Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of compensating musicians for the additional costs incurred through travelling to the EU with instruments and equipment in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Answered by Nigel Adams
Our cultural and creative sectors are one of the UK’s greatest success stories. We will ensure that these sectors continue to thrive and that collaboration with our European partners continues to flourish beyond our exit from the EU. Journeys and routes around the EU are varied and unique to each musician.
However, we have engaged extensively with the cultural sector, and understand the diverse circumstances of companies, organisations and individual practitioners and how they may need to adapt as we leave the EU. These include changes for visas, social security and movement of equipment, including instruments when moving around the EU. We are working with other colleagues across government to ensure these are factored into our preparations and future negotiations.
The Government has now agreed the Withdrawal Agreement with the EU. We believe this is the best outcome for all UK sectors.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment he has made of the contribution to UK tourism of the Scotch whisky industry’s investment in distilleries and visitor centres.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Scottish Whisky industry is recognised the world over for its high quality and, according to VisitBritain, whisky is the top food and drink item associated with the UK in France, Germany, China and Japan.
A recent survey by the Scotch Whisky Association, suggests that 2018 saw a record of more than 2m visitors to distilleries, an increase of more than 50% since 2010. This survey also shows that in 2018 visitor spending increased by more than 12% on 2017’s figures to over £68m.
VisitBritain(VB) work to promote the UK as a tourist destination, and have used Scotch whisky to promote Scotland in particular. VB regularly host educational trips which include distilleries across Scotland, host several distilleries at their flagship promotional event ExploreGB and offer Whisky tours through the VB online shop. In addition to this, VB work in partnership with the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs and the Department for International Trade to create food and drink hubs across the UK which encourage visitors to try our produce and commission research into food and drink as a draw for tourists.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment he has made of the value of tourism to Scotch whisky distilleries to the UK economy.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Scottish Whisky industry is recognised the world over for its high quality and, according to VisitBritain, whisky is the top food and drink item associated with the UK in France, Germany, China and Japan.
A recent survey by the Scotch Whisky Association, suggests that 2018 saw a record of more than 2m visitors to distilleries, an increase of more than 50% since 2010. This survey also shows that in 2018 visitor spending increased by more than 12% on 2017’s figures to over £68m.
VisitBritain(VB) work to promote the UK as a tourist destination, and have used Scotch whisky to promote Scotland in particular. VB regularly host educational trips which include distilleries across Scotland, host several distilleries at their flagship promotional event ExploreGB and offer Whisky tours through the VB online shop. In addition to this, VB work in partnership with the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs and the Department for International Trade to create food and drink hubs across the UK which encourage visitors to try our produce and commission research into food and drink as a draw for tourists.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he (a) has received applications for funding and (b) plans to make funding available for communities to hold (i) events and (ii) street parties to mark the UK leaving the EU.
Answered by Michael Ellis
There are no plans to make funding available for such events.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will respond to the letter of the hon. Member for Glasgow North of 26 April 2018, reference PG4747.
Answered by Margot James
A letter was sent to the Hon member on 11th July.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2018 to Question 118594, on Government Departments: Flags, whether any government buildings in (a) Whitehall and (b) central London routinely fly the EU flag.
Answered by Michael Ellis
There is no specific government policy regarding the flying of flags and no guidance is issued to Government Departments to routinely fly the EU Flag. As flag flying is deregulated, DCMS does not hold records on the flying of flags by other government departments, other than on the designated days for flying the Union Flag.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with the operators of the National Lottery on inclusion in the negotiations on the UK leaving the EU of provisions to permit the continued participation of UK citizens in the Euromillions lottery.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
EuroMillions currently operates across nine European countries and EU membership is not a requirement – for example, EuroMillions has operated in Switzerland, a non-EU country, since 2004.