Oral Answers to Questions

Wendy Chamberlain Excerpts

Thursday 9th July 2020 Commons Chamber

[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.

[Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Slough) (Lab)]

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

--- Later in debate ---

[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.

[Wendy Chamberlain]

One of my constituents, Jim Sutherland, is a composer and music producer who has worked on the music of films such as “Brave” and “Outlaw King”. A freelancer under PAYE, he and many like him are the backbone of our creative industries, demonstrating exactly the type of entrepreneurial spirit that this Government say they want to encourage as we recover. But yet again, in a week in which 200 MPs joined the all-party group on ExcludedUK, the Government have failed to support our self-employed people. What reassurance can the Minister give Jim and other freelancers in the industry that there will be support for them?

[Caroline Dinenage]

The hon. Lady is rightly proud of her constituent and all the creative people in her area. We recognise the crucial role that individuals play in making our creative industries world leading. The £1.57 billion cultural package, which includes £97 million for Scotland, announced this week will allow more businesses to survive and more creative activity to restart, ensuring employment opportunities for freelancers. At the end of the day, that is what our freelancers want to do—they want to get back to work.