EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement

Lord Berkeley of Knighton Excerpts

Friday 8th January 2021 Lords Chamber

[Lord Berkeley of Knighton (CB) [V]]

My Lords, I declare my interests as listed in the register. United Kingdom musicians now face a mountain of red tape and extra costs, which threaten the future viability of working in the EU. This is on top of the effects of the pandemic. On 30 December, the noble Lord, Lord True, who I really do feel understands these concerns, stated, and he repeated it this morning, that the Government pushed for a more ambitious agreement, which would have covered musicians, but that these proposals were rejected by the European Union. Can he perhaps explain the EU’s justifications for rejecting this proposal?

The Government have provided financial support to UK fisheries of £100 million to address the impact of lost quotas, having left the EU. I love fish, but I value our cultural well-being still more. The fishing industry contributes £1.4 billion to the UK economy; compare it to the music industry, which is worth £5.8 billion. Will the Government consider providing similar financial support to mitigate the loss of work for touring musicians due to the lack of mobility provisions and additional red tape? What steps are the Government taking to ensure that the assurances made to musicians throughout the transition period will be met through further discussions with the EU? I hope that the Minister will undertake to keep us informed.

Musicians are now required to purchase carnets that cost in excess of £400, depending on the value of the goods, plus a costly security deposit. To help musicians to survive post Brexit, could the Government help to cover the costs of carnets or seek a cultural exemption for musical instruments, so that carnets or customs documentation are no longer needed?