Written questions by Campbell.

Media and Sport, when she plans to meet with the new Director General of the BBC.

The Secretary of State had an introductory meeting with Matt Brittin on 15th April 2026. The BBC is a vital national institution, and as such, Ministers and Senior Officials regularly meet with BBC leadership to discuss a range of issues.

Media and Sport, if she will have discussions with the Charity Commission on the registered charitable status of groups that have demonstrated support for illegal activity, including those engaged in terrorism.

Ministers and officials regularly meet with the Charity Commission for England and Wales to discuss a range of issues relating to the regulation of charities. The promotion of extremist views or terrorism in charities is unacceptable. The Charity Commission has been consistent and clear that it responds to such abuse robustly. This includes referring potential criminal offences to the police where relevant. DCMS is planning to strengthen the Charity Commission’s powers to tackle extremist abuse of charities. This will include strengthening powers to close down charities that promote extremism, to protect the vast majority of the sector delivering positive work. We will also consult on measures to automatically ban individuals convicted of hate crimes from serving as charity trustees or senior managers, and make it easier for the Charity Commission to take action against people promoting violence or hatred.

Media and Sport, if she will hold discussions with the BBC on the potential merits of greater transparency in the regional breakdown of how licence fee monies are used in producing regional based programming.

The Secretary of State meets regularly with the BBC to discuss a wide range of issues. The Royal Charter places obligations on the BBC to observe high standards of openness and seek to maximise transparency and accountability. It also requires the BBC to report a range of information in its annual plan and its annual report and accounts, including how it ensures provision for the United Kingdom’s nations and regions. The government launched the BBC Charter Review last year. The Green Paper set out our ambition for the BBC to tell a unifying national story that represents all communities across the UK, and to drive growth in the nations and regions. It also set out proposals for enhancing transparency in a way that supports wider public trust in the content and services the BBC delivers. We are looking at a range of options to deliver this, which include further obligations relating to programme making and spend outside of London.

Media and Sport, how many Young Futures Hubs will be fully functional by the end of 2026.

The first eight early adopter Young Futures Hubs are due to be fully operational before April 2026, and the Government aims for a total of 50 hubs to be operational by March 2029.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 9 March 2026 to Question 117246 on Science Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum: Northern Ireland, if she will ensure that Departmental officials hold urgent discussions with the directors of the Science Museum Group and the Victoria and Albert Museum to resume online sales to Northern Ireland.

Officials have engaged with the senior leadership of the V&A and the Science Museum Group in recent weeks on this issue. Both museums are exploring options to resume deliveries to Northern Ireland.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2026 to Question 109971 on Science Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum: Northern Ireland, what indicative dates for re-commencing online sales to Northern Ireland residents were discussed.

The Victoria and Albert Museum have indicated that they are aiming to resume online sales to Northern Ireland by the end of the financial year 2026/27. The Science Museum Group has not yet shared a target date, but is exploring options to re-open ecommerce sales in Northern Ireland.

Media and Sport, if she will hold discussions with the BBC on ensuring its (a) TV and (b) radio programming is made across the UK.

The Secretary of State meets regularly with the Chair to discuss a wide range of issues. Under the current Charter, Ofcom is required to set the BBC quotas for programme making in the regions and nations. Looking ahead, the Government is currently undertaking a review of the BBC’s Royal Charter. The Green Paper sets out our ambition for the BBC to tell a unifying national story that represents all communities across the UK, and to drive growth in the nations and regions. We are looking at a range of options to deliver this, which include further quotas or obligations relating to programme making, and the BBC moving more commissioning staff out of London.

Media and Sport, if she will hold discussions with the (a) Science Museum and (b) Victoria and Albert Museum on making items available online for residents in Northern Ireland.

DCMS officials are in touch with the Science Museum Group and the Victoria and Albert Museum to discuss the ongoing steps they are taking to resume online sales to Northern Ireland.

Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with Sport England on expanding the Physical Activity Clinical Champions pilot.

The Physical Activity Clinical Champions Programme was developed by the Office for Health Improvements and Disparities, part of the Department of Health and Social Care, alongside Sport England. The programme is designed to equip healthcare professionals with the skills to discuss the importance of physical activity with patients who have health conditions. This supports the delivery of the Government’s 10-year Health Plan and fosters greater collaboration between the health, sport and physical activity sectors.Since 2023, the programme has been led by a consortium of the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine, Intelligent Health and Sheffield Hallam University. An update on the future of the programme is due shortly.

Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on linking America250 initiatives to transatlantic tourism promotion focused on Ulster migration and maritime heritage in the North West of Northern Ireland.

DCMS recognises the significant cultural and historical ties between Northern Ireland and the United States as we approach the America250 in 2026. While tourism is a devolved matter for the Northern Ireland Executive, DCMS maintains a regular dialogue with Ministerial counterparts through the Interministerial Group for Tourism. This forum will provide a valuable opportunity to discuss how America250 can be leveraged to drive economic growth and tourism across all parts of the United Kingdom. VisitBritain is the national tourist board for Britain, it has a statutory duty to promote England, Scotland, and Wales as a destination to international visitors. As set out in the Good Friday Agreement, tourism is an area of North-South co-operation, as such the promotion of destinations across the Island of Ireland, including Northern Ireland, falls under the remit of Tourism Ireland. VisitBritain has a strong relationship with both the travel trade and tourist board in Northern Ireland, and regularly work together on joint funded projects and activity such as trade missions.

Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the Natural History Museum on taking steps to enable sales to customers living in Northern Ireland to take place.

My officials have been in talks with the Natural History Museum on this issue. The Museum hopes to resume sales to Northern Ireland during 2026.

Media and Sport, if she will hold discussions with the Director General of the BBC on allegations of mis-editing of President Trump by Panorama.

Senior officials in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have received a copy of the dossier containing these allegations and have been assured by the BBC that they are examining the issues raised in the report. The Culture Secretary is being kept updated on these developments.Because the BBC is independent of government, it is for the Corporation to respond to questions about their editorial decisions. It is crucial the BBC upholds the highest standards of reporting and impartiality, so they are trusted as the national broadcaster and the Government therefore expects the BBC to consider feedback they receive seriously and carefully.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2025 to Question 76809 on Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Public Bodies, how many appointments have been made to each of the respective Boards of her Department's public bodies since July 2024.

Since 10 July 2024, 121 regulated appointments and reappointments have been made to the Boards of the Department for Culture, Media & Sport’s public bodies. This data only includes regulated appointments made to relevant boards as listed in the Public Appointments Order in Council 2019. Board NameNumberBoard NameNumberAdvisory Council on National Records and Archives8National Citizenship Service2Arts Council England4Royal Armouries1British Museum12Royal Museums Greenwich3British Tourist Authority4S4C6Charity Commission4Sport England4Departmental Non-Executive Directors2Sports Ground Safety Authority1Historic England3Tate7Historic Royal Palaces3The National Archives3Horniman Museum and Gardens3The National Lottery Community Fund4Horserace Betting Levy Board1The Royal Parks3Imperial War Museum4Theatres Trust4Independent Football Regulator3Treasure Valuation Committee5Museum of the Home4UK Anti-Doping3National Gallery4UK Sport2National Museums Liverpool1Victoria & Albert Museum7National Portrait Gallery1Visit England Advisory Board3Natural History Museum2

Media and Sport, if she will he have discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on the potential merits of hosting future major golfing events in Northern Ireland.

The Government remains committed to delivering major international sporting events with pride - building upon the UK’s global reputation for excellence in event delivery - and seeking new opportunities to do so. We prioritise support for events based on a range of criteria, which includes how far they help create social and economic benefits for the UK and contribute towards the Government's Plan for Change. We recognise that major events deliver significant benefits to all parts of the UK including Northern Ireland. Having attended The Open at Royal Portrush this July, I am aware that Northern Ireland is well equipped to successfully deliver major golfing events. We continue to work closely with our expert arm’s-length body UK Sport to explore future hosting opportunities that will strengthen the UK’s major events pipeline. The UK has already secured a strong pipeline of events over the coming years, including the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, the Grand Départ for the Tour De France and the Tour de France Femmes in 2027 and the UEFA 2028 European Championships.

Media and Sport, how many appointments have been made to the Boards of her Department's public bodies since 10 July 2024.

Since 10 July 2024, 114 regulated appointments and reappointments have been made to the Boards of the Department for Culture, Media & Sport’s public bodies.

Media and Sport, for what reason the Natural History Museum informs potential customers in Northern Ireland that it is unable to ship to EU countries.

This is a matter for the Natural History Museum which is operationally independent of the Government. I understand that the Natural History Museum is aiming to resume e-commerce sales to Northern Ireland in the near future.

Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the Creative Industries Sector Plan in helping creative businesses in Northern Ireland.

The Creative Industries Sector Plan was announced in June and contains ambitious proposals to bolster growth in the creative industries across the UK. The Sector Plan highlights Belfast & Derry/Londonderry as a high potential cluster for creative industries growth and recognises their unique investment offer. UK wide activity outlined in the Sector Plan includes increased funding to the UKRI Creative Industries Clusters Programme, increased access to support from the British Business Bank and increased exporting support from UK Export Finance. DCMS is committed to working with the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure creative businesses benefit from this activity. Northern Ireland has a thriving screen sector. DCMS will continue to work with the Northern Ireland Executive to support this sector, including continued annual funding from the UK Government, through the British Film Institute, to Northern Ireland Screen to support the Irish Language and Ulster-Scots Broadcast Funds.

Media and Sport, if she will have discussions with the Director General of the BBC on increasing locally (a) produced and (b) sourced (i) radio and (ii) television output.

Under its current Charter, the BBC has an obligation to ‘reflect, represent and serve the diverse communities of all of the United Kingdom’s nations and regions’. Ofcom sets specific obligations for the BBC on programme making in the nations and regions including requiring that at least 50% of network TV programme hours and production spend must be made outside the M25, and 30% of relevant radio spend outside the M25. The BBC is operationally and editorially independent of the Government in determining how it meets its obligations, and it is subsequently for the independent regulator Ofcom to hold the BBC to account in meeting those obligations. BBC reporting shows it is consistently meeting or exceeding these quotas.The Secretary of State does not have specific plans to discuss this issue with the Director General. However, as part of the next Charter Review, the Government will engage with the BBC and others to consider how to ensure the BBC truly represents and delivers for every person in this country including to be more ambitious in growing our world-leading TV sector outside of London and the South East, and to commission content in every part of the country.

Media and Sport, whether her Department has approved a funding application for Basement Films Company in the last 12 months.

No. DCMS does not directly approve individual funding applications for film and television content. Our partners, including the British Film Institute (BFI), are responsible for implementing specific funding programmes. The BFI has advised they have no record of funding being awarded to this production company.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2025 to Question 52581 on Broadcasting, whether her Department is responsible for initiating changes to OFCOM's oversight role.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has overall sponsorship responsibility for Ofcom. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport retains responsibility for broadcasting policy. This includes relevant legislation that sets out Ofcom’s duties regarding broadcasting regulation.