Written questions by Snowden.

Media and Sport, whether her Department has made funding available for the repair of public amenities damaged during Storm Arwen.

We have not made specific funding available for public amenities damaged during Storm Arwen, but responsibilities for public amenities fall to many departments, each of which has different arrangements for repairs. DCMS, for instance, funds Arts Council England to deliver the Museum Estate and Development Fund, which is open to accredited museums across England and has distributed over £87m since 2021, with a further £25m due to be allocated in 25/26.

Media and Sport, what funding is available for (a) local authorities and (b) other organisations to (i) maintain and (ii) develop (A) heritage and (B) leisure buildings.

Organisations are able to apply for funding to maintain and develop heritage buildings through the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Arms-Length Bodies.The National Lottery Heritage Fund awards grants ranging from £3,000 to over £5 million for projects that conserve and enhance heritage, making it accessible to everyone. Last year it invested £330 million. Historic England, the government’s statutory advisor on the historic environment, offers grants for the repair and conservation of historic buildings, monuments, and landscapes that are of national importance.In February of this year, the Secretary of State announced an additional £20 million in funding for the heritage sector, more than doubling the support for Heritage at Risk to £15 million.The Architectural Heritage Fund is delivering the £4.85m Heritage Revival Fund, which supports community organisations to take ownership of, adapt and reuse heritage assets. In addition, DCMS directly funds the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, which provides grants towards VAT paid on repairs and maintenance to the nation's listed places of worship.The Government provides the majority of funding for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England - which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding in areas of greatest need to tackle inactivity levels through community-led solutions. Additional funding for grassroots sport facilities is also provided through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme, which is delivering £98 million in funding across the UK in 2025/26.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 16 June 2025 to Question 59074 on Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme: Lancashire, which three projects received funding from the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme in Fylde constituency in the 2023-25 financial year.

The three projects in the constituency of Fylde that have benefited from Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme investment during the 2024/25 financial year are:Park View Road Playing Fields,William Pickles Sport GroundRoseacre Road Playing FieldsThe two projects in the constituency of Fylde that have benefited from Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme investment during the 2023/34 financial year are:Staining Village HallCottam Hall All projects received grant awards for new goalposts.On 9 June 2025, the Government published an updated list of completed MSGF projects across the UK, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/multi-sport-grassroots-facilities-programme-projects-2021-to-2025.

Media and Sport, how many schools engaged with Historic England’s Heritage Schools Programme in each region in the most recent academic year for which data is available.

The most recent academic year for which DCMS holds data is September 2023 - July 2024. 582 schools have engaged with Historic England’s Heritage Schools Programme, with approximately 116,400 children participating. The regional breakdown is as follows:RegionNo. of schoolsApprox. no. of children benefittingEast9018,000Midlands22144,200North East & Yorkshire13527,000North West489,600South West8817,600Total582116,400 There was no delivery in London and the South East in the 2023-24 academic year, however Historic England are supporting Surrey Museums to run a Heritage Schools programme in their area this year.

Media and Sport, with reference to the Written Statement of 9 June 2025 on Grassroots Sport Facilities, HCWS689, how many projects have been funded by the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of where they live, has access to and benefits from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.The Government provides the majority of funding for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England - which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding in areas of greatest need to tackle inactivity levels through community-led solutions.Our Muli-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme invests in new and upgraded facilities across the UK to benefit communities and help get people active. In 2024/25, Fylde received £10,108 across three projects, and Lancashire received £1,872,565 across 49 projects. In March, DCMS confirmed an additional £100 million investment over the coming year (of which £98m falls in Financial Year 2025/26). .Beneficiaries of this 2025/26 funding are still to be confirmed and will be announced in due course.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2025 to Question 55112 on Music Venues: Finance, whether she plans to increase levels of Supporting Grassroots Music Fund funding beyond 2025-26; and whether she has considered creating a multi-year funding stream for grassroots venues.

The Supporting Grassroots Music Fund is open to applications from rehearsal and recording studios, promoters, festivals, and venues for live and electronic music performance, from across the whole of England. Arts Council England supports and encourages applicants from across England including through its network of area-based relationship managers.The Government and the live music industry are working together to drive progress on an industry-led levy on tickets for stadium and arena shows, to support grassroots music. We welcome commitments by artists and the wider industry to implement the ticket levy, and steps taken by industry to set up a charitable trust to distribute funds from the levy.As part of the Spending Review 2025, the Government has announced a significant increase in funding for the Creative Industries. The Government’s industrial strategy is prioritising the creative industries and we will set out actions to drive music sector growth in the upcoming Creative Industries Sector Plan.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2025 to Question 55112 on Music Venues: Finance, what steps her Department is taking to ensure equitable access to the Supporting Grassroots Music Fund in (a) Fylde constituency, (b) regions with fewer existing grassroots music venues and (c) all English regions.

The Supporting Grassroots Music Fund is open to applications from rehearsal and recording studios, promoters, festivals, and venues for live and electronic music performance, from across the whole of England. Arts Council England supports and encourages applicants from across England including through its network of area-based relationship managers.The Government and the live music industry are working together to drive progress on an industry-led levy on tickets for stadium and arena shows, to support grassroots music. We welcome commitments by artists and the wider industry to implement the ticket levy, and steps taken by industry to set up a charitable trust to distribute funds from the levy.As part of the Spending Review 2025, the Government has announced a significant increase in funding for the Creative Industries. The Government’s industrial strategy is prioritising the creative industries and we will set out actions to drive music sector growth in the upcoming Creative Industries Sector Plan.

Media and Sport, how much funding her Department plans to provide for sports facilities in Fylde in the next 12 months.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of where they live, has access to and benefits from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.The Government provides the majority of funding for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England - which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding in areas of greatest need to tackle inactivity levels through community-led solutions.In March, DCMS confirmed an additional £100 million investment in new and upgraded facilities across the UK as part of our Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme. Our delivery partner for the programme in England is the Football Foundation, who plan their investment pipeline using Local Football Facility Plans (LFFPs), which are developed in partnership with local authorities so as to understand the needs of each community. These plans are currently being updated to better reflect demand in 2025.Future funding is subject to the ongoing Spending Review process, with further details to follow in due course.

Media and Sport, how much funding her Department allocated for the preservation of historic sites in Fylde in the last 12 months.

Over the past five years Historic England, an Arms Length Body of DCMS, has provided a total of £1,545,946 to support the Kirkham High Street Heritage Action Zone, delivered by. The final payment of £358,835 was made in July 2024.The Kirkham programme revitalised the town's historic center by restoring 7 traditional shopfronts, conservation of a historic building, and enhancing the high street’s visual character. The programme also fostered community engagement through 5 events, and delivered 2 construction skills training training activities sessions to support local skills development, and created 3 town guides and heritage trails to help residents and visitors explore Kirkham’s unique heritage.13 claims have been paid to 7 Listed Places of Worship in the Fylde constituency area through the Listed Places of Worship Grant scheme between June 2024 to May 2025 totalling £42,778.43.The National Lottery Heritage Fund has not made any awards in Fylde in the last 12 months. However, since 1994, the Heritage Fund has awarded a total of £6.7m to 36 projects of all types in the constituency of Fylde.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to encourage young people to engage with (a) Scouts, (b) Girlguiding and (c) other youth organisations in Fylde.

This Government recognises the transformative role that youth services play in young people’s lives, including the important role that Scouts and Girlguiding play in providing young people with opportunities to take part in new activities, make new friends and build skills for life. I have met with both organisations in my capacity as Minister for Youth.In a written statement on 15 May 2025, the Secretary of State announced DCMS’ commitment to provide over £28 million to increase access to more and better enriching activities for young people. This includes £7.5 million funding to increase access to uniformed youth groups in areas of unmet demand and reach more young people from harder to reach communities, who are underrepresented in these organisations. Over £2.4 million of this funding has been awarded to the Scouts and over £1.4 million to Girlguiding in 2025/2026. It is the organisation's decision on how best to allocate the funding to meet objectives.We are also co-producing a new National Youth Strategy with young people and the sectors that support them. The strategy will allow us to put young people back in charge of their own destiny, provide them with meaningful choices and chances and rebuild a thriving and sustainable sector. The Strategy will be published in the summer.

Media and Sport, whether she plans to increase funding levels for grassroots sports facilities in (a) Fylde and (b) other rural areas.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of where they live, has access to and benefits from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.The Government provides the majority of funding for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England - which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding in areas of greatest need to tackle inactivity levels through community-led solutions.In March, DCMS confirmed an additional £100 million investment in new and upgraded facilities across the UK as part of our Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme. Our delivery partner for the programme in England is the Football Foundation, who plan their investment pipeline using Local Football Facility Plans (LFFPs), which are developed in partnership with local authorities so as to understand the needs of each community. These plans are currently being updated to better reflect demand in 2025.Future funding is subject to the ongoing Spending Review process, with further details to follow in due course.

Media and Sport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the pub sector on tourism to the UK.

DCMS recognises that pubs are an integral part of the UK’s cultural heritage and tourism offer. While no recent assessment has been made, pubs supports local economies particularly in rural and historic areas, by encouraging longer stays and increased visitor spending. In the Autumn Budget in October 2024, the Government announced an extension of the business rate relief scheme for retail, hospitality, and leisure worth over £1.5 billion in 2025/26. DCMS continues to work closely with the industry to ensure support for such an important part of our nation's history.

Media and Sport, what (a) nightclubs and (b) electronic music organisations her Department (i) consulted in the development of the Arts Everywhere Fund and (ii) is consulting in the development of the 12-point plan for music.

The £270 million Arts Everywhere Fund is made up of multiple funds which will support arts venues, museums, libraries and the heritage sector. The Creative Foundations Fund will invest £85 million to support arts and cultural organisations across England to resolve urgent issues with their estates. This fund is specifically designed to support not-for-profit arts organisations within the funding remit of Arts Council England. Eligible organisations must be not-for-profit and show that their primary aims are cultural and their activities fall within the remit of ACE. They must have delivered cultural activity in the last 12 months and be able to demonstrate that the investment is business-critical to delivering creative or cultural activity. Full eligibility details in the guidance can be found on ACE’s website. The fund was developed in partnership with Arts Council England (ACE), drawing on its knowledge of the arts and culture sector. We are continuing to support ACE’s Supporting Grassroots Music Fund by providing £2.5 million funding in 2025-26. This provides grants to grassroots music organisations, including those that host or promote electronic music. The Government’s industrial strategy is prioritising the creative industries, and we will publish a Creative Industries Sector Plan to set out measures to drive growth in the sector. DCMS is developing a music plan which will build on the Creative Industries Sector Plan, and on which we will work in partnership with representatives from across the music sector.

Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of funding available through the Supporting Grassroots Music Fund for (a) non-electronic and (b) electronic music venues in each English region.

The Government is providing Arts Council England (ACE)’s Supporting Grassroots Music Fund with £2.5 million funding in 2025-26. This supports grassroots music venues, festivals, promoters and recording and rehearsal studios, all for both non-electronic and electronic music, across England. Applicants can apply for grants of up to £40,000 to develop new revenue streams, make repairs and improvements, and enhance the live music experience for fans.The fund does not draw a distinction between electronic and non-electronic music.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2025 to Question 52734 on Night-time Economy, how much funding from the Creative Foundations Fund has been allocated to listed nightclubs.

The Creative Foundation Fund (CFF) will support arts and cultural organisations across England to resolve urgent issues with their estates. This is part of this government’s ongoing commitment to ensure arts and culture are fit for the future and to ensure everyone has access to high quality institutions in the places they call home. The fund will support organisations to continue delivering creative or cultural activity, support growth and increase opportunities to develop creative skills and engage in high-quality creative work. Funding will be distributed to arts and cultural organisations across England following an open application process led by Arts Council England (ACE). All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their full application and funding committed by Arts Council England by 31 March 2026. The fund has been designed to address the varying scales of need being experienced by different organisations, with funding being distributed to ensure maximum impact across the country. We expect the fund to support a mix of projects of varying sizes across the English regions, subject to applications received. This fund is specifically designed to support not-for-profit arts organisations within the funding remit of Arts Council England. Eligible organisations must be not-for-profit and show that their primary aims are cultural and their activities fall within the remit of ACE. They must have delivered cultural activity in the last 12 months and be able to demonstrate that the investment is business-critical to delivering creative or cultural activity. Full eligibility details in the guidance can be found on ACE’s website.We understand that there are varying needs across the music sector, and the Creative Foundations Fund is one of the ways that we are supporting music venues. We are continuing to support ACE’s Supporting Grassroots Music Fund by providing £2.5 million funding in 2025-26. This provides grants to grassroots music organisations, including those that host or promote electronic music.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure that (a) rural and (b) small arts venues will be able to apply to the Creative Foundations Fund.

The Creative Foundation Fund (CFF) will support arts and cultural organisations across England to resolve urgent issues with their estates. This is part of this government’s ongoing commitment to ensure arts and culture are fit for the future and to ensure everyone has access to high quality institutions in the places they call home. The fund will support organisations to continue delivering creative or cultural activity, support growth and increase opportunities to develop creative skills and engage in high-quality creative work. Funding will be distributed to arts and cultural organisations across England following an open application process led by Arts Council England (ACE). All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their full application and funding committed by Arts Council England by 31 March 2026. The fund has been designed to address the varying scales of need being experienced by different organisations, with funding being distributed to ensure maximum impact across the country. We expect the fund to support a mix of projects of varying sizes across the English regions, subject to applications received. This fund is specifically designed to support not-for-profit arts organisations within the funding remit of Arts Council England. Eligible organisations must be not-for-profit and show that their primary aims are cultural and their activities fall within the remit of ACE. They must have delivered cultural activity in the last 12 months and be able to demonstrate that the investment is business-critical to delivering creative or cultural activity. Full eligibility details in the guidance can be found on ACE’s website.We understand that there are varying needs across the music sector, and the Creative Foundations Fund is one of the ways that we are supporting music venues. We are continuing to support ACE’s Supporting Grassroots Music Fund by providing £2.5 million funding in 2025-26. This provides grants to grassroots music organisations, including those that host or promote electronic music.

Media and Sport, what criteria her Department plans to use to determine the eligibility of arts and cultural organisations applying for funding through the Creative Foundations Fund.

The Creative Foundation Fund (CFF) will support arts and cultural organisations across England to resolve urgent issues with their estates. This is part of this government’s ongoing commitment to ensure arts and culture are fit for the future and to ensure everyone has access to high quality institutions in the places they call home. The fund will support organisations to continue delivering creative or cultural activity, support growth and increase opportunities to develop creative skills and engage in high-quality creative work. Funding will be distributed to arts and cultural organisations across England following an open application process led by Arts Council England (ACE). All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their full application and funding committed by Arts Council England by 31 March 2026. The fund has been designed to address the varying scales of need being experienced by different organisations, with funding being distributed to ensure maximum impact across the country. We expect the fund to support a mix of projects of varying sizes across the English regions, subject to applications received. This fund is specifically designed to support not-for-profit arts organisations within the funding remit of Arts Council England. Eligible organisations must be not-for-profit and show that their primary aims are cultural and their activities fall within the remit of ACE. They must have delivered cultural activity in the last 12 months and be able to demonstrate that the investment is business-critical to delivering creative or cultural activity. Full eligibility details in the guidance can be found on ACE’s website.We understand that there are varying needs across the music sector, and the Creative Foundations Fund is one of the ways that we are supporting music venues. We are continuing to support ACE’s Supporting Grassroots Music Fund by providing £2.5 million funding in 2025-26. This provides grants to grassroots music organisations, including those that host or promote electronic music.

Media and Sport, whether her Department has set targets in relation to increasing (a) creative opportunities and (b) skills development for the Creative Foundations Fund.

The Creative Foundation Fund (CFF) will support arts and cultural organisations across England to resolve urgent issues with their estates. This is part of this government’s ongoing commitment to ensure arts and culture are fit for the future and to ensure everyone has access to high quality institutions in the places they call home. The fund will support organisations to continue delivering creative or cultural activity, support growth and increase opportunities to develop creative skills and engage in high-quality creative work. Funding will be distributed to arts and cultural organisations across England following an open application process led by Arts Council England (ACE). All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their full application and funding committed by Arts Council England by 31 March 2026. The fund has been designed to address the varying scales of need being experienced by different organisations, with funding being distributed to ensure maximum impact across the country. We expect the fund to support a mix of projects of varying sizes across the English regions, subject to applications received. This fund is specifically designed to support not-for-profit arts organisations within the funding remit of Arts Council England. Eligible organisations must be not-for-profit and show that their primary aims are cultural and their activities fall within the remit of ACE. They must have delivered cultural activity in the last 12 months and be able to demonstrate that the investment is business-critical to delivering creative or cultural activity. Full eligibility details in the guidance can be found on ACE’s website.We understand that there are varying needs across the music sector, and the Creative Foundations Fund is one of the ways that we are supporting music venues. We are continuing to support ACE’s Supporting Grassroots Music Fund by providing £2.5 million funding in 2025-26. This provides grants to grassroots music organisations, including those that host or promote electronic music.

Media and Sport, what support her Department plans to make available through the Creative Foundations Fund for grassroots music venues; and how she plans to consider their needs in funding decisions.

The Creative Foundation Fund (CFF) will support arts and cultural organisations across England to resolve urgent issues with their estates. This is part of this government’s ongoing commitment to ensure arts and culture are fit for the future and to ensure everyone has access to high quality institutions in the places they call home. The fund will support organisations to continue delivering creative or cultural activity, support growth and increase opportunities to develop creative skills and engage in high-quality creative work. Funding will be distributed to arts and cultural organisations across England following an open application process led by Arts Council England (ACE). All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their full application and funding committed by Arts Council England by 31 March 2026. The fund has been designed to address the varying scales of need being experienced by different organisations, with funding being distributed to ensure maximum impact across the country. We expect the fund to support a mix of projects of varying sizes across the English regions, subject to applications received. This fund is specifically designed to support not-for-profit arts organisations within the funding remit of Arts Council England. Eligible organisations must be not-for-profit and show that their primary aims are cultural and their activities fall within the remit of ACE. They must have delivered cultural activity in the last 12 months and be able to demonstrate that the investment is business-critical to delivering creative or cultural activity. Full eligibility details in the guidance can be found on ACE’s website.We understand that there are varying needs across the music sector, and the Creative Foundations Fund is one of the ways that we are supporting music venues. We are continuing to support ACE’s Supporting Grassroots Music Fund by providing £2.5 million funding in 2025-26. This provides grants to grassroots music organisations, including those that host or promote electronic music.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help support local sports (a) clubs and (b) initiatives in (i) Fylde and (ii) Lancashire.

This Government recognises that grassroots sports clubs and initiatives are central to communities up and down the country.The Government provides the majority of funding for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding each year. In 2024/25, Sport England invested £11,750 in Fylde constituency and £2,765,589 was invested in Lancashire.The Government has committed to continued funding for grassroots facilities. £100 million will be invested into grassroots sport facilities across the UK through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme.