Arts, Culture and Heritage: Support Package Debate

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Department: Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport

Arts, Culture and Heritage: Support Package

George Howarth Excerpts
Tuesday 7th July 2020

(3 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Caroline Dinenage Portrait Caroline Dinenage
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Again, this is all about the ecosystem that our arts and our culture encourage and about getting young people involved with their local museums and galleries, their local arts and performing arts, and dance and theatre groups. With all those things, if we can capture the imagination of young people very early on, we can open their eyes to a world of culture and arts that will entertain them for the rest of their lives.

George Howarth Portrait Sir George Howarth (Knowsley) (Lab) [V]
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In response to an earlier question from my hon. Friend the Member for Garston and Halewood (Maria Eagle) about Adlib in Knowsley, which provides technical support to live events, the Minister effectively said that it will not get any support until the industry gets back up and running and it can then provide its services. Does she accept that, if it is going to take as long as seems to be the case, many companies that provide technical support will have gone out of business by then? Will she reconsider that response, and look at including organisations such as Adlib?

Caroline Dinenage Portrait Caroline Dinenage
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It is just simply not correct to say that these organisations or these companies have had no support. Our furloughing scheme has supported over 350,000 people in the creative arts and leisure sectors to retain their jobs. We have had huge investment through the various loan schemes that have supported businesses to stay afloat. The Government have poured millions upon millions of pounds into supporting businesses through this pandemic.