Oral Answers to Questions

Jo Platt Excerpts

Thursday 28th November 2024 Commons Chamber

[Samantha Niblett (South Derbyshire) (Lab)]

1. What steps her Department is taking to help support the creative industries.

[Jo Platt (Leigh and Atherton) (Lab/Co-op)]

11. What steps her Department is taking to help support the creative industries.

[Dan Norris (North East Somerset and Hanham) (Lab)]

14. What steps her Department is taking to help support the creative industries.

--- Later in debate ---

[Lisa Nandy]

I am aware of the huge ambition that my hon. Friend has for South Derbyshire, and the contribution that its people can make to our arts and culture and creative industries. This Government are supporting those aspirations with a £3 million expansion of the creative careers programme, so that young people can find those jobs and get access to those opportunities. With the Education Secretary, we are reviewing the curriculum to put arts and music back at the heart of the national curriculum, where it belongs.

[Jo Platt]

Many individual artists in places such as Leigh and Atherton have great difficulty in accessing funding streams. In many cases, the trickle-down from larger institutions does not work and holds back creative growth. Can the Secretary of State outline how funding will reach grassroots artists, empowering them to thrive and play a central role in growing our local economy?

[Lisa Nandy]

I thank my hon. Friend for that question. She has done amazing work over the years with the Leigh Film Society and other thriving organisations that are leading the way. From the conversations she and I have had, I am well aware of the importance of grassroots societies and venues in places such as Leigh and Wigan, and we are determined to put rocket boosters under them. We are already working on supporting grassroots music venues and supporting voluntary action around a levy. In addition, we are helping to channel funding to those smaller organisations so that they can create the pipeline of talent that enables people from places such as Leigh to go on and make a national impact.