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 timescale for allowing choirs to sing (a) indoors and (b) outdoors as covid-19 restrictions are eased.

Non-professional performing arts activities such as choirs are currently permitted outdoors, within the legal gathering limits. People should only take part in non-professional performing arts activities outdoors in groups of up to 6 people, or as a group of 2 households. A group made up of 2 households can include more than 6 people, but only where all members of the group are from the same 2 households (each household can include an existing support bubble, if eligible). Social distancing should be maintained between people who do not live together or share a bubble.

Non-professional activity indoors is not permitted indoors at this time. The intention is that this will be permitted from Step 3 of the Roadmap (no earlier than 17 May). This is subject to review and further guidance will be provided in advance of step 3.

COVID-19 spreads from person to person through small droplets, aerosols and through direct contact. Singing, playing some musical instruments, shouting and physical activity increases the risk of transmission through small droplets and aerosols. The cumulative effect of aerosol transmission means the more people involved, the higher the risk of transmission. This means that it is currently important to limit the total number of individuals involved in singing as far as possible.