Thursday Volume 633 21 December 2017 No. 73 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Thursday 21 December 2017 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2017 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 1261 21 DECEMBER 2017 1262 right hon. Friend agree that to send the message that House of Commons Channel 4 is an alternative broadcaster serving different audiences, its headquarters should not be in SW1? Thursday 21 December 2017 Karen Bradley: My right hon. Friend speaks with The House met at half-past Nine o’clock great experience and knowledge on this matter, and the House does well to listen to his wise words. PRAYERS Christine Jardine (Edinburgh West) (LD): Does the Secretary of State agree that, as Channel 4 is not a [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] programme maker but only a programme commissioner, there is limited benefit in moving staff, and surely it BUSINESS BEFORE QUESTIONS should be the programme making that reflects the diversity of the country? INDEPENDENT PARLIAMENTARY STANDARDS AUTHORITY (ANSWER TO ADDRESS) Karen Bradley: This is one of the arguments that has The VICE-CHAMBERLAIN OF THE HOUSEHOLD reported been made about how Channel 4’sbusiness model operates. to the House, That the Address of 12 December, praying We have seen what happened with the BBC’s move to that Her Majesty will appoint Mr William Lifford to Salford—although I accept that the BBC has a different the office of ordinary member of the Independent business model. That creativity and clustering of talent Parliamentary Standards Authority for a period of five has had benefit. One has only to look at the analysis of years with effect from 11 January 2018, was presented the amount of programming that is currently commissioned to Her Majesty, who was graciously pleased to comply outside London to see that basing Channel 4 outside with the request. London could have significant benefits for those independent production companies that are not in SW1. Oral Answers to Questions National Lottery Funding: Charities 2. Wes Streeting (Ilford North) (Lab): What steps her DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT Department is taking to ensure that the level of National Lottery funding for charities is maintained. [903076] The Secretary of State was asked— Channel 4 The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Tracey Crouch): May I start 1. David Hanson (Delyn) (Lab): When she plans to by wishing you and Members of the whole House a announce her decision on a new location for Channel 4. happy Christmas, Mr Speaker? We are working with [903075] Camelot and the Gambling Commission to ensure that returns to good causes are as high as possible for the The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and future, and with the lottery distributors to highlight the Sport (Karen Bradley): We have been clear all along that link between playing the lottery and supporting good this is a publicly owned broadcaster. Channel 4 must causes. provide for and reflect the country as a whole. We are still in discussions with Channel 4 about how it should Wes Streeting: Merry Christmas to you, Mr Speaker, do this, including through relocating staff out of London, and to everyone else. I thank the Minister for her and we will set out next steps in due course. answer. Charities doing important work across the country depend on the money they are awarded by lottery David Hanson: Merry Christmas, Mr Speaker. Will distributors, but due to the fall last year and the expected the Secretary of State confirm that moving Channel 4 fall next year of lottery income for good causes, distributors out of London would bring an approximate £600 million may not be able to meet their financial commitments. benefit to broadcasting, and that it is unacceptable that The Government have already agreed to underwrite any only four of the 120 commissioners of programmes for shortfall for UK Sport. Will the Minister now commit Channel 4 currently live outside London? There is an to doing so for other funding bodies? economic benefit, whether it is Salford, which I prefer, Birmingham, Sheffield or Leeds, and it should be done Tracey Crouch: We are working with the Gambling now. Commission and Camelot to review their strategy, to Karen Bradley: I thought it was going to be a bid for ensure that there is no continuous fall in lottery funding. Wrexham, so I am interested to hear the right hon. The national lottery has raised more than £37 billion Gentleman’s views on other locations. There are many for good causes since it started in 1994. Indeed, the hon. estimates of the benefit, but Channel 4 relocating out of Gentleman’s own constituency has received £35 million London would have a clear benefit to the country. It is a across 400 lottery grants. Clearly, every Member of this publicly owned broadcaster and as such we expect it to House has an interest in making sure that the national deliver public benefits above and beyond commercial lottery is a success. May I encourage everybody to go benefits, and that includes relocating out of London. out and buy a ticket? Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon) (Con): While I welcome Amanda Milling (Cannock Chase) (Con): May I wish the reports that Channel 4 will be employing more people you, Mr Speaker, and everybody else a happy Christmas and investing more money outside London, does my too? It is not only the national lottery that provides 1263 Oral Answers 21 DECEMBER 2017 Oral Answers 1264 invaluable funding for charities and good causes; so, National Audit Office published a report saying that too, do society lotteries. Last week we had an excellent since 2009, lottery income for good causes has risen by Westminster Hall debate about society lotteries, and it just 2%, while the shareholder profits of the lottery was clear that there was cross-party support for reform. licence holder, Camelot, have risen by 122%. Does the Will my hon. Friend commit to looking at society Minister think that those ratios seem fair? Will grassroots lottery reforms at the earliest possible opportunity in sport and the Commonwealth games be secure for the new year? lottery funding in the future? Tracey Crouch: As my hon. Friend has said, we had Tracey Crouch: The cheek of the hon. Gentleman! an excellent debate last week in Westminster Hall. The We did all hard work on the Commonwealth games, answer to her question then and now is yes. along with Mayor Andy Street. It was announced formally at 9.30 this morning in Birmingham. I was pleased to Chris Elmore (Ogmore) (Lab): Since my election in sign the host city contract and I am pleased that we will 2016 I have held funding advice surgeries twice a year to hold the Commonwealth games in 2022. Obviously, the encourage charities in my constituency to gain lottery hon. Gentleman’s constituency will benefit from that, as funding. One of the reasons for that is that the Big will we all. Turning to the substance of his question, the Lottery told me that it receives a very small number of Secretary of State and I are not unsympathetic to the applications from my constituency. What more can the points he made. Minister do to get the lottery out into constituencies such as mine to enable charities to access the funds and Public Libraries to help them with applications? 3. Luke Pollard (Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport) Tracey Crouch: That is an excellent idea. I encourage (Lab/Co-op): What recent assessment she has made of the hon. Gentleman to write to colleagues across the the role of public libraries in increasing social mobility. House to explain how he set that up in his constituency [903077] and how they can benefit from doing the same. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Digital, Ms Nusrat Ghani (Wealden) (Con): Happy Christmas Culture, Media and Sport (John Glen): Libraries play an to you, Mr Speaker, and to my right hon. Friend the important role in giving everyone opportunities to improve Member for New Forest West (Sir Desmond Swayne), their life chances and achieve their full potential. That is who does not seem to have any Christmas spirit. whythe Government have established the libraries taskforce and funds under Libraries Deliver to assist in that goal. Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con): Humbug! Luke Pollard: The Minister will know from his time Ms Ghani: Does the Minister agree that national as a parliamentary candidate in Plymouth how important lottery funding should also be made available to smaller libraries are to social mobility in the city.The Conservative charities? Although they may help fewer people, in my council in Plymouth has this year closed six of our constituency of Wealden there are very few options for libraries—two in the constituency I represent and four vulnerable young and old people.In particular,clued-up.info in the constituency in which the Minister stood. Will he in Crowborough helps teenagers; Sussex Oakleaf in spread some festive cheer and tell library users in Plymouth Hailsham helps people with mental health issues; and that there will be no more library closures in the new the Now! Charity Group provides furniture for unemployed year? people and those on low income across East Sussex. John Glen: What I can say is that Plymouth City Tracey Crouch: I join my hon. Friend in congratulating Council received £56,000 for cultural learning activities the small charities in her constituency. Small charities last summer, which saw 5,000 young people visit, and provide a huge benefit in their locations.