Topical Questions 2025-01-16
2025-01-16
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
Gables, an animal rescue charity in Rebecca Smith's constituency, and the Devon Mental Health Alliance have reported negative impacts due to the increase in employers' national insurance contributions. For Gables, this is a £22,000 cost increase.
Gables, an animal rescue charity in my constituency that I met before Christmas, and the Devon Mental Health Alliance have shared the negative impacts the increase to employers’ national insurance contributions will have on their service delivery. For Gables, it is a £22,000 increase to its costs. For DMHA, decreases the amount of services it can provide, which are needed to ease local NHS pressures. What hope can the Secretary of State offer them for the future?
I reassure the hon. Member that the Government work closely with the charity sector. Only a few months ago, the Prime Minister threw open the doors of Downing Street to launch a new covenant with civil society to work hand in hand with them on the shared challenges we face. We are aware of the impact of the changes on charities. That is why we have more than doubled the employment allowance from £5,000 to £10,500 to protect the smallest charities, and we published an impact assessment alongside the autumn Budget process that sets out the impact on charities. We will continue to work closely with charities to support them.
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Assessment & feedback
The Secretary of State did not provide specific financial relief or immediate steps for Gables and other affected charities beyond doubling employment allowance.
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Q2
Partial Answer
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The national youth strategy is a crucial step forward for addressing challenges faced by young people, especially in areas impacted by Conservative cuts.
The national youth strategy is a crucial step forward, and I welcome its progress. Will the Secretary of State outline how new youth programmes, such as the better youth spaces initiative, will help to rebuild facilities in Southampton Itchen, where years of Conservative cuts have impacted opportunities for our young people?
We fully acknowledge the challenges faced by the sector and the challenging needs of young people. The strategy will help us move forward from a one-size-fits-all approach from central Government, bringing power back to young people and their communities and rebuilding a thriving and sustainable youth sector.
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Assessment & feedback
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary did not provide specific details on the Better Youth Spaces Initiative's implementation in Southampton Itchen.
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Q3
Partial Answer
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The increase in employers’ national insurance contributions could impact the ability to provide facilities for young people's physical activity, particularly during school holidays.
I am proud that in government we had a sport strategy and set up the national physical activity taskforce, which brought together Departments, delivery partners and industry to work to increase activity rates. May I ask the Secretary of State when the taskforce last met, whether it discussed the impact of the jobs tax on the sector’s ability to get more people active, and what alternative measures there will be for the school holidays when facilities will no longer be open?
The shadow Secretary of State will know that we have regular meetings with representatives from sporting bodies and industry. We are determined to roll out grassroots sport to every part of the UK, and we have already signalled our intention as a new Government on that. When I returned from the Euros, we announced a whole tranche of funding for the coming years to ensure that those incredible grassroots sports facilities that support not just young men, but young women across the country continue.
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Assessment & feedback
The Secretary of State did not address the direct impact of the jobs tax on sports activities and did not provide specific alternative measures for school holidays.
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Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
Local volunteers are fundraising for a new roof for the grade I listed St Bartholomew’s church in Olivia Bailey's constituency.
T5. Will the Minister join me in congratulating local volunteers who are fundraising for a new roof for the grade I listed St Bartholomew’s church in my constituency, and will he meet me to discuss the future of the listed places of worship grant scheme, which is so important for them to hit their fundraising target?
Yes, I congratulate the church. I know that lots of people are interested in the future of the fund. The best way of describing how the Department is approaching that is to quote a hymn: 'God is working this purpose out, as year succeeds to year... Nearer and nearer draws the time, the time that shall surely be' when we announce.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not confirm any concrete plans or meeting arrangements regarding the future of the grant scheme.
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Q5
Partial Answer
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Context
Plans for a Universal Studios theme park in Bedfordshire are seen as a huge opportunity to drive economic growth and attract private sector investment.
T4. Plans for a Universal Studios theme park in Bedfordshire are a huge opportunity to drive economic growth and private sector investment. What progress is being made, and when do the Government expect discussions with Universal Studios to conclude?
The hon. Gentleman knows, because we have had several discussions about it, that I cannot enter into the precise details of the negotiations, but they are going well, and I am hopeful that this will be absolutely transformational for the British tourism industry if we manage to pull it off. I am sure that he will urge everybody to co-operate with the Government in that process.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not provide specific details on the progress and timelines of discussions with Universal Studios.
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Q6
Partial Answer
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Members of the school council of Bromstone primary school visited Parliament and expressed concerns about the importance of arts education.
Is she doing all in her power to ensure that creativity will have a prominent and central place in the curriculum?
May I reassure my hon. Friend’s young constituents that we absolutely agree with them? We know that music, sport and art not only enrich young people’s lives, but can unlock so much more. We will take their views seriously.
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Q7
Direct Answer
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A new youth zone is under construction in Grimsby, but constituents from surrounding rural areas face challenges in accessing it.
How do the Government plan to help young people in rural areas access sport and leisure facilities?
I was delighted to host representatives from Grimsby in Wigan to show them our amazing OnSide youth facility. I am delighted that the Grimsby facility is now moving ahead at pace, but I share his concern about people from surrounding areas, particularly in relation to transport. Some of the youth funding that we have allocated for next year will address precisely those issues so that existing youth facilities can buy minibuses, for example, to ensure access for all young people.
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Q8
Partial Answer
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The BBC has faced criticism for biased reporting of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, as highlighted by the Asserson report.
What representations have been made to the BBC and Ofcom to ensure that impartiality is upheld in all areas?
I thank my hon. Friend for raising this issue. When I met representatives from the Jewish community recently about antisemitism in the arts, I was shocked and horrified by some of their experiences, and we are working closely with them to tackle it. I can confirm to my hon. Friend that I have raised this issue directly with the BBC director general. I am aware that the BBC gets criticism from all sides about its reporting and has a difficult balance to strike, but we are determined to work with the BBC and support it to get that right.
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Q9
Direct Answer
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The constituency of Sir Ashley Fox includes Burnham-on-Sea, where tourism is an important industry.
Will the Secretary of State reassure business owners that her Government have no plans to introduce a tourism tax?
We have no plans to introduce additional taxes. I want to get 50 million international visitors coming to the UK, because our tourism industry is an important part of what we do well in this country. That is why I will be hosting the first visitor economy advisory council on Monday morning.
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Q10
Partial Answer
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A voluntary tourism levy could raise significant funds for local communities, as seen in Manchester.
Will the Minister not consider such a scheme so that we can raise revenue for York?
Attacked on both sides in different ways—pushmi-pullyu, I think it was—but my hon. Friend makes a good point. There is of course provision for local mayors and local authorities to be able to introduce similar measures on a voluntary basis, as has already happened in Manchester.
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Q11
Partial Answer
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The Premier League is a significant contributor to British exports and raises substantial revenue for the government.
Will the Government take responsibility if football declines after they introduce football regulation?
Football is an ecosystem, and we work very closely with the Premier League. As a crown jewel of British exports, it brings joy to millions of people all over the world, but the fact is that far too many football clubs are currently unsustainable, suffering from poor ownership and poor financial flow. The Football Governance Bill was in our manifesto and those of Opposition parties, and we will not be blocked by unelected peers from enacting what was a manifesto commitment and making good on that promise for football fans.
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Q12
Direct Answer
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Kirkcaldy Community Football Partnership supports local football clubs, including an over-35s walking football team.
Does the Minister agree that this is an important cause and one that deserves support?
I am grateful to my hon. Friend. The issue she has raised is incredibly important, and I suggest that she reaches out to the Football Foundation. I would be happy to set up that meeting for her.
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