Asked by: Barbara Keeley (Labour - Worsley and Eccles South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many times (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have met representatives from (i) ViaGoGo and (ii) StubHub International since September 2023.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
His Majesty’s Government is committed to supporting fair and transparent ticket pricing and tackling unacceptable behaviour in this market.
We engage with a range of key organisations and individuals operating in the ticketing sector to understand the issues and challenges facing the ticketing and live events sectors. This includes STAR (the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers, the self-regulatory body for the entertainment ticketing industry in the UK), the Competition and Markets Authority, Fanfair Alliance (the campaigning body against industrial scale online ticket touting), membership bodies representing all parts of the music sector including artists and event organisers, and, where appropriate, primary and secondary ticketing businesses.
Neither DCMS Ministers nor officials have had any meetings with Viagogo since September 2023. Viagogo has written once to my Department since then.
There have been no meetings or correspondence between DCMS Ministers and StubHub International since September 2023. Officials in my Department have met them twice since this date at StubHub’s request, and have received correspondence from them in the last three months.
Asked by: Barbara Keeley (Labour - Worsley and Eccles South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have received correspondence from (i) Viagogo and (ii) StubHub International in the last three months.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
His Majesty’s Government is committed to supporting fair and transparent ticket pricing and tackling unacceptable behaviour in this market.
We engage with a range of key organisations and individuals operating in the ticketing sector to understand the issues and challenges facing the ticketing and live events sectors. This includes STAR (the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers, the self-regulatory body for the entertainment ticketing industry in the UK), the Competition and Markets Authority, Fanfair Alliance (the campaigning body against industrial scale online ticket touting), membership bodies representing all parts of the music sector including artists and event organisers, and, where appropriate, primary and secondary ticketing businesses.
Neither DCMS Ministers nor officials have had any meetings with Viagogo since September 2023. Viagogo has written once to my Department since then.
There have been no meetings or correspondence between DCMS Ministers and StubHub International since September 2023. Officials in my Department have met them twice since this date at StubHub’s request, and have received correspondence from them in the last three months.
Asked by: Barbara Keeley (Labour - Worsley and Eccles South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information her Department holds on the number of (a) musicians and (b) music groups that were scheduled to play in the UK that were refused entry due to immigration rules in the last 12 months.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Border Force does not hold the data requested.
The UK’s rules for touring creative professionals are comparatively more generous than in many EU Member States. The UK’s domestic rules allow musicians, entertainers and artists from non-visa national countries, such as EU Member States and the US, to perform in the UK without requiring a visa, and the UK does not have work permits.
The Government is committed to supporting the UK’s creative industries, including musicians, to adapt to new arrangements with the EU.
Sector specific guidance on creative professionals from non-visa national countries, including the EU and the US, visiting the UK for performance and work has been published by DCMS on GOV.UK can be found in the ‘Visiting the UK as a creative professional from a non-visa national country guidance’ on GOV.UK.
DCMS has worked across government and in collaboration with the music and wider creative industries to support working and touring with confidence in the EU. Ongoing industry engagement continues at ministerial and official level. This includes several recent events with the sector focused on touring and export support, hosted in partnership with the Department for Business and Trade. These events help to provide tailored guidance to stakeholders within the music sector, alongside an opportunity for the sector to discuss with Ministers and officials touring challenges and opportunities.
Asked by: Barbara Keeley (Labour - Worsley and Eccles South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, on what dates her Department's working group on creative and cultural touring has met since June 2022; and how many times a Minister has attended those meetings.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Border Force does not hold the data requested.
The UK’s rules for touring creative professionals are comparatively more generous than in many EU Member States. The UK’s domestic rules allow musicians, entertainers and artists from non-visa national countries, such as EU Member States and the US, to perform in the UK without requiring a visa, and the UK does not have work permits.
The Government is committed to supporting the UK’s creative industries, including musicians, to adapt to new arrangements with the EU.
Sector specific guidance on creative professionals from non-visa national countries, including the EU and the US, visiting the UK for performance and work has been published by DCMS on GOV.UK can be found in the ‘Visiting the UK as a creative professional from a non-visa national country guidance’ on GOV.UK.
DCMS has worked across government and in collaboration with the music and wider creative industries to support working and touring with confidence in the EU. Ongoing industry engagement continues at ministerial and official level. This includes several recent events with the sector focused on touring and export support, hosted in partnership with the Department for Business and Trade. These events help to provide tailored guidance to stakeholders within the music sector, alongside an opportunity for the sector to discuss with Ministers and officials touring challenges and opportunities.
Asked by: Barbara Keeley (Labour - Worsley and Eccles South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department holds data on the number of music rehearsal spaces there were in England in (a) 2003, (b) 2010, (c) 2013, (d) 2019 and (e) 2023.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The Department does not hold data on the numbers of music rehearsal spaces or on community choirs in England.
Estimates of the numbers of community choirs in England may be available from Arts Council England’s Investment Principles Support Organisation Making Music, which represents voluntary and leisure-time music organisations in the UK – although its membership will likely not represent the total number of community choirs in England.
Through Arts Council England’s 2023–26 Investment Programme, more money is going to more music organisations in more parts of the country than ever before, supporting 139 organisations classed as ‘music’ by investing c.£65 million of public funding per annum.
Separately, HM Government funds a diverse portfolio of music and arts education programmes which are designed to improve participation in the arts for all children. The National Plan for Music Education and the upcoming Cultural Education Plan will encourage more young people to take up music lessons, attend local cultural events, and consider careers in the music sector.
Asked by: Barbara Keeley (Labour - Worsley and Eccles South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department holds data on the number of community choirs there were in England in (a) 2003, (b) 2010, (c) 2013, (d) 2019 and (e) 2023.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The Department does not hold data on the numbers of music rehearsal spaces or on community choirs in England.
Estimates of the numbers of community choirs in England may be available from Arts Council England’s Investment Principles Support Organisation Making Music, which represents voluntary and leisure-time music organisations in the UK – although its membership will likely not represent the total number of community choirs in England.
Through Arts Council England’s 2023–26 Investment Programme, more money is going to more music organisations in more parts of the country than ever before, supporting 139 organisations classed as ‘music’ by investing c.£65 million of public funding per annum.
Separately, HM Government funds a diverse portfolio of music and arts education programmes which are designed to improve participation in the arts for all children. The National Plan for Music Education and the upcoming Cultural Education Plan will encourage more young people to take up music lessons, attend local cultural events, and consider careers in the music sector.
Asked by: Barbara Keeley (Labour - Worsley and Eccles South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department holds data on the number of community brass bands in England in (a) 2003, (b) 2010, (c) 2013, (d) 2019 and (e) 2023.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The Department does not hold data on the numbers of community brass bands in England. Our arm’s-length body Arts Council England funds a number of brass band organisations, but does not maintain a category solely for ‘community brass bands’. The brass band organisations it funds includes two nationwide organisations: the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain, and Brass Bands England. Brass Bands England promotes, represents, and supports brass bands across England, and will be able to provide information about the number of community brass bands operating.
Asked by: Barbara Keeley (Labour - Worsley and Eccles South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with Arts Council England on the finances of music organisations.
Answered by John Whittingdale
We do not hold data on the number of music recording studios that have closed in the last 10 years.
In August 2021, DCMS commissioned the consultancy firm, Sound Diplomacy, to assess the state of the music studio market in England.
Whilst the assessment found challenges, it showed the market is responding to changes, such as technological innovation, is maintaining or growing sources of income and has a healthy supply of music studios.
The Government does not currently have plans to publish an update report to the Music Studio Market Assessment.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has regular conversations with Arts Council England (ACE) on a range of issues, including financial support for music organisations.
Asked by: Barbara Keeley (Labour - Worsley and Eccles South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will take steps to publish an update to the report entitled Music Studio Market Assessment, published on 3 August 2021.
Answered by John Whittingdale
We do not hold data on the number of music recording studios that have closed in the last 10 years.
In August 2021, DCMS commissioned the consultancy firm, Sound Diplomacy, to assess the state of the music studio market in England.
Whilst the assessment found challenges, it showed the market is responding to changes, such as technological innovation, is maintaining or growing sources of income and has a healthy supply of music studios.
The Government does not currently have plans to publish an update report to the Music Studio Market Assessment.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has regular conversations with Arts Council England (ACE) on a range of issues, including financial support for music organisations.
Asked by: Barbara Keeley (Labour - Worsley and Eccles South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department holds data on the number of music recording studios that have closed in the last 10 years.
Answered by John Whittingdale
We do not hold data on the number of music recording studios that have closed in the last 10 years.
In August 2021, DCMS commissioned the consultancy firm, Sound Diplomacy, to assess the state of the music studio market in England.
Whilst the assessment found challenges, it showed the market is responding to changes, such as technological innovation, is maintaining or growing sources of income and has a healthy supply of music studios.
The Government does not currently have plans to publish an update report to the Music Studio Market Assessment.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has regular conversations with Arts Council England (ACE) on a range of issues, including financial support for music organisations.