Oral Answers to Questions

Lucy Powell Excerpts

Thursday 9th July 2020 Commons Chamber

[Zarah Sultana (Coventry South) (Lab)]

What steps he has taken to support the creative industries during the covid-19 outbreak.

[Lucy Powell (Manchester Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

What steps he has taken to support the creative industries during the covid-19 outbreak.

[Wendy Chamberlain (North East Fife) (LD)]

What steps his Department is taking to support freelancers in the creative industries.

--- Later in debate ---

[Caroline Dinenage]

Yes. The hon. Lady makes an excellent point, and I am very excited to spend more time in Coventry when it celebrates being the city of culture in 2021. She is right to draw attention to some of the incredible theatres and other cultural assets that her city has, and I would be very keen to meet her to discuss that further.

[Lucy Powell [V]]

As you know, Mr Speaker, Manchester really is one of the creative industry hubs of the UK. It is made up not just of its institutions, but of a wealth of talented, highly skilled individuals and small and micro-organisations. Can the Minister tell them and me how the self-employed and those who are directors of limited companies will support themselves to stay in this industry in the coming months, when all their work has dried up and they have no extra support?

[Caroline Dinenage]

We know that the creative industries are not the venues, the organisations or the studios, but the people—the skilled artists, the craftsmen, the designers, the performers, the technicians. They are the ones who make us world-class in the sector, and we know that they include many freelancers and self-employed people. Some 2.7 million people have benefited from the self-employed income support scheme, and 95% of people who receive the majority of their income from self-employment have been eligible. The next round of that scheme will open in August.