Asked by: Lord Aberdare (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the experience of other countries (including Italy, the United States of America, France, Greece, Spain, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Poland and Israel) in promoting or requiring heart screening for young people engaged in sport, including its impact in reducing sudden cardiac deaths.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The safety, wellbeing and welfare of everyone taking part in sport is absolutely paramount. National Governing Bodies (NGBs) are responsible for the regulation of their sports and for ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to protect participants from harm. NGBs are independent of Government, but the Government expects NGBs to make the health and safety of players their top priority.
Sport England, DCMS arm's-length body for grassroots sport, works closely with Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), an organisation which aims to prevent young sudden cardiac deaths through awareness, screening, research, and supporting affected families. Sport England is helping increase awareness of CRY in the community sports sector, including through Buddle, its online site for clubs and community organisations.
The Department for Health and Social Care has responsibility for preventative healthcare strategies. The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) is an independent scientific advisory body which advises health ministers and the NHS in the four nations of the UK on all aspects of screening. It is currently reviewing a submission received via its annual call process to consider Sudden Cardiac Death screening in young people aged 14-35 engaging in sport. More information on the annual call process can be found here: UK NSC annual call.
Countries often cited as screening for more conditions than the UK are not always running national programmes; often, there are small pilots operating in one region or city, led by a single clinician. They are therefore not directly comparable to the national screening programmes operating in the UK.
Asked by: Lord Aberdare (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend the requirement for heart screening for young people engaged in sport beyond organisations which already require and provide such screening.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The safety, wellbeing and welfare of everyone taking part in sport is absolutely paramount. National Governing Bodies (NGBs) are responsible for the regulation of their sports and for ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to protect participants from harm. NGBs are independent of Government, but the Government expects NGBs to make the health and safety of players their top priority.
Sport England, DCMS arm's-length body for grassroots sport, works closely with Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), an organisation which aims to prevent young sudden cardiac deaths through awareness, screening, research, and supporting affected families. Sport England is helping increase awareness of CRY in the community sports sector, including through Buddle, its online site for clubs and community organisations.
The Department for Health and Social Care has responsibility for preventative healthcare strategies. The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) is an independent scientific advisory body which advises health ministers and the NHS in the four nations of the UK on all aspects of screening. It is currently reviewing a submission received via its annual call process to consider Sudden Cardiac Death screening in young people aged 14-35 engaging in sport. More information on the annual call process can be found here: UK NSC annual call.
Countries often cited as screening for more conditions than the UK are not always running national programmes; often, there are small pilots operating in one region or city, led by a single clinician. They are therefore not directly comparable to the national screening programmes operating in the UK.
Asked by: Lord Aberdare (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to promote heart screening for young people engaged in sport, and (2) to increase the availability of such screening.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The safety, wellbeing and welfare of everyone taking part in sport is absolutely paramount. National Governing Bodies (NGBs) are responsible for the regulation of their sports and for ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to protect participants from harm. NGBs are independent of Government, but the Government expects NGBs to make the health and safety of players their top priority.
Sport England, DCMS arm's-length body for grassroots sport, works closely with Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), an organisation which aims to prevent young sudden cardiac deaths through awareness, screening, research, and supporting affected families. Sport England is helping increase awareness of CRY in the community sports sector, including through Buddle, its online site for clubs and community organisations.
The Department for Health and Social Care has responsibility for preventative healthcare strategies. The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) is an independent scientific advisory body which advises health ministers and the NHS in the four nations of the UK on all aspects of screening. It is currently reviewing a submission received via its annual call process to consider Sudden Cardiac Death screening in young people aged 14-35 engaging in sport. More information on the annual call process can be found here: UK NSC annual call.
Countries often cited as screening for more conditions than the UK are not always running national programmes; often, there are small pilots operating in one region or city, led by a single clinician. They are therefore not directly comparable to the national screening programmes operating in the UK.
Asked by: Lord Aberdare (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the decision not to offer a Government-backed reinsurance scheme on the number of live music events that will go ahead in the summer.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
We are aware of the concerns which have been raised about the challenge of securing indemnity for live events. Department officials have been working closely with the affected sectors to understand the challenges and to keep the situation under review.
Understandably, the bar for considering government intervention is set extremely high, especially in light of recent announcements including the considerable extension to the furlough scheme and local business support. My officials are continuing to collect evidence of all of the barriers live events are facing to reopening. There are a number of factors which influence the viability of music festivals, and indemnity insurance is only one aspect of this.
We are keeping the situation under review and working closely with Her Majesty’s Treasury on this issue to determine the appropriate and most effective response for the sector within the public health context.
Asked by: Lord Aberdare (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to initiate formal bilateral talks with any EU member states on reciprocal arrangements for touring musicians during this calendar year.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
This Government recognises the importance of touring for UK cultural professionals and understands that the cultural and creative sectors rely on the ability to move people across borders quickly, simply, and with minimal cost and administration.
The UK’s rules for touring creative professionals are more generous than many EU Member States. Our door is open if the EU is willing to reconsider its position, and it is within Member States’ gift to match our arrangements..
We are now working urgently across government and in collaboration with the music and wider creative industries, including through the DCMS-led working group, to look at the issues and options, such as working with bilateral partners in Europe, to help the sectors resume touring with ease as soon as it is safe to do so.
Asked by: Lord Aberdare (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the merits of providing financial support to music exporters looking to export to the EU.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The Government recognises the world-leading position of the UK music sector and the rich breadth of musical talent across the UK. According to UK Music’s 2020 report, the sector contributed £5.8bn GVA to the UK economy in 2019 and generated £2.9bn in export revenue.
Leaving the EU has always meant that there would be changes to how creative professionals operate in the EU. UK musicians are, of course, still able to tour and perform in the EU. However, we understand the concerns about the new arrangements and we are committed to supporting the sectors as they get to grips with the changes to systems and processes. We are now working urgently across government and in collaboration with the music and wider creative industries, including through the DCMS-led working group, to look at the issues and options to help the sectors resume touring with ease as soon as it is safe to do so.
The UK music industry continues to benefit from the Department for International Trade’s Music Export Growth Scheme (MEGS) which has been running since 2014. Over 280 small and medium-sized music businesses from across the UK have received grants through the scheme to support marketing and promotional activities to help them grow their international business. The government also funds The International Showcase Fund, which is administered by PRS Foundation and awards grants to enable music artists and creators to perform at key music showcase events and conferences around the world.
Asked by: Lord Aberdare (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the accessibility of commercial COVID-19 cancellation insurance for live events.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The Government is aware of the concerns which have been raised about the challenge of securing indemnity cover for live events. My officials continue to work closely with the affected sectors to understand all barriers to reopening, including potential challenges around indemnity cover.
For instance, DCMS has established a sector-led sub-group for Outdoor Events and Festivals. The sub-group, chaired by industry, has developed draft planning guidance for how music festivals may be able to take place in the future, and adapt to the latest regulations and guidance, with input from Public Health England (PHE) and DCMS. There is also a dedicated Indoor Venues Steering Group, similarly tasked and composed of industry representatives, PHE and DCMS officials.