Grass-roots Music Venues

Lord Clement-Jones Excerpts

Monday 26th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Livermore (Lab)]

I am grateful to my noble friend for the question. I am very happy to meet the groups that he mentioned. He is absolutely right to say that the creative sector is extremely important to the UK economy. It is a major employer and a significant part of our economy. It has been included as a priority sector in our industrial strategy, recognising its high growth potential, particularly through the development and adoption of new technologies.

On business rates, which my noble friend raised, as I have said before in your Lordships’ House, I acknowledge that the revaluation means that sectors such as pubs and music venues will struggle in relation to the business rates applicable to them. That is why we are working with the sectors involved to ensure they get the support they need. Noble Lords will have heard what the Prime Minister and Chancellor said on this in recent days. I will not add to that or comment on any speculation, but where there are further comments to be made I will of course come back to your Lordships’ House to discuss them.

[Lord Clement-Jones (LD)]

My Lords—

[Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Con)]

My Lords—

--- Later in debate ---

[Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms and Chief Whip (Lord Kennedy of Southwark) (Lab Co-op)]

My Lords, there is plenty of time. We will hear from the Lib Dems next, then the Conservative Benches.

[Lord Clement-Jones (LD)]

My Lords, given that the Music Producers Guild reports that 50% of recording studios are considering closure within the year, with rateable value increases of up to 100%, will the Minister commit to urgently reviewing their exclusion from the retail, hospitality and leisure multiplier, and their misclassification as office space by the Valuation Office Agency, particularly given that film studios, which are similarly not public-facing, already benefit from 40% targeted relief?

[Lord Livermore (Lab)]

The Government have been very clear that the lower multipliers will broadly reflect the scope of the current retail, hospitality and leisure business rates relief, which is centred around retail, hospitality and leisure properties that are reasonably accessible to visiting members of the public. If a recording studio forms part of a single property with a qualifying hospitality or retail business, and the hospitality or retail aspect is the main purpose of the property, it will qualify for the lower multipliers.