Asked by: William Wragg (Independent - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has received recent representations from Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council on the presence of RAAC at the Forum Theatre in Romiley.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department recently received correspondence from Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council (dated 22 January) regarding the presence of RAAC at the Forum Theatre in Romiley.
The Government’s approach to RAAC has been informed by experts, encouraging owners to identify any RAAC present and to assess the structural adequacy of their buildings. In cases of suspected or confirmed RAAC, theatres should continue using the Institute of Structural Engineers’ (IStructE) guidance to assess what action is necessary. Where appropriate, theatres with RAAC should have mitigation and management action plans in place.
We will provide a response to Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance has been issued to the film and television industry regarding the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Work in the film and television industry is covered under the general requirements of the Health and Safety etc. Act 1974 and associated regulations. However, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) also provides extensive guidance on common or higher risk activities encountered across multiple industries which may be applicable to activities within film and television production, e.g. working at height or managing asbestos (when filming on location).
HSE also provides a range of guidance which is specific to film and television industry that describes the various roles and responsibilities of those within the production process (INDG360: Health and safety in audio-visual production. Your legal duties) and information sheets for specific production activities and risks, e.g. stunts, use of firearms and filming while using vehicles.
All guidance and information are freely available on the HSE website, a section of which is dedicated to health and safety in the film, theatre and broadcasting industries.
Alongside this, industry specific guidance is also available from a range of industry bodies and stakeholders.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an estimate of the potential impact of increases in the cost of (a) live music and (b) theatre tickets in the last 12 months on inflation.
Answered by Bim Afolami - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The independent Office for National Statistics is responsible for producing and publishing inflation figures. Information on price changes for cultural services can be found here: Consumer price inflation tables - Office for National Statistics
Asked by: Mark Logan (Conservative - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help ensure that theatres (a) outside London and (b) in Bolton North East constituency receive equitable funding from Arts Council England.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
His Majesty’s Government is deeply committed to supporting theatres across the whole country, including through public funding to organisations made via Arts Council England.
The arts are for everyone, and the Government has made it a priority to ensure that funding for the arts is fairly distributed across the country. Through Arts Council England’s 2023–26 National Portfolio, increased funding of £444.6 million per annum will fund a record 985 organisations in more parts of the country than ever before. This is an increase from £410 million per annum and 828 organisations under the previous portfolio. Of the 275 new organisations joining the funding portfolio, 214 are outside London.
Overall investment in theatre has also increased through this round of the Arts Council’s investment programme – both in terms of the number of organisations supported, and the volume of funding, which is now more than £110 million per annum, encompassing 194 organisations. The Octagon Theatre in Bolton receives annual funding of £625,359. In the last three years, theatres and theatre-focused projects in the Bolton North East constituency have received over £2.5 million of funding via Arts Council England.
Asked by: Rachel Maclean (Conservative - Redditch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will take steps to help ensure the return of maternity and children’s services to the Alexandra hospital in Redditch.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
I know that my honourable friend has campaigned tirelessly on this issue on behalf of her constituents.
As a result, she will understand that the decisions about the reconfiguration of services are made locally, following appropriate engagement with people and communities.
However I am pleased to say that by working with the local NHS, we have invested £18 million in the hospital’s operating theatre and secured a long-term workforce pipeline through the Three Counties Medical School.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to HMRC's policy paper entitled Clarifications of the rules for cultural tax reliefs, updated on 22 November 2023, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the proposed changes to section 1217FA of the Corporation Tax Act 2009 on (a) immersive and (b) experiential experimental work.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Provided immersive or experimental productions meet all the qualifying criteria for theatrical productions as set out in Section 1217FA of the Corporation Tax Act 2009, they should be entitled to Theatre Tax Relief.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with HM Treasury on consultation with creative industry stakeholders on changes to cultural tax reliefs.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Since 2010, the Government has supported the success of the creative industries with tax reliefs across the board: from film and TV, to animation, video games, children’s TV, animation, orchestras, museums and galleries, and theatre.
All in all, our screen sector tax reliefs alone are estimated to have delivered over 200,000 new jobs and more than £13 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA).
These tax reliefs have played a vital role in making the UK’s creative industries world leading, attracting investment and generating jobs and economic growth across the country.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Ministers and officials regularly engage with my HM Treasury counterparts on matters relating to the creative industries, including on cultural sector tax matters.
Reforms to the film, TV and video games tax reliefs were announced at Autumn Statement 2022 and were subject to a 12-week policy consultation. HM Treasury met with creative industry stakeholders during this consultation period.
Draft legislation for these reforms, and for separate technical clarifications to the cultural tax reliefs for theatres, orchestras and museums and galleries tax reliefs were published in July 2023. The draft legislation was also subject to a 12-week consultation. HM Treasury met with creative industry stakeholders during the consultation period.
To maximise the potential of the UK’s cutting-edge production industry and help incubate unique British talent, the Government’s Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit and the Video Games Expenditure Credit came into force on 1 January 2024.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of funding provided by Arts Council England for cultural activities in the East Midlands.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
His Majesty’s Government is deeply committed to supporting access to high-quality arts and culture across the country, including through public funding to organisations in the East Midlands via Arts Council England.
Through Arts Council England’s 2023–26 National Portfolio, public funding is being provided to 72 organisations (an increase from 54 in the 2018–22 portfolio) in the East Midlands, encompassing theatre, dance, museums, visual arts, literature and libraries. The total investment in the East Midlands through the national portfolio is currently £22.6 million per year – an increase of more than £5.4 million per year compared to the last portfolio.
Between 2020/21 and 2023/24, Arts Council England will have invested over £198 million in arts and cultural organisations in the East Midlands. This includes £8.7 million of public funding through the Government’s Cultural Development Fund, Libraries Improvement Fund and Museum Estate and Development Fund, administered by Arts Council England. Arts and cultural organisations in the East Midlands also benefited from over £43 million through the Culture Recovery Fund during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of funding provided by Arts Council England for cultural activities in the North East.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
His Majesty’s Government is deeply committed to supporting access to high-quality arts and culture across the country, including through public funding to organisations across the North East via Arts Council England.
Through Arts Council England’s 2023–26 National Portfolio, public funding is being provided to 56 organisations (an increase from 47 in the 2018–22 portfolio) in the North East, encompassing theatre, dance, museums, visual arts, literature and libraries. The total investment in the North East through the national portfolio is currently £24.4 million per year – an increase of more than £2.5 million per year compared to the last portfolio.
Between 2020/21 and 2023/24, Arts Council England will have invested over £181 million in arts and cultural organisations in the North East. This includes £8.5 million of public funding through the Government’s Cultural Development Fund, Libraries Improvement Fund, and Museum Estate and Development Fund, administered by Arts Council England. Arts and cultural organisations across the North East also benefited from over £36 million through the Culture Recovery Fund during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Government’s draft legislative changes to part 15C of the Corporation Tax Act 2009 on (a) jobs and (b) new productions in the theatre sector; and if he will meet UK Theatre and the Society of London Theatre to discuss those changes.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC has published two information notes on Administrative changes to the creative industry tax reliefs and, Clarifications of the rules for cultural tax reliefs. These notes include impacts of the changes and can be found here: Administrative changes to the creative industry tax reliefs - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and Clarifications of the rules for cultural tax reliefs - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Officials held a meeting with Society of London Theatre to discuss the theatre tax relief draft legislative changes on 23 November 2023.