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day in Houses of Parliament at 11pm. Firstly, we have questions to the | :00:00. | :00:00. | |
Secretary of State for culture media and John Whittingdale and his team | :00:00. | :00:11. | |
of ministers. Order, order. Question to the | :00:12. | :00:18. | |
Secretary of State for culture media and sport, Mister Kevin Hollinrake. | :00:19. | :00:27. | |
With permission and without a group this with question number four. By | :00:28. | :00:32. | |
the end of the thousands of engine 95% of homes and businesses in the | :00:33. | :00:36. | |
UK will have action to superfast broadband and as the Prime Minister | :00:37. | :00:39. | |
announced last month, by the end of this Parliament people will have the | :00:40. | :00:44. | |
legal right to request a broadband connection matter where they live, | :00:45. | :00:47. | |
we will consult on these plans which will put access to broadband or any | :00:48. | :00:54. | |
similar footing to other basic services early next year. Thank you, | :00:55. | :00:58. | |
Mr Speaker. I will come the universal service obligation to | :00:59. | :01:02. | |
provide 10 megabytes of coverage to the whole country by 2020. | :01:03. | :01:05. | |
Point-to-point wireless can provide a solution and talk to 30 megabytes, | :01:06. | :01:12. | |
but they all -- organisations behind the societies will not invest | :01:13. | :01:17. | |
because state aid will bring wireless to those committees and | :01:18. | :01:20. | |
take away their customers, can you minister provide a solution to this | :01:21. | :01:23. | |
conundrum? Can I commend my honourable friend | :01:24. | :01:28. | |
on his advocacy for his constituents on the importance of them achieving | :01:29. | :01:32. | |
superfast broadband as quickly as possible? The universal service | :01:33. | :01:36. | |
obligation will provide a safety net but it will take some time to work | :01:37. | :01:42. | |
out the details. Meantime, we would welcome all the various alternative | :01:43. | :01:44. | |
suppliers to put forward solutions and it could be that those will be | :01:45. | :01:49. | |
different solutions for different places. | :01:50. | :02:00. | |
Thank you, Mr Speaker, part of my constituency have been suffering | :02:01. | :02:02. | |
from poor fibre-optic broadband coverage from BT. Much-needed | :02:03. | :02:07. | |
upgrades were meant to be in place in December last year, yet, we are | :02:08. | :02:14. | |
having to beat... Pardon? We are having to wait until 2016 and 2017 | :02:15. | :02:18. | |
financial year at the earliest. Can the Minister tell me what we are | :02:19. | :02:22. | |
going to stop broadband companies dragging their heels so that all | :02:23. | :02:28. | |
businesses and residents can enjoy the services they should have? | :02:29. | :02:30. | |
I can fully appreciate the wish of my honourable friend that there | :02:31. | :02:35. | |
constituents have access to superfast broadband quickly. We are | :02:36. | :02:38. | |
making progress on the second phase and we have passed an extra 3.3 | :02:39. | :02:44. | |
million premises and that will rise to 4 million by early 2016 and I can | :02:45. | :02:48. | |
tell my honourable friend that by the end of the second phase we will | :02:49. | :02:53. | |
expect to achieve 97% coverage within her constituency and we will | :02:54. | :02:56. | |
work hard on the remaining small number of houses and obviously, they | :02:57. | :03:01. | |
will have the possibility of the universal service obligation to rely | :03:02. | :03:05. | |
upon. Those of us who have long held views | :03:06. | :03:14. | |
and strong advocate views, welcomed the government's U-turn on this | :03:15. | :03:17. | |
matter. A few weeks ago I was told by the ministers sitting next to him | :03:18. | :03:21. | |
this was not possible, it was not government policy. I will take part | :03:22. | :03:25. | |
in the consultation. Can the Minister indicate, will any new | :03:26. | :03:29. | |
government money be made available either from the UK or Welsh | :03:30. | :03:31. | |
Government or from the European Union? | :03:32. | :03:35. | |
I would be surprised if what might until friend said Ray A92 that! He | :03:36. | :03:43. | |
has been a leading advocate of the universal service policy, it will | :03:44. | :03:49. | |
benefit his constituents just as it will every household in the | :03:50. | :03:53. | |
country. The precise details of how the universal service obligation | :03:54. | :03:57. | |
will work has still to be worked out and that will be easily include how | :03:58. | :04:00. | |
it will be paid for and we will consult that in the coming time. | :04:01. | :04:05. | |
Given the report that was published this week by Ofcom, which | :04:06. | :04:13. | |
illustrated the differences in spite for broadband accessibility in | :04:14. | :04:17. | |
Northern Ireland and the fact that Northern Ireland has 73% coverage | :04:18. | :04:21. | |
compared to 88% in the rest of the UK, what action will be Secretary of | :04:22. | :04:26. | |
State and his officials take to address this particular matter? | :04:27. | :04:32. | |
I believe the Ofcom report showed there were a number of different | :04:33. | :04:37. | |
causes for slower broadband, including Christmas fairy lights, | :04:38. | :04:42. | |
but that is why they are making an application available to measure the | :04:43. | :04:46. | |
speed of Wi-Fi. I can tell you that in Northern Ireland we expect by the | :04:47. | :04:51. | |
end of the superfast broadband project that 87% of homes and | :04:52. | :04:55. | |
businesses will be covered and the Northern Ireland government has | :04:56. | :04:57. | |
received ?11.4 million for this BT project. | :04:58. | :05:03. | |
In my constituency there are some easily accessible areas where | :05:04. | :05:08. | |
superfast broadband is economic with viable, BT have received a huge | :05:09. | :05:14. | |
amount of subsidy since 2010. That's my right honourable friend agree | :05:15. | :05:18. | |
that this is unacceptable and we need to get this right and solve | :05:19. | :05:24. | |
this issue? Well, I would tell you that we are | :05:25. | :05:28. | |
making good progress. As I have mentioned, we are optimistic and we | :05:29. | :05:32. | |
are confident that we will achieve the target of 95% by the end of | :05:33. | :05:37. | |
2017. That leaves difficult areas however, and I would be happy to | :05:38. | :05:40. | |
meet my honourable friend to discuss what more we can do to ensure that | :05:41. | :05:47. | |
all of his constituents can from superfast broadband. | :05:48. | :05:50. | |
Can the Secretary of State tell me what steps he is taking with other | :05:51. | :05:53. | |
government departments to enforce broadband speeds, that is these | :05:54. | :05:57. | |
questions are about superfast broadband but what constitutes that | :05:58. | :06:01. | |
on the ground, as it were, it's a matter of dispute, because many | :06:02. | :06:05. | |
providers tell you that they provide speeds to a certain number, what | :06:06. | :06:12. | |
enforcement steps is he kidding? I have sympathy with the honourable | :06:13. | :06:16. | |
gentleman and his concern that they advertise speeds are not always | :06:17. | :06:19. | |
delivered in practice, we have spoken to Ofcom about that and we | :06:20. | :06:23. | |
continue to do so regularly and they are carrying out a detailed research | :06:24. | :06:29. | |
and making available an application to allow consumers to test whether | :06:30. | :06:32. | |
they are achieving those speeds. The universal service obligation, which | :06:33. | :06:35. | |
the question refers to, which is coming into place and it will | :06:36. | :06:40. | |
require that all providers can supply at least 10 megabytes, that | :06:41. | :06:45. | |
is the speed that Ofcom assesses as what business survey to be able to | :06:46. | :06:50. | |
enjoy most normal applications. Mr Speaker, five years after the | :06:51. | :07:00. | |
universal commitment of the Labour Party, without proper consultation | :07:01. | :07:04. | |
about that with either Ofcom or industry, the Prime Minister | :07:05. | :07:09. | |
magically makes available the universal service obligation out of | :07:10. | :07:12. | |
thin air and the Minister, for whom I have the deepest sympathy, he is | :07:13. | :07:16. | |
forced to depend -- pretended to some sort of strategy that they have | :07:17. | :07:22. | |
looked at when they haven't, what the Chancellor is not in on this | :07:23. | :07:25. | |
track because the comprehensive spending review does not mention | :07:26. | :07:28. | |
this once. Does the Minister have any idea how much this will cost or | :07:29. | :07:33. | |
is it just a sop for his backbenchers with their mail bags | :07:34. | :07:40. | |
bulging with broadband complaints? It was a good try! I would tell the | :07:41. | :07:46. | |
right honourable lady that we have made good progress and we have no | :07:47. | :07:54. | |
past 3.3 million homes with the superfast scheme and we will achieve | :07:55. | :07:58. | |
95% by the end of 2017. The universal service obligation is to | :07:59. | :08:03. | |
allow those few remaining ones that do not benefit to have the legal | :08:04. | :08:08. | |
right to require broadband. As to the costing of it, that is something | :08:09. | :08:11. | |
we are in discussion with the industry about and with which we | :08:12. | :08:15. | |
will consult on and we look forward to hearing all inputs on this | :08:16. | :08:19. | |
consultation, including from the honourable lady. | :08:20. | :08:25. | |
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am grateful for this question, it is an | :08:26. | :08:29. | |
important issue, we improve access to culture and the arts and people | :08:30. | :08:33. | |
from disadvantaged unities. I was delighted with the Autumn Statement | :08:34. | :08:37. | |
from the Chancellor, which did not cut funding from the arts and | :08:38. | :08:41. | |
heritage and I know that will be welcomed by the Labour Party because | :08:42. | :08:44. | |
they were predicting doom and gloom. There are a number of schemes | :08:45. | :08:48. | |
that help disadvantaged people but I want to work on this from my white | :08:49. | :08:53. | |
paper in the New Year. Mr Speaker, the Arts Council will | :08:54. | :08:57. | |
have over ?1.5 billion to support the arts over the next three years, | :08:58. | :09:01. | |
it has been calculated that this 43% will be invested in London, compared | :09:02. | :09:07. | |
to ?19 80 per head for the rest of the country. People in Dewsbury and | :09:08. | :09:13. | |
the rest of Yorkshire feel let down. Will the Minister take action to | :09:14. | :09:17. | |
improve funding and balance between London and the regions to ensure | :09:18. | :09:21. | |
that everyone from this advantage communities get access to culture | :09:22. | :09:24. | |
and the arts? My understanding is that tonight in | :09:25. | :09:30. | |
Dewsbury at Crow nest Park they will be a fantastic free art event for | :09:31. | :09:34. | |
families funded by the Arts Council. Another fund targets funding outside | :09:35. | :09:40. | |
of London and more than half of the drugs for arts go to a quarter of | :09:41. | :09:45. | |
the most deprived areas in England. I think that the Arts Council is | :09:46. | :09:49. | |
doing a lot and we are doing more than under the last Labour | :09:50. | :09:53. | |
government, we have massively increased the funding that goes | :09:54. | :09:55. | |
outside of London which the Labour Party never addressed. | :09:56. | :10:02. | |
Last Saturday evening my family and I attended the Lighthouse theatre in | :10:03. | :10:05. | |
Kettering attended by the local Scouts group and it was a fantastic | :10:06. | :10:10. | |
show, and given that the Scouts do so much, very good work with boys | :10:11. | :10:14. | |
and girls in this advantage committee throughout this country, | :10:15. | :10:18. | |
with the Minister like to take this opportunity to praise the Scout | :10:19. | :10:20. | |
movement for the way in which they encourage young people to get | :10:21. | :10:25. | |
involved in the arts in this way? I bet a lot to take this opportunity | :10:26. | :10:28. | |
to praise the Scouts movement and to praise all of the volunteers and | :10:29. | :10:33. | |
voluntary organisations that do so much for the arts. Their | :10:34. | :10:36. | |
contribution should not be forgotten, we should not looked at | :10:37. | :10:39. | |
those organisations funded by the Arts Council. | :10:40. | :10:45. | |
On the issue of disadvantaged communities and their languages, the | :10:46. | :10:47. | |
Gaelic language is the most endangered in these islands, why | :10:48. | :10:52. | |
then in the Autumn Statement that the government withdraw its total | :10:53. | :10:56. | |
direct UK funding of ?1 million? Can I ask him to reconsider? | :10:57. | :11:01. | |
As the honourable gentleman knows full well, there were too one of | :11:02. | :11:07. | |
grants in the last Parliament to support that important work and I | :11:08. | :11:10. | |
think that those contributions have made a very viable difference but | :11:11. | :11:15. | |
they were not annual grants going back into the past, they were 21 of | :11:16. | :11:20. | |
grants supported by the then Chief Secretary. | :11:21. | :11:24. | |
Thank you, Mr Speaker, does the Minister agree that the ?40 million | :11:25. | :11:27. | |
commitment to the Discover England fund will help promote the arts and | :11:28. | :11:32. | |
culture across Britain? Yes, I do and it is extremely | :11:33. | :11:35. | |
important that that fund is coordinated with the arts and | :11:36. | :11:39. | |
heritage funding that the Chancellor has kept stable for the next | :11:40. | :11:42. | |
five-year is, if we combine the funding for arts, heritage and | :11:43. | :11:46. | |
tourism we could generate some meaningful interjections across the | :11:47. | :11:47. | |
UK. The Government's official annual | :11:48. | :11:58. | |
figures, taking part, published in July, show there has been a marked | :11:59. | :12:02. | |
decline in the percentage of young children participating in the | :12:03. | :12:06. | |
activities including dance, music, theatre, drama, arts and crafts. In | :12:07. | :12:16. | |
2010, more five to ten-year-olds were taking part, it is now just | :12:17. | :12:23. | |
30%. Our access to arts and culture has gone backwards and has | :12:24. | :12:29. | |
disproportionately disadvantaged young kids who have missed out. | :12:30. | :12:33. | |
Museums have never received more visitors, arts organisations are | :12:34. | :12:37. | |
thriving, and rather than criticising the arts, this is his | :12:38. | :12:41. | |
opportunity to apologise for the appalling scaremongering he | :12:42. | :12:44. | |
undertook this month, claiming that the arts were going to be cut by | :12:45. | :12:48. | |
30%. He should apologise now at this despatch box. It is an odd request | :12:49. | :12:55. | |
to be asked to apologise for the Government figures! I have | :12:56. | :13:01. | |
highlighted the poor performance. More figures, these are real | :13:02. | :13:07. | |
figures, not scaremongering, Ipsos MORI revealed that children of | :13:08. | :13:10. | |
non-graduate parents spend fewer than three hours per week on | :13:11. | :13:16. | |
cultural activity, compared to 80% of children from graduate parents. | :13:17. | :13:21. | |
In the spending review last week, a 5% real terms cut, and the central | :13:22. | :13:27. | |
grant of local government is being cut by a massive 56%. ?6.1 billion | :13:28. | :13:36. | |
reduction by 2019-20, not exactly a course for a circuit of honour. What | :13:37. | :13:41. | |
impact has the DCMS made about the impact of local government cuts made | :13:42. | :13:46. | |
by this government on libraries, museums, galleries, theatres, that | :13:47. | :13:52. | |
all rely on local councils? Well, Mr Speaker, I take the issue of access | :13:53. | :13:57. | |
to the arts for all of our communities very seriously, which is | :13:58. | :13:59. | |
why I support all of the scheme is the arts Council are taking. He can | :14:00. | :14:03. | |
make a difference, he doesn't have to feel powerless on the opposition | :14:04. | :14:07. | |
Bence, he can bring up Labour Lancashire and ask why they are | :14:08. | :14:10. | |
withdrawing all funding from museums. -- opposition bench. Number | :14:11. | :14:20. | |
three, Mr Speaker. I am grateful, Mr Speaker, for the chance to address | :14:21. | :14:24. | |
this important issue. I am delighted over 50,000 firms around the UK have | :14:25. | :14:28. | |
taken advantage of our broadband connection voucher, as well as more | :14:29. | :14:34. | |
than 1000 public buildings. My constituents will have connections | :14:35. | :14:39. | |
below the Cheshire average for superfast broadband. What steps can | :14:40. | :14:43. | |
be taken to ensure that connecting Cheshire will be prioritised better | :14:44. | :14:48. | |
with superfast broadband access for rural businesses and residents? My | :14:49. | :14:53. | |
honourable friend is a fantastic advocate for broadband and her | :14:54. | :14:57. | |
constituency, and I am very pleased that almost half of her constituency | :14:58. | :15:01. | |
will benefit from our superfast broadband roll-out. Almost 15,000 | :15:02. | :15:05. | |
homes in her constituency have already been passed, but by the time | :15:06. | :15:09. | |
the project is finished, more than 30,000 will have been passed. There | :15:10. | :15:14. | |
won't be very many successful business parks where the highway | :15:15. | :15:18. | |
stops short of the business park, people get out of the car and walk | :15:19. | :15:23. | |
on foot to the business park. Can we apply the same logic to another very | :15:24. | :15:29. | |
important highway? Broadband. And make sure that business parks are | :15:30. | :15:33. | |
properly connected so that small businesses can thrive and prosper? | :15:34. | :15:38. | |
There is no reason at all why business parks should not be part of | :15:39. | :15:41. | |
the superfast broadband roll-out programme, but it is also important | :15:42. | :15:45. | |
for business park owners providing services and charging rent to get on | :15:46. | :15:49. | |
board and get broadband to the tenants as well. Question five, Mr | :15:50. | :15:57. | |
Speaker. As the Prime Minister announced, by the end of this | :15:58. | :16:00. | |
Parliament people will have a legal right to request a broadband | :16:01. | :16:03. | |
connection no matter where they live, from a designated provider at | :16:04. | :16:07. | |
a minimum speed up to a reasonable cost threshold. We will consult on | :16:08. | :16:15. | |
these plans in early 2016. I want to thank the Minister for his answer, | :16:16. | :16:18. | |
and thank the Secretary of State for meeting with me and being so patient | :16:19. | :16:22. | |
with the queries I have had on this issue. Residents in Telford, in new | :16:23. | :16:28. | |
build areas, and in historic iron bridge, they tell me they struggle | :16:29. | :16:32. | |
daily with inadequate broadband. I would like to know when these | :16:33. | :16:37. | |
residents can expect increased connectivity, the same as other | :16:38. | :16:43. | |
people across the UK? Well, I can tell my honourable friend that the | :16:44. | :16:47. | |
Telford and Wrekin project is set to deliver superfast broadband access | :16:48. | :16:53. | |
to 98% of homes and businesses by the end of phase two, in 2017. | :16:54. | :17:00. | |
However she is right to press us to ensure those few remaining | :17:01. | :17:04. | |
constituents of hers who do not have access should obtain it. I can tell | :17:05. | :17:07. | |
her that from this month they will have the right to a basic broadband | :17:08. | :17:12. | |
service, two megabits per second, and then they will be able to take | :17:13. | :17:15. | |
advantage of the universal service obligation when it comes into | :17:16. | :17:21. | |
effect. I welcome the Secretary of State's statement, but what | :17:22. | :17:23. | |
reassurance can he give me that the pace of the roll-out will be | :17:24. | :17:28. | |
increased so that businesses in my constituency, such as XL group in | :17:29. | :17:34. | |
Wareham, can have access to fibre? I can say to my honourable friend that | :17:35. | :17:41. | |
we will achieve the 95% target by 2017, indeed we will then be able to | :17:42. | :17:45. | |
invest more into going beyond that as a result of the contractual | :17:46. | :17:50. | |
arrangements that we have achieved. And we will be putting in place the | :17:51. | :17:54. | |
universal service obligation, which will benefit his constituents just | :17:55. | :18:00. | |
as it will every other member's. It is all very well having the | :18:01. | :18:04. | |
universal service obligation in place, and I do urge that it be | :18:05. | :18:07. | |
brought in as quickly as possible, but the key question is what the | :18:08. | :18:14. | |
definition is of affordable and reasonable? Can the Secretary of | :18:15. | :18:18. | |
State confirmed that when it is introduced my constituents will be | :18:19. | :18:21. | |
able to afford what is offered by the providers? Well, I would say to | :18:22. | :18:25. | |
my honourable friend that the universal service obligation is a | :18:26. | :18:30. | |
safety net to benefit those few remaining people who have been | :18:31. | :18:37. | |
unable to access superfast. We are consulting on the precise details, | :18:38. | :18:41. | |
and that includes the costing of it. We are discussing with the industry | :18:42. | :18:45. | |
how it will be met, but I can assure my honourable friend that it is | :18:46. | :18:48. | |
intended that it should be affordable to his and every other | :18:49. | :18:50. | |
member's constituency. Question member's constituency. Question | :18:51. | :18:56. | |
number six. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have regular discussions with the | :18:57. | :19:00. | |
football authorities on a variety of issues, including the work of | :19:01. | :19:04. | |
supporters associations, the expert working group set up by government | :19:05. | :19:08. | |
has been looking at building support engagement. I received a copy of the | :19:09. | :19:11. | |
report and it will go to the football authorities for approval by | :19:12. | :19:15. | |
the boards. I am grateful for that answer from my honourable friend. | :19:16. | :19:19. | |
We'll she join me in paying tribute to Crawley Town supporters Alliance | :19:20. | :19:26. | |
for the charity work they do in terms of the Crawley Kicks were | :19:27. | :19:31. | |
checked for young people? And also raising funds for chestnut tree | :19:32. | :19:37. | |
Children's Hospital in Sussex? I share a TV region with my honourable | :19:38. | :19:42. | |
friends so I share the ups and downs of his club alongside him! It is | :19:43. | :19:46. | |
nice to be able to congratulate Crawley Town supporters Alliance on | :19:47. | :19:50. | |
the label admirable community work. Supporters groups up and down the | :19:51. | :19:54. | |
country make hugely valuable contributions to their communities | :19:55. | :19:58. | |
as well as raising funds for their clubs. Football clubs are stronger | :19:59. | :20:01. | |
when they work with supporters and in the best interests of the | :20:02. | :20:07. | |
supporters. The Northern league was founded in 1889, it's the second | :20:08. | :20:11. | |
oldest Football League in the country. It couldn't have survived | :20:12. | :20:15. | |
without the commitment of the dedicated supporters and | :20:16. | :20:20. | |
volunteers. A shining example is Mr Mike Amos, the chairman of the | :20:21. | :20:24. | |
Northern league, retiring after 20 years this year. He has done a | :20:25. | :20:29. | |
fantastic job, like lots of other volunteers across non-league | :20:30. | :20:33. | |
football. Across this country. Will the minister join me in thanking the | :20:34. | :20:37. | |
likes of Mr Amos, who give lots of dedication and commitment to | :20:38. | :20:41. | |
non-league football, and wish him the very best together with his | :20:42. | :20:46. | |
family for the future? Football is nothing without its fans and without | :20:47. | :20:50. | |
volunteers and communities that it works in. It is extremely important | :20:51. | :20:54. | |
that we celebrate and honour those who dedicate their lives in a | :20:55. | :20:58. | |
variety of different ways to football, so I certainly join with | :20:59. | :21:01. | |
the honourable gentleman and congratulate Mr Amos on all he has | :21:02. | :21:07. | |
done to serve the Northern league. Could the minister just say when the | :21:08. | :21:11. | |
report for the working group will be published? We were hoping it would | :21:12. | :21:14. | |
be published at the end of last month. This morning we highlight the | :21:15. | :21:19. | |
problems in the governments of world football, but there are still | :21:20. | :21:21. | |
problems and concerns about the governments of football in this | :21:22. | :21:30. | |
country too. -- the governance. If anything, I owe the honourable | :21:31. | :21:33. | |
gentleman and apology because in response to the question last time, | :21:34. | :21:38. | |
I said the report would be published before his bill tomorrow. I have | :21:39. | :21:43. | |
received a copy of the report. It has been done by football for | :21:44. | :21:46. | |
football, so it is only right that the football authorities that need | :21:47. | :21:50. | |
to look through this are given the opportunity to do so. I expect that | :21:51. | :21:52. | |
in the next three weeks in the in the next three weeks in the | :21:53. | :21:57. | |
report to be published in January. Question number seven, Mr Speaker. I | :21:58. | :22:03. | |
plan to publish the new cross departmental strategy for sport and | :22:04. | :22:08. | |
physical activity before Christmas. Thank you very much. The Department | :22:09. | :22:14. | |
figures show that children's participation has dropped under this | :22:15. | :22:19. | |
government. The number of 5-15 -year-olds playing competitive sport | :22:20. | :22:23. | |
outside school has dropped to 19%. Given my city has been awarded the | :22:24. | :22:27. | |
European city of sport for next year, the great city of | :22:28. | :22:30. | |
Stoke-on-Trent, when is the Government going to give us detail, | :22:31. | :22:33. | |
stop talking and start delivering so my constituents can get the most out | :22:34. | :22:38. | |
of next year? The honourable lady only has to wait a short time to see | :22:39. | :22:42. | |
what the Government will be doing to deliver a brand-new policy on | :22:43. | :22:46. | |
sport, making sure children participate in sport at a very early | :22:47. | :22:50. | |
age, that is incredibly important. We know that if children develop a | :22:51. | :22:57. | |
habit -- a habit for sport, it is something they will continue. If you | :22:58. | :23:02. | |
can bear with us for a few days, hopefully she will get the answer in | :23:03. | :23:08. | |
more detail. Mr Speaker, I know the minister is keen on increasing | :23:09. | :23:13. | |
participation in sport. Is she aware of the work of an authority which | :23:14. | :23:17. | |
does cycling for those with disability, but is concerned that | :23:18. | :23:23. | |
activity levels are not being included in the government's | :23:24. | :23:26. | |
activity standard, as it does not count as being sport? Too much focus | :23:27. | :23:31. | |
is going on Italy Paralympic sport and not enough on activity levels | :23:32. | :23:39. | |
for disabled sport? -- on Paralympic sport. The previous sports strategy | :23:40. | :23:44. | |
relied only on two crude measurements around participation | :23:45. | :23:48. | |
and medals. As I indicated previously when we have discussed | :23:49. | :23:51. | |
this issue in the house, the new sports strategy will look beyond | :23:52. | :23:54. | |
those measures and look to see what social value sport brings. That will | :23:55. | :24:01. | |
mean that nobody should be prevented from participating in sport or any | :24:02. | :24:07. | |
kind of physical activity. Minister, obviously any new strategy should | :24:08. | :24:10. | |
involve the participation of more ladies and girls, are also the issue | :24:11. | :24:16. | |
of obesity. Particularly at primary school level. What discussions has | :24:17. | :24:22. | |
she had with the Health Minister to address that issue? I can reassure | :24:23. | :24:27. | |
the honourable gentleman that I meet regularly with Ministers across all | :24:28. | :24:32. | |
departments, but especially the Department for Health and education. | :24:33. | :24:35. | |
The new sports strategy is a cross department will strategy that will | :24:36. | :24:39. | |
deal with lots of different issues. We will make sure it will align | :24:40. | :24:42. | |
carefully with what the Department of Health is doing in the long-term | :24:43. | :24:47. | |
around combating obesity and childhood obesity. Mr Laurence | :24:48. | :24:54. | |
Robertson. Question number nine, Mr Speaker. | :24:55. | :25:00. | |
If I may one of all draw the House's attention to the written | :25:01. | :25:05. | |
ministerial statement in the name of the Secretary of State in Parliament | :25:06. | :25:10. | |
this morning, which confirms the 55th Levy has now been set. Despite | :25:11. | :25:14. | |
this, the Government remains committed to replacing the current | :25:15. | :25:17. | |
levy system to create a level playing field for British-based and | :25:18. | :25:21. | |
offshore gambling operators. Work is continuing and we will make a | :25:22. | :25:25. | |
further announcement in the due course. I am grateful to the | :25:26. | :25:29. | |
Minister for that response. One of the proposals put forward by Racing | :25:30. | :25:37. | |
sport is for a racing right. Could she tell us what work the Government | :25:38. | :25:41. | |
has done in considering the proposal? If she is in need of more | :25:42. | :25:46. | |
details from the industry with regards to that proposal? And what | :25:47. | :25:49. | |
sort of timescale we might be talking about? The previous | :25:50. | :25:54. | |
government undertook three consultations on this and we are | :25:55. | :25:58. | |
committed to replacing the current outdated levy. Work is continuing | :25:59. | :26:02. | |
and more detailed policy design is under way. We will make a further | :26:03. | :26:04. | |
announcement in due course. Can I inform the minister there is | :26:05. | :26:16. | |
growing concern in Scotland, including more sober racecourse | :26:17. | :26:19. | |
regarding the delay in introducing the new horse racing right? Can I | :26:20. | :26:26. | |
press the Minister on some form of timetable so that this industry | :26:27. | :26:35. | |
knows where it is. -- mussel broth. It is a field piece of work and we | :26:36. | :26:40. | |
want to get the lead it right. It is important for everyone make sure | :26:41. | :26:45. | |
that racing continues to be strong, it is a huge economic contributor to | :26:46. | :26:49. | |
the UK economy and therefore we want to make sure that we do things in | :26:50. | :26:53. | |
the appropriate and right way. I should make people aware of my entry | :26:54. | :27:00. | |
in the register of interests. ?130 million is the total prize | :27:01. | :27:06. | |
winning in horse racing and bookies hand over almost ?200 million, | :27:07. | :27:11. | |
nearly 50% more than prize money, is it not fair to say that bookmakers | :27:12. | :27:16. | |
pay a fair price for the racing product and of -- that it was a | :27:17. | :27:24. | |
problem that they turn down this money? | :27:25. | :27:29. | |
I thank you for that question I know you take a keen interest in this | :27:30. | :27:32. | |
matter. The 1 thing I can assure my honourable friend is that the issue | :27:33. | :27:38. | |
around the levy discussions that take place, the voluntary | :27:39. | :27:42. | |
contribution aspect was discussed within that and the Secretary of | :27:43. | :27:47. | |
State makes that clear today. There is an issue with off-shore remote | :27:48. | :27:51. | |
gambler is not contributing from the statutory perspective and that | :27:52. | :27:55. | |
requires reform, if that does require reform, so we are looking at | :27:56. | :28:00. | |
this in great detail. Mr Speaker, it is two years since on | :28:01. | :28:06. | |
the site we forced the government to commit to introducing a racing | :28:07. | :28:09. | |
right, to ensure that racing gets a fair return on all forms of betting | :28:10. | :28:14. | |
that take place here in the UK, it is estimated that the industry is | :28:15. | :28:19. | |
missing out on ?30 million each year. Could I press the Minister | :28:20. | :28:21. | |
again, when can we expect a conclusion of the discussions on the | :28:22. | :28:27. | |
horse racing right? Can she say what discussions he has had with the | :28:28. | :28:30. | |
betting industry about a sports betting right for all sports that | :28:31. | :28:34. | |
can be invested back into grassroots sport which began under the last | :28:35. | :28:38. | |
Labour government? Well, I have made it clear and | :28:39. | :28:44. | |
answered the question around the time frame, we have to look at this | :28:45. | :28:48. | |
in detail and there is an economic evaluation taking place. In terms of | :28:49. | :28:51. | |
the sports betting right, the government does not believe it is | :28:52. | :28:55. | |
something that we should be introducing and has no plans to do | :28:56. | :28:58. | |
so. The new model for horse racing will replace an existing arrangement | :28:59. | :29:03. | |
for transferring funds from betting to horse racing. | :29:04. | :29:11. | |
Number Ten, sir. Thank you, Mr Speaker, I am thrilled | :29:12. | :29:17. | |
with the progress we are making on broadband and mobile coverage and I | :29:18. | :29:22. | |
know that the front bench likes to mockingly, the Labour front bench, | :29:23. | :29:24. | |
but it is interesting, for example... No, no... | :29:25. | :29:32. | |
We love you, Edward! I just want to tell you very quickly | :29:33. | :29:37. | |
at the International telecoms union which has seen the ranking of the UK | :29:38. | :29:41. | |
rise from 10th position to fourth position in terms of broadband, | :29:42. | :29:46. | |
overtaking Sweden, Holland, Hong Kong and Finland, and of course, the | :29:47. | :29:53. | |
broadband score Bard -- the European broadband scorecard puts us in the | :29:54. | :29:58. | |
top five, that is progress! Yes, progress but I am interested in | :29:59. | :30:04. | |
Shropshire where I represent and there are outstanding issues. I hope | :30:05. | :30:07. | |
that the Minister can give us assurances about the work taking | :30:08. | :30:11. | |
place to improve infrastructure and the structure of that. | :30:12. | :30:17. | |
And the electronic information code. Broadband roll-out in Shropshire is | :30:18. | :30:23. | |
exceeding the number of Michelin stars in the honourable gentleman's | :30:24. | :30:26. | |
own constituency, some 12,000 homes have been part of our broadband | :30:27. | :30:32. | |
programme and he will get to 92% of his constituency and reform the | :30:33. | :30:37. | |
electronic mutation scored to make the broadband roll-out faster, | :30:38. | :30:42. | |
especially when we introduce our universal service obligation. | :30:43. | :30:47. | |
Thank you, Mr Speaker for. A report published by Ofcom in August found | :30:48. | :30:51. | |
that 24% of Scotland's landmass has no mobile signal and the Highlands | :30:52. | :30:55. | |
and Islands Enterprise to be the worst area for 3G coverage in the | :30:56. | :30:59. | |
UK. The 4G option to no account of the UK's span across the UK. What is | :31:00. | :31:10. | |
he doing to ensure that 5G licenses are happening across the UK and does | :31:11. | :31:13. | |
he agree that 5G could be part of the solution in rural areas? | :31:14. | :31:20. | |
5G is some way off but we are investing in the research. He may be | :31:21. | :31:25. | |
looking at our plans to clear the 700 megahertz spectrum which will | :31:26. | :31:28. | |
provide better coverage. I know he will agree with me and applaud the | :31:29. | :31:32. | |
deal that we did with mobile operators to get 90% geographic | :31:33. | :31:37. | |
coverage I 2020 seven, but his interest from in our hearts. | :31:38. | :31:47. | |
Question 11, Mr Speaker. What can I say except that we are | :31:48. | :31:51. | |
committed to the Welsh language, we are committed to providing services | :31:52. | :31:54. | |
in the Welsh language and we are also formally committed to S4C. | :31:55. | :32:02. | |
Does my honourable friend, Mr Speaker, agree that S4C plays a key | :32:03. | :32:11. | |
role in promoting the Welsh language in Wales? Does he understand the | :32:12. | :32:14. | |
widespread disappointment that people in Wales feel that the DCMS | :32:15. | :32:22. | |
contribution which was significantly due -- ridges and the Autumn | :32:23. | :32:26. | |
Statement? I am afraid my glass is half full on | :32:27. | :32:32. | |
this one, we secured ?84 million of funding in 2013 for S4C and that has | :32:33. | :32:37. | |
remained stable Rodley for the lifetime of that parliament. If you | :32:38. | :32:40. | |
take into account the contribution made by BBC News, S4C will receive a | :32:41. | :32:46. | |
guaranteed income of some ?90 million each year, that is | :32:47. | :32:49. | |
guaranteed income which any other media company and organisation apart | :32:50. | :32:55. | |
from the BBC would cry out for. S4C is the only Welsh language | :32:56. | :33:00. | |
channel that exists. That is a national treasure of the United | :33:01. | :33:05. | |
Kingdom and of the government has a commitment to the Welsh language, it | :33:06. | :33:09. | |
needs to stop cutting the income of the only Welsh language TV channel | :33:10. | :33:14. | |
that we have, will he be considered -- will be please reconsider? | :33:15. | :33:18. | |
This channel was brought in by the Conservative government and has been | :33:19. | :33:21. | |
supported by the Conservative government and will continue to be | :33:22. | :33:24. | |
so, but we have had to make difficult decisions about funding | :33:25. | :33:29. | |
across all areas of government because of the catastrophic mess | :33:30. | :33:31. | |
left by his government. In this -- in his general election | :33:32. | :33:38. | |
manner faster, his party for Mister guaranteed defunding of S4C but it | :33:39. | :33:42. | |
has received a further 20% cut recently. As the Minister aware of | :33:43. | :33:47. | |
his Welsh history and what happened the last time of the broken promises | :33:48. | :33:54. | |
by the Tories? Will he reconsider that S4C be adequately resourced? | :33:55. | :34:02. | |
I continue to repeat, S4C is generously funded and supported by | :34:03. | :34:04. | |
the BBC and will receive a generous grant from our department and it is | :34:05. | :34:09. | |
more generously funded than any other media organisation in terms of | :34:10. | :34:16. | |
the number of viewers it receives. Topical one, Mr Speaker, please. | :34:17. | :34:25. | |
Since the last culture media and the questions, Adele's new album 25 has | :34:26. | :34:29. | |
enjoyed record-breaking chart success. The latest Bond film is | :34:30. | :34:33. | |
doing excellent business and we concluded our hosting of the common | :34:34. | :34:37. | |
Rugby World Cup and Great Britain has won the Davis Cup! We have also | :34:38. | :34:42. | |
seen the ability of sport to bring people together in an incredibly | :34:43. | :34:46. | |
powerful moving week in the England versus France game at Wembley. The | :34:47. | :34:51. | |
positive impact of the many areas sponsored by my department on | :34:52. | :34:55. | |
culture and well-being were reflected and recognised in the | :34:56. | :34:57. | |
Spending Review. Will the Secretary of State to join | :34:58. | :35:03. | |
me in congratulating rugby league star Kevin Sinfield on being short | :35:04. | :35:07. | |
listed for BBC Sports Personality of the Year? Following the Autumn | :35:08. | :35:12. | |
Statement, will he tell us how the government is supporting rugby | :35:13. | :35:15. | |
league and the bed for the Rugby League World Cup in 2021? | :35:16. | :35:23. | |
Mr Speaker, I would like to congratulate all 12 contenders for | :35:24. | :35:26. | |
the Sports Personality of the Year, however, you may be aware that there | :35:27. | :35:32. | |
are some fans of Leeds Rhinos two Inwood department, one who is not | :35:33. | :35:36. | |
sitting too far from the, and I am sure she will be very vocal in | :35:37. | :35:39. | |
supporting Kevin Sinfield! With regards for the Rugby League World | :35:40. | :35:46. | |
Cup, two years ago at 2/200 and ?50,000 -- fans, and generated a lot | :35:47. | :35:55. | |
of money. Officials are due to meet shortly to discuss that World Cup | :35:56. | :36:00. | |
bid. Thank you, Mr Speaker. The | :36:01. | :36:04. | |
Immigration Bill seems to make it harder and harder for people in the | :36:05. | :36:09. | |
creative industries, calling others to work with people across the | :36:10. | :36:13. | |
globe. As the Secretary of State considered the benefits of our | :36:14. | :36:17. | |
greatest industries of a new short-term visa and police bid to | :36:18. | :36:20. | |
the Home Secretary about this possibility? | :36:21. | :36:24. | |
You have raised a very important topic and we have a close | :36:25. | :36:26. | |
relationship with the Home Office and we keep in close contact on them | :36:27. | :36:31. | |
on this issue, working with organisations we have reformed | :36:32. | :36:37. | |
immigration rules to provide people in this country with the right | :36:38. | :36:40. | |
skills and we will continue to work with the Home Office on this issue. | :36:41. | :36:45. | |
The Minister will be delighted to know that last night Telford Home | :36:46. | :36:52. | |
Park was announced as the UK's best part. Can the Minister join me in | :36:53. | :36:56. | |
congratulating all of those involved, particularly Hollands | :36:57. | :37:01. | |
would and the local parish council, friends of the spark and the local | :37:02. | :37:06. | |
council for the important work that they do? | :37:07. | :37:12. | |
This is indeed excellent news for the people of Telford and I | :37:13. | :37:14. | |
congratulate everyone involved who won this award. -- Park. Urban parks | :37:15. | :37:20. | |
are vital to provide opportunities for people to get active in the | :37:21. | :37:23. | |
fresh air and it is important that we protect them for the benefit of | :37:24. | :37:27. | |
local communities. As become within two days of small | :37:28. | :37:31. | |
business Saturday, the Minister will be aware of the 350 production | :37:32. | :37:37. | |
companies, including a large number of medium and small sized | :37:38. | :37:41. | |
businesses. Can the Minister and the Secretary of State ensure is that in | :37:42. | :37:45. | |
the event of any privatisation of channel for the livelihood of these | :37:46. | :37:48. | |
important small businesses will not be threatened by the desire to | :37:49. | :37:51. | |
centralise and nationalise to save money? -- Channel 4. | :37:52. | :37:57. | |
Ayshire share the honourable gentleman's admiration in supporting | :37:58. | :38:03. | |
our creative industries and I am trying to make sure Channel 4 has a | :38:04. | :38:07. | |
sustainable and viable future and continues to deliver its remit. With | :38:08. | :38:15. | |
regard to the ownership layers, no option has been taken but we're | :38:16. | :38:18. | |
looking at different ones, including one put forward by the management of | :38:19. | :38:21. | |
Channel 4. Whatever decision we reached it will be to ensure that | :38:22. | :38:25. | |
Channel 4 makes a considerable contribution to our great economy. | :38:26. | :38:31. | |
I am grateful for the blog that has been undertaken to review the case | :38:32. | :38:37. | |
for greater integration of sports and recreation. Can make on the | :38:38. | :38:41. | |
House what steps are being done to promote outdoor recreation to | :38:42. | :38:46. | |
promote tourism in Macclesfield and across the country? | :38:47. | :38:51. | |
Outdoor activity is a hugely important part of the tourism in | :38:52. | :38:57. | |
rural areas across the UK and total annual tourism spending attributed | :38:58. | :38:59. | |
to leisure activities across Britain is phenomenal. Of course, it is a | :39:00. | :39:06. | |
key strand and strategy going forward but as the Minister for | :39:07. | :39:10. | |
Prisons as well, it mixes in nicely with the other activities we are | :39:11. | :39:14. | |
doing. Mounting evidence of BBC and its | :39:15. | :39:18. | |
licensee of inhibiting the ability of retailers to develop online, the | :39:19. | :39:23. | |
Minister is required to water down his antipathy towards this, can he | :39:24. | :39:29. | |
do it may be that prevents hotting non-licensee funded media? | :39:30. | :39:36. | |
Ayshire do concern about local newspapers which play a vital role | :39:37. | :39:40. | |
in democracy. I welcome the fact that discussions have been taking | :39:41. | :39:43. | |
place between media groups and the BBC and to determine what the BBC | :39:44. | :39:47. | |
might do to assist local newspapers. I understand good progress has been | :39:48. | :39:52. | |
made on that and I hope that the BBC will therefore be able to play its | :39:53. | :39:58. | |
part in recognising the contribution local newspapers make to news | :39:59. | :40:00. | |
provision and giving them some recompense for that. | :40:01. | :40:04. | |
Thank you, Mr Speaker, with the highly successful Westminster gaming | :40:05. | :40:09. | |
event earlier this month, would my rig honourable friend agree with me | :40:10. | :40:13. | |
that the computer programming and gaming are viable options for many | :40:14. | :40:17. | |
young people in terms of careers and our local communities? | :40:18. | :40:21. | |
You make an excellent point, not only about the syntax that broadband | :40:22. | :40:27. | |
roll-out in Cornwall but also the games economy that exists in the | :40:28. | :40:30. | |
south-west, but also the games economy that exists in the | :40:31. | :40:33. | |
south-west, whether we or other games manufacturers. As is | :40:34. | :40:39. | |
accessible person who rolls out broadband, I wholeheartedly agree | :40:40. | :40:44. | |
with both elements of his question. I can not let the Minister get away | :40:45. | :40:48. | |
with his comments on S4C. In the month of May, the Conservative | :40:49. | :40:52. | |
manifesto said they would safeguard the funding of S4C. How does the | :40:53. | :40:56. | |
statement of the Chancellor last week safeguard the funding of S4C | :40:57. | :41:00. | |
along the lines of his manifesto commitment? | :41:01. | :41:05. | |
It will receive funding from this department and from the BBC and will | :41:06. | :41:08. | |
continue to be the most generously funded media country -- dumping in | :41:09. | :41:12. | |
the country in terms of the number of yours it gets. | :41:13. | :41:17. | |
Mr Speaker, in September a new memorial to the miners that lost | :41:18. | :41:20. | |
their lives in the local pets was unveiled. On Saturday night one of | :41:21. | :41:26. | |
the four statues was severely damaged by a driver who crashed into | :41:27. | :41:29. | |
it and fled from the scene. Will my right honourable friend join me in | :41:30. | :41:32. | |
condemning the action of this callous individual and if possible, | :41:33. | :41:38. | |
could government support be made available for the renewal of local | :41:39. | :41:43. | |
memorials? -- pits. I share the feelings of my | :41:44. | :41:46. | |
honourable friend and I was concerned to hear about the damage | :41:47. | :41:49. | |
done to the memorial of the miners who lost their lives, not | :41:50. | :41:53. | |
particularly because it came so soon after more than 2000 people lined | :41:54. | :41:58. | |
the streets of the town to unveil that in September. I am sure the | :41:59. | :42:01. | |
whole house would join me in condemning the actions of the person | :42:02. | :42:08. | |
responsible. My ministers in this department are looking into that and | :42:09. | :42:13. | |
if they care is with a local charity, they can benefit from the | :42:14. | :42:16. | |
VAT on that. If the Government are serious about | :42:17. | :42:25. | |
opening up the culture and arts to disadvantaged communities, can the | :42:26. | :42:29. | |
Secretary of State explain to my constituents why the London museums | :42:30. | :42:34. | |
are getting ?150 million announced in the Comprehensive Spending | :42:35. | :42:37. | |
Review, ?100 million for a new arts complex in Battersea, yet Hull, the | :42:38. | :42:43. | |
UK city of culture in 2017, is getting a share in ?1 million | :42:44. | :42:47. | |
allocated by the Chancellor? How does that work? As somebody who has | :42:48. | :42:53. | |
been to Hull twice to see what is going on, it is fantastic to see the | :42:54. | :42:56. | |
improvements. The Labour front bench can mock what is going on in Hull | :42:57. | :43:00. | |
and the people of Hull will see them laughing at the efforts being made | :43:01. | :43:05. | |
by people in Hull to produce a great capital of culture. But she won't | :43:06. | :43:09. | |
mention the ?78 million for the factory in Manchester and she won't | :43:10. | :43:14. | |
point out that the ?150 million get storage out of Blyth house is to get | :43:15. | :43:18. | |
those objects out of London to the regions. So I welcome Hull even if | :43:19. | :43:23. | |
Labour condemned Hull as the capital of culture. The Minister is an | :43:24. | :43:29. | |
exceptionally excited fellow this morning. I don't know what he or the | :43:30. | :43:34. | |
honourable gentleman for Wolverhampton in the south-west had | :43:35. | :43:37. | |
for breakfast this morning, but I think they should probably take care | :43:38. | :43:43. | |
to avoid it. INAUDIBLE. | :43:44. | :43:52. | |
It seems a very worthwhile cause, and what the Government bid to | :43:53. | :43:55. | |
safeguard and support public sculpture... I feel strongly about | :43:56. | :44:01. | |
this issue, Mr Speaker, but I will try not to get too overexcited about | :44:02. | :44:06. | |
it. I was very pleased to secure the future of the Henry Moore sculpture | :44:07. | :44:10. | |
on Abingdon Green, as well as campaigning to keep the Henry Moore | :44:11. | :44:15. | |
sculpture from being sold by Tower Hamlets. And also the Hepworth | :44:16. | :44:19. | |
sculpture that was going to be sold by a shopping centre. So I will | :44:20. | :44:22. | |
support any public campaign that keeps a sculpture where it is meant | :44:23. | :44:28. | |
to be. Last but not least, Mr Greg Mulholland. I am also delighted at | :44:29. | :44:33. | |
the nomination for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Leeds | :44:34. | :44:40. | |
legend Kevin Sinfield. But also by Otley cycling world champion Lizzie | :44:41. | :44:44. | |
Armitstead. With the popularity of cycling, will the Government and | :44:45. | :44:47. | |
DCMS get behind making the tour of Yorkshire a four-day event to build | :44:48. | :44:51. | |
on the huge success it has been last year? | :44:52. | :44:58. | |
As I said earlier, I congratulate all those who have received | :44:59. | :45:04. | |
nominations for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. It is a | :45:05. | :45:10. | |
testament to how many successful sportsmen we have in this country, | :45:11. | :45:14. | |
and sports women, that the line-up is so strong this year. In terms of | :45:15. | :45:20. | |
the cycling tour in the north, it is something I am strongly aware of, | :45:21. | :45:26. | |
and we will certainly consider. Questions to the Leader of the House | :45:27. | :45:31. | |
and to the honour roll member for Carshalton and Wallington, | :45:32. | :45:33. | |
representing the House of Commons commission. -- the honourable | :45:34. | :45:40. | |
member. Mr Martin Day. With permission, Mr Speaker, I will | :45:41. | :45:43. | |
answer this question and question six together. Sitting hours are | :45:44. | :45:48. | |
decided by the House and reviewed by the siege committee, and decisions | :45:49. | :45:51. | |
made by honourable members following | :45:52. | :45:53. |