Topical Questions
Thursday, 12 November 2026
Contributions
Alex McIntyre (Gloucester) (Lab)Labour
T1. If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)Labour
May I start by wishing the men’s wheelchair rugby league world cup team the best in the final, which is being held tomorrow? I am sure the whole House wishes them all the best, and I hope they have considerably more success than your team often do, Mr Speaker. On a much more serious note, I want to acknowledge the conviction of Russell Brand for rape and sexual assault. I pay tribute to the extraordinary women who bravely spoke out and to the persistent journalists who worked day in, day out to expose this abuse. This week we have seen other serious allegations being made. They are the latest in a long line of reported abuses of power in an industry where we have known for so long that power imbalances are huge, and that reputation and contacts are the foundations on which careers are built. Next week, I will be meeting representatives from across media, entertainment and sport to discuss the action that we need to take, but I want to be clear with the House that if those protections are insufficient, the Government will not hesitate to take further action. For too long, too many people have had to choose between their career and their safety. People must be safe in their jobs, whistleblowers must be protected and those who abuse their position must no longer be able to hide.
I was delighted by the recent Government announcement that more than £250,000 from the Heritage at Risk capital fund is being invested in the Fleece hotel in Gloucester. The hotel first opened in 1497, but it has sadly been closed to the public since 2002. Will the Secretary of State meet me to discuss how we can secure the remaining funding that is needed to get that historic site in Gloucester city centre open again?
I thank my hon. Friend for his sterling campaigning work to protect such an important heritage asset. We were really pleased that the Fleece hotel could benefit from the Department’s investment through the Heritage at Risk capital fund. Other funding opportunities are available through Historic England, as well as through the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and I would be delighted to arrange for officials to work with my hon. Friend to see how we can best secure the future of that important site.
Mr SpeakerSpeaker
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
Rebecca Paul (Reigate) (Con)Conservative
Russell Brand has now been jailed for rape and sexual assault. I know that the thoughts of the whole House will be with his victims, and I welcome the strong and powerful words of the Secretary of State just now. The BBC’s review into how complaints about Russell Brand’s behaviour were handled found that of eight complaints, only one was formally made at the time, and it was not dealt with effectively. It concludes that individuals felt “unable” to raise issues, believing “that Russell Brand would always get his way,” and so they stayed silent. Oscar-winning producer Lucie Kon has also shared her experience with the BBC after reporting antisemitic behaviour, and has raised concerns about the complaints process. In light of those harrowing stories, what discussions is the Secretary of State having with the BBC as part of the charter renewal to ensure that we see more effective investigation of serious workplace complaints, and a zero-tolerance approach to misconduct going forward?
I absolutely accept that there is an important leadership role for the BBC in relation to this issue, but I would hate for us to forget that there were also a number of entertainment, media and publishing organisations where concerns raised about Russell Brand’s behaviour were simply not acted on. That is why I am bringing together representatives from across those different industries, to ensure that we draw a line in the sand and take action that is long overdue. The hon. Lady asked about the BBC in particular, and she is right to say that significant problems were uncovered at the BBC. I am deeply frustrated that we have had so many reviews: the Dame Janet Smith review into Jimmy Savile; the review into the conduct of Huw Edwards; and reviews into the conduct of Tim Westwood. If we put those reviews next to each other and look at the recommendations, we see that they are the same recommendations over and over again. I will not accept that we cannot get our act together and ensure that our public service broadcaster, of which this country is rightly very proud, upholds better standards and processes than we have seen to date.
Next year marks 1,100 years since Æthelstan united England and began the glorious national story that we are still telling to this day. It is an occasion worthy of celebration and recognition, yet when the Government were asked how they intended to mark it, the answer was that there are no plans. This important anniversary should be a moment of national joy that brings communities together, and a milestone marked by commemorative coins and stamps, special lessons in schools, Æthelstan on Trafalgar Square’s fourth plinth, and perhaps even a visit by His Majesty to this Parliament. Will the Secretary of State reconsider celebrating the 1,100th anniversary of England’s birth, and share with the House any such plans in due course?
I thank the hon. Lady for raising that issue, which had not previously been brought to my attention. The Under-Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, my hon. Friend the Member for Barnsley South (Stephanie Peacock) who is responsible for ceremonials, has just said to me that this is right up her street, and she would be delighted to work with the hon. Lady to ensure a fitting commemoration.
Richard Quigley (Isle of Wight West) (Lab)Labour
T3. Neil and the team at Medina Studios have put together a fantastic proposal for a new film studio on the Isle of Wight, which is estimated to create around 875 new jobs and generate over £36 million in gross value added by 2035. All they need is a bit of Government support to help get them going. Will the Minister work with me to help get this proposal over the line and help secure good growth on the Isle of Wight?
The Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Online Safety (Ian Murray)Labour
I congratulate Neil and everyone in the team at Medina Studios on putting together a fantastic proposal. We are supportive of areas that want to grow their film industry and the work that has gone into Medina Studios is very impressive indeed. The Government are committed to maximising the potential of the film industry and ensuring that growth benefits the whole of the UK. The Department funds the British Film Commission to support UK infrastructure, including studio space. The BFC promotes the entire UK, including the Isle of Wight, working hand in glove with Creative England on production support, where appropriate. I am pleased to note that the BFC has assisted Medina Studios. Funding from the growth mission fund is a matter for the Treasury. I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend and I thank him for the way in which he champions the Isle of Wight through that project.
Martin Vickers (Brigg and Immingham) (Con)Conservative
T2. Earlier this year, the Secretary of State was in Grimsby at the opening of the Horizon Youth Zone—a fantastic new facility that many of my constituents use. Equally, many of my constituents live in much more rural areas, so what plans does the Secretary of State have to provide better youth services in the more rural areas?
It was a pleasure to be at the opening of that fantastic youth zone with the hon. Gentleman, and to see the queues of young people stretching far into the distance and the excitement it brought them. He is right that there is a particular challenge in rural communities. Through Youth Matters, our national youth strategy, we have taken restrictions off funding and our only stipulation is that young people must have meaningfully been able to drive those decisions. In order to address those concerns, we will fund transport and travel as well as facilities in places that have been overlooked.
Noah Law (St Austell and Newquay) (Lab)Labour
T4. I was elected on the back of three clear pledges, one of which was to work to revitalise our towns. As part of that, I promised to end the impasse around the derelict General Wolfe building in St Austell, which had gone to rot under council ownership. That has now been done. I have said that I will work closely with the buyer to ensure the fullest access to heritage funding, to ensure that the building can be restored and used as quality homes for local people, contributing to my mission to revitalise our town centre in the process. Will the Minister work with me to support that mission? What suggestions can she make to me and the developers?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Stephanie Peacock)Labour
I was pleased to visit my hon. Friend’s constituency earlier this year. The best way to protect our heritage is to use it and I thank him for his work to secure a future for the General Wolfe building. I encourage developers and historic building owners to engage early with our arm’s length body Historic England, and I am sure that the Heritage Minister will be happy to meet him to discuss it further.
Wendy Morton (Aldridge-Brownhills) (Con)Conservative
T6. There are currently 1.2 million flats in multi-dwelling units across the UK that are at risk of missing out on full fibre upgrades, including 3,528 in my constituency. This leaves a real danger that a digital divide becomes a reality, and vulnerable people will miss out on the benefits of faster and more reliable broadband. Will the Minister consider granting automatic upgrade rights for network builders as a cost-neutral solution that will ensure everybody has access?
That is an issue for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and we have been working closely with that Department about its planning proposals. I am sure that the right hon. Lady will be not be disappointed when they come forward.
David Williams (Stoke-on-Trent North) (Lab)Labour
T5. Across Stoke-on-Trent North and Kidsgrove, we have some of the most incredible heritage buildings, such as the Queen’s theatre, the Burslem indoor market and the Wedgwood Institute, so I welcome the recent announcement of over £2.5 million from the derelict buildings fund for Stoke-on-Trent, for which I campaigned. Will the Minister outline how her Department can work alongside other Departments, such as the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, to bring our beautiful buildings back into use?
My hon. Friend is right to talk about stronger co-ordination between heritage planning, regeneration and housing policy. I know how important heritage-led regeneration is for local growth, and I understand that the Heritage Minister is looking forward to holding a roundtable on that issue in my hon. Friend’s area.
Rebecca Smith (South West Devon) (Con)Conservative
T7. I recently visited Wombat Cricket in Ivybridge, where self-taught Harry and his team make handcrafted cricket bats from local willow. The trade agreement with India, negotiations for which began under the previous Conservative Government, will phase out tariffs on cricket bats over five years. Does the Secretary of State agree that we should make the most of this freedom to support British sports manufacturers and grassroots sport?
The hon. Lady raises an important issue. I was not previously aware of the issue, but I am happy to it take up. We believe in the importance of cricket and we also believe very much in the relationships that we have with our Indian counterparts. Cricket is one of the ties that binds us together, so I would be pleased to look into the issue she raises with a view to resolving it.
Tony Vaughan (Folkestone and Hythe) (Lab)Labour
T8. Folkestone town council recently acquired the grade II listed Grace Hill building, previously home to Folkestone library, which was unfortunately closed by Conservative-run Kent county council. We want the building to be open again for the benefit of the community, so will the forthcoming library strategy include greater support for these community rescues? Will the Minister also meet me to discuss funding opportunities to bring this vital community asset back to life?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Vicky Foxcroft)Labour
I thank my hon. and learned Friend for championing his constituency. Decisions on the reopening of Grace Hill and the use of the building are matters for the local council, but he has made his case well today, and I am sure that he will continue to do so. I will pass on his request for a visit to the Minister with responsibility for libraries, who I am sure will be keen to visit and to meet him.
Brian Mathew (Melksham and Devizes) (LD)Liberal Democrat
What will the Government do to ensure that councils have the funds to keep libraries open, especially when many people will be struggling to heat their homes this winter and thus have an even more vital need of this service?
We are working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and colleagues across Government to ensure that we deliver on that.
Andrew Pakes (Peterborough) (Lab/Co-op)Labour (Co-op)
The hottest ticket this summer, in many senses, was Peterborough lido, which, like many other historic pools, had its best season ever. However, we all know that many of our historic pools and lidos suffer from old infrastructure, and need tender love and care from our communities and Government. What more can my right hon. Friend do to ensure that this Government back our lidos and historic pools?
I thank my hon. Friend for his sterling advocacy on behalf of Lidos everywhere and Peterborough lido in particular; he knows that I share his passion on the issue. I can tell the House that we are creating a public leisure facilities programme that will provide support for lidos and other swimming facilities, and that—thanks to the work that he and others have done to campaign for this—the programme will include the first dedicated fund for lidos that this country has produced.
Dame Caroline Dinenage (Gosport) (Con)Conservative
Russell Brand and David Walliams are just the latest examples of entertainment giants knowingly exploiting power imbalances, yet they have been at best shielded and at worst enabled by some of the organisations they worked with. We keep hearing reports that non-disclosure agreements and confidentiality agreements were part of these stars’ arsenal. What are the Government doing to ensure that those legal routes cannot be used to stop victims speaking out, so that revolting men are not shielded from facing the music for their abusive behaviour?
The hon. Lady is absolutely right to point to the issue of NDAs as being central to this situation. I am working closely with colleagues at the Ministry of Justice, and have discussed this issue with them over recent days. This will be part of the conversation that we have with the creative industries when I convene the roundtable next week. As I said earlier, we will not hesitate to take action to protect women and ensure that these vile men are exposed and brought to justice.
Dame Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West) (Lab)Labour
It has been 18 months since my Committee published its report on misinformation, with detailed recommendations on how to address the way in which digital advertising drives scandalous, sensationalist and addictive content, yet our inquiry into digital childhood is raising exactly the same issues. What has been done to address them? To be clear, neither Ofcom’s online information advisory committee nor the online advertising taskforce has taken any steps.
I am delighted that my hon. Friend asked that question, which concerns a vital issue that the Government are trying to deal with. The online advertising taskforce has workstreams that have been looking at the issue very closely. I chair that taskforce, and am keen to push it further forward. The issue is not just the way in which advertising is delivered, but the monetisation of illegal and harmful content; if we want to deal with any of the issues relating to the online world, we must follow the money.
John Glen (Salisbury) (Con)Conservative
Salisbury Playhouse is one of three producing theatres in the south-west, and this week it launched a campaign to raise £22 million. The Arts Council, Wiltshire council and Salisbury city council have already made a £10 million contribution. Are the ministerial team having conversations with the Treasury to create incentives for private philanthropy and giving, so that we can maximise the opportunity to fill this gap and make Salisbury Playhouse the brilliant place it needs to be for the future?
The right hon. Gentleman asks a great question. The Hodge review into Arts Council England examined what we need to do to bring more philanthropic funding into the sector so that it has more money, not less. I encourage him to engage with Arts Council England on taking those proposals forward. Of course, these questions are always a matter for His Majesty’s Treasury, but we are working very closely with Treasury colleagues on how we can implement the Hodge review in full.
Kim Johnson (Liverpool Riverside) (Lab)Labour
I am proud to represent Liverpool, a city that has produced some very talented footballers, musicians and actors, including Stephen Graham, Jodie Comer and James Nelson-Joyce. However, far too many of our young working-class kids in Liverpool fail to get into the creative sector. Can the Secretary of State commit to doing everything she can to remove the barriers so that more working-class young people in Liverpool can break into the sector based on talent, not on privilege and class?
My hon. Friend is right to point to Liverpool’s incredible contribution across sport, art, music—you name it. Mayor Steve Rotheram is doing an enormous amount to invest in order to open up those opportunities further. There is a fantastic organisation in Liverpool called MusicFutures, which we are working with, along with others, to make sure that we do exactly what she rightly presses us to do.
David Mundell (Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale) (Con)Conservative
I was pleased to hear the Minister acknowledge that the Government will not achieve growth in every postcode unless we have adequate mobile connectivity. Unfortunately, in my constituency, many postcodes have inadequate mobile connectivity. Indeed, we have some of the worst connectivity in the whole United Kingdom. Will the Minister meet me to ensure that we can get some urgency into finally resolving this important issue for my constituents?
The right hon. Gentleman is exactly right: we cannot have growth in every postcode without connectivity in every postcode. I would be happy to meet him, but I gently remind him that when we do, it is his turn to buy the wine.
Chris Webb (Blackpool South) (Lab)Labour
In response to Blackpool being shortlisted to be city of culture, Lynn Williams, the leader of Blackpool council, rightly said: “We have a proud working-class culture and a wonderful history of entertainment, music and performance.” Our bid to become the next city of culture for the UK is the right and only choice for the panel. It will allow us to celebrate our iconic history and shape our future, because Blackpool never settles for anything small. Will the Secretary of State support our ambition by supporting our much-loved heritage venues and my campaign for a new arena to create a year-round resort, showing Blackpool in a new light?
My hon. Friend is a huge advocate for his constituency. I have to stay neutral, but I am absolutely delighted to be visiting his area tomorrow as part of the shortlist process for the city of culture.
Victoria Collins (Harpenden and Berkhamsted) (LD)Liberal Democrat
The AI teddy bear that said unprompted, “I can’t help with killing you”, shows that online harms are extending to software within toys. Will the Government consider the Lib Dem approach of having a framework of harm that can look online and at the software in products with these developing technologies?
We are taking a far more comprehensive approach to this issue for the reasons that the hon. Member rightly describes. Safety by design is one of the key principles on which we are basing our approach.
Euan Stainbank (Falkirk) (Lab)Labour
The fantastic Falkirk Foundation was back with £139,000 of UK Government support to lay a new all-weather pitch at Woodlands community sports centre this year. Councillor Jack Redmond and the Bonnybridge community are now bidding to renew the football facilities at Jenny’s Park, including through the UK Government-supported Pitching In fund. Will the Minister thank the Falkirk Foundation for its ongoing, incredible contribution to the Falkirk community and agree that any new funding should come to Bonnybridge?
I am told by my right hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh South (Ian Murray) that Falkirk beat Hearts 5-2 on Sunday, and he does not look very happy about it. I take this opportunity to congratulate the Falkirk Foundation. The Government are investing £400 million in grassroots sports facilities for precisely the reasons that my hon. Friend the Member for Falkirk (Euan Stainbank) describes.
Rupert Lowe (Great Yarmouth) (Restore Britain)Restore Britain
As Southampton’s former long-serving and at times long-suffering chairman, I know the beautiful game better than most in this Chamber. Football fans have been taken for fools over the outdated Saturday 3 pm blackout for too long. Travel abroad, and we find bars showing every 3 pm premier league match live all at once, yet here in England fans cannot watch a single one—at least legally. Will the Minister press the Football Association to lift the blackout and push for an online monthly subscription service, thereby allowing affordable access to every single FA and PL match for working families and hospitality venues? Football belongs to the people.
There is obviously a lively debate among football fans about this issue, and it has been raised with me and the Sports Minister a number of times. The hon. Member will know that there are consequences to taking the action that he describes, but I think we can agree on the final principle that he outlined: football belongs to its fans, and their voices must be heard.
Deirdre Costigan (Ealing Southall) (Lab)Labour
Ealing Southall is home to Ealing Studios, the country’s longest continuously operating film studio. A recent report found that west London is a hub for media and creative industries, with up to 7,000 companies. Does the Minister agree that this Government’s commitment to increase investment in the media and creative sector from £17 billion to £31 billion will create more jobs in west London while ensuring growth in every postcode, from Southall to Stockport and from Hanwell to Hartlepool?
Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)Conservative
We need to go faster to get everybody in.
I could not agree more with my hon. Friend.
Charlie Dewhirst (Bridlington and The Wolds) (Con)Conservative
In his Budget speech, the Chancellor pledged to protect seaside arcades, but the increase in the machine games duty from 20% to 25% threatens businesses in my constituency, such as Leisureland on Bridlington seafront, which I had the pleasure of visiting last week. Will the Minister make representations to the Treasury to ensure that we protect those brilliant local businesses?
I thank the hon. Gentleman for advocating on behalf of his constituents. Slot games have a higher associated risk of harm than other in-person gambling activities, such as sports betting or bingo games. That is why the Government are increasing the rate of machine games duty from 20% to 25% on machines with stakes over £1 or prizes over £100 from 1 April 2027. There will be no change to the rate for lower-stakes machines, but I am happy to meet the hon. Gentleman to discuss the issue further.
Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)Labour
As historic pools and lidos enjoy a renaissance, will the Secretary of State work with me to reopen the doors of Carlisle’s Victorian baths? They are the last in the north-west and one of only 13 in the country.
I was not aware of the incredible Turkish baths in Carlisle, but I am very happy to work with her on ensuring that we support the aims of her campaign and restore the baths to their former glory.
Christine Jardine (Edinburgh West) (LD)Liberal Democrat
I welcome the statements that the Secretary of State has made about addressing the issues that we have seen raised again this week by the conviction of Russell Brand. Having worked in that industry, I know that the problem goes much wider than just the big figures. Bectu says that nine out of 10 workers in the creative sector have experienced or witnessed sexual harassment or assault. Does the Secretary of State agree that, as this action now happens, we need to use the entertainment industry and the creative sector to call out this behaviour across society and to make it clear that it is not acceptable in any form?
We work very closely with Bectu and the National Union of Journalists, and I pay tribute to their work on this issue. The Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Online Safety and I recently appointed two freelance champions in recognition of the fact that, for freelancers in particular, there is a real problem in these industries. All of us in this House need to step up and use our voices as loudly as we possibly can; hand on my heart, as the Culture Secretary, I cannot say that this issue is not happening today—in fact, I would wager that it is. It is time that we all stand up, as the hon. Lady has done today, and ensure that we are heard and counted.
John Slinger (Rugby) (Lab)Labour
As someone who played in rock bands and wrote songs, I was delighted to read in the Canadian budget about the Canada creative credit: 48,000 Canadian dollars-worth of tax credit to provide creative artists with income, tax-free, on the creative output that they engage in. Will the Minister update the House on the excellent work we are doing and on what more we can do to help creative artists across this land?
I am delighted that the old rocker has asked that question. We have a 10-point plan for music, which is there to support the music industry from a grassroots level all the way through to our top talent and artists. The Arts Council England review, led by Baroness Hodge in the other place, looked at whether we should support individual artists, and the Arts Council is now looking at that to see how it can best support individual artists. We are backers of music, and we want to continue to be the best in the world.
Sir Ashley Fox (Bridgwater) (Con)Conservative
Highbridge Social Club is a not-for-profit club led entirely by volunteers, and it has served our community since it was founded in 1913. Club treasurer Rachel Marsh has written to me to say that the rise in machine games duty announced in the Budget will cost the club £1,500 a year. Coming on top of the employer national insurance charges, this Government’s tax increases threaten the viability of the club. What help and advice can the Minister offer to Rachel as she struggles to balance the club’s books?
I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising that really important point. I refer in part to what I said earlier, but let me also say that the measure will raise an additional £130 million a year, which will help to pay for the freeze in business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses. If the hon. Gentleman writes to me, I will ensure that he gets a fuller response.
Amanda Martin (Portsmouth North) (Lab)Labour
Hilsea lido is a real jewel in the crown of Portsmouth North; it first opened in 1935, and it holds a special place in our history. Following its fantastic regeneration, it has been wonderful to see hundreds flocking back this summer. Will the Minister join me in thanking Sea Lanes, the lido’s operators? Will she also join me in praising the dedicated trustees and volunteers of Hilsea Lido Pool for the People Trust, who kept the money going and kept the lido running through very dark times, and without whom it would not be open now?
I absolutely do—I thank Sea Lanes, the trustees, and all the volunteers. There is a volunteer army in this country that ensures our fantastic lidos can continue to operate, and it is great to see my hon. Friend championing them. We will also champion them through the funding I recently announced to my hon. Friend.
Dr Ben Spencer (Runnymede and Weybridge) (Con)Conservative
What assessment has the Minister made of the cyber-security risks posed by DeepSeek in light of the US’s decision to block it from public procurement?
We will bring forward additional legislation to this House shortly to protect our undersea cables and infrastructure from threats, whether they be state or non-state threats. I hope everyone will support those proposals, including the hon. Gentleman.
Sean Woodcock (Banbury) (Lab)Labour
In 2002, Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles said on air that he wanted to help Charlotte Church lose her virginity. She was 15 at the time. He stayed in post for another decade. Does the Secretary of State agree that Brand and Walliams were not aberrations, but reflect a culture across entertainment that needs to be consigned to history?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right to say that it reflects a culture that I hope we are now thankfully rid of. Sadly, though, what we are not rid of is instances of men in positions of power abusing that power. That is still happening today, and this Government are not neutral when it comes to the safety of people—women and young people—in those workplaces, which is why we are taking the action I have described.
Lincoln Jopp (Spelthorne) (Con)Conservative
Christmas is coming, and Boxing day will see the running of the world-famous King George at Kempton Park racecourse in my constituency. If any of the Front Benchers on either side of the House would like to come to the King George at Kempton Park, I am sure the Jockey Club would be delighted to see them there.
I was delighted to go to Newbury races last week, and I would love the opportunity to come to Kempton Park. Please do write to me—I will try to ensure we get a date in the diary.
Perran Moon (Camborne and Redruth) (Ind)Independent
With £7 out of every £8 of DCMS funding for museums and galleries going to just 15 national museums and galleries, and cultural investment per head in Cornwall being less than £10 compared with a national average of £15, may I ask for Ministers to meet Cornish MPs to discuss closing this cultural chasm, beyond suggestions of donations and lottery funding?
The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to say that parts of the country have historically been hugely underserved, and it was to correct that historical wrong that we established the Arts Everywhere fund. Arts and culture belong to all of us, and I would be delighted to set up a meeting with officials so that we can pursue this issue in Cornwall.
Source: UK Parliament Hansard API. Debate ID: 5436641.