Europe: Arts and Creative Industries

Lord Bishop of Leeds Excerpts

Tuesday 10th December 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)]

To reiterate my earlier comments, the negotiations are ongoing, and it would not be appropriate to go into the detail of where we are. Let us be honest: this is incredibly complicated. I do not think anyone really understood the level of complexity involved in leaving the EU and all its greater implications. I hear the noble Baroness’s comments; they will be fed in. I am very heartened by the change in relationships, the willingness to embrace and have discussions, and, most importantly, collaboration with the wider sector, which will absolutely direct the course of travel.

[The Lord Bishop of Leeds]

My Lords—

[Viscount Stansgate (Lab)]

My Lords—

--- Later in debate ---

[Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)]

One of the enormous benefits of taking part in these debates is that one always learns something new. For instance, I have now learned all about the issue of cabotage—I do not know whether other noble Lords are fully apprised of it—and the sheer difficulty of physically moving across Europe when you have all the individual countries to deal with. Of course, these matters are close to our hearts; we all value young people travelling across Europe as our closest partner, and these areas are being fully discussed.

[The Lord Bishop of Leeds]

My Lords, I know many people in the creative sector who are worried about the generational impact of this issue. We have already heard the phrase “plan for change”, but this generation is losing the vital experience not only of performing abroad or doing whatever they do but of the business of getting there in the first place. We are hearing that the Government are working hard and that it is a priority, but is there a timeline? For many of those people, that matters.

[Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)]

I thank the right reverend Prelate for his comments. The backdrop to what we are dealing with is a failing apprenticeship levy for creative industries. The number of students studying music at A-level is down by 45%, which indicates clearly the urgency of this issue. I cannot give him a specific timeline at the moment. Also coming from the great city of Leeds, I know his great commitment in this area and the joint work that has been done across partners in this space. We understand that this issue is urgent, and we are addressing it accordingly.