Asked by: Baroness Keeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department holds data on the number of music recording studios that have closed in the last 10 years.
Answered by John Whittingdale
We do not hold data on the number of music recording studios that have closed in the last 10 years.
In August 2021, DCMS commissioned the consultancy firm, Sound Diplomacy, to assess the state of the music studio market in England.
Whilst the assessment found challenges, it showed the market is responding to changes, such as technological innovation, is maintaining or growing sources of income and has a healthy supply of music studios.
The Government does not currently have plans to publish an update report to the Music Studio Market Assessment.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has regular conversations with Arts Council England (ACE) on a range of issues, including financial support for music organisations.
Asked by: Baroness Keeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what data her Department holds on the accessibility of arts and culture to children and young people under the age of 16.
Answered by John Whittingdale
Until 2020, DCMS collected data on participation by young people in arts and culture through its Taking Part Survey, and statistical releases from that survey are available on the gov.uk website. The last survey year (2019/20) showed that 96% of children aged 5–10 had engaged with the arts outside school in the 12 months prior to interview, and that 96% of 11–15 year olds had engaged with the arts, either inside or outside school.
In 2021, the Taking Part Survey was replaced by DCMS’s Participation Survey, moving from a face-to-face survey to a push-to-web survey with a larger sample. This captures participation data for people aged 16 and over in England. DCMS has recently undertaken a pilot survey for young people aged between 10 and 19, which will provide data on access to arts and culture for children and young people. We will publish data on this pilot survey next year.
Furthermore, Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Annual Data Survey (available on the Arts Council England website), also provides data on the number of attendances at activities carried out by Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisations which is specifically for, by, or with children and young people (aged 0–19). For the most recent published year (2022/23), this shows that there were 3.1 million attendances at performances, 2.5 million attendances at film screenings, 112,000 visits to exhibitions, and 111,000 attendances at festivals. This includes only ‘known attendance’ (i.e. calculated using more precise methods such as ticket sales). Including ‘estimated attendance’ increases this figure significantly.
Asked by: Baroness Keeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many meetings on changes to Orchestra Tax Relief she has had with representatives of the orchestra sector since 18 July 2023.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The extension to the higher rates of cultural tax reliefs announced at Spring Budget 2023 are collectively estimated to be worth £350 million to theatres, orchestras, museums and galleries over the five-year forecast period.
On 18 July 2023, HM Government published draft legislation for several administrative changes to creative industry tax reliefs, including orchestra tax relief, for the purpose of consultation. Since then, senior officials at the Department for Culture, Media & Sport have engaged with the Association of British Orchestras (ABO) and others to seek their feedback on draft changes to legislation on cultural tax reliefs proposed by HM Treasury. Officials from HM Treasury and HM Revenue & Customs have also met the ABO as the responsible Departments for this policy and its delivery. Details of Ministerial meetings can be found on the Gov.uk website here.
Asked by: Baroness Keeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to This Is Music 2023, published by UK Music on 7 November 2023, what assessment she has made of the potential impact on the music sector of the decline in the physical music market in 2022 cited in that report.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The way people consume music has changed significantly over the past decade, and the industry’s continued success has come from embracing technology. As referenced in UK Music’s This is Music report 2023, there has been a ‘shift to streaming’ from physical sales.
Whilst the BPI have reported that Vinyl LP purchases grew for a 15th consecutive year in 2022, This is Music reports that the physical market declined by 10.5% in 2022. However, streaming revenues grew across all fronts. Subscription revenues for premium services grew by 4.8% in 2022, ad-supported services grew by 22.3%, and video streaming such as YouTube and TikTok grew by 11.2% in 2022.
The headline figures from the UK Music report outline that in 2022, UK music exports generated £4 billion; the music industry’s contribution to the UK economy was £6.7 billion (GVA); and total UK music industry employment was 210,000. Across all key commercial assets (musical composition, recorded music, live performance and brand image) revenues continued to grow in 2022.
The UK is the second biggest exporter of music globally and the Government is supporting the industry to retain this position in the international market by trebling the funding for the Music Exports Growth Scheme to £3.2m over the next two years.
Asked by: Baroness Keeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to improve remuneration for musicians.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The Government is committed to maximising the potential of the UK music industry and its musicians.
In May 2023, alongside the publication of an industry-led agreement on metadata, the Government announced it would be establishing an industry working group to explore further issues around creator remuneration.
We expect to shortly publish the terms of reference and membership, with the first working group meeting expected to take place soon thereafter.
Asked by: Baroness Keeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many times and on what dates she has attended meetings of the Expert Advisory Panel on Cultural Education.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The Cultural Education Plan will ensure that all young people, regardless of their background, can access high-quality cultural education. Among other things, this is an important step in delivering our Creative Careers Promise, set out in the Creative Industries Sector Vision, which aims to build a pipeline of talent into our creative industries, from primary school onwards.
Development of the plan is being led by a panel of 22 experts, including teachers and education leaders, and representatives from the performing arts, libraries, museums, heritage and youth sectors, and the creative industries. While development of the Cultural Education Plan is being driven by the Expert Advisory Panel, the Minister for Arts & Heritage (Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay) and the former Minister for Schools (Nick Gibb MP) have attended panel meetings on multiple occasions.
Furthermore, the panel is being informed by a series of 50 listening exercises with representatives from across the creative, cultural, education and youth sectors. Lord Parkinson joined one of these listening exercises held at the Royal Opera House with teachers and educationalists from across the country.
Asked by: Baroness Keeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of a ticket levy on (a) arenas, (b) stadiums and (c) major festivals to support grassroots live music.
Answered by John Whittingdale
His Majesty’s Government is committed to supporting our grassroots music venues, which play an absolutely crucial role in our world-leading music sector and developing homegrown talent.
That is why we are supporting live music through a range of measures. This includes an additional £5 million to Arts Council England’s (ACE’s) successful Supporting Grassroots Music fund, as set out in the Creative Industries Sector Vision in June. This £5 million expands and extends ACE’s existing grassroots fund, open since 2019, and takes our total investment in grassroots music through the fund to almost £15 million. This fund will enable venues to increase support for young and emerging artists, improve equipment and physical infrastructure, and support venues to become more financially resilient and develop new income streams.
This is in addition to other government support provided to the live music sector, including over £3 million during the pandemic from the Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund. The Culture Recovery Fund also provided over £200m of support for live music venues, and further support was provided through the £800m Live Events Reinsurance Scheme, alongside the cross-sector grants, loans, and reduction of VAT on tickets to 5%.
Through ACE, the Government has also supported the Music Venue Trust’s ‘Own Our Venues’ initiative, providing £500,000 which will help the Trust acquire the freeholds of grassroots music venues at risk of closure. DCMS Ministers attended the opening of the first acquisition, ‘The Snug’ in Atherton, Greater Manchester, in October.
Music venues are also eligible for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Business Rates Relief, with a 75% relief up to a cash cap limit of £110,000 per business. This relief was extended for a further year during the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement last week. DCMS and DLUHC are also working closely with the sector to revise planning guidelines to ensure that new developments engage with existing music venues before being built.
We have no plans to impose a ticket levy. Industry-led discussions are ongoing regarding increased support for grassroots music venues from larger events and venues.
We understand that the DCMS Select Committee will shortly be launching an inquiry into live music, and we will consider the Committee’s report once it is published.
Asked by: Baroness Keeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will hold a consultation on support for live music.
Answered by John Whittingdale
His Majesty’s Government is committed to supporting our grassroots music venues, which play an absolutely crucial role in our world-leading music sector and developing homegrown talent.
That is why we are supporting live music through a range of measures. This includes an additional £5 million to Arts Council England’s (ACE’s) successful Supporting Grassroots Music fund, as set out in the Creative Industries Sector Vision in June. This £5 million expands and extends ACE’s existing grassroots fund, open since 2019, and takes our total investment in grassroots music through the fund to almost £15 million. This fund will enable venues to increase support for young and emerging artists, improve equipment and physical infrastructure, and support venues to become more financially resilient and develop new income streams.
This is in addition to other government support provided to the live music sector, including over £3 million during the pandemic from the Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund. The Culture Recovery Fund also provided over £200m of support for live music venues, and further support was provided through the £800m Live Events Reinsurance Scheme, alongside the cross-sector grants, loans, and reduction of VAT on tickets to 5%.
Through ACE, the Government has also supported the Music Venue Trust’s ‘Own Our Venues’ initiative, providing £500,000 which will help the Trust acquire the freeholds of grassroots music venues at risk of closure. DCMS Ministers attended the opening of the first acquisition, ‘The Snug’ in Atherton, Greater Manchester, in October.
Music venues are also eligible for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Business Rates Relief, with a 75% relief up to a cash cap limit of £110,000 per business. This relief was extended for a further year during the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement last week. DCMS and DLUHC are also working closely with the sector to revise planning guidelines to ensure that new developments engage with existing music venues before being built.
We have no plans to impose a ticket levy. Industry-led discussions are ongoing regarding increased support for grassroots music venues from larger events and venues.
We understand that the DCMS Select Committee will shortly be launching an inquiry into live music, and we will consider the Committee’s report once it is published.
Asked by: Baroness Keeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Answer of 14 November 2023 to Question 1085 on Musicians: Census, which organisations the Government has invited to be involved in the industry working group to discuss issues around creator remuneration.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The working group’s membership is still being considered by the Government, and officials are liaising with key industry representatives to seek their views and input. It will be composed of nominated representatives and experts spanning the breadth of the sector.
We intend to publish further details around the working group, including membership, in the near future, once relevant parties have been notified.
Asked by: Baroness Keeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to her Department's publication of 11 October 2021 entitled Visa-free short term touring allowed in 20 member states, whether any additional countries offer visa and work permit free routes for UK musicians and performers.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The Government is committed to supporting touring artists and the wider music industry to adapt to new arrangements following our departure from the EU, and we have worked with the sector and directly with Member States to provide clarity and support.
24 out of 27 Member States, the vast majority, have clarified arrangements to confirm that they allow visa and work permit free routes for UK performers for some short-term touring. This includes most of the UK’s biggest touring markets such as France, Germany, and the Netherlands, and it includes Spain and Greece who have introduced easements for third country touring professionals.
We continue to engage with the few remaining Member States to improve arrangements or clarify guidance, and we have worked closely on this with the sector. Most recently, we raised the issue of Touring with the EU at the Services Investment and Digital Trade Committee on 9 October. Ultimately however, it is up to Member States to align their requirements more closely with the UK’s generous rules.
The Government has also launched an Export Support Service where UK businesses, including touring professionals, can access advice and guidance. We will continue to engage with industry to understand challenges facing the live music sector and options to address these issues.