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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment the Government has made of the effect of changes in the visa regime for UK nationals seeking to play paid music engagements in the EU from December 2020 to January 2021 will have on (a) the number of gigs played by UK musicians in the EU, (b) the ability of up and coming UK talent to play in EU and (c) the prevalence of UK music in the EU music landscape in the future; and if he will make a statement.

The Government recognises the world-leading position of the UK music sector and the rich breadth of musical talent across the UK. According to UK Music’s 2020 report, the sector contributed £5.8bn GVA to the UK economy in 2019 and generated £2.9bn in export revenue.

The Government is committed to supporting the sector to maintain its world-leading position, and to help it recover from the impact of the Covid pandemic. We recognise that the new provisions in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) will require the sector to adapt to new requirements and ways of working with the EU now we are no longer a Member State. UK cultural professionals seeking to tour within the EU will be required to check domestic immigration and visitor rules for each Member State in which they intend to tour.

When travelling for tours, cultural professionals will need to take goods in and out of the EU, including musical instruments, technical equipment and merchandise. This is likely to involve additional import/export customs documentation, including ATA carnets.

For EU talent seeking to perform in the UK, our offer is more generous than many EU Member States, as UK domestic rules allow musicians, entertainers and artists (and their technical staff) from non-visa national countries, such as EU Member States and the US, to perform visa-free in the UK.

We are committed to continuing to help the music sector understand and adapt to these changes. These issues are being looked at as part of the DCMS-led working group on creative and cultural touring, which involves sector representatives and other key government departments, to ensure the sector gets the clarity and support it needs.