or college’s IT system.
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Natalie Fleet:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of key stage four students who completed their GCSEs went on to each destination in (a) Bolsover, (b) Derbyshire and (c) England in each of the last five academic years for which data is available. \p Catherine McKinnell: The department publishes information on the percentage of pupils continuing to a sustained education, apprenticeship or employment destination in England in the year after completing key stage 4 study (after year 11) from state-funded mainstream schools.

The data in the links below contain the data requested.

Bolsover: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/4125b56e-229e-4fa5-800f-08dd45163c72.

Derbyshire: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/d0be6793-1dd3-41a7-800e-08dd45163c72.

England: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/3b73cf3a-e357-4b8a-800d-08dd45163c72.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-13 conversation_328

Natalie Fleet:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of 18-year-olds have taken (a) three or (b) more A-levels in (i) Bolsover constituency, (ii) Derbyshire and (iii) England in each of the last five academic years. \p Catherine McKinnell: The attached table shows the number and proportion of students entering at least three A levels in England, the Bolsover constituency and the Derbyshire local authority over the past five academic years, broken down by the number of A level entries.

There were zero A level students in the Bolsover constituency in the years in question.

Data is based on students attending schools and colleges located in each geographic area who have reached the end of 16-18 study.

A level Students in Bolsover and Derbyshire (xlsx, 25.9KB)
wrans/answers2025-02-13 conversation_329
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-13 conversation_329

Cat Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to consider evidence related to advertising when strengthening protections against gambling harms. \p Stephanie Peacock: We are committed to considering the best available evidence, including on advertising, from a wide range of sources to inform decisions on strengthening protections. Developing quality evidence is a key priority for the statutory levy and funding will be directed towards high-quality, independent research to fill key gaps in the evidence base. This could include research on the impacts of advertising. We will continue to monitor developments in the evidence and take action when appropriate.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-13 conversation_330

David Simmonds:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Government plans to reduce the legal age to (a) buy Lottery tickets and (b) gamble. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Government has no plans to reduce the legal age to buy lottery tickets or to gamble.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-13 conversation_331

Alex Ballinger:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to (a) protect the creative industries and (b) ensure copyright legislation remains strong in response to proliferated use of AI. \p Chris Bryant: The government recognises the importance of the UK’s copyright regime to the economic success of the creative industries, one of eight growth-driving sectors as identified in our Industrial Strategy. We are committed to supporting rights holders by ensuring they retain control over and receive fair payment for their work, especially as technology advances to include AI. We are actively working with stakeholders to ensure copyright protections remain robust and fit for purpose.

On the impact of AI, our next step is a 10-week consultation, published on Tuesday 17 December and closing 25 February, to engage AI and creative industries stakeholders widely on the impact of AI on the copyright regime.

Consultation responses will inform our approach to the design and delivery of a solution to the current dispute over the use of copyrighted material in AI training. Our aim is to clarify the copyright framework for AI – delivering certainty through a copyright regime that provides creators with real control, transparency, and helps them licence their content, while supporting AI developers' access to high-quality material.

Following the consultation we will continue to develop our policy approach in partnership with creative industries, media and AI stakeholders - supporting our brilliant artists and the creative industries to work together with the AI sector to harness the opportunities this technology provides.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-13 conversation_332

Mark Pritchard:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the implementation of the Broadcasting Code by Ofcom on reducing the sexualisation of children through broadcast advertising. \p Chris Bryant: The Advertising Standards Authority co-regulates broadcast advertising under contract with Ofcom and its sister organisation, the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP), sets the advertising codes. The codes require that advertisements must not portray or represent anyone who is, or seems to be, under 18 in a sexual way and care must be taken when scheduling advertisements in or around children's programmes or programmes likely to be seen by significant numbers of children.

The Broadcast Advertising Code has a dedicated section on protecting children, with rules designed to ensure that adverts do not contain anything that is likely to cause children physical, mental or moral harm, and the ASA administers these rules robustly. All broadcast advertising is pre-approved to ensure it is compliant with the BCAP Code before it is aired, through a system known as Clearcast. Clearcast has well established processes to ensure advertising content is thoroughly checked before it appears on television and puts restrictions in place when necessary.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-13 conversation_333

Rachel Blake:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information will be collected by the proposed registration scheme for short-term lets. \p Chris Bryant: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is in the process of designing and delivering a short-term lets registration scheme for England. The data collected by the registration scheme will help local authorities understand the number and location of short-term lets in their areas, enabling them to address housing impacts in their communities. The scheme will ensure providers comply with their legal responsibilities, particularly regarding health and safety standards including gas, fire, and electrical safety. While the specific details of information to be collected are still being determined, we are committed to designing a scheme that supports a thriving Visitor Economy.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-13 conversation_334

Chris Bloore:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of commissioning a review into event booking fees. \p Chris Bryant: On 10 January, the Government launched a call for evidence on pricing practices in the live events sector, which closes on 4 April 2025.

It is important that consumers experience openness and transparency when buying tickets. We are seeking evidence on the impact of current pricing practices on consumers and businesses and whether the current legal framework provides sufficient protection. We encourage responses, including on issues such as booking fees.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-13 conversation_335

Adam Dance:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of adding the Six Nations rugby union championship to the category A list of events not permitted to be broadcast solely on paid television services. \p Stephanie Peacock: The current listed events regime is designed to ensure that sporting events of national significance are available to as wide an audience as possible, by prohibiting exclusive broadcasting of the event without prior consent from Ofcom. Listing does not guarantee that an event will be broadcast live, or on a free to air channel. Rights holders are not required to sell live rights for listed events and free-to-air broadcasters are not obliged to purchase them.

The Government believes that the current list of events works well and that it strikes an appropriate balance between access to sporting events and allowing sports to maximise broadcasting revenue. Therefore, the Government has no plans to review the list at this time.

It is right that the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and Six Nations Rugby take a considered and balanced approach: recognising the need to achieve reach with existing and new fans, the importance that the Six Nations has for the cultural pride of each of the Home Nations, all the while maximising broadcast revenue.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-13 conversation_336

Jo Platt:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how (a) the Local News Commission and (b) other similar organisations will be able to contribute to the development of her planned local media strategy. \p Stephanie Peacock: We have been working across Government as the Local Media Strategy develops and are also engaging with key external stakeholders, from industry, academia, civil society and local government. Officials have already met with the Public Interest News Foundation, founders of the Local News Commission, as part of that engagement. Our work is also being informed by the range of studies conducted into the state of local journalism in the UK in recent years. With this in mind, we look forward to publication of the Local News Commission’s report and any new insights or recommendations that the Commission is able to offer.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-13 conversation_337

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many large technology firms she has met since her appointment; and how many times she has met (a) small companies and (b) groups representing small challenger technology firms. \p Stephanie Peacock: Details of ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-13 conversation_338

Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Football Governance Bill on football clubs in the Premier League. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Premier League is a global success story. It is one of our greatest cultural exports. It attracts more viewers and higher revenues than any of its international rivals. It is a product we want to protect and enhance.

The Football Governance Bill will create a clearer and more certain regulatory environment for investors which will drive future investment and growth so that English football remains a global success story. A more sustainable game is a more investable game, and this in turn should drive continued economic growth in the market.

The Independent Football Regulator will take a light-touch, targeted and proportionate approach. The requirements on clubs will reflect their circumstances, meaning they might vary based on factors like league, club size, and a club’s financial health or riskiness. This will allow regulation to be light-touch wherever possible - meaning, where clubs are already well run, the Regulator will not look to intervene.

The Government’s estimate of the economic impact of introducing a football regulator is set out in our Impact Assessment.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-13 conversation_339

Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will publish the total cost to the public purse for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion courses for staff in her Department in 2024. \p Stephanie Peacock: The only expenditure on D&I training in 2024 was £6,600 for a British Sign Language training programme of workshops for 12 staff in Manchester.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-13 conversation_340

David Simmonds:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information her Department holds on departmental plans to fly flags other than the Union flag in 2025. \p Stephanie Peacock: The flags other than the Union Flag that will be flown from the DCMS building in London in 2025 will be announced in due course. Currently, in addition to flying the Union Flag throughout the year, the Department flies a flag of Ukraine above the building.