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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by UK Music, This is Music 2021, published on 20 October, which showed that live music revenues reduced by 90 per cent in 2020.

We have noted the publication of UK Music’s ‘This Is Music’ report with interest, and the Secretary of State contributed the foreword to it. We have previously responded to a written Parliamentary Question regarding our response to the publication of this report (UIN HL3203).

The Government notes the significant challenges the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the music sector and the impact of the reduction in revenues that the report discusses. This is why our unprecedented Culture Recovery Fund has awarded funding to more than 800 music-based organisations, totalling over £200 million, including more than £21 million alone having been awarded to music festivals and £3.36 million to grassroots music venues.

Many organisations in the music industry have also benefited from the significant cross-economy and sector-specific support the Government has made available throughout this pandemic, including the generous employment schemes, grants, loans, a reduction in VAT to 5%, and the extension of the moratorium on commercial evictions for business tenants. At the budget the Government also announced a temporary cut to business rates, up to £110,000, for a further year which can include grassroots music venues.