Tag: Department for Culture and Media

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 12 April 2024.

The Prime Minister has appointed Anna Eavis and Roisha Hughes as Trustees of the National Heritage Memorial Fund and The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Anna Eavis

Appointed for a three year term commencing 16 February 2024.

Anna is Chief Executive of Oxford Preservation Trust, an independent local charity dedicated to the conservation and sustainable enhancement of Oxford’s historic buildings and green spaces and to the public appreciation and enjoyment of the city’s history.

She previously worked at the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England and English Heritage. From 2012-2023 she was English Heritage’s Curatorial Director, with responsibility for the stewardship and presentation of over 400 historic sites, their collections and landscapes. She led English Heritage’s learning, youth engagement and creative programmes and managed the London Blue Plaques scheme.

Anna is a trustee of the Leeds Castle Foundation and of the Corpus Vitrearum, a British Academy-funded project dedicated to the research and publication of historic stained glass in Britain. She is a member of the fabric advisory committees at Canterbury and Salisbury cathedrals. She was formerly a trustee of the Stained Glass Museum.

Roisha Hughes

Appointed for a three year term commencing 16 February 2024.

Roisha Hughes has twenty years’ experience of working at the heart of public services in London and in national Government. She now runs her own consultancy.

Roisha was born in Belfast and grew up in South London before studying modern and mediaeval languages at the University of Cambridge.

She began her civil service career in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, working on the Government’s bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games.

She then ran the Mayor of London’s office for eight years from 2008, as the city navigated economic downturn, upgraded and developed new transport systems, and hosted the Olympic Games in 2012.

In 2016 Roisha joined the Metropolitan Police as Director of Strategy and Governance, a role which ranged from improving how the Met used data to bringing in Baroness Casey to review the Met’s culture and standards.

Roisha lives in South London with her family.

Remuneration and Governance Code

As Chair of the National Heritage Memorial Fund Panel, Anna Eavis will be remunerated at a rate of £10,500 per annum. As Lead Trustee on Grant in Aid/ Non Lottery Funding, Roisha is remunerated at a rate of £10,500 per annum. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments.

The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Both Anna and Roisha have declared no significant political activity.

The press release issued by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on 7 March 2024.

Lord Parkinson has delivered a speech to members of the heritage sector at the annual Heritage Day hosted by The Heritage Alliance.

Thank you for having me along to Heritage Day again – it’s a great pleasure to be back with you.

Lizzie, Ingrid, and the whole team at the Heritage Alliance do us all a great service by bringing people together to share ideas and insights, champion our heritage heroes, and speak with a collective voice about what the sector needs to keep flourishing – reflecting the power of collaboration, as you have put it so well for your theme for this year.

It’s a power you are harnessing for the sake of the millions of people who benefit from our heritage today, and for the sake of future generations.

Heritage Day is a great opportunity to look back on the progress we’ve been able to make together over the past year, and to talk about some of the things we want to see next – perhaps all the more important in an election year.

The past twelve months have provided some sad but powerful reminders of how much heritage means to us all – through the senseless loss (I would use a stronger term, but I’m mindful that criminal investigations are ongoing …) of the Crooked House pub
in August, and the beloved tree in the Sycamore Gap of Hadrian’s Wall the following month.

Both of these cases sparked immediate and visceral reactions, not just from people who lived nearby, but from around the world  I think i’m right in saying the videos the National Trust put out about it were their most viewed ever. – a potent sign of the importance of our built and natural heritage.

Heart-wrenching though both these cases were, they offered an important reminder of how much that shared heritage means to us all – and why it’s worth fighting for.

When I stood before you last year at the Charterhouse, I set out some of the things I was keen to work on with you – so it’s gratifying to look back and see how much we’ve been able to do together.

When we met last, the Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill had just arrived in the Lords – it’s now an Act of Parliament, putting protection for more of our heritage assets, including Scheduled Monuments and World Heritage Sites, on a statutory footing – and benefiting from some valuable improvements thanks to lobbying and engagement by people in this room.

A quarter of a century since it arrived on the statute book, we’ve also updated the Treasure Act – widening the definition so that more of the extraordinary artefacts being discovered can be saved and shared with the public.

And we announced the ratification of the 2003 UNESCO Convention on the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage – after twenty years of campaigning by many here today.

We’ve also published guidance for custodians of contested heritage assets – a tricky issue, but one which benefited from the careful deliberations of our Heritage Advisory Board, and which I’m pleased to say was received with similar thoughtfulness.

I’ve had the great  honour of opening the National Trust’s Heritage and Rural Skills Centre in Oxfordshire, and English Heritage’s ‘reawakened’ Belsay Hall in Northumberland.

I also had the pleasure of joining a meeting of the National Amenity Societies, and helping to launch the Heritage and Carbon report alongside Historic England, the National Trust, Grosvenor, Peabody, and the Crown Estate – a powerful example of collaboration there!

We’ve done all that while designating over 170 listed buildings and Scheduled Monuments, helping the National Portrait Gallery to save Sir Joshua Reynolds’s Portrait of Mai for the nation, thanks to the largest ever donation from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, and support from across the sector, reuniting the three Thornborough Henges in the National Heritage Collection and publishing the Tentative List for new World Heritage Sites.

This time last year, I announced my intention to expand the official Blue Plaques scheme across the country. Today, I’m proud to stand here and say we’ve done it.

In September, we changed the law to enable the scheme which has been so brilliantly run i by English Heritage for many years to be expanded across the country.

Thanks to some great work by Historic England (and responding to the demands of an impatient Minister!), we had the great pleasure two weeks ago of unveiling the first national Blue Plaque in Ilkley, to Daphne Steele, the first black matron in our National Health Service. Joining her son Robert in West Yorkshire to celebrate her life and legacy was one of the true highlights of my time in Government.

We’ve already announced the next two plaques – honouring Clarice Cliff, one of the most influential ceramists of the 20th century, and George Harrison, the music icon and humanitarian. I’m looking forward to those being unveiled – and to seeing which other figures from all over the country will join them in the future once public nominations open in the summer.

The new, national scheme will help us to tell the stories of a wider range of people – showing how people from towns, villages, and cities across this country went on to change the world, and I hope inspiring new generations to know that they can do the same.

So thank you to everyone who worked together to make that happen so quickly.

Last month, I was also delighted to join Historic England to mark the protection – through Grade II designation – of a number of historic gas lamps in Covent Garden.

London’s gas lamps have been an integral part of the city’s identity for more than two centuries. From the novels of Charles Dickens and John Buchan to the adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Mary Poppins and The Muppet Christmas Carol, they’ve provided an evocative backdrop to many of our capital’s most cherished events and imaginings.

When they were threatened, the London Gasketeers sprang into being to protect them. Thanks to their dedication, and the expert advice of Historic England, Westminster City Council has committed to preserve any gas lamps which are given listed status – a number which I’m delighted to say has already risen by a dozen, with many more under consideration.

This will ensure that their inimitable glow can continue to brighten the lives of Londoners — and the millions of visitors the city welcomes — for generations to come.

As we look to the future of the listing process, we should be asking ourselves whether we are missing important parts of our heritage, such as late Victorian and Edwardian buildings; whether there are ways to ensure that listings cover every part of the country, and can better recognise craftsmanship and quality in the buildings we consider. I am interested in the role that the Principles of Selection for Listed Buildings – last updated six years ago – has to play in this.

Harnessing the power of collaboration, I will work closely with Historic England and others – such as the amenity societies and the Historic Environment Forum – to look at this alongside other possible interventions.

Last week, I had the pleasure of chairing the latest meeting of the Heritage Council – a brilliant way of facilitating collaboration across Government, as well as between us and the sector. We talked about the preparations for next year’s Railway 200 celebrations – the bicentenary of the first passenger rail journey – as well discussing some of the challenges and opportunities facing heritage rail, following up on many of the points which were raised when I attended the Heritage Railway Association’s annual conference in Newcastle, that cradle of the railways, in November.

We also talked about a topic raised at last year’s Heritage Day – underwater and marine heritage.

I was pleased to be joined by Ministerial colleagues from the Ministry of Defence, the Department for Transport, DEFRA, and the Foreign Office as well as colleagues from the sector to explore these two areas of mobile heritage.

I am following our discussions up by looking at the Memorandum of Understanding we’ve had for the past ten years between my Department and the MoD – and, in the longer term, continuing to pursue the ratification of the 2001 UNESCO Convention on Underwater Archaeology, which I see is included in your refreshed Heritage Manifesto.

But one UNESCO Convention I’m delighted to say we are ratifying very soon – I go to Paris next month to deposit the signed papers – is the 2003 Convention on Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The French have a better name for this: they call it ‘le patrimoine vivant’ – ‘living heritage’. I think that captures well the traditions and practices we pass on from generation to generation; things which have shaped us, and which we shape in turn.

Of course, our tangible and intangible heritage are not separate – they are linked through the spaces, stories, products, and indeed the vital crafts and skills that maintain our built heritage.

We will launch a call for applications for an inventory of intangible cultural heritage in the UK this summer, which I want to ensure represents the full range of our living heritage.

Thank you to the many people here who have been engaging with the team at DCMS as we consult on implementing the Convention. We have had a fantastic response, so please stay involved and help us to keep shaping it.

Yesterday, of course, was Budget Day, which saw some great news for our sector.

Through the third round of the Levelling Up Fund we are investing in our great cultural heritage across the country, including £15 million for the National Railway Museum in York and County Durham, and £10 million to the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool’s Grade I-listed Royal Albert Dock.

We also pledged £10 million to safeguard the extraordinary Temple Works building in Leeds – a Grade I-listed flaxmill with Egyptian Revival architecture and a frankly bonkers roof which used to be covered in grass and had a herd of sheep to help mow it. This investment (alongside the £1 million already provided by Historic England) will help to bring the site into public ownership and explore its potential to become the new northern home of the British Library.

We also provided more than £26 million for the Grade II* listed National Theatre – just a stone’s throw from here, and one of the finest examples of Brutalist architecture in the country.

The Chancellor announced £1 million for a war memorial honouring Muslim soldiers who fought for our Armed Forces in both world wars and £10 million for culture and heritage projects in the West Midlands and £6 million for community regeneration projects across the country with the King’s Foundation.

There was also support for the creative industries which heritage is such an important part of. I was downstairs in the crypt trying on the virtual reality headsets seeing how we transform our business services at heritage sites. Of course these places and heritage are an inspiration for many of our creative stories.

And I’m delighted to say that Gift Aid legislation will be amended to ensure that charities can still claim Gift Aid while complying with new protections for consumers under the Digital Markets, Competition, and Consumers Bill – something I know that has been a concern for many organisations here today, and which our colleague Lord Mendoza has been taking up in the debates on that Bill.

But of course, there are always more areas which need our support. I couldn’t stand in this glorious, Grade II*-listed church – built with a grant from Parliament – without, first, thanking Canon Giles for hosting us, but also recognising that much of our ecclesiastical heritage is at risk, imperilling not just the buildings but also the communities and congregations they serve.

Since 2010, the Government has returned £346 million to churches, synagogues, mosques and temples through the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme.

Thousands of buildings have benefited – including, I’m glad to say, this one, which has received £1 million since 2015 for several works, including the installation of a new lift and the creation of a narthex café and welcome area.

But still many more could benefit from this scheme. That’s why, just before Christmas, I wrote to all MPs to highlight its positive impact in their constituencies, and to encourage more places of worship to take advantage of it.

But, as someone in a meeting I had recently put it, this scheme is about getting the tax back on works churches and others do; what they also need is help to fund that work in the first place. I recognise that, and am pleased to be working with the Church of England, the Churches Conservation Trust, the National Churches Trust, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic England, and others to see how we can provide that broader support for these cherished buildings and all the good things that they do.

Our work continues, but is stronger for being done together.

Another part of our heritage which is much cherished, but which also needs support, is our seaside heritage – something I’ve seen on my visits to coastal communities including Brighton, Eastbourne, Margate, Scarborough, Torquay, and my native North Tyneside.

Some of you have heard me extol the virtues of the Spanish City in Whitley Bay before – the Grade II-listed, neo-Baroque pleasure garden facing out across the North Sea in my hometown.

It is far from alone. Around our coastline, winter gardens, esplanades, harbours and piers remain at risk, whether from neglect, from salty water, or from the long overdue need to adapt to changing times.

That’s why I’m delighted to announce that we will soon be launching a dedicated fund to support enhancements to our seaside heritage, drawing on the successes of recent programmes like the High Streets Heritage Action Zones, to help protect and rejuvenate coastal assets which are in need of love and attention. As always, we’re keen to do that in collaboration with the brilliant people and organisations in the sector – so please watch out for more details, and help us make a difference to coastal communities across the country.

So, a busy year gone, and a busy year ahead – but none of the things I’ve mentioned would be possible without the support and hard work of the people and organisations represented here today.

Thank you for a year of powerful collaboration in support of our nation’s heritage – and here’s to many more!

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 29 February 2024.

TV personalities and social media influencers back the launch of a Government campaign to address the stigma around loneliness in young people.

• Loneliness Minister Stuart Andrew hosts meeting at 10 Downing Street to discuss loneliness among young people
• Former Made in Chelsea star Josh Patterson and influencer and entrepreneur Brontë King among the high profile media personalities to support
• Stars back launch of Government campaign to address the stigma around loneliness

Eastenders star Bobby Brazier and Love Island finalist Tasha Ghouri are among the TV personalities and social media influencers working to normalise loneliness among young people as part of a new Government campaign.

Research shows that 16 to 24 year olds are the loneliest age group and are also the least likely to take action to help themselves. Figures show that nearly half of students admit they have hidden their feelings of loneliness for fear of being judged.

In response, the Government is launching the next phase of its digital-led campaign to address the stigma around loneliness with young people.

For six weeks, video content will run across social media platforms including YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, showing people experiencing loneliness in everyday situations such as moving away from home and scrolling on social media.

Clips will feature the campaign’s new strapline, ‘Loneliness. It’s a part of life. Let’s talk about it’, which aims to normalise loneliness and create a conversation on the topic in order to reduce the stigma.

Ahead of the campaign launch, Loneliness Minister Stuart Andrew held a meeting at 10 Downing Street to enlist the help of high-profile figures with a combined following of 8.7 million across platforms on a pro bono basis.

Brontë King, Bobby Brazier and Tasha Ghouri were joined by star of Netflix’s Heartstopper Bradley Riches and social media influencer Anastasia Kingsnorth to discuss their personal experiences and thoughts on the subject.

Minister for Loneliness Stuart Andrew said:

We know that young people are the age group most affected by loneliness but they’re also the least likely to take action to support themselves.

Our latest campaign will encourage young people to talk about their experiences, aiming to break down the stigma that so often prevents people from getting support.

Everyone should know they are not alone and help is available.

Attendees of the round table offered their views on the causes of loneliness, spoke of their own personal experiences and suggested how they would support themselves or someone they knew if they were feeling lonely, such as getting involved in a hobby, club or inviting a friend for a tea or coffee and a chat.

Actor and Model Bobby Brazier:

Everyone feels lonely at points throughout their life because modern life can be very isolating.

That’s why being part of this campaign is so important to me, to show that it’s okay and encouraged to talk about our feelings.

Actor Bradley Riches said:

This campaign is extremely important to me because, as an autistic and queer individual, I have found myself extremely lonely at points throughout my life.

I think when people think of loneliness, they often think of older people, yet no one really talks about young people feeling lonely.

This campaign is helping to create a space for people to get support and break down the stigma, because in life everyone will feel lonely at some point.

Influencer and entrepreneur Brontë King said:

After starting a community to support girls during and after university, I have seen first-hand how common loneliness really is among 16 to 24 year olds.

From that first year of university to navigating post grad life, it really can be a lonely period of time. That’s why being part of this campaign, making loneliness more of a talked about topic and giving people space to realise these feelings are normal, is so important and something I am so proud to be a part of.

Media personality Tasha Ghouri said:

I’m proud to be a part of the loneliness campaign from the deaf representation side. It’s important to speak out whenever we feel lonely and normalise having these open conversations as it will help so many more people out there!

From my own personal experiences being deaf and wearing a cochlear implant, it can be isolating at times and I had to look for support to guide me through, opening up and talking about how you feel does so much more good than letting it in.

Social media influencer Anastasia Kingsnorth said:

Loneliness is a feeling that everyone has experienced at some stage, and it’s so important to understand that you are not alone in that feeling.

The hardest part can be admitting it, but admitting it yourself, then speaking to someone else, is a big step in combating loneliness. Everyone should know it’s okay to feel that way.

TV personality and athlete Josh Patterson said:

Loneliness can affect us all in life, and in many different ways. Although to the masses it can appear that someone has everything and be surrounded by people, for me personally, it’s been about facing some of my passions alone.

When not everyone understands you or supports you, it can be incredibly isolating. It’s taken me a long time to grow from these sorts of experiences as I’ve been exposed to so many different environments and people. The biggest lesson I’ve learnt is that loneliness for me is about the environment I’m in; on one side I may feel isolated, but it can take time to feel valued, nurtured, and supported and there are actions we can take to feel less alone in this journey.

This is the message I wish to spread so more people can see the light that is there waiting to be found.

Video clips and campaign activity will signpost to the Better Health: Every Mind Matters loneliness website page, where people will find support and advice on how they can help others, as well as information on support routes to help them feel less lonely too.

Discord, the online communication platform for the gaming world, will also be supporting the campaign by pointing users to resources on the Every Mind Matters website. As part of campaign activity, Discord will host a series of polls for their online community in March, helping to build up the supportive conversation around dealing with loneliness.

The latest phase of the campaign ran in September 2023 and targeted students preparing for freshers’ week amid research finding that loneliness is something experienced by almost all students.

Since the government made a commitment to tackle the stigma of loneliness in 2018, campaign activity has reached at least 25 million people across the country, including those most at risk of loneliness.

Since 2018, the Government and its partners have invested over £80 million in tackling loneliness, including up to £30 million allocated via the ‘Know Your Neighbourhood Fund’ creating volunteering opportunities and helping reduce loneliness in 27 disadvantaged areas.

Notes to editors:

• For support and advice on loneliness, search ‘Loneliness Every Mind Matters’.
• Previous ambassadors and supportive partners of the campaign have also included The Prince and Princess of Wales, the world’s number one dating app Tinder and Youth Mental Health Ambassador Dr. Alex George.
• The campaign toolkit includes new campaign assets, key messaging and suggested social media copy.
• The Government is supporting young people via its National Youth Guarantee, ensuring that by 2025 every young person will have access to regular clubs and activities, adventures away from home and opportunities to volunteer. This is supported by investment of over £500 million, £300 million of which will fund the building or refurbishment of youth centres via the Youth Investment Fund.
• Since its launch, the Youth Investment Fund has awarded over £250 million to 227 organisations.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 29 February 2024.

The Prime Minister has reappointed Robert Noel as a Trustee of the Natural History Museum.

Robert Noel

Appointed for a two year term commencing 24 April 2024.

Robert Noel’s career was spent in the real estate sector having started at property services firm Nelson Bakewell and becoming a Director in 1992. In 2002 he joined the Board of Great Portland Estates plc as Property Director.  In 2010 he joined the Board of Land Securities Group PLC as Managing Director of its London Portfolio and was subsequently appointed Group Chief Executive Officer in 2012.  He retired from Landsec in March 2020.

Mr Noel is currently Chair of Taylor Wimpey Plc; Chair of Hammerson plc and a Trustee of the Natural History Museum, where he is now being reappointed for a third term.

Mr Noel was previously a Trustee of LandAid the property industry charity.  He served on the Board of the British Property Federation from 2016-2020 and was its President in 2018/19. He also served on the Prime Minister’s Business Advisory Group in 2015-2016.

Remuneration and Governance Code

Trustees of the Natural History Museum are not remunerated. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments.

The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election.

Robert Noel  has not declared any significant political activity.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 29 February 2024.

The Secretary of State has appointed Shobi Khan and Kate Mosse CBE as Board Members to the British Library, for terms of 4 years commencing 1 March 2024.

Shobi Khan

Shobi Khan is the CEO of Canary Wharf Group (CWG). Previously, he served as President and Chief Operating Officer of GGP Inc. (a S&P 500 REIT). Prior to GGP, he served as the U.S. chief investment officer at Bentall Kennedy. Mr. Khan spent 11 years at Equity Office Properties Trust (a S&P 500 REIT), where he was the Senior Vice President of Investments. Mr. Khan served on the board of Alliance Shopping Centres (ALSO3, a public Brazilian mall owner) and the Chicago Public Library Foundation.

Kate Mosse CBE

Kate Mosse is an award-winning novelist, non-fiction author, playwright, campaigner and interviewer. The author of ten novels & short story collections, including The Languedoc Trilogy – Labyrinth, Sepulchre and Citadel – and No 1 bestselling Gothic fiction including The Winter Ghosts and The Taxidermist’s Daughter. Kate also has four works of non-fiction including the memoir An Extra Pair of Hands and Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries: How Women (Also) Built the World. Her latest international No 1 bestselling novel, The Ghost Ship, is the third in a quartet of historical novels, The Joubert Family Chronicles. Kate’s books have been translated into 37 languages and published in more than 40 countries.

In the New Year Honours list 2024, Kate was awarded a CBE for services to literature, to women and to charity. She is the founder director of the Women’s Prize for Fiction and the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction and the Founder of the global #WomaninHistory campaign. She was appointed a member of the Royal Society of Literature in 2022.

Kate was formerly Deputy Chair of the National Theatre. Active in her local community, Kate is a Visiting Professor of Creative Writing and Contemporary Fiction at the University of Chichester, President of the Festival of Chichester, Patron of the Consort of Twelve and the Chichester Festival of Music, Dance & Speech and Patron of the Chichester Cathedral Festival of Flowers for 2024.  She is also an Ambassador for Parkinson’s UK.

Remuneration and Governance Code

The Secretary of State has determined that remuneration at £9,130 per annum shall be payable to Kate Mosse. Shobi Khan has agreed to forgo the remuneration. Board Members are able to claim reasonable expenses in accordance with the British Library’s own rules.

These appointments have been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments.

The Governance Code requires that any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years is declared; this is defined as holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation or candidature for election. Shobi Khan and Kate Mosse have not declared any significant political activity.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 23 February 2024.

Stake limits for online slot games will be introduced for the first time in September, including lower limits for young adults, as the Government continues to roll out measures to protect people from gambling harms.

• Stake limits for online slot games introduced for the first time in September in landmark moment for regulation of online gambling
• Maximum £2 stake for 18 to 24-year-olds for online slot games to be introduced
• £5 limit for adults aged 25 and over brings stakes in-line with casinos

Easily accessible online slot games are one of the most addictive forms of gambling, and can be associated with large losses, long sessions, and binge play. Unlike land-based gaming machines, such as in casinos, they have no statutory stake limits.

To counter the increased risk of significant harm and life-changing losses from online slot games, the Government will introduce a £5 stake limit for adults aged 25 and over.

Responding to evidence, a lower level stake limit for young adults aged 18-24 years old will be set at £2 per spin. This age group has the highest average problem gambling score of any group, as well as lower disposable income, ongoing neurological development impacting risk perception and common life stage factors like managing money for the first time. The evidence also points to a stronger link between gambling related harm and suicide among young adults.

The decision follows a 10-week consultation period in which the majority of respondents agreed with the gambling white paper proposal to introduce statutory limits for online slot games to help reduce the risk of gambling harm. Consultation responses included views from industry, academics, treatment providers and individuals.

Gambling Minister Stuart Andrew said:

Although millions of people gamble safely every single day, the evidence shows that there is a significantly higher problem gambling rate for online slot games.

We also know that young adults can be more vulnerable when it comes to gambling related harms, which is why we committed to addressing both of these issues in our white paper.

The growing popularity of online gambling is clear to see, so this announcement will level the playing field with the land-based sector and is the next step in a host of measures being introduced this year that will protect people from gambling harms.

Evidence from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows that young adults can be particularly vulnerable to gambling related harm, with under 25s having the highest average problem gambling score of any age group.

NHS survey figures also show that there is a problem gambling rate of 8.7 per cent for online gambling on slots, casino or bingo games, one of the highest rates across gambling activities.

CEO of GambleAware Zoë Osmond said:

We welcome the Government’s announcement to introduce lower online stake limits for under 25s as an important mechanism to protect young people. Our research shows a concerning trend with this age group experiencing an increase in harm arising from gambling and online slots are very high-risk products.

As we continue our work to tackle this growing public health issue, we will collaborate with the Government and others across the gambling harms sector to ensure there are no missed opportunities when it comes to the introduction of robust preventative measures, including new regulations such as these.

The limits will come into force in September this year, following secondary legislation. There will be a six week transition period for operators to become compliant with the general £5 stake limit rules, followed by a further six weeks for the development of any necessary technical solutions to ensure operators are fully compliant with the lower stake limit of £2 for young adults aged 18-24.

Although most people gamble without issue, the restrictions introduced today are just some of the proposals set out in the Government’s white paper to modernise the gambling sector and make it fit for the digital age.

This includes the introduction of a statutory levy for research, prevention and treatment, as well as financial risk checks designed to prevent catastrophic, life-changing losses. The Gambling Commission and the Government continue to listen to concerns from campaigners, the wider public, and both the gambling and horse racing industries as part of the consultation process on these checks. The Gambling Commission continues to refine its approach on the design to achieve the right balance between protections and freedoms.

As well as introducing measures to protect people from gambling related harm, the white paper package contains proposals that will support the land-based gambling industry to thrive. The industry supports thousands of jobs across the country and the Government has been clear it does not want to harm its success.

Responses to the wider white paper measures will be published soon.

Notes to editors

• Read the full response to the consultation.
• Read ‘High Stakes: Gambling Reform in the Digital Age’.
• The White Paper drew on nearly 16,000 submissions to the Government’s Call for Evidence, representing views from across the entire sector including the industry, academia, the health sector, Members of Parliament, and those with experience of gambling-related harm.

The press release issued by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on 23 February 2024.

Arts and Heritage Minister Lord Parkinson unveils first official blue plaque outside London — to Daphne Steele, the first black matron in the NHS — in Ilkley, West Yorkshire.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 19 February 2024.

Local residents will be protected from being pushed out of their communities by excessive short-term lets thanks to changes in planning rules.

Local residents will be protected from being pushed out of their communities by excessive short-term lets thanks to changes in planning rules announced today.

Under the reforms councils will be given greater power to control short-term lets by making them subject to the planning process. This will support local people in areas where high numbers of short-term lets are preventing them from finding housing they can afford to buy or to rent.

These changes are part of a long-term plan to prevent a “hollowing out” of communities, address anti-social behaviour and ensure local people can continue to live in the place they call home.

Meanwhile, a new mandatory national register will give local authorities the information they need about short-term lets in their area. This will help councils understand the extent of short-term lets in their area, the effects on their communities, and underpin compliance with key health and safety regulations.

Short-term lets are now a significant part of the UK’s visitor economy, and can provide increased choice and flexibility for tourists and business travellers. To recognise this, homeowners will still be able to let out their own main or sole home for up to 90 nights throughout a year without planning permission and government is considering how to apply the register so it does not apply disproportionate regulation for example on property owners that let out their home infrequently.

Secretary of State for Levelling Up Housing and Communities, Michael Gove said:

Short-term lets can play an important role in the UK’s flourishing tourism economy, providing great, easily-accessible accommodation in some of the most beautiful parts of our country.

But in some areas, too many local families and young people feel they are being shut out of the housing market and denied the opportunity to rent or buy in their own community.

So the government is taking action as part of its long-term plan for housing. That means delivering more of the right homes in the right places, and giving communities the power to decide.

This will allow local communities to take back control and strike the right balance between protecting the visitor economy and ensuring local people get the homes they need.

Tourism Minister Julia Lopez said:

Short-term lets provide flexibility for homeowners and give tourists more accommodation options than ever before, but this should not prevent local people from being able to buy or rent homes in their area.

The government is committed to getting the balance right to ensure both local people and our visitor economy can thrive.

Amanda Cupples, General Manager for Northern Europe, Airbnb said:

The introduction of a short-term lets register is good news for everyone. Families who Host on Airbnb will benefit from clear rules that support their activity, and local authorities will get access to the information they need to assess and manage housing impacts and keep communities healthy, where necessary.

We have long led calls for the introduction of a Host register and we look forward to working together to make it a success.

The proposed planning changes would see a new planning ‘use class’ created for short-term lets not used as a sole or main home. Existing dedicated short-term lets will automatically be reclassified into the new use class and will not require a planning application.

The changes are part of the government’s long-term plan for housing, unlocking more of the homes this country needs and meeting the target to deliver one million homes this Parliament, backed by £10 billion investment.

The government also intends to introduce associated permitted development rights – one allowing for a property to be changed from a short-term let to a standard residential dwelling, and a second that would allow a property to be changed to a short-term let. Local authorities would be able to remove these permissions and require full planning permission if they deem it necessary.

Both of these measures are focussed on short-term lets, and therefore the planning changes and the register will not affect hotels, hostels or B&Bs.

Further details of these measures will be set out in the government’s response to the consultations, including the timeline for implementation of the register, the use class and the individual permitted development rights – with the changes being introduced from this summer.

Alistair Handyside MBE, Executive Chair of the Professional Association of Self Caterers UK (PASC UK), said:

We welcome the introduction of a registration scheme for short term lets in England. This is widely supported by accommodation providers and will finally provide real data on our sector. This is a first and important step to creating a level playing field for operators and we look forward to working with the government on the detail of the introduction of the register.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 14 February 2024.

The Secretary of State has reappointed Sonia Cargan and Rommel Pereira as Board Members of The National Archives.

Rommel Pereira

Appointed for a four year term, commencing on 01 May 2024.

Rommel Pereira is a Chartered Accountant and has been reappointed as a Non-Executive Board Member of The National Archives from 30th April 2024. He has previously held Board Director and executive leadership roles at the Bank of England, Financial Services Compensation Scheme, Metropolitan Housing Trust, JP Morgan Chase, Midland Bank and Reuters.

His non-executive directorships have included the public and not-for-profit sectors. He is currently on the Boards of Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, London Ambulance Service NHS Trust and Supply Chain Coordination Limited where he also chairs their Audit and Risk committees.

Sonia Cargan

Appointed for a four year term which commenced on 19 January 2024.

Sonia is currently the Chief Talent Officer at American Express, where she is responsible for creating the Global Talent Management, Leadership Development, Learning, Performance Management, Career Growth, and Internal Talent Mobility strategies and supporting initiatives for the company. She is also a member of the company’s Environmental Social and Governance Committee.

Prior to this position, Sonia spent 26 years serving in various leadership roles at American Express, including Vice President of HR in the UK and in Singapore, Senior HR Business Partner in New York City and, most recently the Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity Equity & Inclusion Officer. She was also a member of the Pension Trustee Board and is a board member of British American Business

Sonia holds a BA Honours in Social Administration from the University of Brighton and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. She was named one of Black Enterprise’s Most Powerful Women in Corporate Diversity 2019, features on the Cranfield ’50 Women to Watch 2019′ list, and has commented in a range of media on women in senior positions and diversity and inclusion.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 13 February 2024.

The Prime Minister has reappointed Dr Simon Thurley as Chair of the National Heritage Memorial Fund and The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Mukesh Sharma has been reappointed as Northern Ireland Trustee.

Dr Simon Thurley

Reappointed from 01 April 2024 to 31 March 2027

Dr. Simon Thurley was first appointed as Chair in 2021. He also serves on the Delivery Authority for the Restoration and Renewal of the Houses of Parliament and is chairman of the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation. Between 2015 and 2023 he was a trustee of the British Library and he played a role in setting up the Canal and River Trust, of which he was a trustee until 2015. In 2021-22 he was Provost of Gresham College.

Between 2002 and 2015 he was Chief Executive of English Heritage responsible for the National Heritage Collection of 420 sites including Stonehenge and Dover Castle, as well as for the National Heritage Protection system, including the listing of buildings. For five years from 1997 he was director of the Museum of London, the world’s largest city museum and its archaeological unit MoLAS.

For eight years in the 1990s he was Curator and Surveyor of the Fabric at Historic Royal Palaces leading various projects including the Restoration of the Privy Garden at Hampton Court. As a historian Simon has written thirteen books including a history of English Architecture, Building England and the story of heritage protection, Men from the Ministry. His latest book Palaces of Revolution won the Samuel Pepys Prize for 2023. In 2011 he was made CBE for services to heritage; he is married with two children and lives in Norfolk.

Mukesh Sharma

Reappointed from 31 August 2023 to 30 August 2026

Mukesh Sharma was born in England and raised in Northern Ireland within the Indian community. He has a breadth of experience in business growth and acquisition, organisational change, partnership working and advocacy in developing international partnerships.

Mukesh has spent more than 30 years in the travel, tourism and airline industry. He has worked in the UK and abroad, heading up a number of major companies during this time. He was awarded an MBE in 2016 for Services to the travel industry in Northern Ireland. In 2016, Mukesh was commissioned as Deputy Lieutenant of the County Borough of Belfast.

He has led many initiatives across Northern Ireland to promote the arts, community cohesion and the prevention of racism, sectarianism and hate crime. He serves as a board member of a number of charities including ArtsEkta, The Goliath Trust, Moving on Music and is a committee member of The Prince’s Trust Northern Ireland and chair of the Northern Ireland advisory board for Barnardos. Since 2006 he has been a festival director of the Belfast Mela and from 2006-2013 he was Chair of Newtownabbey Borough Council Good Relations Partnership.

In 2016, Mukesh was appointed to the Northern Ireland Executive Commission on Flags, Identity, Culture and Tradition. The commission, made up of political and non-political representatives, undertook a programme of work to shape a Northern Ireland free from segregation and division. The commission’s work ended in 2020 with the submission of a report to the First and Deputy First Minister.

In April 2023, he was appointed as a member of The Northern Ireland Policing Board, an independent public body which oversees The Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Remuneration and Governance Code

The Chair of the Board of Trustees of the National Lottery Heritage Fund is remunerated at £40,000 per annum and the Northern Ireland Trustee is remunerated at £20,749 per annum. These appointments have been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Simon Thurley and Mukesh Sharma have declared no political activity.