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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer an extension of the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme for freelancers in the creative industries sector.

I, as well as my colleagues at the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), continue to engage with a range of departments, including HM Treasury, to understand how we can fully support the Creative Industries, and those who work in them, during this time.

The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS), which has so far seen 2.3 million claims worth £6.8 billion, has been extended to provide more security to individuals whose livelihoods are adversely affected by coronavirus in the coming months. The scheme has improved flexibility to bring furloughed employees back part-time in July, and a new taper requiring employers to contribute modestly to furloughed salaries from August. The scheme will help many eligible freelance workers, including those in the Creative Industries, receive up to £2,500 per month in grants.

The Government is also determined to do all it can to help sectors such as the Creative Industries in their recovery. This is why I am chairing the Taskforce responsible for the recreation and leisure sectors, called the Cultural Renewal taskforce.