Asked by: Lord Aberdare (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by the Infrastructure & Projects Authority Government Construction Strategy 2016–20, published in March 2016, how many departments have piloted Integrated Project Insurance (IPI); and what encouragement the Infrastructure and Projects Authority has provided to government procurers to use IPI.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
Through the Government’s Construction Strategy 2016-20 Integrated Project Insurance (IPI), the Trial Projects Working Group, set up by Cabinet Office, piloted IPI on Dudley College’s project to build a Centre for Advanced Building Technologies. However, when the Working Group completed its work in 2017, after four years of development, it was felt that the IPI model needed further involvement from industry before it could be adopted by Government departments. To date there has been no further trialling or adoption of the model other than an extension to the original contract.
The Government through the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) and the Infrastructure Projects Authority via commercial specialists cite the IPI model in presentations to customers and programmes and it is referenced in the CCS’s Construction Works and Associated Services Framework as one of the approaches that clients might consider when procuring construction services. It will also be offered in CCS’s new Construction Professional Services Framework, which is due to go to the market in early 2021.
The Government has also recently published its Construction Playbook to support the upskilling of Government as a client, and includes reference to IPI, which will assist departments in making procurement decisions and considering if the IPI model might be applicable.
Asked by: Lord Aberdare (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which government construction procurers comply with Regulation 113 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 which gives public sector bodies a statutory duty to ensure that 30-day payment clauses are inserted in all sub-contracts and sub-sub-contracts.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
This information is not held centrally. Individual contracting authorities are responsible for complying with Regulation 113 of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 on relevant procurements. Businesses are encouraged to report instances of late or unfair payment in public sector contracts to the Public Procurement Review Service.
Asked by: Lord Aberdare (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether UK musicians will need (1) Convention on International Trade In Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora certificates, and (2) Carnets, for instruments being transported from Great Britain to Northern Ireland after 31 December.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
After the Transition Period, controls implementing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) will apply to the movement of CITES specimens between Great Britain (GB) and Northern Ireland (NI). This is as a result of our international obligations under CITES, and the operation of the Northern Ireland Protocol. If a musical instrument contains CITES-listed species (and is not exempted) then CITES documents will be required for movements from GB to NI after 31 December. ATA Carnets cannot be used as an alternative to CITES documentation.
However, after the Transition period, ATA Carnets will become an option for temporarily moving goods between the UK, EU and NI. Use of an ATA Carnet is optional, and it is a commercial decision as to whether it is the most cost-effective method in each specific circumstance.
Asked by: Lord Aberdare (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken (1) to support live music venues to operate in a COVID-19 secure manner, and (2) to propagate best practice in that industry.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Performing Arts guidance was developed in collaboration with the live events sectors to help venues put on live events in a covid secure manner.
The Secretary of State announced an unprecedented £1.57 billion support package for the cultural sector which will benefit the music sector by providing support to venues and many other cultural organisations to stay open and continue operating. So far, over £500 million has been announced from the Culture Recovery Fund for over 2,000 cultural organisations across England, almost a fifth of which has, so far, gone to the music sector. This funding will provide targeted support to organisations including venues, festivals and theatres.
As part of this, £3.36 million was shared between 136 grassroots music venues across England which had successfully applied for emergency support in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. These emergency grants of up to £80,000 enabled venues to cover ongoing running costs incurred during closure, such as rent and utilities but also allowed them the chance to adapt to become covid secure for socially distanced live audiences when permitted.
In order to propagate best practice across the industry, the Entertainment and Events Working Group gathers key industry bodies to help produce detailed guidance and ensure that the latest updates to that guidance are shared with their sectors.
Asked by: Lord Aberdare (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of workers who have left (1) the music, (2) the performing arts, and (3) the creative, sector since March.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
We recognise that businesses and workers in the creative industries have been severely impacted by Covid-19.
The Government has not made an assessment of the number of workers who have left the music, performing arts and creative sector since March. We have worked closely with music and cultural sector representative bodies to maximise the survival of businesses and employee retention in the sector, through the extensive range of support the Government has provided to businesses and the self-employed.
We are committed to continuing to work with the music and cultural sectors to understand the difficulties they face and help them access support through these challenging times and through recovery.
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 assess the effect of the introduction of Tier 2 and Tier 3 COVID-19 measures on (1) live music venues, (2) theatres, and (3) other live performance venues.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Since Thursday 5 November, new national restrictions have been in force in England to control the spread of coronavirus and to limit contacts between households.
During this period, performing arts venues such as theatres, concert halls (including grassroots music venues) and entertainment venues can continue to operate under Stages 1 and 2 of the performing arts roadmap. This means performing arts professionals may continue to rehearse and train, and perform for broadcast or recording purposes. Other than for this purpose, these venues must close.
We have always said that further reopening of the performing arts sector would be dependent on the public health context at the time. DCMS has convened a Venues Steering Group which includes representatives from leading sector organisations as well as Public Health England and other experts to develop an action plan for maximizing activity under Stages 3 and 4, when it is permitted again, and for how we safely proceed to Stage 5 of the roadmap. DCMS will continue to work with these sectors to establish an appropriate pilot process for testing the return to stage 5 activity when appropriate and are working closely with the Department for Health and Social Care on the Government Mass Testing Programme.
Asked by: Lord Aberdare (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost of maintaining (1) the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, and (2) the Job Retention Scheme, at the current level for businesses that are unable to open as a result of restrictions in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
The information requested is not available.
The latest Management Information [1], which shows claims for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, was published on 22 September 2020 on GOV.UK.
This shows that by 19 July 2020 a total of £7.6 billion had been claimed for the first SEISS grant and by 20 September 2020 a total of £5.6 billion had been claimed for the second SEISS grant.
This information also shows that £39.3 billion had been claimed under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme by 20 September 2020.
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-coronavirus-covid-19-statistics
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 how successful the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme and Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme have been in retaining workers in (1) the creative, and (2) the music, sector.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
No estimate is available currently for the impact of Self-Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS) and Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) on creative and music sector workers specifically.
As of 31 July, a total of 2.6 million people have claimed a SEISS grant with the value of these claims totalling £7.6 billion. More than two thirds of cultural freelancers received support through SEISS.
9.6 million employments have been furloughed through CJRS for at least part of the period between March to June. These claims have been made by 1.16 million employers, with 61% of eligible employers claiming.
We recognise that the music and creative sectors has been severely impacted by Covid-19. We continue to meet with stakeholders to discuss the challenges facing the industry.
Asked by: Lord Aberdare (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimates they have made of (1) job losses, and (2) business closures, in (a) live music venues, (b) the live music supply chain, and (c) the music sector as a whole, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
No estimate is available currently for this but we are continuing to meet with live music stakeholders to understand the specific impacts that Covid is having on the whole industry.
The Chancellor has announced the Winter Economy Plan to protect jobs and support businesses over the coming months, once the existing SEISS and CJRS come to end. From November, the Jobs Support Scheme will provide further support to returning workers, while the extended Self-Employed Income Support Scheme will aid the self-employed who are currently actively trading but are facing reduced demand.
In addition, the Secretary of State provided a major £1.57 billion support package for key cultural organisations to help them through the coronavirus pandemic. This support package will benefit the live music sector by providing support to venues and many other organisations to stay open and continue operating.
As part of this support package, £3.36 million has been shared among 136 venues across England who applied for the Emergency Grassroot Music Venues Fund. This funding has supported grassroots venues to survive the imminent risk of collapse caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Asked by: Lord Aberdare (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the proportion of live music venues in England that have re-opened under stage 4 of the phased return to professional performing arts.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
We appreciate that the Covid-19 pandemic presents a significant challenge to the live music sector.
No estimate is available currently for this but we are continuing to meet with live music stakeholders to provide support and guidance for venues to re-open and stage live events.
As part of the Government’s 5 stage roadmap to get performing arts and live entertainment sectors back up and running as soon as possible, venues and organisations are able to put on live performances in front of a socially-distanced audience in line with the latest Covid secure guidance.
We recognise that the live music industry and its supply chain has been severely impacted by Covid-19. We continue to meet with the stakeholders to discuss the specific issues facing the industry.