Written questions by MacNae.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of OpenActive on (a) Sport England's uniting the movement strategy and (b) reducing physical inactivity.

Award agreements for organisations that receive Lottery funding from Sport England contain a clause that states they should implement relevant open data standards - this includes OpenActive, Active Places, Open Referral and other open standards relevant to the outcomes they are delivering. Over 120 organisations are now publishing their opportunity data and are active members of the OpenActive community.More than 4,000 organisers of physical activity opportunities are currently featured in OpenActive data.

Media and Sport, whether she plans to mandate the OpenActive data standard for publicly-funded (a) leisure facilities and (b) activity providers.

Award agreements for organisations that receive Lottery funding from Sport England contain a clause that states they should implement relevant open data standards - this includes OpenActive, Active Places, Open Referral and other open standards relevant to the outcomes they are delivering. Over 120 organisations are now publishing their opportunity data and are active members of the OpenActive community.More than 4,000 organisers of physical activity opportunities are currently featured in OpenActive data.

Media and Sport, with reference to paragraph 7.17 of the Ofcom consultation paper entitled Listed events: Implementing the Media Act, published on 13 June 2025, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the growth of digital platforms on the listed events regime.

While the Government wants to see sporting events of national interest shown on free-to-air so that they can be enjoyed by a wide audience, decisions made around the coverage of specific listed events are commercial ones made between public service broadcasters (PSBs) and the rights holders independent of Government.We recognise that the media landscape is going through a period of rapid change which means both challenges and opportunities for our PSBs.We will support PSBs by building on Ofcom’s Public Service Media review and take action to support them, as we set out in the Creative Industries Sector Plan.

Media and Sport, with reference to paragraph 7.17 of the Ofcom consultation paper entitled Listed events: Implementing the Media Act, published on 13 June 2025, whether she plans to take steps to help support public service broadcasters to acquire listed events.

While the Government wants to see sporting events of national interest shown on free-to-air so that they can be enjoyed by a wide audience, decisions made around the coverage of specific listed events are commercial ones made between public service broadcasters (PSBs) and the rights holders independent of Government.We recognise that the media landscape is going through a period of rapid change which means both challenges and opportunities for our PSBs.We will support PSBs by building on Ofcom’s Public Service Media review and take action to support them, as we set out in the Creative Industries Sector Plan.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 April 2025 to Question 44127 on Listed Events, when she plans to set out her Department's position on the inclusion of on-demand rights in the Listed Events regime.

I refer my Honourable Friend to the answer I gave him on 17 April 2025 in response to Question 44127.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of selling (a) on-demand and (b) linear rights together for each event listed in the Listed Events regime.

The Department’s assessment is that, in the current market context, there continue to be strong incentives for rights holders to sell on-demand and linear rights together. However, we recognise this may not always remain the case and we will continue to monitor this market.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of free-to-air sports broadcasting on levels of (a) physical activity and (b) participation in grassroots sports.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring free-to-air access to sporting events of national interest so that they can be enjoyed by a wide audience and can inspire more people to be physically active and participate in grassroots sport. The Government believes that the current list of events works well and that it strikes an appropriate balance between access to sporting events and allowing sports to maximise broadcasting revenue.

Media and Sport, what steps she has taken to consult the public on whether the scope of the listed events regime should be extended to include (a) digital and (b) on-demand content.

As viewing increasingly shifts from traditional broadcasting to a variety of online and on-demand formats, the Government is keen to ensure that key sporting events remain available for people to watch for free in years to come.The current ‘Listed Events’ regime only covers linear coverage rights. While we are fortunate that on-demand and linear rights continue to be sold together, and therefore jointly benefit from the protections afforded by the regime, the Government is conscious that this may not always remain the case.The Government will set out its position on the inclusion of on-demand (or “digital”) rights in due course.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the listed events regime on levels of participation in grassroots sport.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring free-to-air access to sporting events of national interest so that they can be enjoyed by a wide audience and can inspire more people to be active and participate in grassroots sport. The Government believes that the current list of events works well and that it strikes an appropriate balance between access to sporting events and allowing sports to maximise broadcasting revenue.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changing viewing habits on the relevance of the Listed Events regime as a means of ensuring (a) the wide and (b) free availability of key national sporting moments.

As viewing increasingly shifts from traditional broadcasting to a variety of online and on-demand formats, the Government is keen to ensure that key sporting events remain available for people to watch for free in years to come.The current ‘Listed Events’ regime only covers linear coverage rights. While we are fortunate that on-demand and linear rights continue to be sold together, and therefore jointly benefit from the protections afforded by the regime, the Government is conscious that this may not always remain the case.The Government will set out its position on the inclusion of on-demand (or “digital”) rights in due course.

Media and Sport, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of 4 November 2024 on Olympic and Paralympic Games: Team GB, HL Deb, c1307, what her Department's timetable is for setting out its position on digital rights and listed events.

The Government is currently moving forward with implementation of the Media Act 2024. That Act includes several important reforms to the listed events regime. The Government will set out its position in relation to on-demand (“digital”) rights in due course.

Media and Sport, when her Department plans to publish the results of the November 2022 Listed Events: Digital Rights Review.

The previous Government’s “Digital Rights Review” naturally came to an end with the change of Government in July 2024. No results of that review were published.