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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports, what discussions officials in his Department have had with their Dutch counterparts on the effect of large outdoor events on the spread of covid-19 following the Back to Life pilot festival in Biddinghuizen, the Netherlands in March 2021.

The Events Research Programme (ERP) is exploring ways to enable people to attend large events and performances safely. DCMS officials regularly review reports on mass gatherings published by the Cabinet Office’s International Comparators Joint Unit (ICJU), including activities taking place in the Netherlands. Officials academics and programme team members behind the Back to Life event to discuss their approach and lessons learned from the pilot. The ERP continues to monitor relevant international events for comparison and knowledge sharing.