Music: Coronavirus

(asked on 15th June 2020) - View Source

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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to measure whether COVID-19 related Government support, and in particular the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the Bounce Back Loan Scheme, is protecting jobs and businesses in the music industry.


Answered by
Baroness Barran Portrait
Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This question was answered on 3rd July 2020

While we have not completed a specific survey for the music sector, we have analysed the wider Creative Industries sector through the DCMS Coronavirus Impact Business Survey, which provides information on the effects of the pandemic on DCMS’ sectors. Results are published on gov.uk and further analysis of the responses will be available in the coming weeks.

We appreciate that the Covid-19 pandemic presents a significant challenge to the music industry and we know that freelancers and individual artists are facing enormous difficulties as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak. The Government’s response has been one of the most generous and comprehensive in the world, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme and the Bounceback Loan Scheme business rates reliefs. In addition, the Government has adapted the welfare system so that the self-employed can access Universal Credit in full, to help people get quicker and more generous support when they need it most.

We continue to speak with HM Treasury colleagues to ensure that the full spectrum of government support reaches the UK's world-leading music industry.

The Secretary of State has recently received the open letter signed by numerous artists and performers, in support of the “#Let the Music Play” campaign. We are committed to continuing to work with the music industry to understand the difficulties they face and help them access support through these challenging times and through recovery.

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