Tag: Department for Digital and Culture

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

The UK’s biggest broadband and mobile operators have today met with the government to follow up on commitments agreed in the summer to support customers with the cost of living.

• Summit comes as the government launches a public awareness campaign to raise awareness of cut-price social tariffs
• Attendees identified the barriers for those not currently taking up social tariffs starting at £10
• Minister urged telecoms companies to consider the impact price rises may have on struggling households

The UK’s biggest broadband and mobile operators have today met with the government to follow up on commitments agreed in the summer to support customers with the cost of living.

Digital minister Julia Lopez called together leaders from the telecoms sector – including BT, Virgin Media, O2, Sky, Vodafone, TalkTalk, Three Mobile, Hyperoptic and Ofcom – at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) for an update on work to boost awareness of social tariffs.

Minister Lopez urged the sector to commit to raising awareness of these affordable deals available for people in receipt of Universal Credit, which could save them up to £180 per year when compared to the average tariff.

An Ofcom report in September found that only 31 per cent of eligible groups were aware that social tariffs were available, despite them being available in 99 per cent of the UK to reach those who need the support most.

The meeting took place on the day the government launched a UK-wide public awareness campaign as part of its Help for Households programme. The campaign aims to help people through the cost of living this winter and will help increase awareness and uptake of the cut-price broadband and mobile deals available to help those struggling with bills.

As well as agreeing to make vital steps to make sure eligible customers know about social tariffs starting from as little as £10, the industry agreed to share insight into the barriers beyond consumer awareness that are preventing households from taking up social tariffs.

The Minister also reminded broadband and mobile companies to be mindful of the impact price rises have on households struggling with the global rise in the cost of living.

In a move welcomed by the government, attendee Hyperoptic also marked the occasion by announcing that they will be dropping the price of their fastest speed social tariff from £25 to just £20.

Digital Infrastructure Minister Julia Lopez, said:

Helping families manage the cost of living is a priority for this winter and beyond. It is vital to find out what more we and the telecoms industry can do to support families worried about their bills.

Everyone should have access to affordable mobile and broadband services. Today we agreed that more has to be done to raise awareness of social tariffs and stressed the impact price increases have on people and families up and down the country.

Minister for Social Mobility, Youth and Progression Mims Davies said:

We have already made it easier for vulnerable families receiving certain benefits to access cheaper broadband rates through our automatic verification system. I do welcome today’s discussion which further shows our commitment to working innovatively with industry to keep low-income families connected and able to progress as a result of this support.

Social tariffs are just one of the ways we are assisting households at this challenging time, with millions already receiving £1,200 in direct payments and more on the way next year. I encourage anyone who thinks they might be entitled to further support to check their eligibility via our online benefits calculator.

The move follows a roundtable in June where the Government and operators agreed a raft of new commitments to support people with rising costs, including more manageable payments and switching to a cheaper deal free-of-charge.

Following this, the Department for Work and Pensions also launched a new service to verify – with customers’ permission – whether they are in receipt of a relevant benefit and therefore eligible for extra financial support such as a social tariff. The new system will simplify the process by removing the need for customers to prove their entitlement to broadband providers as regularly as every month.

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

Online Safety Bill to include stronger protections for children, with platforms forced to be clearer with parents about dangers.

• Legal but harmful provisions to be replaced with new duties to boost free speech and increase accountability of tech firms
• Tougher measures to be added to protect women and girls from controlling or coercive behaviour

New internet safety laws will go further than before to shield children and protect free speech online, thanks to improvements proposed by the government.

Any incentives for social media firms to over-remove people’s legal online content will be taken out of the Online Safety Bill. Firms will still need to protect children and remove content that is illegal or prohibited in their terms of service, however the Bill will no longer define specific types of legal content that companies must address.

This removes any influence future governments could have on what private companies do about legal speech on their sites, or any risk that companies are motivated to take down legitimate posts to avoid sanctions.

New measures will also be added to make social media platforms more transparent and accountable to their users, as a result of amendments the Government will propose.

The changes will offer users a ‘triple shield’ of protection when online: social media firms will be legally required to remove illegal content, take down material in breach of their own terms of service, and provide adults with greater choice over the content they see and engage with.

Parents and the wider public will benefit from new changes to force tech firms to publish more information about the risks their platforms pose to children so people can see what dangers sites really hold.

Firms will be made to show how they enforce their user age limits to stop kids circumventing authentication methods and they will have to publish details of when the regulator Ofcom has taken action against them.

Digital Secretary Michelle Donelan said:

Unregulated social media has damaged our children for too long and it must end.

I will bring a strengthened Online Safety Bill back to Parliament which will allow parents to see and act on the dangers sites pose to young people. It is also freed from any threat that tech firms or future governments could use the laws as a licence to censor legitimate views.

Young people will be safeguarded, criminality stamped out and adults given control over what they see and engage with online. We now have a binary choice: to get these measures into law and improve things or squabble in the status quo and leave more young lives at risk.

Today’s announcement refocuses the Online Safety Bill on its original aims: the pressing need to protect children and tackle criminal activity online while preserving free speech, ensuring tech firms are accountable to their users, and empowering adults to make more informed choices about the platforms they use.

It follows confirmation that the Bill will include new measures to make significant changes to the UK’s criminal law to increase protections for vulnerable people online by criminalising the encouragement of self-harm and the sharing of people’s intimate images without their consent.

To make sure the Bill’s protections for adults online strike the right balance with its protections for free speech, duties relating to “legal but harmful” content accessed by adults will be removed from the legislation and replaced with the consumer-friendly ‘triple shield’.

The Bill will instead give adults greater control over online posts they may not wish to see on platforms. If users are likely to encounter certain types of content – such as the glorification of eating disorders, racism, anti-semitism or misogyny not meeting the criminal threshold – internet companies will have to offer adults tools to help them avoid it. These could include human moderation, blocking content flagged by other users or sensitivity and warning screens.

The legal but harmful measures will be replaced with new duties which strengthen the Bill’s free speech requirements on major online platforms to make them more accountable for their policies. It will explicitly prohibit them from removing or restricting user-generated content, or suspending or banning users, where this does not breach their terms of service or the law. In addition, firms will need to have clear, easy to understand and consistently enforced terms of service.

It comes as new polling from Ipsos reveals that 83 per cent of people think social media companies should have a duty to protect children who are using their platforms (only 4 per cent disagree). Eight in ten people (78 per cent) want social media companies held accountable for keeping underage children off their platforms (only 7 per cent disagree).

There is overwhelming public backing for action. Eight in ten people (81 per cent) think the government should make sure social media companies protect children when they are online and 77 per cent think social media companies should be punished if they don’t protect children.

Sanjay Bhandari, Chair of Kick it Out, said:

Users of social media have benefitted from a right that does not exist in the real world. Not only do they have freedom of speech but they have the freedom to force you to hear it. People who play, watch and work in football are often the victims of such vicious trolling

We welcome the principle of extending the user empowerment provisions in the Bill to close this loophole. Social media companies will need to make available technology that enables each of us to have the online experience we desire. We shall review the amendments to the Bill in detail but encourage parliamentarians to move quickly.

The Bill is due to return to Parliament next week. The first amendments have been tabled to the Bill in the Commons for Report Stage on 5 December. Further amendments will be made at later stages of the Bill’s passage.

As well as making larger tech companies publish a summary of their risk assessments concerning the dangers their platforms pose to children, other moves to boost transparency and accountability include giving Ofcom a new power to require platforms to publish details of enforcement action it takes against them.

Another set of amendments will boost protections for women and girls online by adding the criminal offence of controlling or coercive behaviour to the list of priority offences in the Bill. This means platforms will have to take proactive steps, such as putting in measures to allow users to manage who can interact with them or their content, instead of only responding when this illegal content is flagged to them through complaints

In addition, the Victim’s Commissioner, Domestic Abuse Commissioner and Children’s Commissioner will be added as statutory consultees in the Bill, meaning Ofcom must consult with each when drafting the codes tech firms must follow to comply with the Bill.

Dame Rachel De Souza, Children’s Commissioner for England, said:

I am pleased that Government is bringing back the Online Safety Bill to Parliament. This landmark legislation is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to protect all children online, particularly the most vulnerable. “That’s why I am glad that the Children’s Commissioner is now recognised on the face of the Online Safety Bill as a statutory consultee to Ofcom’s codes of practice. This will enable me, in my unique position as representative of children’s rights and views, to oversee the codes which tech firms must follow to comply with the Bill – ensuring that children’s views and experiences are fully understood.

We cannot allow any more children to suffer. The loss of children by suicide, after exposure to hideous self-harm and suicide content, are tragic reminders of the powerful consequences of online material. I am determined to see this Bill pass through Parliament. I will work to ensure that children’s voices and needs underpin each stage of the legislative process. I look forward to us all getting behind such a crucial moment to protect children online.

Campaigner Lucy Alexander said:

We live in an online world where bullying is 24/7. Young people are bombarded by harmful content online and there is no room for escape. It is on their phones, in their bedrooms and with them on their way to school.

My son Felix was driven to suicide at the age of 17 due to the barrage of bullying he experienced online. This is the reason why I am on a mission to make sure no other child feels as much pain as he did. One death is one too many.

The Online Safety Bill is a step in the right direction, it will hold social media accountable for protecting children online. The new changes to the bill will also see social media firms forced to publish risk assessments so that parents can see for themselves the dangers and risks that face children on these sites. It is time to prioritise the safety of our children and young people online.

The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 25 November 2022.

North East England will pilot a new £2.25 million scheme to restructure tourism boards.

• Aim is to create one-stop shop to show off the best of region, attract investment and boost local economy
• Scheme will help attract more visitors through new initiatives and target major national and international events and markets

The North East has been selected as the location for a major tourism project which aims to attract more investment, welcome more sporting, business and cultural events, support business growth, create new jobs, and boost domestic and international tourist numbers.

Tourism boards, known as Destination Management Organisations (DMOs), help businesses and visitors find out about an area and often lead the development of the local tourism sector.

But last year’s independent review into DMOs carried out by Nick de Bois, found the landscape is overcrowded and fragmented. For example, there are more than 150 DMOs of all shapes and sizes in England which makes it confusing for tourists planning breaks and businesses looking to invest.

To fix this problem and make sure the country is providing tourists with the best service, the government is streamlining DMOs by accrediting the top performing organisations so they can grow the visitor economy and attract major business, cultural and sporting events. The plans were set out earlier this year.

As part of plans to overhaul the current system, NewcastleGateshead Initiative in the North East has been selected to lead a pilot in partnership with Visit Northumberland and Visit County Durham working across seven local authority areas. The partnership will receive £2.25 million to help successfully develop and market the region as a must-visit destination while attracting further private investment and driving growth.

The aim of the partnership model is to extend the tourism season and attract more visitors from across the UK and abroad through initiatives such as the creation of Tour de Yorkshire, following the Tour de France stage in Yorkshire back in 2015, or the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham this summer.

By working in partnership, tourism boards will be able to attract new hotels, develop major attractions such as the Eden Project in Cornwall, build on local heritage and cultural assets through the likes of UNESCO World Heritage bids, grow the food and drink offer and maximise the potential of the region’s natural assets, including its dark skies, beaches and national parks.

Working with the tourism industry and the growing digital cluster, partnerships will also make sure that the tourism offering is fully accessible to all visitors including families and visitors with access needs. For example, NewcastleGateshead Initiative recently worked with tech company Kerckhoffs to capture an immersive experience of Newcastle’s Quayside Market using Eyemmersive technology. The video means that visitors can explore the market virtually and prepare children with special educational needs and disabilities before they experience it in real life.

Tourism Minister Stuart Andrew said:

From Hadrian’s Wall to Durham Cathedral and the bright lights of Newcastle, the North East has much to offer tourists from around the world, but we want to go further and attract even more visitors.

We are looking at what more we can do to streamline the way the region’s tourism bodies work together, improve the region’s offer and the way it markets itself.

With £2.25 million in funding, we hope the North East can be a pioneer for other areas in unlocking its potential and putting its best foot forward.

VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said:

Congratulations to the North East on being announced as the pilot region for the Destination Development Partnership (DDP).

The UK Government’s decision to proceed with a pilot approach is a valuable opportunity to prove the DDP concept, demonstrating the benefits that these reforms will have if rolled out nationwide. We will also be able to really measure an element of funding at a regional level to develop tourism and what impact that will have, strengthening the case for future funding.

We look forward to working with NewcastleGateshead Initiative and Northumberland and Durham tourism boards to develop the DDP pilot, ensuring we have the right infrastructure in place to enable England to continue to be a compelling destination for domestic and international visitors.

Sarah Green, CEO, NewcastleGateshead Initiative:

This pilot is an incredible opportunity to unlock our growth potential in the North East, attracting more visitors, reaching new international markets, creating jobs, growing businesses, attracting investment, and reinforcing local pride in our place.

As the first Destination Development Partnership, we will work with our partners in Visit County Durham and Visit Northumberland to ensure the tourism sector is supported and grows across all seven local authorities in the region. Our region will act as a blueprint for the rest of England, and we could not be prouder to help shape the future landscape of destination management organisations, working in partnership to deliver local economic growth through the visitor economy.

From Auckland Castle to Alnwick Gardens, from dark skies to sparkly venues, from fish and chips to fine dining – the aim of this partnership is to provide an inclusive welcome for all, attracting more international and domestic visitors with a fantastic regional offer and visitor experience.

Partnerships should support businesses to create sustainable tourism offers, reduce their carbon footprint and offer consumers opportunities to enjoy themselves whilst minimising their impact on the environment.

Thanks to the new partnerships, tourists will know where to go to find quality, trusted information, tailored to their destination. Going forward, it will also mean that tourism boards can work more effectively with local authorities to explore new initiatives such as travel initiatives that make it seamless for tourists to get around the local area.

Evidence will be collected throughout the pilot to understand how effective the proposed model is and to support any future funding considerations.

If the pilot is successful, the government will look to roll the partnership model out to other regions across England.

The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 23 November 2022.

UK organisations will be able to share personal data securely with the Republic of Korea before the end of the year as the UK finalises legislation for its first independent adequacy decision.

• Organisations will be able to transfer personal data securely to the Republic of Korea without restrictions by the end of the year following legislation
• UK decision will help generate an estimated £14.8 million in annual business savings and increased exports
• Milestone formalises first data adequacy decision since UK left the European Union and goes beyond scope of previous EU deal – boosting investment.

UK organisations will be able to share personal data securely with the Republic of Korea before the end of the year as the UK finalises legislation for its first independent adequacy decision.

Allowing businesses in both countries to share data without restrictions will make it easier for them  to operate and grow. Once in force, the legislation is estimated to cut administrative and financial burdens for UK businesses by £11 million a year and is expected to increase exports to South Korea by £3.8 million annually.

Personal data is information related to an individual, such as a name or email address, and data must be protected to a high standard to ensure it’s collected, shared and used in a trustworthy way.

After agreeing to a data adequacy agreement in principle in July 2022, the UK government has completed its full assessment of the Republic of Korea’s personal data legislation. The government has concluded that the Republic of Korea has strong privacy laws in place which will protect data transfers to South Korea while upholding the rights and protections of UK citizens.

Before now, organisations needed to have costly and time-consuming contractual safeguards in place, such as standard data protection clauses and Binding Corporate Rules. The new freedoms will open up opportunities for many small and medium sized businesses who may have avoided international data transfers to Korea due to these burdens.

Removing barriers to data transfers will also boost research and innovation by making it easier for experts to collaborate on medical treatments and other vital research which could save lives in the UK. For example, secure international personal data transfers are essential for developing effective medical treatments like vaccines.

UK Data Minister Julia Lopez met with representatives of the Korean Personal Information Protection Commission today to mark the legislation being laid in Parliament, which is expected to come into force from the 19th December.

This is the UK’s first decision to recognise a priority country adequate since leaving the European Union (EU).

The UK’s adequacy decision is broader than the EU’s deal with South Korea. The most significant difference between the two deals is that UK organisations will be able to share personal data related to credit information with the Republic of Korea to help identify customers and verify payments. The ability to share this type of data will help UK businesses with a presence in the Republic of Korea to boost credit, lending, investment and insurance operations in the Republic of Korea.

Data Minister Julia Lopez said:

“ Before the end of the year, businesses will be able to share data freely with the Republic of Korea – safe in the knowledge it will be protected to the high privacy standards we expect in the UK.

“ Removing unnecessary burdens on businesses will help unleash innovation, drive growth and improve lives across both our countries.”

Ko Haksoo Chairperson of the Korean Personal Information Protection Commission said:

“ It’s a great pleasure for us to see the outcome of the UK’s adequacy decision for the Republic of Korea today.

“ I look forward to strengthening our partnership in promoting the trustworthy use and exchange of data between Korea and the UK based on a high level of data protection.”

​​The Republic of Korea is one of the fastest growing markets for the UK, with more than two-thirds of British services exports to the country data-enabled.

John Edwards, UK Information Commissioner, said:

“ We support the Government in undertaking adequacy assessments to enable personal data to flow freely to trusted partners around the world.

“ We provided advice to the Government during this assessment of the Republic of Korea, and we are satisfied with the Government’s recognition of similar data protection rights and protection in Korean laws. This will bring certainty to UK businesses and reduce the burden of compliance, while ensuring people’s data is handled responsibly.”

The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 15 November 2022.

• Changes would help ensure big moments such as the Olympics, FIFA World Cup and Wimbledon remain accessible on platforms such as BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub and Channel 4’s on-demand service
• Comes as rising numbers of viewers tune in via digital platforms

Sports fans’ access to watch the biggest global events on digital platforms could be guaranteed as the government reviews the rules which provide broadcasters access to major sporting contests.

The Digital Rights Review, launched today, will look at whether the government’s free-to-air ‘listed events’ rules should be reformed so that public service broadcasters (PSBs) – including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 – are guaranteed the opportunity to show certain major events such as the Olympics and World Cup on their digital platforms rather than just focusing on traditional TV broadcasting as is the case today.

The listed events regime helps ensure the British public are able to tune into the biggest sporting moments at no additional cost by giving PSBs the opportunity to bid for the broadcasting rights. This has meant that more than 40 million people watched Euro 2020 on the BBC and 36 million people watched the Tokyo Olympics last year.

As more people tune in via catch-up and streaming services to watch sport, the review will assess whether including digital rights can ensure as many people as possible can continue to access events including Wimbledon, the Paralympic Games and the Grand National.

Currently if, for example, the Olympic 100m final was broadcast live in the middle of the night on the BBC, but all streaming and catch-up rights were sold to a different broadcaster and kept behind a paywall, a wide audience may not be able to watch this important event.

Digital Infrastructure Minister Julia Lopez said:

As we saw during the Women’s Euros and with the FIFA World Cup just around the corner, we know that enjoying blockbuster sporting events together means so much to many people. Everyone should be able to watch these incredible moments of national unity, no matter how they choose to tune in.

As viewing habits shift online, it is right that we review our rules and consider whether updates are needed to ensure our brilliant public service broadcasters can continue to bring major events to the public at no extra cost.

The Terms of Reference, which determine precisely what the review will cover, have been published today and marks the public launch of the review.

The Government believes that certain sporting events of national interest should be shown on free-to-air television so that they can be enjoyed by as wide an audience as possible.

However, it is also important that it is recognised that the current framework was decided in a different media landscape almost twenty years ago, when just four per cent of UK households had access to the internet.

As such, the review will take into consideration broader online distribution of sporting rights, including video sharing platforms and social media, which has increased exponentially since the current legal framework was established in 1996.

In doing so, the review will balance the desire from audiences to watch national sporting events at no additional cost with the ability for sporting organisations to generate revenues from sports rights to re-invest in their sports at all levels.

The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 13 November 2022.

• Members of the Royal Family and senior politicians will lay wreaths at the Cenotaph
• Around 10,000 Royal British Legion veterans will march past the Cenotaph to pay tribute to their fallen comrades

A national two-minute silence led by His Majesty The King will take place across the UK today as the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph takes place to remember all those who have died in conflict since the First World War.

As well as the two-minute silence taking place at 11am, wreaths will be laid by Members of the Royal Family, senior politicians and faith representatives at the Cenotaph. Approximately 10,000 Royal British Legion veterans, representing 300 different Armed Forces and civilian organisations, will take part in the March Past; they will be joined by an estimated 10,000 members of the public who will line Whitehall to watch the service.

Among those marching will be 100-year-old Second World War veterans and those who served in recent conflicts including in Afghanistan. 400 members of the South Atlantic Medal Association will march past the Cenotaph to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Falklands War. They will also be joined by bereaved family members with the youngest marcher aged eight years old.

For those unable to travel to London for the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph or to attend their local Remembrance Sunday service, the national event will be broadcast live on BBC One, Sky and ITV as well as on YouTube.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

This year more than ever, we are reminded of the huge debt of gratitude we owe those who lay down their lives to protect their country.

As we fall silent together on Remembrance Sunday, we will honour the memories of the men and women we have lost and pay tribute to the brave soldiers of Ukraine as they continue their fight for freedom.

Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan said:

Remembrance Sunday gives us the chance to come together to remember all those who have fought for the freedoms we enjoy today. This year’s service is particularly poignant as we think of our friends and allies in Ukraine.

I would encourage everyone, no matter where they are, to come together in silence at 11am to remember and give thanks for the sacrifices made by so many.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

Remembrance Sunday is a time to reflect upon the sacrifices made by our veterans and service personnel on operations around the world. We must never forget those who gave their lives in defence of our values and our great nation.

All of us will also be thinking of those brave Ukrainians who are fighting for their very own survival to defend freedom and democracy for all, just as the UK and Commonwealth soldiers did in both world wars.

Today, members of the UK Armed Forces at Cenotaph and around the world will come together to honour all those who came before them.

The Royal British Legion’s Director of Remembrance, Philippa Rawlinson said:

As we come together on Remembrance Sunday, we pay tribute to Her Late Majesty The Queen, The Royal British Legion’s Patron of 70 years and longest serving Commander-in-Chief of the British military.

Her Late Majesty was dedicated to duty and epitomised the service and commitment shown by our Armed Forces community, thousands of who will march past the Cenotaph where she laid her wreath each year.

Her Late Majesty’s deep bond with the military lives on with His Majesty The King and The Royal Family. Similar Royal British Legion ceremonies will be uniting communities across the nation in Remembrance and today is an opportunity for us all to take a moment to reflect on the sacrifices of all those who serve, past and present.

The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 10 November 2022.

The continued growth in network connectable (also known as Internet of Things, or ‘IoT’) products offers great benefits to citizens, and a revolution in connectivity. However, many of these products currently lack even basic cyber security provisions. The result is that consumers’ security, privacy and safety are at risk, with the wider economy vulnerable to large-scale cyber-attacks that can be launched through insecure IoT.

The governments of Canada, Singapore and the United Kingdom are united in our belief that connected products offer tremendous economic and social benefits, and that appropriate cyber security requirements must be built into these products from the design stage, rather than placing this burden on consumers. Our approach supports growth and innovation, and allows citizens to benefit from the remarkable opportunities offered by this connected revolution.

To protect consumers across the globe requires coordinated efforts from like-minded governments, academia, and civil society. Our three governments are working together to promote and support the development of international standards and industry guidance, to foster innovation, and to encourage approaches that incorporate internationally recognised security requirements and avoid fragmentation. Through this global alignment we can reduce duplication of testing and similar assessments and the challenge for industry of needing to apply to multiple schemes underpinned by identical or very similar requirements.

We endorse the emerging baseline security requirements for these products, and encourage international recognition and alignment with them. We are united in our view that international standards can facilitate strong security practices and we encourage the adoption of international standards to mitigate these cyber risks. We are committing to continue working closely together, and we will continue to promote global alignment on best practices and encourage the recognition of aligned schemes to reduce unnecessary barriers to trade and industry.

The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 7 November 2022.

– Export bar is to allow time for a UK gallery or institution to acquire the collection

A set of 120 drawings of animals worth £119,700 is at risk of leaving the UK unless a buyer can be found to save the collection for the nation.

Joseph Wolf was a 19th century artist who specialised in natural history illustrations. He produced works for the British Museum and the Zoological Society of London and was well known for depicting animals in accurate, lifelike postures.

The norm of painting an animal in its natural habitat was established by Wolf and this set of 120 original drawings of animals demonstrates his outstanding skills and artistry for depiction of animal behaviour.

Arts Minister Lord Parkinson said:

Joseph Wolf’s magnificent drawings of animals in their natural habitats are a joy to behold as well as a fascinating insight into natural history illustration in the 19th century. I sincerely hope a buyer comes forward to save these for the nation.

The Minister’s decision follows the advice of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest. The committee noted that the collection of drawings held enormous research potential, particularly as they sit at the intersection of visual arts and intellectual inquiry.

Committee member Christopher Baker said:

Joseph Wolf (1820–1899) played a key role in the development of natural history illustration in Britain by animating and contextualising his subjects and indicating the habitats and behaviours of animals – which was a quite different approach to earlier, more static representations. His fascinating and accomplished work was highly regarded by Victorian naturalists, explorers and artists, and appeared in scientific journals, luxury books with colour plates and more popular, accessible publications. This substantial group of drawings is of particular interest as it allows an intimate view of his working processes and observational skills and has great potential for research on his pioneering practice and its legacy. Securing the drawings for a public U.K. collection would be highly desirable.

The RCEWA made its recommendation on the grounds that the collection was of outstanding significance to the study of natural history art and illustration.

The decision on the export licence application for the painting will be deferred for a period ending on 6 February 2023 inclusive. 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 painting at the recommended price of £119,700 (plus £4,940 VAT). The second deferral period will commence following the signing of an Option Agreement and will last for three months.

The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 4 November 2022.

• £950,000 sector-wide careers programme to help more young people from underrepresented backgrounds break into creative industries
• Seventeen of UK’s leading start-up creative studios awarded grants of up to £25,000 to develop the next generation of video games

Creative businesses with the potential to become booming businesses in six English regions are to benefit from a new £17.5 million funding pot to help expand their operations, attract additional investment and create jobs.

It comes on the day a £950,00 careers programme for the sector is launched in England and some of the UK’s brightest creative entrepreneurs are told they will be backed by the government to develop the next generation of global smash-hit video games.

The creative industries are one of the major UK economic success stories in recent years. They have grown at twice the rate of the wider economy since 2010 – generating approximately £115.9 billion for the economy and providing more than two million jobs.

Data from the Association for UK Interactive Entertainment (Ukie) estimates the value of the UK consumer games market reached a record £7.16 billion in 2021.

Today’s plans will build on this stellar success and make sure the next generation of creative talent succeeds, companies continue to scale-up and those that need support have access to it.

Creative Industries Minister Julia Lopez said:

From product design and video games to music and film, the creative industries are a stellar UK success story.

Today’s plans will help get more creative businesses off the ground so they can spread jobs and wealth and help more people, including those from underrepresented backgrounds, break into these world-class sectors.

Create Growth Programme

Companies in six regions will receive support through the Create Growth Programme to help get themselves investment ready. The regions are Greater Manchester; the West of England and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly; Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire; Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire; Kent, Essex and East and West Sussex; and the North East of England.

Each of the six regions have been awarded £1.275 million in grant funding from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to develop a targeted programme of business support. Regions will also benefit from a number of investor building activities such as networking and pitching events to attract investment and exchange ideas.

Businesses across the six regions will also be able to apply to a new £7 million investment fund to fuel their expansion. Companies applying for finance will need to demonstrate their potential to grow rapidly and become sustainable through private investment. The investment fund and investor building activities will be delivered by the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK.

Creative Careers Programme

To develop the next generation of talent, the Government has chosen ScreenSkills, the screen industry’s skills body, to lead the delivery of a £950,000 Creative Careers Programme. This programme, targeted in 53 priority areas across the country including Barking and Dagenham, Wolverhampton, Rotherham, Slough and Swindon, will help young people from underrepresented backgrounds break into the creative industries.

The programme will provide specialist guidance to 11 to 18-year-olds on careers and help pay for industry-led digital and in-person events, lesson plans, a dedicated careers website with careers information and resources, and training for careers advisors. This will help ensure more young people from a diverse range of backgrounds can take advantage of the fantastic careers opportunities in these sectors.

UK Games Fund

Also announced today are seventeen start-up video games studios which have been given grants of up to £25,000 to realise their ideas for innovative new projects as part of the UK Games Fund. The cash injection is for firms across the country with great ideas but lacking in development funding.

The fund, which was established in 2015, has received increased government funding of more than £8 million for 2022 to 2025. It aims to help high-potential companies raise new funding, spur economic growth and create new jobs.

Games spanning formats from virtual reality to mobile and themes from space exploration to eco-education, with developers based across the country – from Cardiff to Paisley and Brighton to Yorkshire – will benefit from the scheme’s latest funding round.

The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 2 November 2022.

• Solomon was a pioneering Jewish painter who campaigned for women artists
• Export bar is to allow time for a UK gallery or institution to acquire the painting

A Pre-Raphaelite painting worth £314,880 is at risk of leaving the UK unless a buyer can be found to save the work for the nation.

Rebecca Solomon was known for showing an awareness of inequality in her work and this painting titled A Young Teacher depicts sitter Fanny Eaton, whose mother was a former enslaved woman in Jamaica, posing as an Indian nursemaid. The piece provides a nuanced and sensitive perspective on gender and ethnicity in the 19th century.

Rebecca Solomon hails from a prominent Jewish family and went on to become a pioneering pre-Raphaelite artist. She was also active in social reform movements, including as part of a group of thirty-eight artists who petitioned the Royal Academy of Arts to open its schools to women.

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Stuart Andrew said:

Rebecca Solomon’s work shone a light on inequality and prejudice at a time when these subjects were far from mainstream. Her painting A Young Teacher has more to tell us about gender and ethnicity in the 19th century and I hope a UK buyer comes forward so we can continue to learn more about attitudes at the time.

The Minister’s decision follows the advice of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest. The committee agreed that the painting was extremely important in the context of diversity and representation of Black and Asian figures in 19th century Britain, as well as noting the lack of professional, female Jewish artists of this period in British public collections.

Committee member Professor Mark Hallett said:

Despite its seemingly undramatic character, Solomon’s painting is a bold and ambitious meditation on issues of gender, race, intimacy and education. The Young Teacher cries out for further investigation and interpretation: new research on its creator, subject-matter, production and display has the potential to enrich our understanding not only of the picture itself, but of Victorian art and culture more generally. For all these reasons, the Committee very much hopes it finds a home in the UK.

The RCEWA made its recommendation on the grounds that its departure from the UK would be a misfortune because it was of outstanding significance for the study of women artists and Jewish art in 19th century Britain, as well as to the history of art and Empire.

The decision on the export licence application for the painting will be deferred for a period ending on 1st February 2023 inclusive. 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 painting at the recommended price of £314,880. The second deferral period will commence following the signing of an Option Agreement and will last for three months.