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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will take steps to ensuring adequate ventilation in theatres and cinemas to help reduce the transmission of covid-19 by (a) issuing guidance to operators of theatres and cinemas services, (b) clarifying what standards operators should use to plan and measure ventilation, (c) outlining what enforcement activity he plans to take to ensure such guidance is followed and (d) making funds available to improve standards of ventilation.

Public Health England has published guidance on the ventilation of indoor spaces which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-ventilation-of-indoor-spaces-to-stop-the-spread-of-coronavirus/ventilation-of-indoor-spaces-to-stop-the-spread-of-coronavirus-covid-19

The Health and Safety Executive has published guidance on ventilation and air conditioning here:

https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/equipment-and-machinery/air-conditioning-and-ventilation/index.htm

Using this guidance, Local Authorities should assess the risk from COVID and implement the appropriate transmission risk controls. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to assess risks and implement the appropriate controls. HSE is the health and safety enforcing authority for local authority activities and can take proportionate enforcement action.

Venues are advised to pay due regard to the published guidance above, alongside any sector-specific guidance available.