Advanced

PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE
Topical Questions - 17 October 2024 (Commons/Commons Chamber)

Debate Detail

Contributions from Lisa Nandy, are highlighted with a yellow border.
Mr Speaker
I call Bob Blackman—not here.
Lab/Co-op
  10:00:23
Jo Platt
Leigh and Atherton
T2. If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
  10:01:04
Lisa Nandy
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
After 14 years, this Government have opened the books to find a legacy of violent indifference and neglect of arts and culture that has created serious challenges for our proud creative industries. I am pleased to tell the House that the Government’s international investment summit this week put creative industries at the heart of our economic strategy. Thanks to the support of partners such as Netflix, Universal Music and Tate, we were able to welcome £63 billion of investment into the UK. Later today, in Downing Street, I will launch a new covenant with our civil society partners to reset what had become a needlessly antagonistic relationship under the last Government. We look forward to working with those across the UK to help fulfil the country’s enormous potential.
Jo Platt
The Wigan & Leigh short film festival, which took place last month, was once again extremely successful. It is a fantastic opportunity to gather like-minded creative individuals from the local area to celebrate and showcase up-and-coming talent from around the world. That is just one example of the enriched film and TV culture that is so vibrant in my constituency. I wholeheartedly welcome the Government’s announcement of tax reliefs to create jobs and boost our creative industries—
  10:01:58
Mr Speaker
Order. Topical questions are meant to be short and punchy, not a big, long question, Jo. Minister, can you pick the best out of that?
Chris Bryant
The Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism
I completely agree with what my hon. Friend was about to say.
Mr Speaker
Which part: the first three minutes or the second? I call the shadow Secretary of State.
Con
  10:02:25
Julia Lopez
Hornchurch and Upminster
The Secretary of State believes that it is not good policy that counts, but good vibes: the violent indifference that led to a booming creative sector is no longer; the culture war is over; and we, the vanquished, submit ourselves for re-education along with the rest of the public. The problem is that every DCMS sector tells us that they want more than vibes; they need decisions and they want a Budget that will deliver. Can she tell us whether she is among the panicked Ministers who have written to the Chancellor about the Budget and their spending asks, and which has she listed as her priority?
  10:03:06
Lisa Nandy
I am not entirely sure what the “vibes” issue is, but I will say that I do not need to write to the Chancellor. Unlike under the previous Government, we have a very close relationship and we tend to pick up the phone when discussions need to be had. Alongside the Chancellor, the Secretary of State for Business and Trade and the Prime Minister, I was pleased this week to welcome £63 billion of investment into the UK to put creative industries at the heart of our economic strategy.
  10:03:37
Julia Lopez
I spoke to some of the DCMS stakeholders who went to the investment summit, and they came away worried. They see a Government who absolutely milk their stardust, but all they hear is new taxes, new employment regulations, other Departments riding roughshod over DCMS interests and delays to decisions. Can the Secretary of State be specific? When she says that she is “putting rocket boosters” under the creative industries, what does that mean in practice?
  10:03:08
Lisa Nandy
As I announced to the House last week, it means introducing an independent film tax credit, which the previous Government talked about for several months and did absolutely nothing about. I have to say to the hon. Lady that after the legacy that her Government left, which has brought our proud country to its knees, it takes some brass neck to stand at the Dispatch Box and criticise this Government. We are fixing the problems that her Government created, and a little bit of humility might go a long way.
Lab
  10:04:47
Peter Prinsley 
Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket
T3.  In March 1974, a Turkish Airlines jet crashed while flying from Paris to London. More than 400 people were killed. Among them were 19 members of the Bury St Edmunds rugby club. It was the greatest disaster to befall the town in living memory. This year, 60 cyclists cycled from Paris to Bury St Edmunds, raising £200,000 in their memory. Will the Secretary of State join me in congratulating these bold cyclists?
  10:04:58
Stephanie Peacock
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
I thank my hon. Friend for his important question. I congratulate the cyclists on completing their fantastic ride and on the impressive sum of money that they raised. I pay particular tribute to Austin Cornish, the organiser of the ride, whose father died in that crash.
Con
  10:05:16
Mr Richard Holden
Basildon and Billericay
Women are those most often criminalised for non-payment of the licence fee. The BBC charter review offers an opportunity for the Government to look at this issue again. Will the Government consider decriminalising non-payment of the licence fee?
  10:05:13
Lisa Nandy
I thank the right hon. Member for raising this important issue. I am deeply concerned by the number of cases that have been brought to my attention since taking office of women who have fallen foul of this practice. I have personally had discussions with the BBC leadership about that. Obviously, the charter review, which we intend to start early next year, offers us an opportunity to look at these issues in the round.
Mr Speaker
Order. We are going to have to get through the questions more quickly. We do not have much time.
Lab
  10:05:46
Olivia Bailey 
Reading West and Mid Berkshire
T4.   I recently visited the fantastic Shinfield Studios in the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Earley and Woodley (Yuan Yang) and saw the huge value that our creative industries can bring to my constituents. Will the Minister please tell me what the inclusion of the creative industries in the industrial strategy and the huge investment delivered at the investment summit last week will deliver for my constituency and others like it?
  10:06:30
Chris Bryant
It is great to see my hon. Friend here. First, we want to ensure that more international movies and blockbusters are made in the UK, and we want to increase investment. With more sound stages, we should be able to challenge Hollywood. I also want to ensure that every single child in this country can consider a career in the creative industries, whatever background they come from.
LD
  10:06:55
Josh Babarinde
Eastbourne
I draw attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. Eastbourne art galleries such as the Towner and Devonshire Collective VOLT—it made the tie I am wearing—contribute so much to our town and to our country, but the sector faces serious financial pressures. Will the Minister meet me and a delegation of art galleries to discuss them?
Chris Bryant
I will happily meet the hon. Member, who makes a very good point. We have hundreds of museums and galleries across the country. Some of them receive funding directly from Arts Council England. We want to talk to Arts Council England about how we can ensure that there is more support for our museums and galleries. Some of the funding comes directly from our Department. I am happy to meet him to discuss that.
Lab
  10:07:44
Harpreet Uppal 
Huddersfield 
T5.   I advise the House that my sister works for Rugby League Cares. The Minister will know that my constituency is the birthplace of rugby league. At a professional and community level, the game is really important to towns such as mine, but it has not always had the support that it deserves. The Rugby Football League has produced a national community facilities strategy, which states the level of funding that is needed for the game. What steps is she taking to support long-term investment in rugby league?
Stephanie Peacock
We know just how important the work of the Rugby Football League is in communities —I have seen it at first hand, as I know you have, Mr Speaker. It is one of the reasons the RFL has received just under £1 million in funding from Sport England over the past financial year to help tackle inequalities and improve access. I look forward to working with the sport in the months and years ahead.
  10:08:03
Mr Speaker
I look forward to the increase as well.
Con
  10:08:40
David Mundell
Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale
When mobile providers started to turn off the 2G and 3G networks earlier this year, we were told that it would have no impact on existing services, but the experience in my constituency is the contrary, particularly along the M74 motorway network. Will Ministers investigate the impact of the switch-off to date, and ensure that necessary improvements are made so that we have a full network across the whole of the United Kingdom?
  10:08:40
Chris Bryant
I think this is a hangover from yesterday’s questions on telecoms, but the right hon. Member makes a very good point. One of the things that keeps me awake at night is worrying about what will happen to the transition for people with telecare devices, which rely on the old public switched telephone network. We are keen to have a safe transition. Exactly the same issues apply to 2G and 3G. I will happily meet with him, if that would help.
Lab
Mr Bayo Alaba
Southend East and Rochford
T6. In Southend East and Rochford, the Freight House and the Kursaal sit vacant. In times gone by, my community used those sites greatly. We cannot allow buildings with such cultural capital potential to sit vacant. Does the Minister agree that the regeneration of cultural sites such as the Kursaal and the Freight House is central to a prosperous community?
Lisa Nandy
I very much welcome the work that my hon. Friend is doing to champion his community, and offer him the Government’s support for it. I am working with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government ahead of the publication of our forthcoming devolution plans to ensure that we give communities the tools to bring our proud heritage sites back into use, and to repurpose them for future generations.
Con
John Glen
Salisbury
I urge the Secretary of State and the ministerial team to take account of the listed place of worship grant scheme, which is particularly valuable to many churches up and down the country, and to not allow the Treasury to trim it back. It may expire at the end of March next year.
Chris Bryant
The right hon. Gentleman knows very well that spending review issues are a matter for the Treasury—let us see what comes out of that review. I have had lots of representations, and he makes a good point.
Lab
Chris Bloore 
Redditch 
T7.  My beloved Aston Villa made their first appearance in the European cup for over 40 years this season, but fans faced ticket prices of £94 to see that first-in-a-generation moment. Does the Secretary of State agree that we need greater fan representation on football boards, so that football remains accessible to all?
Lisa Nandy
I am pleased to offer my hon. Friend our support on that. The football governance Bill, which we intend to introduce shortly, will significantly advance the protection of fans. We are working with the widest range of partners, and we hope to command proper cross-party support, as the previous Football Governance Bill did before the election.
LD
Richard Foord
Honiton and Sidmouth
East Devon district council is making available £207,000 for young people’s sports facilities in Honiton. How can central Government contribute to that initiative?
Lisa Nandy
We are pleased to have announced investment worth £123 million in grassroots sports facilities for the coming year. Demand currently outstrips the pace at which such facilities can be created, but the Government are absolutely determined to work with the hon. Gentleman and partners across the House to ensure that we give our young people the facilities that they deserve.
Lab
Chris Ward 
Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven
T8.  Historic England recently announced a £750,000 commitment to rebuilding the beautiful Victorian arches of Madeira Terrace in my constituency, which the Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism visited with me during the election campaign. That commitment is welcome, but such projects are expensive and take time, so what can the Secretary of State do to support heritage projects around the country, and will she come to Brighton with me to see the work in progress?
Chris Bryant
I think my hon. Friend may be getting me again. It is a great delight that the arches will be sorted, not least because we launched his election campaign at that very site. Our heritage is a key reason why so many international visitors come to this country. If we can get the mix of historical and modern right, I am sure that we can challenge France for international visitor numbers.

Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.