Asked by: Chris Grayling (Conservative - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 15 March 2021 to Question 163647, if he will publish information on the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme specifically in relation to theatrical freelances whose self-employment income was incorrectly classified as PAYE by the Royal Opera House.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government is unable to comment on specific cases due to taxpayer confidentiality.
Asked by: Chris Grayling (Conservative - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will enable theatrical freelances whose self-employment income was incorrectly classified as PAYE by the Royal Opera House to claim the full grants through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government announced at Budget 2021 that the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will continue until September, with a fourth and a final fifth grant. This provides certainty to business as the economy reopens and means the SEISS continues to be one of the most generous schemes for the self-employed in the world.
HMRC work out SEISS eligibility based on information submitted by individuals on their Self-Assessment tax returns. As the deadline for 2019-20 tax returns has now passed, HMRC will now use these tax returns for the fourth and fifth grants, provided they were submitted by 2 March 2021.
This means more than 600,000 people are brought into scope who either became self-employed in 2019-20, or were ineligible for previous grants, but now may be eligible for the fourth grant on the basis of submitting their 2019-20 tax return.
The SEISS provides generous support to the self-employed, including freelancers who meet the eligibility criteria.
In addition, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) has been available to all employers with a PAYE system and all employees on PAYE regardless of their employment contract. As such, freelancers and those on short term contracts could be eligible for the CJRS if they are on PAYE and meet the eligibility criteria. The furloughing of staff through the CJRS is a voluntary arrangement, entered at the employers’ discretion and agreed by employees.
People who are ineligible for CJRS and the SEISS may qualify for other elements of the £407bn package of support the Government has made available.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to extend the Permitted Paid Engagement route from 30 days to 90 days (1) to allow for longer opera seasons and tours and (2) to form the basis of a reciprocal arrangement with the EU.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Permitted Paid Engagement visitor route currently allows professionals in several sectors to enter the UK for up to one month to undertake permitted paid engagements, where they have been invited by a UK-based organisation and without the need to apply through the sponsored work routes. In line with our commitment to a global points based system eligibility for it does not vary based on nationality.
Non-visa nationals can apply for entry under this route at the border. Visa nationals must apply for entry clearance under this route before travel. The requirements of the Immigration Rules are otherwise the same for both cohorts.
Those wishing to undertake longer tours in the UK can make use of the T5 Creative concession, which allows non-visa nationals to enter the UK for up to three months without an entry clearance if they have a Certificate of Sponsorship. For visa nationals, or those wishing to remain in the UK for up to 12 months, the T5 Creative route is also available.
We will continue to keep our policy under close review, including through wide engagement and dialogue with stakeholders from a range of sectors.
Asked by: Tulip Siddiq (Labour - Hampstead and Kilburn)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to help arts and culture venues ensure their premises are covid-19 secure; and whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing grant funding to those sectors.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
DCMS has produced and regularly updates the Performing Arts Guidance to help performing arts organisations, venue operators and participants understand how to make their workplace COVID-Secure so that they can work and take part in the performing arts safely when and where permitted. The guidance applies to both professional and non-professional activity. This includes general guidance for rehearsals, training and pre-production. It also includes advice for managing audience and performances including staging and capacity, social distancing and the Rule of 6, ticketing and payments, cloakrooms, managing people flow, staging arrival times and seating arrangements, ventilation, wearing of face masks and carrying out risk assessments.
DCMS has also convened a Venues Steering Group which includes representatives from leading sector organisations as well as Public Health England and other experts to develop an action plan for maximizing activity under Stage 4 and for how we safely proceed to stage 5 with fuller audiences.
The Government’s unprecedented £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund has now surpassed the £1 billion milestone. Over £500million in recovery grants have been made to almost 3000 arts and heritage organisations in England helping to support 75,000 jobs and over £100million in capital grants.Organisations receiving grants from the CRF include Shakespeare’s Globe, Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, The Old Vic, Manchester Royal Exchange and Opera North.
Additionally, a second round of funding was announced on 11 December, which utilises the remaining Culture Recovery Fund funding. There will be over £300m available in grants delivered by DCMS’ delivery partners, and £100m of repayable finance delivered by Arts Council England specifically.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of allowing amateur musical groups the same outdoor and indoor rehearsal opportunities as professional musical groups.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Government continues to advise that non-professional groups should not sing and play wind and brass instruments at this stage and should only do other activities in line with government guidance on social mixing. Singing and playing wind and brass instruments are considered higher risk activities because of the potential for aerosol production.
We understand that people are eager to play brass/wind instruments and sing together, which is why we have commissioned a study specifically looking at C-19 transmission risks associated with singing and playing wind instruments. The PERFORM study involves leading scientists and is working with musicians and representatives from the Royal Opera House and the BBC. Results of further research conducted will lead to updates of the performing arts guidance for both professionals and non-professionals.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to support (a) night clubs, (b) music venues and (c) other businesses in the night time service sector by providing financial relief commensurate with the longevity of the period that they have had to remain closed during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government have put in place an unprecedented package of financial support to help businesses, including those in the hospitality and leisure sector, with the support they need during this difficult time of the covid-19 outbreak. Measures included deferring VAT payments for 3 months to support businesses with cashflow during the outbreak and extending the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme until October.
We are committed to reopening creative businesses, including music venues, as soon as it is safe to do so. On 9 July, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport announced that from 11 July outdoor arts performances – including theatres, opera, dance and music – will be able to resume provided they are covid-secure.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what criteria he is using to assess when it will be safe to allow choirs to recommence rehearsing and performing.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
We are committed to getting the performing arts sector fully back up and running as soon as it is safe to do so. It is a priority of my department to work with the arts and cultural sectors to address the challenges of reopening.
The Secretary of State recently revealed a five stage roadmap that the government will work through to get the performing arts sectors back up and running as soon as possible:
Stage One - Rehearsal and training (no audiences)
Stage Two - Performances for broadcast and recording purposes
Stage Three - Performances outdoors with an audience and pilots for indoor performances with a limited socially-distanced audience
Stage Four - Performances allowed indoors and outdoors (but with a limited socially-distanced audience indoors)
Stage Five - Performances allowed indoors / outdoors (with a fuller audience indoors)
On 9 July we published guidance for people who work in performing arts, including arts organisations, venue operators and participants which will help people understand how they can work and take part in the performing arts safely, and keep their audiences safe. This guidance applies to training, rehearsal and pre-production activities, and performances which take place with or without a live audience, wherever these activities occur.
DCMS and PHE are supporting a study looking at C-19 transmission risks associated with singing and playing wind instruments. The PERFORM study involves leading scientists and is working with musicians and representatives from the Royal Opera House and the BBC. Its findings will inform our guidance and approach. that we want to get the performing arts industry fully up and running as soon as it is safe to do so.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will (a) extend the Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) route from 30 days to 90 days to allow for longer tours and opera seasons for musicians and (b) allow the PPE route for multiple entries to the UK.
Answered by Kevin Foster
There are no plans to extend the Permitted Paid Engagement route from 30 days to 90 days. The PPE visit visa already allows, whilst valid, multiple entries to the UK
Currently, visiting artists, entertainers and musicians can perform at events, take part in competitions and auditions, make personal appearances and take part in promotional activities for up to 6 months without the need for formal sponsorship or a work visa. They can also receive payment for appearances at permit free festivals for up to 6 months, or for up to one month for specific engagements, under the Visitor route.
Artists wishing to come to the UK for longer-term work will need to do so under the points-based system. There will continue to be special arrangements for creative workers, which in future will encompass both EEA and non-EEA citizens.
Asked by: Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to support arts charities with community outreach work which have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
In order to support the arts sector specifically, including those charitable organisations within the sector, DCMS has worked closely with Arts Council England to provide a tailored package of financial support. In March, Arts Council England announced a £160m emergency response package to complement the financial measures already announced by the Government and support the resilience of this vital sector. This funding package will support organisations and individuals who need the most support to see them through this crisis. More details can be found on the Arts Council’s website (https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/covid19).
Many charitable organisations within the Arts are continuing to provide their world class content in innovative and unique formats and continue to engage with their communities. The Globe Theatre, The National Theatre and The Royal Opera House are all providing access to their online catalogues and providing access to culture in digital formats in order to maintain their links with communities. In addition, Sadler's Wells is presenting a programme of full-length dance performances and workshops online to connect people through dance, and Wiltshire Creative is working with its young ambassadors to plan a Takeover Festival which will run over the summer online and consist of events, performances and activities.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding was awarded to the Royal Opera House from Arts Council England in each year since 2015-16.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
Funding awarded to the Royal Opera House from Arts Council England since 2015-16 is as follows:
2015/16 - £26,064,991
2016/17 - £25,577,828
2017/18 - £25,498,841
2018/19 - £24,845,615