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Written Question
Music and Theatre: Coronavirus
Thursday 13th January 2022

Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he plans to make additional covid-19 support available for music and theatre productions that have to cancel as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

In response to the rising Omicron infection rates and impact on the arts, culture and heritage sector, £30 million from the Culture Recovery Fund has been made newly available. This funding has been used to increase the budget for the reopened Emergency Resource Support strand of CRF, which supports organisations which are within 12 weeks of no longer trading viably.

Many of those who work in musical and theatrical productions are freelancers. As such, the government, via Arts Council England, is also providing an immediate £1.5 million to support freelancers affected by the pandemic, underpinning a further £1.35 million of funding from the theatre sector.


Written Question
Music and Theatres: Coronavirus
Friday 7th January 2022

Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with representatives of (a) live music venues and (b) theatres on Government support since the publication of Government guidance on the transmission of the Omicron covid-19 variant on 8 December 2021.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government remains committed to working closely and collaboratively with all our sectors whilst we mitigate the risks of the coronavirus pandemic. Ministers meet regularly with representatives from the music and performance arts sectors to discuss the impacts of Covid-19. A ministerial roundtable was held on 17 December, which included attendees from HM Treasury, to listen to and understand the challenges faced by our sectors at this time.


Written Question
Music: Coronavirus
Friday 24th December 2021

Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the passage of aerosol particles when singing; and for what reason are singers exempt from the requirement to wear face coverings introduced on 30 November 2021.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Some activities can increase the risk of transmitting COVID-19, including singing. This has been demonstrated through studies including the NERVTAG and PERFORM studies.

However, in some circumstances, people cannot do their work activity effectively while wearing a face covering. The DCMS ‘Working safely during coronavirus: Events and attractions’ (updated on 22nd December) explains that professional performers (and amateur performers who are part of professional activities) are not required to wear a face covering while they are performing or rehearsing, but should be encouraged to do so if possible.


Written Question
Music: Coronavirus
Monday 20th December 2021

Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment the (a) Chief Medical Officer and (b) Chief Scientist have made of the risk of singing without a facemask in indoor settings; and whether he has received advice from those persons on singing inside without a facemask.

Answered by Maggie Throup

Neither the Chief Medical Officer nor the Chief Scientific Advisor have made this specific assessment and have not provided any such advice.


Written Question
Music: Coronavirus
Wednesday 27th October 2021

Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UK Music report This is Music 2021, published 19 October; and what steps they intend to take to (1) support the music industry, and (2) compensate those who were ineligible for financial support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

We have noted the publication of UK Music’s ‘This Is Music’ report with interest, and the Secretary of State’s contribute the foreword to it. We note the significant challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the music sector and recognise that this report proposes a possible path towards recovery. DCMS works closely with UK Music and officials regularly engage with the team there across a number of areas.

Many organisations in the music industry have benefitted from the significant cross-economy and sector-specific support, the government has made available throughout this pandemic, including the generous employment schemes, grants, loans, a reduction in VAT to 5%, business rates relief, and the extension of the moratorium on commercial evictions for business tenants.

The unprecedented Culture Recovery Fund, of almost £2 billion, has been the biggest arts funding package in our history. Awards have been made to over 800 music-based organisations, totalling over £200 million, including more than £21 million alone having been awarded to music festivals and £3.36 million to grassroots music venues. 52,000 full time staff and almost 100,000 freelancers were supported until the end of June 2021 as part of the second round of the Fund (as reported by applicants).

The Live Events Reinsurance Scheme was also launched on 22 September, which will continue to support live events across the country - such as music festivals, conferences and business events - which are at risk of being halted or delayed due to an inability to obtain COVID-19 cancellation insurance. The scheme will support the UK’s economic recovery from COVID-19 by giving events the confidence they need to plan for the future, whilst also ensuring that we deliver value for money for taxpayers.


Written Question
Music: Coronavirus
Wednesday 14th July 2021

Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to remove all covid-19 restrictions for indoor music venues after 19 July 2021.

Answered by Caroline Dinenage

As announced by the Prime Minister, the Government will proceed cautiously to Step 4 of the Roadmap on 19 July. At Step 4, most of the legal restrictions imposed throughout the pandemic will be removed and all remaining businesses will be able to reopen.

The Government will provide guidance for Step 4 of the Roadmap to help businesses and the public to make informed decisions about how to manage risks from COVID-19.


Written Question
Church Services and Music: Coronavirus
Friday 9th July 2021

Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, on what date he plans to publish updated covid-19 guidance on the (a) number of people allowed to attend memorial services and (b) rules for singing indoors; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Caroline Dinenage

The government’s Roadmap set out four steps out of lockdown in England. From Step 4, there will be no limits on the number of people who can sing indoors or outdoors. This includes choirs and congregational singing. The government will remove outstanding legal restrictions on social contact and life events, and open the remaining closed settings. The government will instead enable people to use personal judgement to manage the risk to themselves and others.


We will assess the four tests again on 12 July to decide whether to proceed to step 4 on 19 July. Once that decision has been made, all government guidance will be amended in light of the decision taken.


Written Question
Pupils: Mental Health Services
Tuesday 6th July 2021

Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional mental health support will be made available to school age children over the summer 2021 holidays in response to the mental effects of the covid-19 outbreak and lost schooling.

Answered by Vicky Ford

We know that the mental health and wellbeing of young people has been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, and that being back in school and college plays a central role in promoting wellbeing for pupils. That is why we worked so hard to ensure that schools were first to reopen in March 2021.

The education recovery package and additional funding supports schools to provide pastoral care and extracurricular activities. This includes the £200 million we have put into summer schools, which will give secondary pupils access to enrichment activities, such as games, music, drama and sports that they have missed out on over the COVID-19 outbreak. The department published guidance to schools on summer schools on 30 March 2021; when planning a summer school, schools are encouraged to create an environment that supports pupils’ mental health and wellbeing, and to be particularly aware and supportive of the greater mental health and wellbeing needs of vulnerable children.

We are also investing up to £220 million in our Holiday Activities and Food programme, which has now been expanded across England. The programme provides children with opportunities to be active, eat healthily and enjoy engaging activities which support the development of resilience, character and wellbeing along with their wider educational attainment.

Furthermore, the Education Endowment Foundation have published a COVID-19 support guide to support schools, which includes further information about interventions to support pupils’ mental health and wellbeing.

The Department’s Mental Health in Education Action Group, led by myself and my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Universities, has been looking further at what more can to be done to help education settings support mental wellbeing as part of recovery. The department has recently brought together all its sources of advice for schools and colleges into a single site, which includes signposting to external sources of mental health and wellbeing support for teachers, school staff, school leaders and children and young people: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mental-health-and-wellbeing-support-in-schools-and-colleges#mental-health-and-wellbeing-resources.

In addition, Public Health England has provided advice and guidance for parents and professionals on looking after children and young people's mental wellbeing, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-supporting-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-and-wellbeing/guidance-for-parents-and-carers-on-supporting-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-and-wellbeing-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.

It has adapted its Every Mind Matters and Rise Above platforms in the context of the outbreak, and launched new e-learning to help parents and carers, front line workers and volunteers support children and young people in emergency or crisis situations.

We are also investing around an additional £500 million into mental health support in 2021/22, with £79 million additional funding that will be used to significantly expand children’s and young people’s mental health services including accelerating the coverage of mental health support teams providing early support in schools and colleges. £15 million is to be invested in local authority areas in the most deprived parts of the country to help stimulate and boost prevention and early intervention services to support those hardest hit by the COVID-19 outbreak, including families, children and young people, and ethnic minority groups.

For all those in need of immediate or specialist support, NHS mental health services remain open and have deployed digital tools to enable them to connect with people and provide ongoing support throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. All NHS Mental Health Trusts continue to provide 24/7 open access telephone lines to support people of all ages.

The government has also provided over £10 million funding to mental health charities – including Mind, the Samaritans, Young Minds, and Bipolar UK to help them adapt, expand, and reach those who are most vulnerable.


Written Question
Music: Coronavirus
Tuesday 29th June 2021

Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of the extension of covid-19 restrictions beyond 21 June 2021 on the live music industry.

Answered by Caroline Dinenage

The Prime Minister has always said that we would be led by data, not dates. The government has looked at the data very closely and assessed it against the four tests set out in the Roadmap. It is on the basis of worsening data that the decision has been taken that Step 4 will take place no earlier than 19 July.

We recognise the challenging times facing these sectors and are committed to supporting our world-leading cultural and creative industries. The Department has been working closely with stakeholders across the theatre and live events industry throughout the pandemic to monitor the impact of Covid-19 and delays to Step 4 of the Roadmap and will continue to do so.

Many of these organisations continue to benefit from the significant cross-economy package of support that has been made available throughout this pandemic, including the generous employment schemes, grants, loans, a reduction in VAT to 5%, business rates relief, and the extension of the moratorium on commercial evictions for business tenants until March 2022. In addition, businesses across these sectors may be eligible for further support through the third round of the unprecedented Culture Recovery Fund - details of which were announced on 25 June. This third and final round of funding will provide support to new organisations and existing recipients, as the cultural, heritage and creative sectors move towards reopening at full capacity, underlining the government’s commitment to help them build back better as life returns to normal.


Written Question
Music: Coronavirus
Tuesday 29th June 2021

Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the compatibility of (a) Step 3 guidance issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on covid-19 restrictions and indoor singing and (b) communications from his Department encouraging school children to sing the One Britain One Nation song on 25 June 2021.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Department has not asked pupils to sing songs for One Britain One Nation day or endorsed any specific materials. However, our schools should promote fundamental British values including those relating to tolerance and respect. As such, the Department supports One Britain One Nation’s broad aims to help children learn about equality, kindness and pride, and it is for schools to decide how they teach these important values.

Singing is an important part of pupils’ education, especially as this builds confidence and supports wellbeing. The Department has continued to make it clear in all of our COVID-19 related guidance that schools are to continue to teach music and we have provided detailed advice on how schools can do this safely in class.

There may be an additional risk of infection where singing takes place, and the guidance provides detailed advice on how music can be taught safely. This is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/schools-coronavirus-covid-19-operational-guidance.