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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the ability of UK writers to travel to the EU for (a) writing trips, (b) residencies and (c) poetry performances after the UK has left the EU; and what assessment he has made of the ability of UK writers to undertake such activities in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

We have a long history of collaborating with European partners through multilateral and bilateral initiatives across education, civil society, sport and our creative and cultural industries. We want a positive future relationship that reflects our shared values and history, and will support the growth of culture, arts, sports and creative industries, in both the UK and the EU. This government recognises the importance of mobility and the Political Declaration contains a specific reference to the importance of mobility in enabling cooperation in the cultural and education sectors.

In the unlikely event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal, we welcome the EU Commission’s proposal to grant UK citizens visa-free travel (for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period) to the EU after the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union.