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Order, order. Questions of the Secretary of State for Culture, | :00:09. | :00:16. | |
Media and Sport. Number one, Mr Speaker. I hope you will indulge me | :00:17. | :00:26. | |
about page should we did a great supporter of the arts who died | :00:27. | :00:30. | |
yesterday. The government has taken a number of steps the small | :00:31. | :00:35. | |
production companies, food tax worries and grand schemes. In the | :00:36. | :00:42. | |
last two years, they supported 51 organisations in Cornwall, and spend | :00:43. | :00:52. | |
of ?7.5 million. North Cornwall has benefited hugely in terms of tourism | :00:53. | :00:56. | |
through the Paul dark effect. While other TV dramas -- Poldark. Can my | :00:57. | :01:08. | |
right honourable friend give his assurance he will continue to | :01:09. | :01:10. | |
support the future of film industry and my part of the country. Of | :01:11. | :01:16. | |
course, I'm well aware of the Poldark effect. I'm often mistaken | :01:17. | :01:23. | |
for his body double. There are 13 grade production companies in | :01:24. | :01:27. | |
Cornwall. Our film tax relief has brought more than ?7 billion | :01:28. | :01:30. | |
investment into the UK, and I can ensure we will continue to support | :01:31. | :01:39. | |
productions in Cornwall. Does he refer exclusively to call more? -- | :01:40. | :01:51. | |
Cornwall. Productions in Cornwall and of areas benefit hugely from | :01:52. | :01:55. | |
unique not-for-profit strength of Channel 4. Will the Minister please | :01:56. | :02:04. | |
explain why it is an interest of a production company in Cornwall for | :02:05. | :02:07. | |
there to be the creation of another business like ITV or Channel five, | :02:08. | :02:13. | |
and why it is in the public interest for Channel 4 to be privatised? I | :02:14. | :02:21. | |
feel like I'm taking part in an episode of Just Minutes, whether | :02:22. | :02:26. | |
subject is Cornwall. We've from the South West to Westminster. As the | :02:27. | :02:35. | |
honourable member is aware, we are looking at all options for this | :02:36. | :02:37. | |
fantastic channel to take it forward into the future. I'm pleased to | :02:38. | :02:49. | |
confirm that it is now possible for people living in houses which are | :02:50. | :02:53. | |
now able to get a speed of 2 megabits on now able to take | :02:54. | :02:58. | |
advantage of a satellite broadband installation which should deliver | :02:59. | :03:00. | |
speeds of 10 megabits a second or more. Connecting Cumbria promised | :03:01. | :03:13. | |
super broadband, but it has not happened. It has applied people to | :03:14. | :03:18. | |
services. What assurance can the Minister gave that under the | :03:19. | :03:21. | |
universal service obligation they will be provided with the minimum of | :03:22. | :03:28. | |
10 megabits by 2020? I'm pleased to say the Cumbrian programme is going | :03:29. | :03:31. | |
well with around 20 minimum pounds of money invested in her own | :03:32. | :03:38. | |
constituency. -- ?20 million. It is a fantastic result. We will soon be | :03:39. | :03:45. | |
introducing a consultation on the universal programme and will follow | :03:46. | :03:53. | |
up with haste. This option is very important in rural areas such as | :03:54. | :03:56. | |
mine where we have technology issues in getting broadband. We've had some | :03:57. | :04:04. | |
good work with BT, but can the Minister guarantee we will push | :04:05. | :04:08. | |
ahead with all options to make sure everybody has access to broadband in | :04:09. | :04:13. | |
my constituency? Yes, I can guarantee that. We are moving as | :04:14. | :04:17. | |
fast as we can to deliver superfast broadband, and we intend to rich 95% | :04:18. | :04:24. | |
of the country. We hope to have superfast broadband for everyone by | :04:25. | :04:28. | |
2020, and we will look at what we have to do in the decade after that. | :04:29. | :04:37. | |
In early December, the Minister cast themselves as Santa Claus, | :04:38. | :04:41. | |
announcing, and I quote, Christmas present UK homes and businesses, ?60 | :04:42. | :04:45. | |
million to provide satellite provision for those failed by his | :04:46. | :04:51. | |
super slow broadband call-out. As of Monday, a grand total of ?8,000 had | :04:52. | :04:58. | |
been spent, with only 24 people benefiting from his supposed to get. | :04:59. | :05:03. | |
Was it the fear of seeing the honourable member coming down the | :05:04. | :05:09. | |
chimney that put people off? Or the fact it is an adequate stunt | :05:10. | :05:15. | |
designed to fob off his backbenchers and leaving millions digitally | :05:16. | :05:19. | |
excluded for many Christmases to come? I find the honourable lady for | :05:20. | :05:29. | |
that bar humbug question. I'm delighted we have reached around 90% | :05:30. | :05:34. | |
of the country thanks to our broadband programme. We cast aside | :05:35. | :05:38. | |
the Scrooge like 2 megabits target Labour had for the country as a | :05:39. | :05:42. | |
whole. We did promise everyone with guaranteed speeds of 2 megabits, and | :05:43. | :05:49. | |
we have done. I'm sure the Minister was busy at Christmas with | :05:50. | :05:54. | |
rehearsals for the Poldark Christmas special. Can I welcome his | :05:55. | :05:59. | |
announcement about enabling those in rural areas to get broadband? It is | :06:00. | :06:04. | |
an issue in my constituency, where farmers struggle to get broadband. | :06:05. | :06:08. | |
Will he undertake to work with the national farmers union and other | :06:09. | :06:12. | |
people in touch with those rural industries to make sure farmers find | :06:13. | :06:19. | |
out about this? I will give that undertaking. I am happy to work with | :06:20. | :06:25. | |
the farmers and the landowners association as well. Since the | :06:26. | :06:31. | |
Westminster Hall debate, when a commitment was given to expanding | :06:32. | :06:35. | |
the superfast broadband in Northern Ireland, I've been contacted by | :06:36. | :06:38. | |
people who say they can't increase their businesses, and those who want | :06:39. | :06:43. | |
to start up businesses can't. What is he doing to help those people in | :06:44. | :06:49. | |
the rural community to advance? We had a successful broadband voucher | :06:50. | :06:56. | |
scheme which brought superfast broadband to 55,000 visitors, which | :06:57. | :07:00. | |
has come to an end but we will review it. Of course the roll-out in | :07:01. | :07:06. | |
Northern Ireland is picking up pace, which will help hone owners -- | :07:07. | :07:17. | |
homeowners and businesses. I believe it is reflected in a new sports | :07:18. | :07:21. | |
strategy that sport has the power to change lives, particular deprived | :07:22. | :07:27. | |
areas. We will invest significantly in organisations which deliver | :07:28. | :07:30. | |
programmes in deprived areas, which will make differences in health | :07:31. | :07:33. | |
outcomes and individual life chances. May I wish the Minister of | :07:34. | :07:40. | |
sport well? It'll be our last question. With the Minister agree | :07:41. | :07:51. | |
that sporting programmes do excellent work tackling gang crime, | :07:52. | :07:55. | |
anti-social behaviour and rehabilitation and should be at the | :07:56. | :08:00. | |
heart of the delivery of the new sports strategy? I'm a huge fan of | :08:01. | :08:06. | |
those schemes, Mr Speaker, and the Premier League kicks project, which | :08:07. | :08:09. | |
is supported by a number of projects, it shows 75% of its | :08:10. | :08:16. | |
participants live in the top 30% modes deprived areas in England, and | :08:17. | :08:21. | |
where the scheme has been run, it has seen a reduced in anti-social | :08:22. | :08:24. | |
behaviour. It is those projects which will play a key role. Would | :08:25. | :08:31. | |
the Minister care to reflect on the role of apps and did like patient | :08:32. | :08:35. | |
the programme she has outlined under way in which that can turn the | :08:36. | :08:40. | |
telescope round to project information into communities that | :08:41. | :08:48. | |
might be disadvantage? Certain members of society we are trying to | :08:49. | :08:52. | |
reach to make sure they participate more rely on apps in the greater use | :08:53. | :08:57. | |
of technology, and it is something we reference with a great deal of | :08:58. | :09:01. | |
interest, and having weaselly met with his constituents, and now | :09:02. | :09:04. | |
there's a great deal of work being done to increase the number of apps, | :09:05. | :09:13. | |
to make sure technology pays it key part -- plays. Kettering town | :09:14. | :09:19. | |
Harriers, which I remember, is a great athletics club which offers | :09:20. | :09:22. | |
opportunities for boys and girls across the borough of Kettering and | :09:23. | :09:26. | |
further afield. Would my honourable friend agree that local athletics | :09:27. | :09:30. | |
clubs or a great way to help people get involved in sport? I certainly | :09:31. | :09:38. | |
believe local athletics club can play an important part in their own | :09:39. | :09:41. | |
communities, I did note that our clubs across the entire country who | :09:42. | :09:48. | |
want to make sure they reach out beyond their region, to make sure | :09:49. | :09:51. | |
all people who want to get involved in athletics can do so, and when we | :09:52. | :09:56. | |
have major events like the Olympic 's,, it will inspire others to get | :09:57. | :10:05. | |
into sport. Can I join with the honourable member in wishing the | :10:06. | :10:10. | |
Minister all the best in her forthcoming maternity leave? Whilst | :10:11. | :10:17. | |
volunteers at grassroots struggle with scarce resources and increasing | :10:18. | :10:23. | |
charges, we see a growing number of scandals involving those at the | :10:24. | :10:27. | |
elite end of sport, lining their pockets with money which could be | :10:28. | :10:31. | |
used at grassroots. This is the moralising the people who work hard | :10:32. | :10:37. | |
to deliver sport. Isn't it time to insist that people who are found | :10:38. | :10:42. | |
guilty of doping or Max Becton on giving life bans -- match fixing. | :10:43. | :10:53. | |
And that people are searching for evidence for corruption and cheating | :10:54. | :10:54. | |
in sport. We need to make sure we get as much | :10:55. | :11:03. | |
money as possible invested in grassroots sport. I am pleased with | :11:04. | :11:07. | |
the sports strategy that we have encouraged for the Premiere League, | :11:08. | :11:11. | |
to double their investment in grassroots. This is underpinned by | :11:12. | :11:17. | |
the welcome Spending Review, which I am disappointed was not shared, but | :11:18. | :11:25. | |
in terms of scandals and allegations of corruption, it is ongoing, | :11:26. | :11:28. | |
unfortunately. It is very disappointing with every scandal | :11:29. | :11:32. | |
that is reported. But this is the case. And certainly, we are we in | :11:33. | :11:36. | |
Government can make sure that we will make sure to see what we can do | :11:37. | :11:42. | |
in terms of current legislation, and we will do so. In the meantime, we | :11:43. | :11:47. | |
encourage international federations to ensure they root out corruption | :11:48. | :11:48. | |
as quickly as possible. After the Flood became more | :11:49. | :12:07. | |
widespread, we increased funding for recovery work. This is a matter for | :12:08. | :12:13. | |
sport England but my Department receive regular updates that clubs | :12:14. | :12:20. | |
in affected areas are facing and the football foundation is providing | :12:21. | :12:24. | |
flood funds to assist clubs in eligible for sport England funds. | :12:25. | :12:32. | |
Thank you for that reply. I wish the minister well in her forthcoming | :12:33. | :12:37. | |
maternity leave. Ramsbottom United football club and Ramsbottom Cricket | :12:38. | :12:41. | |
club, in my constituency, both have grounds submerged in the recent | :12:42. | :12:46. | |
floods, causing tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage. Although | :12:47. | :12:51. | |
supporters have worked valiantly to help, they are struggling to | :12:52. | :12:56. | |
recover. Can my honourable friend say what further help might be | :12:57. | :12:59. | |
available from the Government, as a matter of urgency? I have read about | :13:00. | :13:08. | |
the awful damage of both the cricket club and the football club and it | :13:09. | :13:16. | |
sounds like the wider community is supporting with an incredible job to | :13:17. | :13:20. | |
help with the clear up. The football foundation and others have pledged | :13:21. | :13:24. | |
financial support. If there is anything else the clubs need | :13:25. | :13:27. | |
assistance with, my honourable friend is welcome to get in touch | :13:28. | :13:32. | |
and we will try to ensure the clubs receive all the help and advice | :13:33. | :13:40. | |
possible. Mr Benn Bradshaw. My ministerial colleagues and I meet | :13:41. | :13:43. | |
regularly with a range of stakeholders on issues relating to | :13:44. | :13:46. | |
the work of the Department, including the future of Channel 4. | :13:47. | :13:50. | |
The Government is looking at a number of options, including those | :13:51. | :13:52. | |
proposed by Channel 4's leadership. No decisions have yet been taken. Mr | :13:53. | :14:00. | |
Benn Bradshaw. Will he join me congratulating Channel 4 on their | :14:01. | :14:02. | |
record number of both Oscar and BAFTA nominations of this year? And | :14:03. | :14:09. | |
does he agree that Channel 4 would not be able to deliver its unique | :14:10. | :14:13. | |
and valuable be met if it had to return a profit to shareholders? As | :14:14. | :14:22. | |
I said, my concern is to ensure the continuing success of our ability | :14:23. | :14:27. | |
with Channel 4 and that is why we are looking at options, as indeed | :14:28. | :14:32. | |
the last Government did. It also considered privatisation. We have | :14:33. | :14:38. | |
not yet reached a conclusion. I will adopt whatever policy I believe is | :14:39. | :14:44. | |
best designed to ensure that Channel 4 continues to enjoy the success | :14:45. | :14:49. | |
which he has described. That the Secretary of State recognise the | :14:50. | :14:54. | |
inherent tension in that one of the purposes of privatisation would be | :14:55. | :14:56. | |
to raise the maximum amount of money for the Treasury, and the more | :14:57. | :15:01. | |
Channel 4 sticks to its stint of unsuccessful be met, the less money | :15:02. | :15:06. | |
is likely to be raised? Can he assure the House that uppermost in | :15:07. | :15:12. | |
his mind will be the preservation of the broadcasting success and the | :15:13. | :15:15. | |
creative success of Channel 4, when he comes to his final decision? I am | :15:16. | :15:21. | |
very happy to give exactly that assurance. The reason we looking at | :15:22. | :15:26. | |
different options for the future of Channel 4 is in order to ensure that | :15:27. | :15:30. | |
it could continue to deliver the be met in what is going to become a | :15:31. | :15:34. | |
very fast changing and challenging environment, as I have made clear | :15:35. | :15:37. | |
before, it is the remote which matters and which Channel 4 I want | :15:38. | :15:42. | |
to see continuing to deliver into the future. Has the Secretary of | :15:43. | :15:48. | |
State had an opportunity to continue the one year on report on Channel | :15:49. | :15:53. | |
4's the engines of the degree of diversity charter? Does he recognise | :15:54. | :15:58. | |
that while diversity is a pronounced feature in Channel 4's particular | :15:59. | :16:03. | |
vocation, it is not only their job and will devalue that when he | :16:04. | :16:09. | |
considers the BBC charter renewal? I absolutely agree. The challenge of | :16:10. | :16:13. | |
creating diversity is one which applies right across all | :16:14. | :16:17. | |
broadcasters. It is something I know my honourable friend, the minister, | :16:18. | :16:20. | |
has paid close attention to and indeed was speaking only this week | :16:21. | :16:27. | |
with Idris Elba, who is another person who competes with him in | :16:28. | :16:36. | |
terms of his own attraction! Mr Speaker, can be Secretary of State | :16:37. | :16:41. | |
confirm that the Chancellor of the Exchequer now believes that Channel | :16:42. | :16:43. | |
4 privatisation will bring the Conservatives much public opprobrium | :16:44. | :16:49. | |
for a relatively small financial return and that the Conservatives | :16:50. | :16:52. | |
are now backing away from the idea of privatising this much loved | :16:53. | :17:01. | |
public institution? I hate to disappoint but as I said, no | :17:02. | :17:04. | |
decisions have been taken. I have not had the opportunity to discuss | :17:05. | :17:08. | |
the matter with the Chancellor of the Exchequer because we have not | :17:09. | :17:12. | |
yet reached our own conclusions on this matter. I look forward to doing | :17:13. | :17:22. | |
so in due course. There are two key First World War events to | :17:23. | :17:25. | |
commemorate this year. On the 31st of May, national events will be held | :17:26. | :17:29. | |
to mark the Battle of Jutland and the wider war at sea. On the 1st of | :17:30. | :17:35. | |
July, national events will be held in Manchester and at a memorial in | :17:36. | :17:38. | |
France to commemorate the Battle of the Somme. This will be part of | :17:39. | :17:41. | |
wider commemorations over the next two years and I would encourage all | :17:42. | :17:45. | |
members to read details of the latest culture programme, announced | :17:46. | :17:56. | |
yesterday. Thank you for the work you have contributed to in ensuring | :17:57. | :18:03. | |
the commemorations. At the Yorkshire sculpture Park, we are reminded of | :18:04. | :18:07. | |
the importance of ensuring commemorations are extended to every | :18:08. | :18:11. | |
corner of the country. In this important year of commemoration, we | :18:12. | :18:16. | |
should find a moment for members to come together in this House and pay | :18:17. | :18:21. | |
respects in this place. Will he use his good office to ensure such an | :18:22. | :18:27. | |
opportunity is forthcoming? Can I thank the honourable gentleman for | :18:28. | :18:32. | |
his words and in return, can I thank him for his support? We may over | :18:33. | :18:36. | |
many matters that this is a matter where I think all parties | :18:37. | :18:41. | |
represented come together in memory of those who sacrificed so much. He | :18:42. | :18:45. | |
mentioned the weeping window and the wave sculptures and I was delighted | :18:46. | :18:51. | |
that the Chancellor has made more money available to allow us to take | :18:52. | :18:54. | |
that sculpture to more parts of the country, including Saint Magnus | :18:55. | :19:00. | |
Cathedral, as part of the commemoration of Jutland. In | :19:01. | :19:04. | |
relation to his suggestion that we should have an opportunity here to | :19:05. | :19:07. | |
commemorate those who gave their lives, I think it is an excellent | :19:08. | :19:12. | |
suggestion. I am happy to pursue that. How will Devonport be included | :19:13. | :19:22. | |
in the Battle of Jutland celebrations or commemorations? My | :19:23. | :19:27. | |
grandfather was a gunnery officer and wrote an eyewitness account | :19:28. | :19:35. | |
about it. I entirely understand my honourable friend's wish to see the | :19:36. | :19:38. | |
commemoration, given his own personal connection. I pay tribute | :19:39. | :19:42. | |
to his grandfather and indeed all who served at that time. He will | :19:43. | :19:46. | |
know that a series of events are being planned, including the | :19:47. | :19:51. | |
ceremony at the Orkney Islands for Jutland. Descendants of those who | :19:52. | :19:54. | |
served at the Battle are invited to take part in the event. I hope he | :19:55. | :19:58. | |
will apply. People need to be quick because the closing date is | :19:59. | :20:01. | |
tomorrow. He may be interested to know that the Royal Navy will be | :20:02. | :20:05. | |
marking the centenary at memorials in his constituency at Devonport and | :20:06. | :20:11. | |
also at Portsmouth and Chatham. Question seven, please. A positive | :20:12. | :20:21. | |
experience of sport at a young age can create a lifetime of engagement | :20:22. | :20:28. | |
in physical activity. This sits at the heart of the new sports | :20:29. | :20:33. | |
strategy. Can I wish the Minister of sport well with her maternity? I am | :20:34. | :20:38. | |
aware she will have other diary commitments but may I invite her and | :20:39. | :20:42. | |
colleagues to join with me and the BBC and ITV on the 2nd of February | :20:43. | :20:47. | |
for the parliamentary launch of the Six Nations rugby? Does she agree | :20:48. | :20:54. | |
that free to air sports, underpinned by the events, are crucial in | :20:55. | :20:57. | |
inspiring young people to take up support? Thank you. I am conscious | :20:58. | :21:03. | |
of the fact that my honourable friend's injury was sports related | :21:04. | :21:08. | |
and he may not be the best advert for encouraging people to get | :21:09. | :21:14. | |
involved in sport at this time! But I understand the Secretary of State | :21:15. | :21:18. | |
was hoping to attend the event on the second, I shall be otherwise | :21:19. | :21:24. | |
engaged but I do agree that sport on free to air TV underpinned by the | :21:25. | :21:29. | |
listed events regime is absolutely crucial in inspiring gangsters to | :21:30. | :21:33. | |
take up sport. I look forward to the Six Nations. I shall be watching | :21:34. | :21:43. | |
from the armchair. Can I gently remind the front benches, I have not | :21:44. | :21:48. | |
heard the words England, cricket, South Africa, Joe Root, Yorkshire... | :21:49. | :21:54. | |
Let's congratulate the English team for what they have achieved in South | :21:55. | :22:00. | |
Africa. On access to sport, does not go with this age of children and | :22:01. | :22:04. | |
obesity, with young people getting out into the countryside and | :22:05. | :22:10. | |
walking, as well as support? As chair of the John clear trust, I | :22:11. | :22:14. | |
know how difficult it is to get children from poorer areas into the | :22:15. | :22:17. | |
countryside to learn about it and love it. I am grateful for the | :22:18. | :22:24. | |
opportunity to congratulate the sporting success of our England | :22:25. | :22:32. | |
Cricket stars in South Africa. Also, English men and women in Australia, | :22:33. | :22:36. | |
who appear to be doing well in the big bash tournament. Making sure | :22:37. | :22:44. | |
children are involved in sport is incredibly important. They must be | :22:45. | :22:48. | |
inspired by all sports available to them. The sports strategy is about | :22:49. | :22:53. | |
making sure we encourage people who want to do all sorts of sports or | :22:54. | :22:57. | |
physical activity, whether traditional or outdoor activities, | :22:58. | :23:01. | |
such as mountaineering, is something they can have access to. The | :23:02. | :23:09. | |
Government is supporting an increase in visitor numbers to Yorkshire | :23:10. | :23:12. | |
through the work of Visit Britain, visit England and Yorkshire received | :23:13. | :23:19. | |
record tourism in 2014 and we continue to attract domestic and | :23:20. | :23:24. | |
international visitors. The Bremen is to publish a 5-point plan onto | :23:25. | :23:28. | |
risen and will have a recent Spending Review and we secured | :23:29. | :23:36. | |
further funding. With a heritage item is movable, there is a case for | :23:37. | :23:42. | |
having it on display outside of London and the South of England. | :23:43. | :23:48. | |
Hull is our City of Culture next year. Many people in Yorkshire are | :23:49. | :23:54. | |
expecting the aeroplane of Amy Johnson took the on display in the | :23:55. | :24:00. | |
region. But the London based seismicity has refused permission | :24:01. | :24:04. | |
for this to happen. They said the plane must stay in London. Will he | :24:05. | :24:11. | |
join with me in asking the London obsessed seismicity and to think | :24:12. | :24:14. | |
again and will he meet with me to discuss the matter? -- science | :24:15. | :24:27. | |
Museum. I am happy to discuss that and understand why Hull should want | :24:28. | :24:31. | |
to celebrate the life of Amy Johnson, who was born in the city. | :24:32. | :24:37. | |
In relation to the specific issue that my honourable friend races, I | :24:38. | :24:41. | |
know there has been lengthy dialogue and the science Museum is looking at | :24:42. | :24:48. | |
the delicate state of the aeroplane and potential cost but this is a | :24:49. | :24:52. | |
matter I am happy to look into further and I am happy to meet my | :24:53. | :24:59. | |
honourable friend to discuss this. I am sure the Secretary of State will | :25:00. | :25:02. | |
be delighted to know that Hull now ranks in the top ten cities of the | :25:03. | :25:09. | |
world to visit. On what basis, I am pleased that one of my honourable | :25:10. | :25:13. | |
neighbours from across the way has supported the bit to bring the Amy | :25:14. | :25:17. | |
Johnson claimed to Hull, but on that basis, will he pressed the Treasury | :25:18. | :25:23. | |
to fill the gap, the ?5 million gap that the arts Council turned down | :25:24. | :25:26. | |
for the refurbishment of the new Theatre in Hull, so it can go ahead | :25:27. | :25:32. | |
for the 2017 celebrations and also in light of the recent payment of a | :25:33. | :25:46. | |
new Theatre in Manchester. She is right to include the settlement | :25:47. | :25:49. | |
which included money for arts institutions. I'm aware of the issue | :25:50. | :25:54. | |
relating to the University of Hull and keen to support as much as | :25:55. | :25:57. | |
possible in the city during this very important year that is | :25:58. | :26:01. | |
approaching. I am happy to continue to press the case. She will | :26:02. | :26:05. | |
understand that there were a lot of competing bids. We are determined to | :26:06. | :26:08. | |
make Hull a success. Mr Speaker, good progress is being | :26:09. | :26:20. | |
made on the BBC programme puts up a consultation which launched in July | :26:21. | :26:28. | |
perceived 192,000 responses. We are responding to all of them, and | :26:29. | :26:34. | |
reached 130,000 people. I've commissioned further review, | :26:35. | :26:38. | |
including an independent review, and in the coming months my department | :26:39. | :26:42. | |
will work to publish proposals for them. Would the Minister not accept | :26:43. | :26:50. | |
that the huge number of responses to the consultation, which is a second | :26:51. | :26:57. | |
largest response, shows the concern people have an interest people have | :26:58. | :27:04. | |
in the BBC? In the interest full transparency, will the Secretary of | :27:05. | :27:10. | |
not give my constituents a specific timetable when the government will | :27:11. | :27:14. | |
publish its full response to the BBC consultation? As I said, I'm pleased | :27:15. | :27:20. | |
the volume responses we've had, although it is the case that we are | :27:21. | :27:29. | |
approaching 130,048 hours, and they have boasted of the excise -- | :27:30. | :27:40. | |
excess. Maybe not wholly representative of the public | :27:41. | :27:44. | |
opinion. We are committed to reading everyone. That is proving a | :27:45. | :27:48. | |
logistical challenge and has taken longer than we'd anticipated, but we | :27:49. | :27:55. | |
will be publishing a summary of the consultation and our own proposals. | :27:56. | :28:00. | |
There have been reports that as a part of cost-cutting, the BBC will | :28:01. | :28:06. | |
downgrade News coverage, and it is Parliamentary coverage. With the | :28:07. | :28:08. | |
Secretary of State agree that the public should reasonably expect that | :28:09. | :28:14. | |
a news channel and Parliamentary report should be essential for a | :28:15. | :28:21. | |
public service? My honourable friend will understand it is not for me to | :28:22. | :28:27. | |
tell the BBC how to spend their resources. However, I do agree with | :28:28. | :28:35. | |
him... I do agree with him that it is a core part of the BBC, that they | :28:36. | :28:41. | |
should provide news, and that includes coverage of the proceedings | :28:42. | :28:47. | |
of this House. My constituents tell me they don't want the BBC | :28:48. | :28:52. | |
dismantled, they don't want to diminish, they don't want its remit | :28:53. | :28:56. | |
narrowed. This is a government which has flogged up more than our | :28:57. | :28:59. | |
national assets than any other. Can we trust them with the BBC? The | :29:00. | :29:06. | |
Charter of the BBC expires at the end of this year. And it does | :29:07. | :29:10. | |
provide an opportunity to look at all aspects of the BBC and what is a | :29:11. | :29:15. | |
very fast changing media landscape, that is the purpose of the charter | :29:16. | :29:19. | |
review. We have not reached a decision and listing to all | :29:20. | :29:22. | |
expressions of opinion about the future of the BBC, of which there | :29:23. | :29:29. | |
are very many. How does the Secretary of State explain the | :29:30. | :29:31. | |
worrying discrepancy between the amount raised by a licence fees and | :29:32. | :29:36. | |
the amount spent in Scotland? A mismatch of 335 and pounds, and the | :29:37. | :29:46. | |
?190 million spent the -- 335 and pounds. Would he not accept it would | :29:47. | :29:54. | |
boost Scotland? I would say that viewers in Scotland benefit from | :29:55. | :30:03. | |
national programming of the BBC. She will be aware that the director | :30:04. | :30:07. | |
general weaselly gave evidence to the Scottish education and culture | :30:08. | :30:13. | |
committee, which he pointed out that in 2014 108 million was spent on | :30:14. | :30:19. | |
local content, and it has raised towards 200 million. Mr Speaker, 97% | :30:20. | :30:28. | |
of the adult population of the UK use the BBC's services for an | :30:29. | :30:32. | |
average of 18 hours a week, and their perceptions of the BBC have | :30:33. | :30:34. | |
improved in the last ten years. According to the BBC trust, it is of | :30:35. | :30:40. | |
the public support their main mission to educate and entertain. | :30:41. | :30:46. | |
These figures are an endorsement of the ethos of the BBC. His | :30:47. | :30:50. | |
department's consultation on charter renewal close on the 8th of October | :30:51. | :30:54. | |
pasture, and is now spent more time considering responses to that than | :30:55. | :30:59. | |
he allowed the public to respond. When will he get his act together | :31:00. | :31:04. | |
and publish the results? Can he give us a date today? Can I begin by | :31:05. | :31:11. | |
welcoming the honourable lady to her new position? I have been doing this | :31:12. | :31:15. | |
job for a short time, just eight months. She is the third holder of | :31:16. | :31:19. | |
the position of opposition spokesman, so I hope she survives a | :31:20. | :31:24. | |
little longer than her predecessors. In relation to her question, I am | :31:25. | :31:29. | |
keen that we should publish our proposals, but we did not anticipate | :31:30. | :31:35. | |
192,000 responses, and she will understand that if I were to get up | :31:36. | :31:40. | |
and publish our conclusions in a short period, she would be at the | :31:41. | :31:45. | |
dispatch box claiming we had not properly analyse them and it was | :31:46. | :31:50. | |
cosmetic. It is not a cosmetic exercise, and we are reading them | :31:51. | :31:55. | |
carefully. He sounds he is procrastinating. The BBC charter, as | :31:56. | :32:01. | |
he said, does expire, but he does not even got around to publishing | :32:02. | :32:05. | |
his white Paper because the consultation is taken so long for | :32:06. | :32:11. | |
him to reply to. Can he guarantee that his department's time wasting | :32:12. | :32:14. | |
when puzzle is taken so long for him to reply to. Can he guarantee that | :32:15. | :32:17. | |
his department's time wasting when puzzles in some debilitating, | :32:18. | :32:19. | |
short-term charter by the end of the year? And can guarantee it will be | :32:20. | :32:27. | |
for a minimum ten years? The charter review comes round once every ten | :32:28. | :32:32. | |
years, and we want to get it right. We will take however long it takes | :32:33. | :32:37. | |
in order to fully consult and consider the options. We will | :32:38. | :32:40. | |
publish as soon as we are ready. In relation to the length, that is one | :32:41. | :32:45. | |
of the questions contained in a Green paper, and which we are | :32:46. | :32:49. | |
considering, and will form part of our conclusions when we come to | :32:50. | :32:58. | |
publish it. Michael Wood. Since the chamber met last, the Minister for | :32:59. | :33:03. | |
sport has launched the first government's sport strategy, and the | :33:04. | :33:07. | |
menace of culture has become the longest serving arts minister in | :33:08. | :33:11. | |
history -- minister of culture. We have seen the sad passing of some | :33:12. | :33:16. | |
cultural icons. I'm sure the whole chamber wall give their sympathies | :33:17. | :33:21. | |
for the families and bands of data by week, Jimmy Hill, Alan Rickman | :33:22. | :33:28. | |
and Lenny, and in celebrating the enormous conjuration they made to | :33:29. | :33:40. | |
our country. -- Lemmy. The attraction of the star Wars | :33:41. | :33:44. | |
franchise to our country shows a diversity of our film franchise. | :33:45. | :33:49. | |
What has my honourable friend made of tax credits on the film industry? | :33:50. | :33:57. | |
My honourable friend is right to highlight the success we have had in | :33:58. | :34:01. | |
attracting international investment in film to this country, not just on | :34:02. | :34:08. | |
Start Wars, but major films being made now, and part of that is tax | :34:09. | :34:15. | |
credits. In 2013, the creative industries accounted for 5% of the | :34:16. | :34:20. | |
economy, and tax credits are one way of supporting them. It has been | :34:21. | :34:24. | |
responsible for nearly ?7 billion of investment, and our TV tax credit | :34:25. | :34:33. | |
has supported ?800 million. What assistance will the department give | :34:34. | :34:37. | |
to local authorities to keep their regional museums open, following the | :34:38. | :34:41. | |
recent museum association report stating that one of five regional | :34:42. | :34:45. | |
museums have closed in part or in full, and that one in ten expect to | :34:46. | :34:51. | |
have to introduce entrance charges to cover reductions in local | :34:52. | :34:58. | |
authority funding? I read the museum association 's report and I welcome | :34:59. | :35:02. | |
that 6% of museums have seen their visitor numbers increase, and 40% | :35:03. | :35:07. | |
have seen the education outreach increase. We want to work with local | :35:08. | :35:12. | |
authorities, work with the arts Council, and I would urge Labour | :35:13. | :35:15. | |
authorities to look again at the horrific plans to close museums. | :35:16. | :35:23. | |
Nuisance phone calls continued to blight the lives... A situation in | :35:24. | :35:31. | |
Mr Nuttall has not been fully heard, and he will be heard. Nuisance phone | :35:32. | :35:38. | |
calls continued to be blighting the lives of my constituents. Can the | :35:39. | :35:43. | |
Minister explain how quickly the latest propose action will be | :35:44. | :35:49. | |
introduced and enforce? I'm pleased we have now issued a consultation on | :35:50. | :35:54. | |
caller identification, which we hope will allow people to screen the | :35:55. | :36:05. | |
calls. What progress has been made in securing at least 5% of the | :36:06. | :36:12. | |
Premier League TV deals for grassroots football? Children's | :36:13. | :36:15. | |
football is unplayable at this time of year, yet the Premier League | :36:16. | :36:19. | |
continued to throw money around as though it is going out of fashion. | :36:20. | :36:25. | |
The honourable member will be pleased to know that through | :36:26. | :36:29. | |
negotiations and discussions with the Premier League, I've managed to | :36:30. | :36:32. | |
secure at least double what it is they currently invest in grassroots | :36:33. | :36:39. | |
football, so that is more than ?100 million per annum, which equates to | :36:40. | :36:46. | |
around 6.5% of their total. The long serving arts and broadband minister | :36:47. | :36:49. | |
wash my disappointing that despite his welcome promise to make sure no | :36:50. | :36:54. | |
home in the country has broadband speed less than 2 megabits, there | :36:55. | :36:58. | |
are parts of my constituency in Gloucester which is not reached that | :36:59. | :37:03. | |
speed yet. I've raised one area with BT since 2013. They promise to | :37:04. | :37:09. | |
upgrade it, then they fell to do so, and say it is unviable. Will he meet | :37:10. | :37:13. | |
with me and celebrate his long tenure by resolving this problem? I | :37:14. | :37:19. | |
will meet my honourable friend at any point. I'm pleased that at least | :37:20. | :37:24. | |
94% of his constituents have superfast broadband. It is more | :37:25. | :37:28. | |
difficult because of state aid rules, but I will meet with him and | :37:29. | :37:34. | |
discuss the issues he faces. I too would like to wish the Minister well | :37:35. | :37:39. | |
on returning, and hope it all goes well. A recent FOIA from the Calman | :37:40. | :37:53. | |
commission has a field 633 issues of laundry -- gambling commission. What | :37:54. | :38:00. | |
the government going to do to protect staff in betting shops and | :38:01. | :38:05. | |
those who are vulnerable? I take the issue of gambling seriously, and the | :38:06. | :38:09. | |
gambling commission are consulting on changes to strengthen the fight | :38:10. | :38:14. | |
against this crime, and the Treasury will be consulting on the directive, | :38:15. | :38:18. | |
which will include gambling. In relation to the issue of violent in | :38:19. | :38:23. | |
betting shops, there has been an increase in police call-outs to | :38:24. | :38:26. | |
high-street shops. It is not recorded as to where the call-out is | :38:27. | :38:32. | |
related faulty machines, but as a keen campaigner, today I published | :38:33. | :38:40. | |
the evaluation of the ?50 regulations introduced last April, | :38:41. | :38:49. | |
and I expect a review to begin soon. Will the Secretary of State journey | :38:50. | :38:53. | |
to find the towns across the country. The secretary of State will | :38:54. | :39:03. | |
be able to join me for pancake racing. I'm happy to congratulate | :39:04. | :39:10. | |
all those towns holding arts festivals, which is not just | :39:11. | :39:16. | |
Horsham. I'm pleased that my honourable friend's constituency, | :39:17. | :39:22. | |
there are plans to commemorate Shakespeare's 400 anniversary of his | :39:23. | :39:26. | |
death, which we will mark across the world. I would be happy to come to | :39:27. | :39:33. | |
his constituency, but I can't promise to participate in the | :39:34. | :39:38. | |
pancake race. Despite talk of a national programme, there was a | :39:39. | :39:46. | |
deferential of ?450 million in Scotland. That could free up money | :39:47. | :39:51. | |
for direct production in Scotland, which would support 5000 jobs and at | :39:52. | :39:55. | |
60 bling pounds to the economy. I am aware of the concerns in | :39:56. | :40:07. | |
Scotland about this, and as I said earlier, it is something which the | :40:08. | :40:11. | |
director general discuss with the select committee last week. I shall | :40:12. | :40:16. | |
be seen the director-general later. It is important the BBC should serve | :40:17. | :40:19. | |
all parts of the country, but you can't simply sit down and allocate | :40:20. | :40:24. | |
spending precisely in proportion to the licence fee, it is a national | :40:25. | :40:29. | |
broadcaster. Can I wish my honourable friend well in her | :40:30. | :40:35. | |
imminent sporting challenge? As my honourable friend knows, Faversham | :40:36. | :40:40. | |
and Mid Kent is rich in fantastic and fascinating tourist | :40:41. | :40:42. | |
destinations, such as the historic market town of Faversham. I welcomed | :40:43. | :40:54. | |
the 40 million visit England fund recently announced. Could my | :40:55. | :40:57. | |
honourable friend and advise whether organisations like visit Kent will | :40:58. | :41:01. | |
have a bid to get some of this share? | :41:02. | :41:07. | |
As a Kent MP, I am proud of our tourist attractions. I can assure | :41:08. | :41:16. | |
you that all parts of the country, including Kent, will have an | :41:17. | :41:23. | |
opportunity to make a bid. Downton Abbey's servants quarters were in my | :41:24. | :41:28. | |
constituency. Now that it has ended, what is the Government doing to | :41:29. | :41:32. | |
increased representation of the region's ethnic, regional and gender | :41:33. | :41:37. | |
diversity is, so the airwaves are not dominated by the classes | :41:38. | :41:41. | |
upstairs? I fully support the sentiment behind this question. We | :41:42. | :41:46. | |
worked closely with the broadcaster and have stretching targets and a | :41:47. | :41:55. | |
creative diversity target. But broadcasters need to get on with it. | :41:56. | :42:02. | |
A funding bid was recently released. In the interests of brevity, yes or | :42:03. | :42:09. | |
no, will my right honourable friend encouragement esters in sealed cheek | :42:10. | :42:16. | |
to look favourably upon that bit? The importance of tourism to | :42:17. | :42:19. | |
Staffordshire is something that should be stressed. This is a matter | :42:20. | :42:26. | |
for my colleagues in the Department of communities for local Government. | :42:27. | :42:29. | |
I understand they have been in discussion. The Minister for local | :42:30. | :42:32. | |
growth and the Northern powerhouse will be happy to set up a meeting to | :42:33. | :42:40. | |
discuss the position. Over 20,000 jobs depend on tourism in York. What | :42:41. | :42:44. | |
support community initiative to ensure that attractions like Jorvik | :42:45. | :42:49. | |
and others are restored, following the floods? I am conscious of the | :42:50. | :42:55. | |
challenge to ensure that we get the message out that Yorkshire, as other | :42:56. | :43:00. | |
parts of the country affected by flooding, are indeed open for | :43:01. | :43:03. | |
business. We will be looking closely what we can do to support those | :43:04. | :43:07. | |
businesses are affected by flooding. That is something I hope to see more | :43:08. | :43:13. | |
about soon. Did the Minister confirmed they would be a triennial | :43:14. | :43:20. | |
review this year? What will that the? Yes. The review will be in | :43:21. | :43:27. | |
2016, precise timings to be confirmed. Andy Murray won last | :43:28. | :43:37. | |
night again. He is from Mike is the 20. He is a hero. -- he is from my | :43:38. | :43:50. | |
constituency. Can the Government is sure me that we will do all we can | :43:51. | :43:57. | |
to ensure we are a shining example to promote the integrity of sport, | :43:58. | :44:01. | |
as epitomised by Andy Murray? I am happy to join in with that call. I | :44:02. | :44:07. | |
spoke to the all England tennis club and the Association of tennis | :44:08. | :44:10. | |
professionals and we are determined to do what we can to support them in | :44:11. | :44:14. | |
ensuring the game is absolutely clean. They are committed to that as | :44:15. | :44:19. | |
well. We will be holding a summit later in the year to look at the | :44:20. | :44:24. | |
challenge of tackling corruption across all sectors, including that | :44:25. | :44:30. | |
of sport. Given the imminent rise of the mobile infrastructure through | :44:31. | :44:38. | |
gram, what can now be done to improve the knot spot situation, | :44:39. | :44:44. | |
which is wholly unsatisfactory, in relation to the rural economy? I am | :44:45. | :44:52. | |
pleased we should have 75 site erected as a result of a programme. | :44:53. | :44:57. | |
32 people living in Wales have benefited from a new mobile site. We | :44:58. | :45:04. | |
negotiated a deal with mobile operators to increase coverage to | :45:05. | :45:10. | |
90% geographic coverage. Firstly, to congratulate my local football team | :45:11. | :45:19. | |
for reaching the last 16 of the Scottish cup. It is unfair that | :45:20. | :45:24. | |
English football fans can watch their national team free of charge | :45:25. | :45:27. | |
but Scottish fans have to pay. Will he meet with the Scottish Government | :45:28. | :45:35. | |
to resolve the situation? I should just say that this is a matter for | :45:36. | :45:40. | |
the home nation football associations and the Scottish FA. It | :45:41. | :45:42. | |
should renegotiate with Uefa on their central sales strategy. We | :45:43. | :45:49. | |
have a listed event regime, where the tendency home nations compete in | :45:50. | :45:54. | |
tournament is that home nations must qualify. The honourable member for | :45:55. | :46:03. | |
Hyndburn has the nerve to claim to be a champion of workers when, if | :46:04. | :46:10. | |
his policies were adopted, there would be far fewer betting shop | :46:11. | :46:13. | |
workers because they would be closed. If he wants to see more | :46:14. | :46:17. | |
staff in betting shops, there needs to be a viable financial future for | :46:18. | :46:24. | |
them, in particular in relation to negotiation on machines and the | :46:25. | :46:29. | |
levy. There are strict statutory requirements around the number of | :46:30. | :46:33. | |
people staffed in betting shops. This is subject to health and safety | :46:34. | :46:36. | |
regulation. There is voluntary minimum standards required across | :46:37. | :46:43. | |
the industry. I expect all operators to add here to those to protect | :46:44. | :46:51. | |
staff on the High Street. Questions to the right honourable member for | :46:52. | :46:56. | |
Carshalton and Wallington and to be Leader of the House, Mr Peter Grant. | :46:57. | :47:06. | |
With permission, I will answer questions one and two together. I | :47:07. | :47:09. | |
anticipate both houses will have another Gina G to debate this one is | :47:10. | :47:14. | |
the joint committee on the Palace of Westminster has reported that the | :47:15. | :47:16. | |
question of future scrutiny will be aired in those debates and the House | :47:17. | :47:21. | |
of Commons commission will listen carefully to views expressed before | :47:22. | :47:26. | |
making any decision. Many of | :47:27. | :47:27. |