Written questions by Dodds.

Media and Sport, what role public libraries will play in the delivery of the National Year of Reading.

Public libraries are central to the success of the National Year of Reading’s campaign to engage people of all ages with reading. The Reading Agency has been appointed to work with sector partners to deliver and support public library engagement. The Summer Reading Challenge in 2026, and World Book Night, the annual celebration of reading for adults on 23 April 2026, will be key moments for libraries during the National Year of Reading 2026. Throughout the year, The Reading Agency will provide public libraries with resources, toolkits, and print and digital materials to support their work and boost engagement.Local authorities such as Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Hillingdon, Oxfordshire and Nottinghamshire are actively celebrating and participating in the National Year of Reading programmes with various activities and events at their library branches.

Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to support the future roll-out of Young Futures hubs in a) Oxford East constituency, b) Oxfordshire, and c) England.

On Tuesday 15th July, the Prime Minister set out plans to open 50 hubs over the next four years in England. The local authorities for the first eight early adopter Young Futures Hubs were selected using knife crime and anti-social behaviour metrics to place them where they will benefit the most at-risk young people. They were published on gov.uk in December. Local Authorities will select the precise location of their Young Futures Hub based on local needs The locations for the remaining 42 Hubs will be determined in due course, using appropriate data and learning from the eight early adopter hubs. Further details will be provided in due course

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure that the BBC collaborates with independent local journalists to tackle misinformation and serve communities through the Charter review process.

The government is currently developing a Local Media Strategy, in recognition of the vital importance of local journalism and its role in countering misinformation at local level. As part of this we are exploring the role of the BBC in the local news market. During her oral statement to the House of Commons on BBC Leadership, the Secretary of State confirmed that the government is looking at how we can help to support and defend local news through the BBC’s work as a part of the Charter renewal process. More will be announced on the Local Media Strategy in due course.

Media and Sport, whether her Department is partnering with youth organisations to develop media literacy resources.

As the lead department for media literacy, DSIT is committed to improving media literacy through coordinated cross-government work. The Government aims to improve media literacy through cross-government collaboration, educational initiatives and collaboration with Ofcom, civil society, and online platforms.DCMS has recently funded the National Youth Agency to develop Digital Youth Work Standards to promote the adoption of best practice in digital youth work across the sector. This includes training sessions on digital literacy for youth workers.We are developing a National Youth Strategy which will set out a new long-term vision for young people, and an action plan for delivering this. We will publish the Strategy later this year.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the article by the University of Manchester entitled Making headlines: Young people’s social media use and navigating media narratives, published on 9 June 2025.

As the lead department for media literacy, DSIT is committed to improving media literacy through coordinated cross-government work. The Government aims to improve media literacy through cross-government collaboration, educational initiatives and collaboration with Ofcom, civil society, and online platforms.DCMS has recently funded the National Youth Agency to develop Digital Youth Work Standards to promote the adoption of best practice in digital youth work across the sector. This includes training sessions on digital literacy for youth workers.We are developing a National Youth Strategy which will set out a new long-term vision for young people, and an action plan for delivering this. We will publish the Strategy later this year.

Media and Sport, whether her Department's responsibilities include media literacy.

The Government aims to improve media literacy through cross-government collaboration, educational initiatives and collaboration with Ofcom, civil society, and online platforms. This approach supports Ofcom's regulatory media literacy duties and promotes media literacy through broader policy initiatives and cross-sector collaboration.As the lead department for media literacy, DSIT is committed to improving media literacy through coordinated cross-government work. DCMS contributes to this cross-government effort by supporting a free, sustainable and plural media landscape.

Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of online fundraising platforms' use of tipping sliders.

DCMS has not made an assessment at this time on the potential impact of online fundraising platforms' use of tipping sliders. DCMS will continue working with the Fundraising Regulator, charities, and online giving platforms to support best practice across all forms of charitable fundraising.Fundraising platforms are commercial organisations that provide an important service to charities and donors. Most platforms are registered with the Fundraising Regulator, which is the independent, non-statutory regulator of charitable fundraising in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.The Fundraising Regulator’s new Code of Fundraising Practice, which will come into force on 1 November 2025, includes requirements for fundraising platforms to include information for donors about how fees, including any voluntary tips, are calculated. The information must be easy to find, and include details on how voluntary tips can be amended or removed altogether in a straightforward way.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to increase the transparency of fees on online fundraising platforms.

Fundraising platforms are commercial organisations that provide an important service to charities and donors. Most platforms are registered with the Fundraising Regulator, which is the independent, non-statutory regulator of charitable fundraising in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.The Fundraising Regulator’s new Code of Fundraising Practice, which will come into force on 1 November 2025, includes requirements for fundraising platforms to include information for donors about how fees, including any voluntary tips, are calculated. The information must be easy to find, and include details on how voluntary tips can be amended or removed altogether in a straightforward way.DCMS meets with the Fundraising Regulator regularly to discuss a range of issues and will continue working with them as well as charities and online giving platforms to support best practice across all forms of charitable fundraising.

Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Fundraising Regulator on the transparency of fees on online fundraising platforms.

Fundraising platforms are commercial organisations that provide an important service to charities and donors. Most platforms are registered with the Fundraising Regulator, which is the independent, non-statutory regulator of charitable fundraising in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.The Fundraising Regulator’s new Code of Fundraising Practice, which will come into force on 1 November 2025, includes requirements for fundraising platforms to include information for donors about how fees, including any voluntary tips, are calculated. The information must be easy to find, and include details on how voluntary tips can be amended or removed altogether in a straightforward way.DCMS meets with the Fundraising Regulator regularly to discuss a range of issues and will continue working with them as well as charities and online giving platforms to support best practice across all forms of charitable fundraising.