Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Topical Questions

Thursday 3 July 2025 · 8 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 7 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Alison Hume inquired about the financial struggles of Scarborough Athletic football club due to a botched astroturf installation, and the Minister encouraged exploring support via the Premier League stadium fund.
  • Stuart Andrew questioned the handling of controversial acts at Glastonbury, and the Minister stated dissatisfaction with the response received on the matter.
  • Mr Richard Quigley highlighted the importance of sports and swimming facilities in Isle of Wight West, and the Minister offered to meet to discuss the issue further.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Alison Hume Lab Scarborough and Whitby
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The home ground of Scarborough Athletic football club, which is 100% fan-owned, has been declared unfit to play on due to issues with the astroturf installation. The club is facing significant financial losses.

Question

Scarborough Athletic football club is proudly 100% fan owned. Recently, the home ground that it rents from North Yorkshire council was declared unfit to play on due to botched astroturf installation. The club faces significant financial losses now that they need to play matches at another ground. Will the Minister meet me to discuss what support is available to secure the future of this beloved club, which is at the heart of our community?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)

I thank my hon. Friend for her work championing such an amazing local club, and we are pleased to support her in that endeavour. I encourage her to explore the support available via the premier league stadium fund delivered by the Football Foundation. The Government are pleased to be supporting grassroots clubs with £98 million of funding for the multi-sport grassroots facilities programme through the next financial year, which will build new facilities and upgrade facilities. If she wants to get in touch with me directly, we will work together to ensure that benefits Scarborough, like every other part of the country.

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Q2 Stuart Andrew Con Daventry
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The BBC did not pull the live broadcast of an act that spouted vile rhetoric at another concert just a few weeks ago, despite pulling broadcasts during football matches when things go wrong.

Question

Since the Secretary of State’s statement on Glastonbury on Monday, it has come to light that the act in question had spouted equally vile rhetoric at another concert just a few weeks ago. Given that the BBC is seemingly able to pull live broadcasts when things go wrong at football matches, for example, it is extraordinary that it did not happen on that occasion. Will the Secretary of State update the House on the discussions she has had with the BBC? Why did the same thing not happen on this occasion? What due diligence did it carry out about the acts that were performing? Given that we are still waiting for a response on the previous Hamas documentary, is she satisfied with the conversations she has had and the urgency with which the organisation is acting?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for raising that matter, and I agree with him. The answer is that I am not satisfied with the response I have had. I can update the House, as I promised to do on Monday, that I have received a reply to the very many questions raised by colleagues from all parts of the House, and I am not satisfied with it. I have gone back to the BBC leadership to ask for further information, in particular—as the right hon. Gentleman mentioned—about the failure to pull the live feed, the due diligence that was done prior to deciding to screen that act and the level of senior oversight that took place in the BBC during the Glastonbury weekend. I think that the BBC leadership has heard and will hear the strength of feeling in this House on this issue, and I expect further answers to be forthcoming imminently.

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Q3 Richard Quigley Lab Isle of Wight West
Community Security
Context

The West Wight sports and community centre has a swimming pool that needs to be replaced after 50 years. The facility is excellent but requires funding to replace the outdated pool.

Question

While it could be said that the Conservative party could fit into a children’s paddling pool, we in Isle of Wight West take swimming—as well as our issue with ferries—very seriously. [Laughter.] I thought hon. Members would like that one. West Wight sports and community centre is an excellent community-run facility that needs to replace its swimming pool after 50 years. Will the Minister meet me to discuss how it might access grants to do so?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Stephanie Peacock)

My hon. Friend is a good champion for his constituency. The Government recognise that sports facilities, including swimming facilities, are incredibly important, and I would be delighted to meet him to discuss it further.

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Q4 Liz Jarvis Lib Dem Eastleigh
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The previous Government announced a £35 million investment in grassroots cricket facilities and widening access to the sport within state schools. This funding is expected to help grow the game across the country.

Question

My constituency is the home of Hampshire Cricket. Last Thursday, I visited Fair Oak cricket club, which has a fantastic new pavilion and a thriving community of players, coaches and volunteers who are passionate about growing the game. In April 2024, the previous Government announced a £35 million investment in grassroots cricket facilities and widening access to the sport within state schools. Can the Minister confirm when the Government plan to release that funding to ensure that girls and boys in all parts of Eastleigh and across the country have the opportunity to become the next Lauren Bell or Joe Root?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Stephanie Peacock)

I look forward to attending the cricket at Edgbaston later today, and I know it is hugely important to communities up and down the country. I would be delighted to meet the hon. Member to discuss her question in more detail.

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Q5 John Slinger Lab Rugby
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The Rugby art gallery and museum celebrated its 25th anniversary, with contributions from staff and volunteers. The facility is a gem in the community, providing access to arts and culture.

Question

Will the Minister join me in praising all the staff past and present, the council’s chief officer for leisure and wellbeing, Tom Kittendorf, and the portfolio holder, Councillor Maggie O’Rourke, on the recent 25th anniversary of the Rugby art gallery and museum? I was glad to attend and pay tribute to staff for the huge contribution they make to the three C’s: creativity, culture and community. Does my right hon. Friend agree that municipally run institutions such as that are gems shining bright in our towns, and that this Government will do all they can to empower them?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)

I absolutely share my hon. Friend’s commitment to municipal facilities, which are often the only access that people have to amazing sports, art, culture, museums and galleries. Like him, this Government are determined to do everything we can to support them.

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Q6 Olly Glover Lib Dem Didcot and Wantage
Mental Health
Context

The Cornermen project in Olly Glover's constituency provides professional mental health support for men in a sporting environment. The initiative aims to open the door to mental health provision.

Question

I recently visited the Cornermen project in my Oxfordshire constituency. Based at South Moreton boxing club, it provides professional mental health support for men in a sporting environment. Does the Minister agree that sports and leisure can open the door to mental health provision? What more can the Government do to nurture organisations such as the Cornermen?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)

I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. Sports and leisure activities offer a unique way of opening up pathways into mental health provision, as they are non-stigmatising environments where people can talk about their issues openly and feel supported in doing so.

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Q7 Lizzi Collinge Lab Morecambe and Lunesdale
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The Morecambe football club is facing a crisis with delayed sale, unpaid wages, and dismissed board. The issue has been raised by the MP in previous discussions.

Question

Morecambe football club is in crisis. The current owner is delaying a sale despite having an approved buyer from the English Football League. Staff have only received one third of their wages, and the board has been dismissed without proper process. Can the Minister outline how the Government are working to prevent other towns like Morecambe from suffering in this way?

Answer from Lisa Nandy

I am really grateful to my hon. Friend. She has not just raised this issue in the House; she has raised it with me and with the Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, my hon. Friend the Member for Barnsley South (Stephanie Peacock) as well, and we are determined to support her. I have been through this appalling experience with my own club, Wigan Athletic, and we are determined to make sure that nobody has to go through it ever again. The Under-Secretary of State has been working very hard with Members of this House to pass the Football Governance Bill, to ensure that we rectify this situation and prevent it from happening elsewhere, but in the particular case of my hon. Friend’s club, I am extremely keen to see a sale as soon as possible.

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Q8 Wendy Morton Con Aldridge-Brownhills
NHS
Context

The charity sector, including hospices like Acorns children's hospice in Walsall, is facing financial difficulties due to the rise in employer national insurance. Previous questions have discussed this issue.

Question

Given that in his opening remarks, the Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism praised the Chancellor for her success in securing funding for his Department, will he speak with the Chancellor and urge her to do all she can to reinstate long-term funding for our hospice sector?

Answer from Chris Bryant

The hospice sector is not specifically my responsibility, but of course I value hospices. To go back to the earlier point about the state of the finances in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, this is the first Secretary of State who has managed to get £3 billion for investment in capital funding. That is going to be vital for many of our artistic and sporting institutions in this country, and I think she deserves praise.

Not addressed: The specific request to speak with the Chancellor about hospice funding cuts was not addressed.

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