Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the levels of Orchestra Tax Relief.

The Secretary of State has regular conversations with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on a number of issues, including creative tax reliefs.

As announced at the Spring Budget earlier this year, His Majesty’s Government has extended the current headline rates of Orchestra Tax Relief. The rates for Orchestra Tax Relief will remain at 50% for expenditure taking place from 1 April 2023, reducing to 35% from 1 April 2025 and returning to 25% from 1 April 2026. As of August 2023, £75 million has been paid out relating to 740 claims. This represents 2,940 productions.