Tag: Department for Digital and Culture

The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 30 August 2022.

The new telecoms security regulations will be among the strongest in the world and will provide much tougher protections for the UK from cyber threats which could cause network failure or the theft of sensitive data.

The Telecommunications (Security) Act, which became law in November, gives the government powers to boost the security standards of the UK’s mobile and broadband networks, including the electronic equipment and software at phone mast sites and in telephone exchanges which handle internet traffic and telephone calls.

Currently, telecoms providers are responsible for setting their own security standards in their networks. However, the government’s Telecoms Supply Chain Review found providers often have little incentive to adopt the best security practices.

The new regulations and code of practice, developed with the National Cyber Security Centre and Ofcom, set out specific actions for UK public telecoms providers to fulfil their legal duties in the Act. They will improve the UK’s cyber resilience by embedding good security practices in providers’ long term investment decisions and the day-to-day running of their networks and services.

The substance of the final regulations has been confirmed by the government following a response to a public consultation on them published today. The regulations are to make sure providers:

– protect data processed by their networks and services, and secure the critical functions which allow them to be operated and managed
protect software and equipment which monitor and analyse their networks and services

– have a deep understanding of their security risks and the ability to identify when anomalous activity is taking place with regular reporting to internal boards

– take account of supply chain risks, and understand and control who has the ability to access and make changes to the operation of their networks and services to enhance security

Digital Infrastructure Minister Matt Warman said:

“We know how damaging cyber attacks on critical infrastructure can be, and our broadband and mobile networks are central to our way of life.

We are ramping up protections for these vital networks by introducing one of the world’s toughest telecoms security regimes which secure our communications against current and future threats.”

NCSC Technical Director Dr Ian Levy said:

“We increasingly rely on our telecoms networks for our daily lives, our economy and the essential services we all use.

These new regulations will ensure that the security and resilience of those networks, and the equipment that underpins them, is appropriate for the future.”

The regulations will be laid as secondary legislation in Parliament shortly, alongside a draft code of practice providing guidance on how providers can comply with them.

Ofcom will oversee, monitor and enforce the new legal duties and have the power to carry out inspections of telecoms firms’ premises and systems to ensure they’re meeting their obligations. If companies fail to meet their duties, the regulator will be able to issue fines of up to 10 per cent of turnover or, in the case of a continuing contravention, £100,000 per day.

From October, providers will be subject to the new rules and Ofcom will be able to use its new powers to ensure providers are taking appropriate and proportionate measures to meet their security duties and follow the guidance within the code of practice. This includes:

– identifying and assessing the risk to any ‘edge’ equipment that is directly exposed to potential attackers. This includes radio masts and internet equipment supplied to customers such as Wi-Fi routers and modems which act as entry points to the network

– keeping tight control of who can make network-wide changes

– protecting against certain malicious signalling coming into the network which could cause outages;

– having a good understanding of risks facing their networks

– making sure business processes are supporting security (e.g. proper board accountability)

Providers will be expected to have achieved these outcomes by March 2024. The code of practice will set out further timeframes for completion of other measures. The code will be updated periodically to ensure it keeps pace with any evolving cyber threats.

The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 30 August 2022.

– New data shows lightning-fast gigabit broadband now available for 70% of UK homes and businesses

– Prime Minister visits Dorset as first Project Gigabit contract awarded, putting more than 7,000 hard-to-reach properties in the digital fast lane by 2025

Coverage has soared from seven per cent in 2019, meaning nearly 20m premises connected since the Prime Minister took office
The Prime Minister has announced a lightning-fast broadband boost for homes and businesses in rural Dorset, as new data shows gigabit broadband now available for 70% of UK homes and businesses.

It comes as work kicks off on the first major contract under the government’s £5 billion Project Gigabit – the biggest broadband roll out in British history.

New data to be published by independent website ThinkBroadband, shows 7 in 10 UK properties can access the fastest and most reliable internet connections needed for families and businesses to take full advantage of revolutionary new advances in technology in the coming decades.

This represents a meteoric rise since Prime Minister Boris Johnson took office in 2019 when gigabit coverage stood at just 7%, demonstrating levelling up in action with a total of nearly 20 million premises connected since then and turbocharged progress by industry towards the government’s target of 85% coverage by 2025.

In the last five months alone, one million premises have been connected to gigabit networks, a tremendous achievement given the first million premises took more than eight years to connect. The rate at which gigabit-capable internet connections are installed has increased threefold, with companies like Wessex Internet connecting premises at a rate of one every seven seconds.

The Prime Minister is in North Dorset today to see plans and preparations for how more than 7,000 hard-to-reach premises struggling with slow speeds will be connected under a £6 million contract awarded by the government to Wessex Internet. The first home will be connected by the end of the year, with an expected completion date for all by 2025. The project will cover the rural outskirts of towns, villages and hamlets across the region from Sherborne to Verwood and Shaftesbury to Blandford Forum.

The signing marks the start of a flurry of Project Gigabit delivery contracts to be awarded over the coming months. As part of the programme, the government has already launched procurements totalling over £690 million aiming to cover up to 498,000 premises, with work due to begin to connect hard-to-reach areas in Cornwall, Cambridgeshire, Cumbria, and several areas across north east England before the end of the year.

Project Gigabit is the government’s record £5 billion scheme to bring the fastest, most reliable broadband to areas considered too difficult or expensive to connect under the broadband industry’s commercial plans. Government funding will complement industry investment to ensure that these harder to reach areas benefit from the same gigabit broadband as the rest of the country, enabling businesses to grow by using digital technology to boost their productivity and giving people living in more remote areas better access to good jobs.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

“From Sherbourne to Stirling, lightning-fast broadband is levelling up towns and villages across the country.

“In just three years we have increased the coverage of gigabit broadband from seven per cent of households to 70%, and I am proud that today more than 20 million households, businesses and organisations are able to tap into rapid and reliable internet, unleashing their potential, creating opportunities and driving growth across the country.”

Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries said:

“Today we enter an exciting new phase of our £5 billion Project Gigabit digital connectivity programme by signing our first major contract in Dorset. Thousands of hard-to-reach homes and businesses in the region will get access to faster connections and join the 20 million properties we’ve helped connect over the last three years.

“The benefits of better broadband connectivity cannot be underestimated and this work will mean those living in rural areas can enjoy 21st century speeds in the home and workplace, making their lives easier and more productive”

Gigabit broadband can provide speeds of more than 1,000 megabits per second, more than thirty times faster than copper-based superfast broadband, which is currently available to 97 per cent of UK premises. While superfast is fast enough for most people’s needs today, gigabit-capable connections will provide the speeds and reliability Britain needs for decades into the future.

Entire families will be able stream movies, TV and video games in high quality 4K and 8K definition onto multiple devices at the same time with no slowdowns in speed. It will underpin revolutionary new technologies such as Virtual and Augmented Reality and more internet-connected appliances in the home and the workplace to make our lives easier and more productive.

It will enable anyone to start-up and run a business of any size from even the most remote areas of the UK.

More than 740,000 premises have been connected through government funding so far, mainly through extending the government’s Superfast programme to provide gigabit-capable connections, the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme and initiatives to put public services in the digital fast lane by connecting hospitals, GP surgeries, libraries and other public buildings.

Today’s announcement for Dorset is the first large-scale scheme under Project Gigabit to deliver gigabit connections to a regional area en-masse. Millions of rural homes and businesses across the UK are in line for an upgrade thanks to dozens of these multi-million pound contracts, making Project Gigabit one of the largest national infrastructure projects of recent times.

The announcement follows the confirmation last month that hundreds of thousands of pupils living in the countryside will enjoy lessons powered by better digital connections as the government invests to level up internet access for up to 3,000 rural primary schools, with an £82 million investment to help an estimated half a million primary school children.

Now the contract in Dorset has been awarded, the government will work with Wessex Internet and the local authority to begin planning the construction of the gigabit-capable network, with spades set to enter the ground in the coming weeks.

Today’s news follows the announcement of plans to connect more than 2,600 hard-to-reach premises in Scotland to gigabit speeds as part of a £36 million investment with the Scottish Government. The expansion of the R100 network includes a £16 million boost from Project Gigabit.

The latest Project Gigabit quarterly update from Building Digital UK (BDUK), an Executive Agency of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, details the progress being made to roll out gigabit broadband across the UK and will be published later this week.

Hector Gibson Fleming, CEO of Wessex Internet, said:

“We’re thrilled to have been awarded the first contract under the government’s £5 billion Project Gigabit programme.

“As a business based in North Dorset, our priority has always been to bring fast, reliable broadband to rural communities overlooked by other providers. We believe passionately that rural areas must have access to gigabit-capable connectivity and the exciting benefits it brings for homes, businesses and communities.

“Over the last four years, we have connected thousands of homes and businesses across the South West to full fibre broadband and are excited to accelerate our roll out further with this new contract.”

Cllr Jill Haynes, Dorset Council’s portfolio holder for Corporate Development and Transformation, said:

“This significant government investment in Dorset is great news for communities and businesses that would otherwise have been left behind as the country moves to gigabit-capable broadband.

“Good broadband connection has never been more important as we rebuild the economy after the pandemic.

“We look forward to working with Wessex Internet and the government on this exciting development in technology, which will greatly benefit some of the most rural parts of our county.”

Andrew Ferguson, Editor of thinkbroadband, said:

“With seven out of 10 premises now able to order a gigabit option and over half of those are actually future proof full fibre shows that the UK broadband market is generally delivering on its rollout targets.

“Of course at a time when many people are looking for savings on their household bills buying a gigabit service is going to seem a luxury but one of the advantages of full fibre is you can enjoy the improved reliability even when buying the entry level services and even an entry level Fibre to the Premise (FTTP) product will be faster than an old partial fibre service where speeds are impacted by distance to the cabinet.”

The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 29 August 2022.

• Baroness Bull to draw on her long and successful career in the arts and higher education to convene and chair expert panel which will oversee the development of the new plan
• She brings a wide range of expertise, first as a dancer in The Royal Ballet, then as a creative leader at the Royal Opera House and also having served on the boards of the South Bank Centre and Arts Council England

Schools Minister Will Quince and Arts Minster Lord Parkinson have jointly appointed crossbench peer Baroness Bull as the Chair of the Expert Advisory Panel for the upcoming Cultural Education Plan.

The plan was announced in the Schools White Paper, Opportunity for All, in March 2022 and will be published next year. The full panel membership will be announced later this year, and will include school and cultural sector leaders, and other experts in cultural education.

The plan aims to articulate and highlight the importance of high-quality cultural education in schools, promote the social value of cultural and creative education, outline and support career progression pathways, address skills gaps and tackle disparities in opportunity and outcome.

The Government will work closely with Arts Council England, the British Film Institute, Historic England and National Lottery Heritage Fund on the project.

Baroness Bull has had extensive expertise in the arts, both as a performer in the Royal Ballet, within creative leadership at the Royal Opera House and in governance roles on the boards of the South Bank Centre and Arts Council England. Over the last decade she has also worked in higher education, developing partnerships between the university sector and arts and cultural organisations. She co-chairs the APPG on Creative Diversity.

In addition, Baroness Bull has served on the boards of the South Bank Centre and Arts Council England, was a governor of the BBC, a judge for the 2010 Booker Prize and a member of the governing body of the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

The Cultural Education Plan Expert Panel members will be appointed in Autumn 2022.

Chair of the Expert Advisory Panel Baroness Bull said:

“Every child should have the opportunity to explore their individual and creative potential through high-quality cultural education.

I’m delighted to be appointed to the role and look forward to working with the panel to develop a rich and diverse Cultural Education Plan that will deliver for children right across the country.”

Notes

• This is a voluntary position and there will be no remuneration for the role.
• The expert advisory panel for the Cultural Education Plan will be appointed by the Minister for School Standards and the Minister for Arts.
• Baroness Bull is a crossbench peer in the House of Lords, so serves in a non-party political capacity.

The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 28 August 2022.

• Known as X-UK, the project will acquire works by exciting British artists to go on display in more than 125 countries
• The collection will work with networks to support standout artists to showcase the best of Britain to the world

Contemporary British artists are set to benefit from a new scheme which will see their work displayed in the country’s network of embassies and government buildings around the world.

The Government Art Collection (GAC), which is part of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), is launching a five-year acquisitions project to acquire works from exciting talent and showcase the best of British creativity – promoting further interest in the country’s globally renowned creative sector.

GAC will work with the Contemporary Visual Arts Network in England, the Scottish Contemporary Art Network, and networks in Wales and Northern Ireland to identify the next generation of potential artistic stars.

The X-UK project initially ran as a successful pilot scheme in 2020-21 when more than 90 pieces by 45 contemporary visual artists were acquired for the collection. These works are now on display in government buildings around the country and internationally in British embassies and residences including Paris, Ankara, The Holy See in Rome, and 10 Downing Street.

The pilot revealed the impact that an acquisition by the Government Art Collection can have on an artist’s career by helping to bring their art to new audiences and raising their profiles.

Glasgow-based artist Alberta Whittle went on to represent Scotland at the 59th Biennale di Venezia in 2022 and currently has pieces on display in the National Galleries of Scotland following the pilot scheme’s acquisition of her work.

The acquisition of work by Manish Harijan led to his being granted a global talent visa by the British Council, and Ghanian-born artist Harold Offeh saw his art join a national collection for the first time in his career.

Arts Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said:

“This fantastic new scheme will shine a light on the UK’s brilliant up-and-coming artists and promote our cutting-edge creative industries on the world stage.

The five-year X-UK project aims to be a true reflection of every part of the United Kingdom and will bring some of our most exciting artists to audiences in more than 125 countries.”

UK Government Minister for Scotland Iain Stewart said:

“As the Edinburgh summer festivals draw to a close, the international appetite for Scottish culture and creativity has never been more apparent. Through the UK Government’s extensive global network of embassies and residencies, this fantastic project will showcase the best of Scottish creative talent to the world and help raise the global profile of our outstanding homegrown visual artists.”

Secretary of State for Wales, Sir Robert Buckland said:

“I’m delighted that the UK Government is supporting contemporary Welsh art. Acquiring pieces by emerging artists for the Government Art Collection immediately provides publicity and recognition and showcases this wonderful work to the world.

Wales has a rich heritage of celebrated artists from Richard Wilson’s 18th century landscapes to Gwen John and Sir Kyffin Williams, and it’s great to see the new generation of Welsh talent supported and promoted by the X-UK project.”

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Shailesh Vara said:

“The X-UK project by the Government Art Collection is a wonderful opportunity to showcase the very best of Northern Ireland’s artistic talent alongside the rest of the United Kingdom in over 125 countries across the world.

I am excited to see the high calibre of artwork, which will undoubtedly serve as a fantastic springboard for new and emerging artists from Northern Ireland to display their talent on the world stage.”

Contemporary visual artist Manish Harijan said:

“Coming from the foothills of the Himalayas in Nepal, this is a valuable opportunity that has opened doors for me into the art world. Connecting with important art networks like CVAN Yorkshire and Humber, who nominated me to the Government Art Collection, has been inspiring, and following the acquisition of my work by the Collection, the British Council granted me a Global Talent visa.”

Contemporary visual artist Harold Offeh said:

“As a Cambridge-based artist having my work selected for the Government Art Collection was a huge boost. The recognition and validation of my practice has been extremely encouraging, and I’m excited to be part of a national collection for the first time.”

The project will also provide a focus for the Government Art Collection’s public engagement activity with artists and young creatives during this five-year period. This will include work in 2022-23 with Glynn Vivian Art Gallery in Swansea, the Museum-in-Residence in 10 Downing Street, and work in Bradford during its time as UK City of Culture in 2025-26.

The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 27 August 2022.

• Minister encourages  more museums and galleries to join the scheme
• Those added to the scheme in 2020 are set to benefit from more than £70 million

Museums and galleries are being urged to apply for VAT refunds to support opening free of charge as part of plans to boost visitor numbers and give more people access to arts and culture.

Any museum and gallery open to the public free of charge for 30 hours a week can apply. It will help organisations boost their finances and open up their collections more regularly.

The VAT Refund Scheme, which has been running since 2001, was last open to new applicants in 2018/19 and is estimated to have refunded up to around £1 billion to museums and galleries so far.

Ahead of a speech at the Edinburgh International Culture Summit, Arts Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay today announced that the scheme will reopen for new applications in the autumn.

He is encouraging museums and galleries which are considering putting on exhibitions for free, as well as institutions already eligible but not currently taking advantage of the scheme, to apply.

Arts Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said:

“The UK’s brilliant museums and galleries can be proud of the huge range of free exhibitions they put on and the role they play in increasing access to arts and culture.

We want to see even more museums offering free entry, and to support organisations which are providing great opportunities for the public to enjoy.

I encourage cultural institutions across the UK to apply for the VAT refund scheme so they can help make sure people from all backgrounds get to experience great arts and culture for free.”

Institutions taking part in the scheme are entitled to a refund on VAT incurred on goods and services which are purchased in order to provide free admission. A total of 159 sites across the UK currently benefit from the scheme, including  the People’s History Museum in Manchester, the Peter Scott Gallery in Lancaster, the Burns House Museum in Kilmarnock, Falkirk’s Callendar House, the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh, the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, and National Museum Cardiff.

The Athelstan Museum in Malmesbury used the scheme to improve its public exhibition spaces for visitors. When the museum acquired a J.M.W. Turner watercolour of Malmesbury, it used the scheme to help enhance its mezzanine gallery area to display the artwork.

It is estimated that museums and galleries which were added to the scheme in 2020 will benefit from more than £70 million in VAT refunds in the six years after joining. New museums and galleries wishing to benefit from the scheme can apply in the autumn.

Commissioner for Cultural Recovery and Renewal Lord Mendoza said:

“In my review of museums I identified this specially designed scheme as one of the most important government interventions to help museums right across the United Kingdom.

I hope that we continue to see growth in the number of applications to ensure that as many people as possible can visit our outstanding museums for free.

Free entry for museums is a distinctive cultural intervention and I’m thrilled that the government hopes to help even more places this year.”

Helen Smout, CEO, Culture Perth and Kinross Limited, said:

“The VAT Refund Scheme for museums and galleries alongside the Museums and Galleries Tax Relief has been of enormous benefit to our organisation and critically has helped us sustain a programme of free-to-access exhibitions.

This work has helped us re-engage with audiences after the disruptions of the pandemic and to date in 2022 we are outperforming our pre-pandemic footfall bringing additional benefits and income to the organisation.

Without the support this scheme provides for museums our programmes would not be as rich, ambitious, or engaging and our future would be much bleaker.”

Sharon Nolan, Chair of Trustees, Athelstan Museum, Malmesbury, said:

“Athelstan Museum Malmesbury has benefited greatly from the VAT Refund Scheme for museums and galleries. When we first joined the scheme we were in the process of acquiring an old Moravian Church (now the Julia and Hans Rausing Building) for renovation, to create a new museum store and event/ workshop/ talks space to attract more diverse audiences. The scheme enabled us to save the VAT on our building work and supplies.

Similarly, when we acquired a Turner watercolour of Malmesbury and wanted to enhance our mezzanine space to display it, we again benefited from the scheme. It helps with the day-to-day running of the museum; we receive no funding other than donations, Gift Aid, and income from the gift shop.

We are totally volunteer-run. The scheme is invaluable to small, volunteer-run museums like ourselves. It enables us to retain our free-entry status, and to be ambitious and take on new projects. Our visitors really appreciate the museum and numbers are now increasing post-Covid.”

The Government has also extended the sunset clause on the Museums and Galleries Exhibitions Tax Relief scheme, which aims to encourage cultural venues to develop new exhibitions through financial incentives. The scheme has been given a temporary uplift, meaning there will be 45 per cent tax relief for permanent and temporary exhibitions and 50 per cent tax relief on touring exhibitions respectively up to a maximum of £100,000. From 1 April 2023, these rates will be reduced to 30 per cent and 35 per cent respectively, before returning to their usual rates of 20 per cent and 25 per cent on 1 April 2024.

The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 26 August 2022.

• Jug is now on display at the Culture Summit showing global solidarity with Ukraine

A cockerel-shaped ceramic jug gifted to the Prime Minister in Kyiv has gone on display to delegates at the Edinburgh International Culture Summit.

The jug, which has become a symbol of Ukrainian resistance, is being displayed at the biennial event to demonstrate the ongoing international solidarity with Ukraine following the illegal invasion of the country by Russia.

The Prime Minister and Volodymyr Zelensky received a pair of matching jugs from a woman in Kharkiv while walking through the streets of the Ukrainian capital in April.

This type of jug became emblematic of Ukraine’s strong resistance against the invading Russian forces after photographer Elizaveta Servatynska captured an image of a similar jug sitting undamaged on a kitchen cabinet in a high-rise apartment block in March. The building, in Borodyanka, had been badly hit by Russian bombing.

In Ukrainian folklore, cockerels are believed to have powers of protection. When the image of the undamaged jug went viral on social media it quickly became a symbol of the country’s stand against the Russian invaders.

The jug gifted to the Prime Minister is now on display at the Edinburgh International Culture Summit where it will be visible to delegates.

Arts Minister Lord Parkinson said:

“As we meet in Edinburgh, this jug will serve as a powerful reminder of Ukraine’s unflagging strength and resistance in the face of Russia’s barbaric invasion.

The Ukrainian people and the preservation of their unique cultural identity will be at the forefront of our minds as ministers and cultural leaders from around the world  meet to discuss  international cultural collaboration.”

The jug was made in the 1960s by prominent ceramists Valerii and Nadiia Protoriev from Vasylkiv, a town near Kyiv. The glazed earthenware jugs are an example of majolica pottery that were produced by a Vasylkix factory during the Soviet era.

The biennial Edinburgh International Culture Summit is attended by politicians, artists and cultural leaders from around the world. It aims to promote international cultural and artistic exchange. Delegations from countries across the world will be in attendance at this year’s event.

This year’s summit will have a particular focus on Ukraine through discussions on culture and freedom, which has been prompted by Russia’s invasion. The Ukrainian Institute and British Council are also convening a special Culture Leadership Dialogue event, which aims to forge partnerships between the cultural sectors in the UK and Ukraine in response to the challenges being faced as a result of the ongoing conflict.

Arts Minister Lord Parkinson will be representing the UK Government at the summit.

The Government Art Collection (DCMS) has assisted with the display of the jug and facilitated the loan between the PM and Scottish Parliamentary Building.

The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 22 August 2022.

Nigel Wilkinson MBE

The term of appointment will be for five years, commencing on 11 August 2022 until 10 August 2027.

A graduate Engineer and Chartered Accountant, Nigel has been Managing Director of Windermere Lake Cruises Limited, Cumbria’s largest visitor attraction, since 2004. He is also Managing Director of Winander Leisure Limited, a director of Winander Group Holdings Limited, Lakeland Motor Museum Limited and Rushbond plc, a Yorkshire based property company. From 2007 to 2017 he was a director of Cumbria Tourism (CT), the county’s Destination Management Organisation, and was chair of the committee responsible for managing CT’s finances. Nigel joined the Board of Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (CLEP) in 2017 and chairs both CLEP’s Visitor Economy Sector Panel and its Finance, Audit and Resources Committee. Nigel also represents CLEP on the Lake District National Park Partnership. In late 2020 Nigel was appointed to the Tourism Industry Council, a collaboration between Government and the tourism industry focusing on improving the tourism sector including jobs, transport and deregulation.

Nigel was appointed as a Trustee/Director of South Cumbria Rivers Trust in 2021, a charity/Trust with the principal objective to monitor, conserve and protect and, when necessary, rehabilitate and improve the biodiversity of lakes, rivers and streams South Cumbria and adjacent coastal waters for the public’s benefit. In the Queen’s Birthday 2022 Honours List Nigel was recognised with the honour of Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to tourism and the economy in Cumbria. He was made an Honorary Fellow of the University of Cumbria in July 2022.

Remuneration and Governance Code

This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Nigel will be offered remuneration of £3,300 per annum. The Government’s 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. Nigel has not declared any activity.

The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 17 August 2022.

Will Harding

Will Harding has almost 30 years’ experience in the media industry.

He started his career as a management consultant with KPMG, before spending 5 years at BBC Worldwide (now BBC Studios) where he worked across the BBC’s commercial and international operations. He left the BBC in 2000 to help launch ask.com in the UK and then moved to Sky, where he rose to become Commercial and Operations Director of Sky’s new media business. He joined GCap Media plc in 2006 as Group Strategy Director. Following Global Media & Entertainment Ltd’s acquisition of GCap in 2008, he was appointed Global’s Chief Strategy Officer and joined the main Global board. During his time at Global, Will was responsible for establishing the Global Academy, a state school in Hayes in west London for young people from all backgrounds wanting to start a career in the creative industries. Will stood down from the Global Media and Entertainment Ltd board in December 2020.

Since 2021 Will has been a Non-Executive Director of Primedia, the leading Africa- focussed media and advertising group, and a Trustee of the Baker Dearing Educational Trust. He is married with three children and lives in south west London.

Remuneration and Governance Code

Members of the Ofcom Board receive £42,519 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. Will Harding has declared no such activity.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 17 August 2022.

Rachel Baillache

Appointed as a Board Member (Chair of Audit and Risk Committee) from 01 September 2022 until 31 August 2026.

Rachel is a general sports enthusiast. She is currently the Senior Independent Director at the LTA where she chairs the Audit and Risk Committee. She is also the LTA Board sponsor for Inclusion and Diversity. Rachel is also an Independent Non-Executive Director of Somerset County Cricket Club where she Chairs the Audit and Risk Committee. She is the Chair of the mental health charity Minds@Work.

Rachel was a partner at KPMG for over twenty years where she served as an audit partner and for eight years, until her retirement, she was also a member of KPMG International’s Global Executive serving as the global head of people, performance and culture and as the executive responsible for global communications. She has worked extensively abroad living in continental Europe, Asia and Africa. She is a qualified chartered accountant and was a fellow of the chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Rupen Shah

Appointed as a Board Member from 01 September 2022 until 31 August 2026.

Growing up a stone’s throw away from Wembley Stadium, it was almost impossible for Rupen not to be inspired by elite sport from an early age. Whether it was an England home international or FA Cup Final day, the excitement generated in the local area cemented his passion and enthusiasm for it. Rupen is now a powerful advocate for sport and believes in the transformational effect it can have on people’s lives and society.

Qualifying as a chartered accountant with KPMG, Rupen spent several years working strategically with high profile clients and also completed a secondment to India. He went on to become the Chief Financial Officer of the Football Foundation, the UK’s largest sports charity set up by the Government, The FA and Premier League. Rupen combines substantial expertise in commercial, charity and public finance with a real grasp of the challenges participants face when engaging and competing in sport.

Alongside his professional journey, Rupen developed a longstanding relationship with Arsenal FC for over a decade, which included several voluntary and part-time roles. This saw him deliver local community programmes, coaching clinics in 14 countries and coaching elite female players in the Academy, many of whom have now become, and will become, Lionesses.

Rupen now enjoys mentoring the next generation of talented sport enthusiasts, spending time with his family and travelling the world. He also continues his charitable work to tackle inequalities through trustee roles in sport and beyond, including Women In Sport and The Legal Education Foundation.

Remuneration and Governance Code

This role is remunerated at £218 per day. 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. Rachel Baillache and Rupen Shah have not declared any activity.

The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 17 August 2022.

Andrew Hochhauser QC

Appointed for a four year term commencing 17 September 2022.

Andrew Hochhauser is a QC at Essex Court Chambers, a Deputy High Court Judge, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Hon Counsel to the Dean and Chapter of Westminster Abbey and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He specialises in commercial and employment litigation.

As well as a LLM from the LSE, he has an MA from the Courtauld Institute of Art, where he studied British Modernism.

He is a former Trustee of the V&A, a Bencher and (in 2021) the former Treasurer of the Hon Soc of Middle Temple, Chair of the Samuel Courtauld Trust and an ex officio member of the Board of the Courtauld Institute of Art, Chair of Paintings in Hospitals (until January 2023), a Governor of the University of the Arts London, a Trustee of the National AIDS Trust, the V&A Foundation, the Aurora Orchestra, Orchestra for the Earth and a Director of Ensemble Plus Ultra. He was Chair of Dance Umbrella from 2007-2014 and thereafter a Governor of the Central School of Ballet. He is currently on the Board of Ballet Black.

Remuneration and Governance Code

Members of RCEWA 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. Andrew Hochhauser QC has declared no activity.