DCMS changes its name

The DCMS – the government’s culture department – has changed its name to the department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

The department will still be referred to as the DCMS, but will no longer be called the department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Explaining the decision, Culture Secretary Karen Bradley said: “DCMS celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, and it is fitting now to include Digital in the name.

“The department has taken on significant new responsibilities in recent years, so that half of its policy and delivery work now covers the digital sectors – telecommunications, data protection, internet safety, cyber skills and parts of media and the creative industries.”

The Telegraph is reporting that the name change will cost £3k in reprinted stationary and new portable "pull out banners".

Downgrading the arts

The name change follows a government re-structure criticised for ‘downgrading’ the arts, which saw responsibility for arts and culture taken away from Minister Matt Hancock, who is left to focus purely on digital and the creative industries. Arts and culture are now the responsibility of Parliamentary Under Secretary John Glen.

A spokesperson for the Creative Industries Federation said: “The new ministerial titles and job descriptions at DCMS appear to downgrade the importance of the arts and creative industries and send a wrong signal about their importance.”

A DCMS spokesperson added that the traditional core of the DCMS remains “as important as ever”.

This story was updated on 04/07/2017 to include information about the cost of the name change.