Music: Coronavirus

(asked on 25th May 2021) - View Source

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, for what reason his Department's guidance on amateur choirs, orchestras and music groups was updated on 18 May 2021, limiting rehearsals to six people, one day after step 3 of the Government's Roadmap suggested that non-professional performing arts groups could return to practice in any number.


Answered by
Caroline Dinenage Portrait
Caroline Dinenage
This question was answered on 7th June 2021

The Performing Arts guidance was updated on 18 May to reflect the latest arrangements for Step 3. I know that the restrictions on singing are frustrating to large numbers of amateur choirs and performance groups across the country and that many people have made sacrifices in order to drive down infections and protect the NHS over the last year. I can assure you that everyone across Government wants to ease these restrictions as soon as possible.

However, it is important that we take a cautious approach in easing restrictions. We have followed the views of public health experts on singing. We are aware, through the NERVTAG and PERFORM studies that singing can increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission through the spread of aerosol droplets. This was backed up by a consensus statement from SAGE, resulting in the suggested principles of safer singing being published.

We will continue to keep guidance and restrictions under review, in line with the changing situation. Further detail on step 4 will be set out as soon as possible.

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