Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to provide financial support to grassroots music (a) venues and (b) artists and crew.

The Government is committed to supporting our grassroots music venues, which are the backbone of our world-leading music sector.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is in regular discussions with all parts of the music industry, including live venues across the country of all sizes. We work with the industry and across Government to improve the sector's resilience, as demonstrated through the £1.57 billion Cultural Recovery Fund during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the £18 billion Energy Bills Relief Scheme.

We will continue to engage with the sector on the impact of current pressures. As part of this engagement, I met the Music Venues Trust last week to discuss issues facing the live music sector, and further ways to support the growth of the music sector and wider creative industries. The Secretary of State will also meet with music industry leaders this week, including representatives from the grassroots music sector, to further discuss matters affecting the music sector.