Asked by: Barbara Keeley (Labour - Worsley and Eccles South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many full-time equivalent staff in his Department are working in roles supporting musicians to secure visas to tour overseas.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
As a department, we have worked with a number of others (including DCMS, DBT and DfT) to support touring musicians. The majority of Member States (24 out of 27) have now confirmed that UK musicians and performers do not need visas or work permits for some short-term touring. To help businesses across sectors navigate the visa and work permit rules of EU countries, DBT has published guidance on GOV.UK on the entry requirements for EU Member States, as well as for Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.
Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Cradley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of the ease of UK-based artists' and musicians' ability to travel to work in the EU.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government recognises the cultural and economic value of the creative industries to the UK-EU relationship. The UK Government has worked closely with industry to help UK artists adapt to this new regulatory environment and continues to engage with stakeholders to understand their priorities.
The Government has engaged with EU Member States on their entry requirements for touring artists. The vast majority of Member States (24 out of 27) have confirmed that UK musicians and performers do not need visas or work permits for some short-term touring. This includes Greece, who announced a visa exemption for touring artists this June. We continue to call on the remaining Member States to make their arrangements as generous as the UK's.
Asked by: Earl of Clancarty (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park on 18 January (HL Deb, col 1553) that "issues around friction-free visa travel within the European Union and changes to border requirements are high on the agenda", whether this will include discussion of a visa-waiver agreement for the performing arts between the UK and the EU at the next meeting of the EU–UK Partnership Council.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
We raised the issue of touring artists at the first Partnership Council meeting on 9 June and at the Specialised Committee on Services, Investment and Digital Trade on 11 October. The agenda for the next meeting of the Partnership Council will be agreed with our EU counterparts in due course. We will ensure that priority issues for the UK are discussed at the meeting and our interests protected.
21 out of 27 EU Member States, including France, Spain, Germany and Italy, have confirmed that UK musicians and performers do not need visas or work permits for some short-term touring. It is important that we recognise that these routes do exist, to ensure our creative professionals are not discouraged and can resume touring with confidence.
We are continuing to work with the remaining 6 Member States that do not allow any visa or permit free touring to encourage them to adopt a more flexible approach. We do enable visa-free visits from EU citizens, but we wish to retain control of how we apply the policy.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
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 on progressing an EU wide visa waiver for touring musicians.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
This government has spoken to every EU Member State about the importance of touring. From these discussions, 20 out of 27 Member States have confirmed that UK musicians and performers do not need visas or work permits for some short-term tours.
We are now actively engaging with the remaining Member States that do not allow any visa or permit free touring, to encourage them to more closely align requirements with the UK’s generous rules, which allow creative professionals to tour easily here. Discussions are ongoing at ministerial and official level across these target countries, and we are working with the sector to amplify each other’s lobbying efforts.
Asked by: Baroness Merron (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many days of visa free and work permit touring is allowed per visit for a musician based in the UK and with UK citizenship, for each of the 19 EU Member States described as allowing visa and work permit free touring.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
This government recognises the importance of the UK’s creative and cultural industries, not only to the economy and international reputation of the United Kingdom, but also to the wellbeing and enrichment of our people. We want musicians and performers to be able to tour abroad easily, as we understand it is a vital part at every stage of a musician’s and performer’s career.
Member States of the European Union are principally responsible for deciding the rules governing what work UK visitors can undertake in the EU. That is why we have spoken to every Member State about the importance of touring. Following these talks 19 out of 27 Member States have confirmed that UK musicians do not require visas or work permits for some short term touring. In the majority of cases this is for at least 30 days. Other Member States, including France and Germany, allow visas or work permits for some short term touring for up to three months. Travellers should always check what requirements they need to fulfill with the EU Member State to which they are travelling.
We want our world-leading creative and cultural artists to travel widely, learning their craft, growing their audiences and showing the best of British creativity to the world. That is why we are looking carefully at proposals for a new Creative Export Office that could provide further practical help to support individuals and businesses in touring.
Asked by: Baroness Merron (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the ability of (a) under-25s, (b) musicians from less privileged socio-economic backgrounds, and (c) working-class musicians, to tour in the EU under the terms of the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, and (2) the frequency of such musicians doing so.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
This government recognises the importance of the UK’s creative and cultural industries, not only to the economy and international reputation of the United Kingdom, but also to the wellbeing and enrichment of our people. We want musicians and performers to be able to tour abroad easily, as we understand it is a vital part at every stage of a musician’s and performer’s career.
Member States of the European Union are principally responsible for deciding the rules governing what work UK visitors can undertake in the EU. That is why we have spoken to every Member State about the importance of touring. Following these talks 19 out of 27 Member States have confirmed that UK musicians do not require visas or work permits for some short term touring. In the majority of cases this is for at least 30 days. Other Member States, including France and Germany, allow visas or work permits for some short term touring for up to three months. Travellers should always check what requirements they need to fulfill with the EU Member State to which they are travelling.
We want our world-leading creative and cultural artists to travel widely, learning their craft, growing their audiences and showing the best of British creativity to the world. That is why we are looking carefully at proposals for a new Creative Export Office that could provide further practical help to support individuals and businesses in touring.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on providing additional financial support to touring (a) artists and (b) music organisations travelling to the European Union.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
This government recognises the importance of the UK’s creative and cultural industries, not only to the economy and international reputation of the United Kingdom, but also to the wellbeing and enrichment of its people. We want musicians and performers to be able to tour abroad easily.
We recognise that challenges remain around touring, and we are continuing to work closely with the industry. In order to support this we have published guidance on GOV.UK, including updated travel advice for travelling to the EU, and business traveller summaries for individual Member States, and developed sector specific ‘landing pages’ for GOV.UK, aimed at the creative sectors, which will allow cultural and creative professionals to easily locate and access guidance that is relevant to them.
Member States are principally responsible for deciding the rules governing what work UK visitors can undertake in each Member State. This is why we have spoken to every EU Member State about the importance of touring. From these discussions, 19 out of 27 Member States have confirmed that UK musicians and performers do not need visas or work permits for some short-term tours.
We are now actively engaging with Member States, and in particular those that do not allow any visa or permit free touring, to encourage them to more closely align requirements with the UK’s generous rules, which allow creative professionals to tour easily here. DCMS ministers are speaking with their counterparts as part of these discussions, and we are working with the sector to amplify each other’s lobbying efforts.
We are looking at options to support individuals and businesses to resume touring with ease. This includes looking carefully at proposals for a new Creative Export Office that could provide further practical help.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he has taken to support touring musicians in Newport West to continue to work in Europe.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
This government recognises the importance of the UK’s creative and cultural industries, not only to the economy and international reputation of the United Kingdom, but also to the wellbeing and enrichment of its people. We want musicians and performers to be able to tour abroad easily.
In order to support this, our focus is now on bilateral engagement with Member States, who are principally responsible for deciding the rules governing what work UK visitors can undertake in the EU. This is why we have spoken to every Member State. From those extensive discussions,19 out of 27 Member States have confirmed that UK musicians and performers do not require visas or work permits for some short term touring. Travellers should always check what requirements they need to fulfil with the EU Member State they are travelling to, and that is why we are working closely with Member States to ensure their guidance is clear and accessible.
We have also developed sector specific ‘landing pages’ for GOV.UK, aimed at the creative sectors, which will allow cultural and creative professionals to easily locate and access guidance that is relevant to them. From these pages, general business traveller summaries can be accessed, which provide enhanced guidance on EU Member State immigration systems for GOV.UK, and include sector-specific rules that feature on Member State websites.
We are now actively engaging with those remaining EU Member States that do not allow visas or work permit free touring, and calling on them to align their arrangements with the UK’s generous rules, which allow creative professionals to tour here easily. Formal approaches have been made, DCMS ministers will be actively involved, and we are working closely with the sector to amplify each other’s lobbying efforts.
We recognise challenges remain around touring, and we are continuing to work closely with the industry. We want to ensure that as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, touring can resume and our world-leading creative and cultural artists can continue to travel widely, learning their craft, growing their audiences and showing the best of British creativity to the world.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what progress he has made on the bilateral negotiations with EU member states that do not offer visa and work permit free touring provisions for UK musicians working in the EU.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
This government recognises the importance of the UK’s creative and cultural industries, not only to the economy and international reputation of the United Kingdom, but also to the wellbeing and enrichment of its people. We want musicians and performers to be able to tour abroad easily.
In order to support this, our focus is now on bilateral engagement with Member States, who are principally responsible for deciding the rules governing what work UK visitors can undertake in the EU. This is why we have spoken to every Member State. From those extensive discussions,19 out of 27 Member States have confirmed that UK musicians and performers do not require visas or work permits for some short term touring. Travellers should always check what requirements they need to fulfil with the EU Member State they are travelling to, and that is why we are working closely with Member States to ensure their guidance is clear and accessible.
We have also developed sector specific ‘landing pages’ for GOV.UK, aimed at the creative sectors, which will allow cultural and creative professionals to easily locate and access guidance that is relevant to them. From these pages, general business traveller summaries can be accessed, which provide enhanced guidance on EU Member State immigration systems for GOV.UK, and include sector-specific rules that feature on Member State websites.
We are now actively engaging with those remaining EU Member States that do not allow visas or work permit free touring, and calling on them to align their arrangements with the UK’s generous rules, which allow creative professionals to tour here easily. Formal approaches have been made, DCMS ministers will be actively involved, and we are working closely with the sector to amplify each other’s lobbying efforts.
We recognise challenges remain around touring, and we are continuing to work closely with the industry. We want to ensure that as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, touring can resume and our world-leading creative and cultural artists can continue to travel widely, learning their craft, growing their audiences and showing the best of British creativity to the world.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Guidance on working, performing, and touring in Europe, if his Department will publish the sources of information used to support the guidance on visa/work permits.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
This government recognises the importance of the UK’s creative and cultural industries, not only to the economy and international reputation of the United Kingdom, but also to the wellbeing and enrichment of its people. We want musicians and performers to be able to tour abroad easily.
In order to support this, our focus is now on bilateral engagement with Member States, who are principally responsible for deciding the rules governing what work UK visitors can undertake in the EU. This is why we have spoken to every Member State. From those extensive discussions,19 out of 27 Member States have confirmed that UK musicians and performers do not require visas or work permits for some short term touring. Travellers should always check what requirements they need to fulfil with the EU Member State they are travelling to, and that is why we are working closely with Member States to ensure their guidance is clear and accessible.
We have also developed sector specific ‘landing pages’ for GOV.UK, aimed at the creative sectors, which will allow cultural and creative professionals to easily locate and access guidance that is relevant to them. From these pages, general business traveller summaries can be accessed, which provide enhanced guidance on EU Member State immigration systems for GOV.UK, and include sector-specific rules that feature on Member State websites.
We are now actively engaging with those remaining EU Member States that do not allow visas or work permit free touring, and calling on them to align their arrangements with the UK’s generous rules, which allow creative professionals to tour here easily. Formal approaches have been made, DCMS ministers will be actively involved, and we are working closely with the sector to amplify each other’s lobbying efforts.
We recognise challenges remain around touring, and we are continuing to work closely with the industry. We want to ensure that as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, touring can resume and our world-leading creative and cultural artists can continue to travel widely, learning their craft, growing their audiences and showing the best of British creativity to the world.