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Thursday Volume 680 24 September 2020 No. 107 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Thursday 24 September 2020 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2020 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 1109 24 SEPTEMBER 2020 1110 because of covid restrictions, whether in music venues, House of Commons comedy clubs or theatres, or any of the freelance workers in the sector who already receive no help at all, as we saw from the Musicians Union survey this week. When Thursday 24 September 2020 will the help that has already been promised in the package the Minister mentioned actually arrive for The House met at half-past Nine o’clock people in the sector, and will the new scheme be targeted to supply life support to our genuinely world-beating creative industries? PRAYERS Caroline Dinenage: The Government’s world-class [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] support package has included the self-employed income Virtual participation in proceedings commenced support scheme, and about two thirds of our sector (Order, 4 June). have been covered by that. Then, of course, there are the very generous extensions to universal credit as well. [NB: [V] denotes a Member participating virtually.] However, we know that it is very distressing for those who have fallen between the gaps. That is why Arts BUSINESS BEFORE QUESTIONS Council England has made an additional £95 million of additional support available for individuals who are CONTINGENCIES FUND 2019-20 affected. Resolved, Rosie Duffield: Equity, the performers’ union, has That there be laid before this House an Account of the Contingencies Fund 2019-20, showing: drawn up a four-pillar plan to save the industry: providing financial support for workers, enabling the safe opening A Statement of Financial Position of venues, protecting vital arts infrastructure, and A Statement of Cash Flows and eliminating gaps in representation and pay. I know that Notes to the Accounts; together with the Certificate and the Minister has met Equity, so are the Government Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon.—(Maria prepared to back its plan and save our performing arts? Caulfield.) Caroline Dinenage: I thank the hon. Lady for her question. I know that arts and culture is massively Oral Answers to Questions important in Canterbury, which she represents. In fact, it has received over £245,000 of emergency funding so far from the Arts Council. We have listened to the sector at every stage of this terrible pandemic. I meet its DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT representatives on an almost weekly basis, from right across entertainment, arts, culture and creative industries. The Secretary of State was asked— ACE is currently processing over 4,000 applications for more than £880 million of grant funding. We are doing absolutely everything we can to support the sector. Creative Industries: Covid-19 Mr Sharma [V]: Hundreds of my constituents are Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab): What further highly skilled and self-employed in the creative industries, steps he will take to support people in the creative but most of them have seen their incomes plummet, industries who are unable to return to work as a result with no real chance of recovery for the next six months of covid-19 restrictions. [906484] at least. I give the Minister another opportunity to reconfirm that the previous package is not working and Rosie Duffield (Canterbury) (Lab): What steps he has is not effective. Will she commit to a new package that taken to support the creative industries during the will save their incomes and ensure that they and their covid-19 outbreak. [906496] families do not face poverty? Mr Virendra Sharma (Ealing, Southall) (Lab): What steps he has taken to support the creative industries Caroline Dinenage: I cannot agree with the hon. during the covid-19 outbreak. [906500] Gentleman that this package of support is not working. In his own constituency of Ealing, Southall, there has The Minister for Digital and Culture (Caroline Dinenage): been £47,000-worth of emergency funding so far, and I recognise the huge contribution that the creative industries £500,000 in total support from Arts Council England in make both to the UK’s international reputation and to this financial year. We know that, more than anything, our economy, contributing over £100 billion in gross those who work in the sector just want to get back to value added. The Government have provided unprecedented doing what they love. The £1.5 billion cultural recovery support to employees and businesses through the furlough fund will secure the future of performing arts and live scheme and the £1.57 billion cultural recovery fund, events and protect jobs in the industry to allow them to and we will continue to do all we can to provide support do just that. and get the sector back up and running. Tracy Brabin (Batley and Spen) (Lab/Co-op): Millions Kevin Brennan: I am afraid that what has been trailed in our country long for live performing arts to return, by the Treasury in the media today will not do anything none more so than those who work in those industries. to help those in the creative industries who cannot work Some 70% of theatre workers are self-employed or 1111 Oral Answers 24 SEPTEMBER 2020 Oral Answers 1112 freelance, but many are ineligible for the self-employed Miss Sarah Dines (Derbyshire Dales) (Con): What income support scheme and have been excluded from progress his Department has made on delivering support Government support since March, bringing extreme for the culture and heritage sector through the culture hardship. They desperately need the sector to be back recovery fund. [906498] up and running. While we support the Government’s road map to reopening, we know that socially distanced The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and shows are simply not viable without insurance against Sport (Oliver Dowden): Arts and heritage are the heart covid cancellations. The Digital, Culture, Media and and soul our communities across the whole nation. Sport Committee agrees, warning that without a pandemic That is why we announced the unprecedented £1.57 billion indemnity scheme, culture recovery fund to help countless organisations to “efforts to resume filming, touring and live performance are weather this covid storm. We have already saved doomed to failure”. 135 grassroots music venues from imminent collapse. What representations has the Minister made to her Arts Council England and other DCMS arms-length Treasury colleagues for insurance support similar to bodies are currently assessing thousands of applications that for film and television so that our incredible creative from other organisations, and successful applicants will workforce can get back to what they do best when it is be informed from October. safe to do so? Laura Trott: Despite heroic efforts from the local Caroline Dinenage: As I have already articulated, I community and local councils, the much-loved Stag meet the sector on a very regular basis, and actually it theatre in Sevenoaks is at risk. Will my right hon. has been its feedback that has helped to form, to shape Friend wish the Stag luck in its upcoming application to and to drive the cultural recovery fund as we have it the culture recovery fund? If it is successful and is saved, today. As I have explained, there is £95 million of will he join me at the annual pantomime to mark the additional support in there for individuals, including end of a challenging year? freelancers. We continue to listen. We continue to talk to Treasury colleagues to make sure that we are creative, Mr Speaker: I think it’s more a cheque than luck! inventive and thoughtful and doing everything we can to get our sectors back up and running. Oliver Dowden: Of course, I am very happy to wish it the very best of luck. The actual decision will be made TV Licences: Over-75s Concession by Arts Council England. Were the theatre to be successful, and indeed in any event, I would of course be delighted Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) (Lab): to join my hon. Friend in a pantomime performance. I What plans the Government has to reintroduce the TV know it is facing very difficult circumstances at the licence concession for people aged over 75. [906485] moment, particularly as a not-for-profit charity dependent on income from ticket sales. I understand that it has The Minister for Media and Data (Mr John Whittingdale): made its application and that it is currently being considered. The Government remain disappointed by the decision of the BBC to restrict the over-75 concession to those Mr Speaker: On that basis, she’s behind you—Sarah on pension credit. However, the responsibility for that Dines! was given to the BBC under the Digital Economy Act 2017, passed by Parliament, and it is a matter for Miss Dines: Will the Secretary of State consider the BBC. utilising leftover funds from the culture recovery fund to create an emergency fund that historic house wedding Gerald Jones: For many older and vulnerable residents, venues, like many in the Derbyshire Dales constituency, losing their free TV licence means losing not only will be eligible to apply to for emergency assistance in entertainment and a source of news, but companionship, these difficult times? which is hugely important as we go into winter and many people across the country face restrictions on Oliver Dowden: My hon. Friend makes a very important movement. Will the Minister do the right thing, stop point. Our wonderful country houses are a real pillar of hiding behind the BBC, take another look at this policy, our cultural life.

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