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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he has plans to support live event supply chain businesses from the unallocated balance of the Culture Recovery Fund; and if he will make a statement.

Of the £1.57bn Culture recovery Fund announced in July, £400m was held back as a contingency which forms the basis of the second round of grant (£300m) and repayable finance (£100m) funding. Applications are currently being assessed and allocations will be made by the end of the Financial Year.

The Government recognises the severe impact the pandemic has had on supply chain businesses for the events sector and their critical role in the cultural ecosystem. Supply chain organisations were eligible for the first and second rounds of Culture Recovery Funding, and many organisations were successful in the first round. Production Park in Wakefield, for instance, is receiving a £12m loan, whilst Adlib Audio in Knowsley is receiving a grant of £1,650,356. The government’s commitment to the sector has been further evidenced by the announcement at Budget of an additional £300m for the Culture Recovery Fund. Details will be announced in due course.

We will continue to engage with the sector through the ministerially chaired Events and Entertainment Working Group which include the Production Services Association, to better understand the issues facing the sector ensure live event supply chain businesses are supported.