Live Music Industry: Support

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay Excerpts

Monday 23rd June 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

This Government are absolutely committed to ensuring that every child has access to quality creative education, including music. As noble Lords will be aware, we launched an independent curriculum and assessment review, which seeks to deliver a broader curriculum so that young people do not miss out on music and the arts. The Government are also working with Young Sounds UK on a four-year music opportunities pilot to break down barriers to music education for disadvantaged and SEND students.

[Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Con)]

My Lords, I welcome the publication of the sector plan which the Minister mentioned today. As that recognises on page 50:

“Grassroots venues are struggling to break even”,


why are the Government making their job even harder with their changes to business rates and national insurance contributions?

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

On the business rates question, I will throw back to the noble Lord this Government’s fiscal inheritance. We recognise that grass-roots venues have faced a challenging set of circumstances in recent years, and that is why we are committed to working with industry to maximise the uptake and impact of the voluntary ticket levy.