The Department for Culture, Media and Sport's aim is to improve the quality of life for everyone through cultural and sporting activities, to support the pursuit of excellence and to champion the tourism, creative and leisure industries.
The impact of bodies and policies of the Department on the Stroud constituency since 2000 include:
£156,862 given from Arts Council England to organisations based in Stroud in 2008-09 through the Grants for the Arts programme.
£121,000 of English Heritage grant offers to the Stroud constituency in 2008-09.
Digital Switchover is due to take place in Stroud in April 2010. By the time switchover is complete at the end of 2012, 98.5 per cent. of households nationwide will be able to receive digital TV—the same number that can currently receive analogue.
Over £18,046,315 of national lottery grants made to applications from the Stroud constituency since 2000.
The Stroud constituency has also benefitted from other policies and spending whose impact cannot be broken down by constituency. This includes:
£4 billion of Exchequer funding spent on culture.
More than £5.5 billion invested in sport by the Government and the national lottery since 1997.
Almost 750,000 free swims taken in London in the first eight months of the Free Swimming programme.
A 68 per cent. increase in national museum visits from 1998-99 to 2008-09—10 per cent. of which were by adults from lower socio-economic groups.
£416.6 million in grants allocated by English Heritage since 1997.
48 per cent. of buildings on the original 1999 Buildings at Risk Register having their future secured.
90 per cent. of all pupils taking part in at least two hours of high quality PE or sport per week in 2008 from an estimated 25 per cent. in 2003-04—exceeding our target.