Musicians: Travel Requirements

(asked on 22nd January 2020) - View Source

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

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Home Office on the creation of a musicians passport to help enable freedom of movement for touring musicians after the UK leaves the EU.


Answered by
Helen Whately Portrait
Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
This question was answered on 27th January 2020

DCMS has engaged extensively with union bodies, orchestras, individual musical practitioners and cultural organisations. We understand the importance of being able to tour. We recognise that this depends on musicians and crew being able to move quickly and easily between countries, taking necessary equipment with them.

The Home Office has been closely involved in our conversations. They are well informed of the needs of the cultural sector as they look to develop the UK’s future points based immigration system and as we seek to negotiate our future relationship with the EU.

Recognising the depth of the UK-EU relationship, the Government has proposed that we seek to agree reciprocal mobility arrangements with the EU. These will support businesses to provide services and to move their talented people. This is reflected in the Political Declaration on our future relationship. The details will be discussed in the next phase of negotiations.

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