Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Government's announcement of 14 June 2021 not to move ahead with Step 4 of the Government's roadmap for the easing of covid-19 restrictions from 21 June 2021, whether his Department has made an estimate of the value of business that will be lost by the events sector as a result of continued limits on capacity for that sector.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
We recognise the challenging times currently facing all sectors, and continue to support in line with the prime minister's roadmap to the full reopening of the economy. Events sectors experienced a 50-60% drop in GVA in Spring 2020, relative to 25% in other sectors. The Department has been working closely with stakeholders across the events sector throughout the pandemic to understand both the nature and scale of the impact that this sector has faced.
Since 17 May, events have been able to reopen subject to capacity caps which vary depending on whether the event is indoors or outdoors. The Government has also launched the Events Research Programme which is looking at how best to mitigate transmission risks across a number of event settings.
We are committed to helping the events sector reopen fully, and while we know that the loss of some business that may occur as a result of the delay to step 4, public health must remain the top priority. The roadmap sets out a cautious and gradual approach, led by data, not dates.
Throughout the pandemic, businesses have had access to an unprecedented £350 billion package of support including cash grants, government-backed loans, the extended furlough scheme and £5 billion for new Restart Grants.
To ensure that people and businesses have time to plan as the economy reopens in line with the easing of restrictions, schemes such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and Self-Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will continue until September 2021. Support for businesses through grants and loans, business rates and VAT relief is also still available.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what evidence, research or data the Government has assessed on the effectiveness of (a) limiting numbers based on the venue size, (b) maintaining social distancing and (c) other covid-19 safety measures on helping to limit transmission of the covid-19 virus within an amateur choir setting.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
Decisions on Step 3 were taken collectively across Government before 17th May. The updated Performing Arts guidance sets out how venues and organisers should operate in Step 3.
I know that the restrictions on singing are frustrating to large numbers of amateur choirs and performance groups across the country and that many people have made sacrifices in order to drive down infections and protect the NHS over the last year. I want to assure you that everyone across the government wants to ease these restrictions as soon as possible.
However, it is important that we take a cautious approach in easing restrictions. We have followed the views of public health experts on singing. We are aware, through the NERVTAG and PERFORM studies that singing can increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission through the spread of aerosol droplets. This was backed up by a consensus statement from SAGE, resulting in the suggested principles of safer singing being published.
We will continue to keep guidance and restrictions under review, in line with the changing situation. Further detail on step 4 will be set out as soon as possible.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, for what reason there was a 24 to 36 hours delay from (a) the Step 3 easing of covid-19 restrictions coming into effect to (b) the covid-19 guidance for indoor amateur choirs being updated; and whether Ministers received any new covid-19 guidance or data within that time period.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
Decisions on Step 3 were taken collectively across Government before 17th May. The updated Performing Arts guidance sets out how venues and organisers should operate in Step 3.
I know that the restrictions on singing are frustrating to large numbers of amateur choirs and performance groups across the country and that many people have made sacrifices in order to drive down infections and protect the NHS over the last year. I want to assure you that everyone across the government wants to ease these restrictions as soon as possible.
However, it is important that we take a cautious approach in easing restrictions. We have followed the views of public health experts on singing. We are aware, through the NERVTAG and PERFORM studies that singing can increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission through the spread of aerosol droplets. This was backed up by a consensus statement from SAGE, resulting in the suggested principles of safer singing being published.
We will continue to keep guidance and restrictions under review, in line with the changing situation. Further detail on step 4 will be set out as soon as possible.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, on what date the Government decided not to include indoor amateur choir practice for more than six persons in the Step 3 easing of covid-19 restrictions that came into effect on 17 May 2021.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
Decisions on Step 3 were taken collectively across Government before 17th May. The updated Performing Arts guidance sets out how venues and organisers should operate in Step 3.
I know that the restrictions on singing are frustrating to large numbers of amateur choirs and performance groups across the country and that many people have made sacrifices in order to drive down infections and protect the NHS over the last year. I want to assure you that everyone across the government wants to ease these restrictions as soon as possible.
However, it is important that we take a cautious approach in easing restrictions. We have followed the views of public health experts on singing. We are aware, through the NERVTAG and PERFORM studies that singing can increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission through the spread of aerosol droplets. This was backed up by a consensus statement from SAGE, resulting in the suggested principles of safer singing being published.
We will continue to keep guidance and restrictions under review, in line with the changing situation. Further detail on step 4 will be set out as soon as possible.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to replicate UK participation in the European Solidarity Corps programme through a UK scheme with similar international partnerships and funding provision.
Answered by Matt Warman
The UK continues to participate fully in the 2018-2020 European Solidarity Corps programme. This means that projects that successfully bid for funding during the 2018-2020 programme will continue to receive EU funding for the full duration of the project, including where funding runs beyond 2020 and the end of the transition period.
International opportunities for young people outside of formal education settings, such as the types of activities funded under the European Solidarity Corps programme, are being considered as part of the DCMS-led Youth Review, which was commissioned by the Treasury at the 2020 Spending Review. Future funding is subject to decisions at the next Spending Review.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment the Government has made of the effect on levels of funding available to small charities of the UK ceasing to participate in the European Solidarity Corps programme; and what steps the Government is taking to mitigate that effect with replacement funding.
Answered by Matt Warman
The UK continues to participate fully in the 2018-2020 European Solidarity Corps programme. This means that projects that successfully bid for funding during the 2018-2020 programme will continue to receive EU funding for the full duration of the project, including where funding runs beyond 2020 and the end of the transition period.
International opportunities for young people outside of formal education settings, such as the types of activities funded under the European Solidarity Corps programme, are being considered as part of the DCMS-led Youth Review, which was commissioned by the Treasury at the 2020 Spending Review. Future funding is subject to decisions at the next Spending Review.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing targeted support to (a) the events sector and (b) other sectors that remain closed as a result of covid-19 lockdown restrictions.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
DCMS appreciates the important role that the events sector plays in the UK’s economy, and that the Covid-19 pandemic presents a significant challenge to many businesses operating in these sectors.
The Secretary of State announced an unprecedented £1.57 billion support package for key cultural organisations to help them through the coronavirus pandemic. This funding will provide targeted support to organisations across a range of cultural and creative sectors which will benefit self-employed and freelance workers by helping music venues and many other organisations in the Creative Industries that host live events, to stay open and continue operating.
From 15th August and 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 have been able to put on live indoor performances in front of a socially-distanced audience. This is in addition to the earlier announcement that from 11 July we can all enjoy performances outdoors with social distanced audiences.
We are committed to continuing to work with the events sector to understand the difficulties they face and help them access support through these challenging times and through recovery.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to provide targeted support to the events sector during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
DCMS appreciates the important role that the events sector plays in the UK’s economy, and that the Covid-19 pandemic presents a significant challenge to many businesses operating in these sectors.
The Secretary of State provided a major £1.57 billion support package for key cultural organisations to help them through the coronavirus pandemic. This funding will provide targeted support to organisations across a range of cultural and creative sectors. This support package will benefit cultural sector services by providing support to cultural venues and many other organisations in the Creative Industries that host live events, to stay open and continue operating.
From 15th August, and 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, organisations can now put on live indoor performances in front of a socially-distanced audience. This is in addition to the earlier announcement that from 11 July we can all enjoy performances outdoors with social distancing.
We are committed to continuing to work with the events sector to understand the difficulties they face and help them access support through these challenging times and through recovery.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to provide targeted support to (a) the events sector and (b) other sectors that remain closed as a result of covid-19 lockdown restrictions.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
DCMS appreciates the important role that the events sector plays in the UK’s economy, and that the Covid-19 pandemic presents a significant challenge to many businesses operating in these sectors.
The Secretary of State announced an unprecedented £1.57 billion support package for key cultural organisations to help them through the coronavirus pandemic. This funding will provide targeted support to organisations across a range of cultural and creative sectors. This package aims to support sectors across the Arts, Culture, and Heritage to reopen or ensure they do not permanently close their doors.
From 15th August and 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 have been able to put on live indoor performances in front of a socially-distanced audience. This is in addition to the earlier announcement that from 11 July we can all enjoy performances outdoors with social distanced audiencesing.
We are committed to continuing to work with the events sector to understand the difficulties they face and help them access support through these challenging times and through recovery.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the Government support to the events sector during the covid-19 outbreak; and what steps his Department is taking to increase its support for that sector.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
DCMS appreciates the important role that the events sector plays in the UK’s economy, and that the Covid-19 pandemic presents a significant challenge to many businesses operating in these sectors.
The Secretary of State provided a major £1.57 billion support package for key cultural organisations to help them through the coronavirus pandemic. This funding will provide targeted support to organisations across a range of cultural and creative sectors. This support package will benefit cultural sector services by providing support to cultural venues and many other organisations in the Creative Industries that host live events, to stay open and continue operating.
From 15th August, and 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, organisations can now put on live indoor performances in front of a socially-distanced audience. This is in addition to the earlier announcement that from 11 July we can all enjoy performances outdoors with social distancing.
We are committed to continuing to work with the events sector to understand the difficulties they face and help them access support through these challenging times and through recovery.