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Written Question
Music Venues: Finance
Wednesday 13th March 2024

Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with representatives of the live music industry on introducing a ticket levy on large scale music arenas to support grassroots live music.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The 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 expands and extends ACE’s existing grassroots fund, and takes our total investment in grassroots music through the fund to almost £15 million since 2019. 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 including the Culture Recovery Fund, which provided over £200m of support for live music venues, the £800m Live Events Reinsurance Scheme, alongside the cross-sector grants, loans, and reduction of VAT on tickets to 5%. Further, over £3 million was provided during the pandemic from the Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund.

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. 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.

Industry-led discussions are ongoing regarding increased support for grassroots music venues from larger events and venues, and DCMS actively supports these sector-led initiatives. Ministers and officials continue to engage with industry to understand the challenges and review opportunities to strengthen the financial resilience of the grassroots music sector.


Written Question
Music Venues: Finance
Wednesday 13th March 2024

Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to provide urgent support to grassroots music venues at risk of closure in the context of increased costs.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The 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 expands and extends ACE’s existing grassroots fund, and takes our total investment in grassroots music through the fund to almost £15 million since 2019. 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 including the Culture Recovery Fund, which provided over £200m of support for live music venues, the £800m Live Events Reinsurance Scheme, alongside the cross-sector grants, loans, and reduction of VAT on tickets to 5%. Further, over £3 million was provided during the pandemic from the Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund.

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. 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.

Industry-led discussions are ongoing regarding increased support for grassroots music venues from larger events and venues, and DCMS actively supports these sector-led initiatives. Ministers and officials continue to engage with industry to understand the challenges and review opportunities to strengthen the financial resilience of the grassroots music sector.


Written Question
Music: Artificial Intelligence
Tuesday 23rd May 2023

Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with Cabinet colleagues on consulting with technology and music industry stakeholders on the design and implementation of a code of conduct for the use of artificial intelligence in the music industry.

Answered by John Whittingdale

The Government recognises the enormous potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to deliver better public services, high quality jobs and opportunities, and enable future high growth industries. As set out in the recent AI white paper, our goal is to ensure that the UK becomes an AI superpower.

However, it is important that while we harness the benefits of AI, we also manage the risks. This includes particular risks to creative sectors and rights holders, notably the music industry.

As set out in the Government response to the Pro-innovation Regulation of Digital Technologies Review, we are working with users and rights holders to develop a code of practice on text and data mining, a process used in the development and training of AI models. To inform the code of practice, the Government is convening a group of AI firms and rights holders, in the music industry and other parts of the creative sector, to identify barriers faced by users of data mining techniques when accessing copyright materials, and to develop licensing solutions for these.

The Chancellor hosted a Creative Industries conference on 3 May alongside the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport; Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology; and the Secretary of State for Education, to discuss with 80 industry representatives the key challenges and opportunities facing the Creative Industries, including the impact of the use of AI in the music industry. We will continue to engage and work closely with industry on the design and implementation of future reforms.


Written Question
Recording Studios: Finance
Thursday 26th January 2023

Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the financial viability of recording studios.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

In August 2021, DCMS commissioned the consultancy firm, Sound Diplomacy, to assess the state of the music studio market in England.

Evidence found challenges, but showed the market is responding to changes, such as technological innovation, and is maintaining or growing sources of income.

As a result, the report found the music studio market was not in need of specific government intervention.

Since then, the Government announced a new Energy Bills Discount Scheme to help support businesses, like recording studios, to tackle rising energy costs.


Written Question
Broadband: Prices
Monday 16th January 2023

Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with Ofcom on the upcoming 11.1 percent price increase of wholesale broadband in April 2023.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The regulation of wholesale prices in the fixed telecoms market is a matter for Ofcom, the independent regulator. Through our Statement of Strategic Priorities we have instructed Ofcom to regulate in a way that encourages both competition and investment in telecoms infrastructure. Following this guidance, Ofcom developed its Wholesale Fixed Telecoms Market Review (WFTMR) which allows Openreach prices to increase in line with inflation.

Thanks to this approach, there is now a thriving market of over 80 providers investing £35bn rolling out gigabit broadband all over the UK. Today, nearly 73% of premises can access gigabit-capable networks, up from just one in ten in November 2019.


Written Question
Football Governance Fan-led Review
Tuesday 1st November 2022

Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what her planned timetable is for bringing forward legislative proposals to implement the recommendations of the Fan-led Review of Football Governance.

Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government published its response to the recommendations made by the Independent Fan Led Review of Football Governance in April 2022.

The Government recognises the need for football to be reformed to ensure the game’s sustainability in the long term. We remain committed to publishing a White Paper in due course, setting out our detailed response to the Fan Led Review of Football Governance.


Written Question
Football Governance Fan-led Review
Tuesday 1st November 2022

Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when she will publish a White Paper on the implementation of the Fan-led Review of Football Governance.

Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government published its response to the recommendations made by the Independent Fan Led Review of Football Governance in April 2022.

The Government recognises the need for football to be reformed to ensure the game’s sustainability in the long term. We remain committed to publishing a White Paper in due course, setting out our detailed response to the Fan Led Review of Football Governance.


Written Question
Swimming Pools
Thursday 28th July 2022

Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing capital funding to support the transition of swimming pools in public leisure centres to renewable energy sources.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

We recognise the importance of ensuring public access to leisure facilities, including swimming pools, which are great spaces for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy. We are committed to supporting these facilities to transition to renewable energy sources.

The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme provides grants for public sector bodies to fund heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency measures. The scheme supports the aim of reducing emissions from public sector buildings by 75% by 2037, as set out in the Heat and Buildings Strategy and the Net Zero Strategy in October 2021. For example last year, during Phase 3a, Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council was awarded £1,728,500 to decarbonise the swimming pool at Todmorden Sports Centre.

The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme and the Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Fund are open to public sector bodies in England and areas of reserved public services across the UK. Sport, and Local Government, are devolved matters, therefore investment decisions concerning them in Wales are the responsibility of the relevant administration.


Written Question
Swimming Pools
Monday 25th July 2022

Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing additional funding for local authorities to help them manage the impact of rising energy prices on the operating costs of swimming pools in public leisure centres.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

We recognise the importance of ensuring public access to leisure facilities, including swimming pools, which are great spaces for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy, and which play an important role within communities.

We also recognise the impact rising energy prices will have on businesses of all sizes. Ofgem and the government are in regular contact with business groups and suppliers to understand the challenges they face and explore ways to protect consumers and businesses.

The ongoing responsibility of providing access to public leisure facilities lies at Local Authority level, and the government continues to encourage Local Authorities to invest in leisure facilities. Sport, and local authorities, are devolved matters, therefore investment decisions concerning them in Wales are the responsibility of the relevant administration.


Written Question
Public Service Broadcasting: Wales
Thursday 21st July 2022

Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what her planned timetable is for bringing forward legislative proposals for the Media Bill as announced in the Queen's Speech 2022; and what progress her Department has made on developing proposals relating to the (a) online prominence of Welsh language Public Service Broadcasting content and (b) remit of S4C.

Answered by Matt Warman

The Government set out its programme for the third session in the Queen’s speech on 10th May 2022 which included a commitment to legislate for a Media Bill.

Regional and minority language broadcasting has an important role to play in the UK’s broadcasting ecology, providing not only an opportunity for speakers to access content in a language familiar to them, but as a means of cultural expression for communities across the UK.

In recognition of this, the government set out its intention in the Broadcasting White Paper - Up Next - to legislate to introduce a new prominence regime which would require designated TV platforms to give appropriate prominence to PSB online services, including S4C. We will also legislate to update the public service remit of S4C to reflect the growth of digital and online services, and remove the current geographical broadcasting restrictions to allow S4C to broaden its reach by offering its content on a range of new platforms in the UK and beyond.

The Government will introduce this legislation when Parliamentary time allows.