Tag: Department for Culture and Media

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 27 July 2023.

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has appointed Declan Keeney as the Northern Ireland Governor to the British Film Institute Board for a term of 4 years.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 27 July 2023.

The Prime Minister has appointed Victoria Siddall as Cultural Trustee to the National Portrait Gallery for a term of four years.

The press release issued by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on 26 July 2023.

The Prime Minister has reappointed Sir Guy Weston and Professor Margaret MacMillan as trustees of the Imperial War Museum.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 26 July 2023.

A public consultation process has been launched to look at how to conduct financial risk checks for problem gambling and at what level stake limits should be set for people playing online slot games.

• Government launches online slot stake-limit consultation as part of plans to curb harmful gambling
• Gambling Commission also launches consultation on how financial risk checks will work to make sure people are not accumulating life-changing losses
• Outdated rules which restrict casinos and bingo halls will be looked at as part of the consultation

A public consultation process has been launched to look at how to conduct financial risk checks for problem gambling and at what level stake limits should be set for people playing online slot games.

The move is the next step of the Government’s gambling white paper to update gambling rules for the smartphone era and protect those at risk of gambling harm including young adults.

The gambling industry, clinicians, academics, those with firsthand experience of harm, and the general public are invited to share their views.

Gambling Minister Stuart Andrew said:

Three months ago we laid out proposals to update gambling laws and make them fit for the smartphone age.

Slot machines in casinos, arcades and betting shops have strict stake limits but very similar games online have none, which can lead to very large and rapid losses of money.

Today we are launching a consultation for a range of views on what the stake limit should be. I encourage you to have your say.

Online slot games are deemed a higher-risk gambling product, associated with large losses, long sessions and binge play.

According to NHS England surveys, 8.5 per cent of online slots, casino and bingo players report experiencing problem gambling, which is nearly 20 times higher than the adult population average. But unlike gaming machines in pubs, arcades and bookmakers, online slot games have no stake limits, which can make it too easy to incur potentially life-changing losses in minutes.

The Government is consulting on a maximum stake of between £2 and £15 per spin.

Public Health England research has also shown younger adults can be particularly vulnerable to gambling harms, due to a combination of common factors such as ongoing cognitive development and managing money for the first time.

The Government is also consulting on options to introduce greater protections when playing slots for 18 to 24-year-olds, such as lower stake limits of £2, £4, or requirements on operators to consider age as a risk factor for gambling-related harm.

While the online sector has seen significant growth since the 2005 Gambling Act, casinos and bingo halls continue to operate under outdated rules from that time, restricting their ability to compete.

Recommendations in today’s consultations will allow the land-based sector to thrive sustainably, respond to customer demand, and continue to recover from the impacts of Covid, while still protecting customers.

Gambling Commission Executive Director for research and policy Tim Miller said:

These consultations from the Government and the Gambling Commission offer the opportunity for people to have their say on proposals aimed at empowering and protecting consumers. Their launch represents a key moment in turning the commitments in the White Paper into reality.

Alongside the Government consultations, the Gambling Commission has also today published its own 12-week consultation on financial risk checks. These checks will force gambling operators to conduct checks to see if unusually high losses are likely to be harmful.

The Commission will also consult on improving consumer choice and giving players more control on direct marketing, meaning they will have options to opt-in to products and choose the channels they wish to receive marketing through.

Consultations to reduce the speed and intensity of online games, strengthen age verification in premises, look at management licences for operators and the processes of the Commission’s regulatory panel have also started today.

Later this summer, the Government will also launch a consultation on the details of the new gambling operator levy, a charge on betting companies, to fund gambling research, education and treatment, exploring options for the design of the levy, the amount to be collected, funding distribution and governance.

Health Minister Will Quince said:

Harmful gambling has widespread impacts. It affects more than people’s money, but their relationships and health as well.

We are working to protect people from the damaging impacts of harmful gambling by improving treatment options with specialist NHS gambling addiction treatment services.

Seven new gambling clinics will open this summer bringing vital support to more parts of the country, on top of the eight that are already open.

We will be working to better understand the evidence received in order to inform our approach.

The stake limit consultation published today will be open for 8 weeks, with the land based consultation lasting 10 weeks. Those with views or evidence to contribute are invited to do so via the gov.uk page.

The press release issued by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on 25 July 2023.

New rules to crack down on illegal ads, influencer scams and protect children online.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 24 July 2023.

Charities and community organisations carrying out vital work to help vulnerable people are invited to apply for a major government support package

• Most vulnerable people in society protected from cost of living with £76 million government support package
• New fund supporting charities and community organisations providing vital services opens today
• Grants targeted at organisations struggling with rising costs and increased demand
• Delivers on Prime Minister’s commitment to support people with cost of living and protect low-income households

Charities and community organisations carrying out vital work to help vulnerable people are today invited to apply for a major government support package worth £76 million.

The fund will support frontline charities and community organisations struggling to meet increased demand for their critical services, such as the provision of food, emergency provisions, shelter, safe spaces, warmth and financial or housing advice.

This delivers on the Prime Minister’s commitment to support people with the cost of living and protect low-income households from rising costs.

Organisations can apply for grants worth between £10,000 and £75,000 to cover project and core costs, including office rent, utilities, staff and volunteers, from now until the end of March.

Minister for Civil Society Stuart Andrew said:

We recognise this is a tough time for families and businesses across the country, as they face rising prices and higher rents or mortgage payments.

And during tough times charity and community organisations are at the heart of society, supporting people struggling through life with care and compassion.

To deal with a sharp rise in demand resulting from cost of living pressures, we are supporting charities with £76 million to enable these lifeline services to cope with the increased demand they are facing and continue their good work.

The Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund is the first portion of funding from a total pot of £101.5 million announced by the Chancellor at the Spring Budget. Charities and community organisations are encouraged to apply for the targeted support, with a focus on small to medium-sized voluntary, community or social enterprise organisations based in England.

David Knott, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Community Fund said:

We are pleased to be working alongside DCMS to distribute this funding on behalf of Government through the Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund.

This much-needed money will support charities and groups across England working under immense pressure to deliver critical services to communities struggling with the impact of the cost of living.

The remaining quarter of the funding announced at Budget, worth £25.5 million, will be used to fund measures over the next two years to help the long term energy and financial resilience of voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations, as well as supporting the Government’s commitment to meeting a net zero target by 2050. Details on the application process will be announced later this year.

Applications will be accepted until 16 October 2023. Further details on eligibility and the applications process can be found on The National Lottery Community Fund website, in their role as the intermediary grant maker.

The remaining quarter of the funding announced at Budget, worth £25.5 million, will be used to fund measures over the next two years to help the long term energy and financial resilience of voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations, as well as supporting the Government’s commitment to meeting a net zero target by 2050. Details on the application process will be announced later this year.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 20 July 2023.

His Majesty the King has appointed Michael Smyth CBE KC (Hon) as the Northern Ireland Member of the BBC Board.

Michael Smyth CBE KC (Hon)

Appointed for a four year term commencing 20 July 2023 to 19 July 2027.

Michael Smyth is an experienced lawyer and regulator. For 20 years, he was a partner in international law firm Clifford Chance, latterly as head of the firm’s government and public policy practice and leading on assignments including the Hutton Inquiry and a number of high-profile corporate crises.

He wrote the textbook Business and the Human Rights Act and is also joint author of works on political donations and sanctions law.

He has been Senior Independent Director at the Legal Services Board, the oversight regulator of the legal profession and also been a member of the Press Complaints Commission. He was also a founder director of the Fundraising Regulator, and was for two terms a member of the Advisory Council on National Records and Archives.

Amongst his many not-for-profit activities, he was for a decade chair of Protect, the whistleblowing charity and later Community Links, the pioneering east London charity.

Michael, who was born in Northern Ireland, is also non-executive chair of Glastry Advisory Partners, a music management company.

Remuneration and Governance Code

The BBC Northern Ireland Member is remunerated £38,000 a year. 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.

Article 23(10) of the BBC’s Royal Charter requires the agreement of Northern Ireland’s Executive Committee to make this appointment. On 6 December 2022 the Northern Ireland Office secured passage of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2022. This includes provision on the exercise of appointment functions in the absence of the Executive Committee, including section 7 on public appointments. This came into force on 7 February by virtue of S.I 2023/89 (C.7). The effect of section 7 is to convert the Royal Charter’s requirement to obtain the agreement of the Executive Committee to a requirement to consult a Northern Ireland department during the current period in which there is no Executive. The Department for Communities were consulted on this appointment and confirmed it was content for this appointment to proceed.

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. Michael Smyth KC CBE (Hon) has not declared any significant political activity.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 13 July 2023.

Export bar placed on £2.9 million chandelier to allow time for a UK institution to acquire the work.

• Avant-garde bronze chandelier commissioned by Peter Watson in 1940s
• Giacometti is regarded as one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century

A unique bronze chandelier designed by renowned Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti shortly after the Second World War is at risk of leaving the UK unless a domestic buyer can be found.

The chandelier, which is worth £2,922,000 plus VAT, is made from bronze and has a multi-layered armature, with sharply pointed branches radiating out from a central stem. Each socket is decorated with organic detailing and hanging from the base of the main stem is a punctuated sphere.

The piece was commissioned in 1947 from Giacometti by Peter Watson, a significant figure in the cultural life of mid-century Britain whose patronage of the arts and the influential Horizon magazine helped shape modern British painting, sculpture, and literature.

The piece is particularly valuable given Giacometti is widely regarded as one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century and it was  commissioned specifically for the offices of Horizon magazine. As a result, the chandelier is of particular interest for the study of mid-century European avant-garde art.

Arts & Heritage Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said:

Giacometti’s masterful exploration of space and use of bronze in this extraordinary chandelier provided a centrepiece for cultural discussion in post-war London as it hung in the offices of avant garde magazine, Horizon.

It is a prime example of sculptors blurring the boundaries between function and art in the decorative arts.

The minister’s decision follows the advice of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest (RCEWA).

Andrew Hochhauser KC, Chair RCEWA said:

Giacometti’s bronze chandelier was commissioned in about 1947 by Peter Watson, a significant figure in cultural life in the mid-20th century, a great patron of the arts in Britain and the co-founder of the literary and cultural magazine, Horizon, for its new offices in Bedford Square. It is an exceptional realisation of Giacometti’s work in the decorative arts and is the only known UK decorative art commission by the leading 20th century sculptor. It offers outstanding opportunities for the study of this neglected area of Giacometti’s output and the meeting of European avant-garde art and decorative arts in the mid-twentieth century. I sincerely hope it can find a home in this country where it can be studied and enjoyed.

The committee made its recommendation on the basis that the chandelier met the first, second and third Waverley criteria for its outstanding connection with our history and national life, its outstanding aesthetic importance and its outstanding significance to the study of Giacometti’s work in the decorative arts and the meeting of European avant-garde art and decorative arts in the mid-20th century.

The decision on the export licence application for the chandelier will be deferred for a period ending on 12th November 2023. At the end of the first deferral period owners will have a consideration period of 15 Business Days to consider any offer(s) to purchase the chandelier at the recommended price of £2,922,000 (plus VAT of £104,000 which can be reclaimed by an eligible institution). The second deferral period will commence following the signing of an Option Agreement and will last for four months.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 13 July 2023.

The Secretary of State has reappointed Paul Darling OBE KC as Chairman for a 4 year term and Anne Lambert CMG as Independent Member for a 2 year and 9 month term commencing on 01 April 2024.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 13 July 2023.

Former England and Great Britain footballer turned pundit Karen Carney MBE has today published her major independent review into the future of domestic women’s football.

• Former Lioness Karen Carney MBE publishes findings and recommendations of her review into the future of domestic women’s football
• Review was commissioned by UK Government following England’s UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 success and is published in the build-up to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023
• Report recommends raising minimum standards across the game and calls for the Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship to become fully professional environments

Former England and Great Britain footballer turned pundit Karen Carney MBE has today published her major review into the future of domestic women’s football, calling for the Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship to become fully professional environments, and a new dedicated broadcast slot for women’s football.

The findings in the independent report, commissioned by the Government in September 2022, examine the opportunities and challenges for the women’s and girls’ game – from the commercial future of the elite game to the current professional environment, the fan experience and women and girls’ experiences of participating in grassroots football. It sets out a route to lift minimum standards and deliver bold and sustainable growth at elite and grassroots levels.

Since the launch of the review, Carney has met with a wide variety of stakeholders from across the game. This includes the technical staff and players at Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship clubs, former players, the football authorities and representatives from organisations across women’s sport and beyond to discuss the issues facing the game’s development.

She has also met with financial and commercial experts, alongside major broadcasters and sponsors to discuss the game’s financial health and future revenue opportunities.

Chair of the review of domestic women’s football Karen Carney MBE said:

Following the Lionesses’ unforgettable success in 2022 and as we look ahead to the World Cup, it is clear that domestic women’s football has reached a defining moment.

This review has enabled us to get a comprehensive understanding of the state of the game, and how we can capitalise on the current momentum.

It is clear that the women’s game in this country can become a world leading sport that not only generates immense economic and social value, but sets the standards for women’s professional sport globally.

These recommendations must be a blueprint for how this can be achieved, and must be acted upon with urgency.

The review makes ten recommendations:

• The new standalone company tasked with running the Women’s Super League (WSL) and Women’s Championship, NewCo, should not settle for anything less than world leading standards for players, fans, staff and everybody involved in the women’s game.
• The FA needs to fix the talent pathway to create generation after generation of world-beating Lionesses. As part of this:
  • The FA should choose a strategic partner willing to invest in building a sustainable pipeline of domestic talent.
  • Clubs should be allowed access to an increased pool of international talent while the domestic pathway is fixed.
• The Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship should become fully professional environments designed to attract, develop and sustain the best playing talent in the world. This means the FA:
  • Addressing the gulf in minimum operating standards between the two leagues (specifically minimum contact time with a player, and player salaries).
  • Providing gold standard physical and mental health provision.
  • Mandating elite training facilities for players.
  • Mandating a world leading parental package.
  • Funding full union representation to both tiers.
  • Uplifting duty of care provision for players.
  • Offering best-in-class career transition support for players leaving the professional game.
• The FA should urgently address the lack of diversity across the women’s game – in on and off-pitch roles.
• The FA, Premier League, EFL and broadcasters should work together to carve out a new dedicated broadcast slot for women’s football (last season most WSL matches kicked off at 11.30am on Saturdays and 6.45pm on Sundays).
• Clubs must better value and support their fans – the FA should raise minimum standards to enforce this.
• The Government must deliver on recent commitments around equal access to school sports for girls.
• Everyone involved in funding grassroots facilities – the Government, local authorities, the FA and Premier League – must come together to increase investment to accommodate meaningful access for women and girls to play sport.
• The FA, Premier League and Football Foundation should work together to make sure women and girls are benefitting from funding flowing into facilities across the pyramid.
• As the FA hands over the responsibility for running the Women’s Super League and Championship to NewCo, it must now place more focus on the development of grassroots clubs and the rest of the women’s football pyramid.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said:

I want to pay tribute to Karen Carney and her panel of experts for all the hard work and dedication they have put into producing such an important review.

After the joy of last summer when the Lionesses lifted the Women’s EURO 2022 trophy, and as we approach the Women’s World Cup in just a few days time, we are at a milestone for women’s sport.

Women’s football in particular has huge potential to improve the lives of women and girls and offer a special and accessible sporting environment for fans. Everyone involved in the game must consider the recommendations made in this report and help to take the game to the next level.

The findings and recommendations have been developed with the support of a panel of experts. It includes former professional footballer turned pundit Ian Wright, former Lionesses Head Coach Hope Powell, Chair of the Professional Game Academy Audit Company and Director of the Women in Football group Jane Purdon, NFL Head of Europe and UK and former CEO of World Rugby Brett Gosper, former Deloitte Global Lead Partner for Sports Business Dan Jones and Secretary General of the International Working Group on Women and Sport Lisa O’Keefe.

The Government will set out its full response to the recommendations in the autumn.