Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab) [V]:...Last week, when we
debated the cultural and entertainment sectors, I made a few points
on which I thought the Government could act in the Budget. The
first related to the plight of freelance musicians artists and
others who have been excluded from the Chancellor’s criteria for
support. I pointed out that in Wales some funds have been set aside
for support, but that what we really needed was cross-UK action
from the Chancellor. The Chancellor has...Request free trial
(Cardiff West) (Lab) [V]:...Last week, when we debated
the cultural and entertainment sectors, I made a few points on
which I thought the Government could act in the Budget. The first
related to the plight of freelance musicians artists and others who have
been excluded from the Chancellor’s criteria for support. I pointed
out that in Wales some funds have been set aside for support, but
that what we really needed was cross-UK action from the Chancellor.
The Chancellor has done the very minimum in his Budget, by simply
recognising that it has been so long for some of the excluded—that
is, the newer self-employed—that they have now become eligible for
the self-employment income support scheme. He has done nothing to
support those excluded by his arbitrary criteria. He has decided
that they are to be treated as second-class citizens. It is
deliberate and unjust, and it will not be forgotten by musicians artists and others who have
been snubbed.
My second point was on the need to help to restart the live music
sector with, as the Select Committee Chair said, a
Government-backed insurance scheme. Our Committee wrote to the
Chancellor to call for such a scheme and the response from the
Government was a classic example of blinkered Treasury thinking.
The insurance market cannot provide the cover needed for festivals
because of covid uncertainty. The Government say that they have an
irreversible plan for reopening; were they to underwrite a scheme,
that would show confidence in not only live music but their own
pronouncements. If their own words turned out to be true, they
would never have to pay out anything.
Other countries have taken similar action, with much lower vaccine
roll-out rates, and of course it is being done for film and
television. For the want of a tent peg, many festivals will have to
be collapsed this summer. That is the Chancellor’s second failure
of policy and action. As the Select Committee Chair pointed out,
there are now opportunities for the scammers and outlaw companies
such as Viagogo to take advantage by once again ripping off people
who want to buy tickets for events that might never happen and
might never exist.
Thirdly, the Chancellor should have announced a scheme to ensure
that musicians and artists could resume
touring in EU countries. I note the launch of the “Carry on
Touring” campaign’s website today. On social media today I saw the
case of someone called Ed Lyon, a classical musician who has just
spent six weeks and £945 to obtain a work permit for Belgium.
Previously, in normal times, he could have just hopped on a train.
The Chancellor is utterly complacent about the loss of export
earnings to UK that this continuing fiasco will bring. is now his Cabinet colleague. Why has he not been told to
do the job that he so abjectly failed to do in December when he
delivered a no-deal Brexit for artists, musicians and their ancillary support
industries?
This Budget, despite some investment, did not do nearly enough to
save jobs and support growth in the creative industries—the sectors
with the fastest growth potential. It has left freelance workers
out in the cold, it has thrown a summer of music into a muddy field
of uncertainty and it has closed the gate on touring for our
creative artists and musicians Far from doing “whatever it
takes”, it has taken away the opportunity to create.
(Clacton) (Con) [V]:...But it is not all about
finance; it is about underwriting insurance to give confidence to
producers and organisers. That has been spoken about a good deal
today, and it is terribly important. It is also about freedom of
movement for musicians actors and all their
kit. There are easy wins here, and not necessarily with any
financial strings attached. The Government should grasp this
opportunity to demonstrate their serious support for the
sector...
(Ochil and South Perthshire) (SNP)
[V]:...Artists and musicians do not ask for much
from Government, but they do expect that the Government will not
work actively against them. Many will now be forced to change
career, causing irreparable damage to the sector. That applies in
particular to freelancers, who have slipped through the net, unable
to fit the criteria for support. Equity, the actors’ union, has
found that 40% of its members have received no help of any kind
from the self-employment income support scheme...
(City of Chester) (Lab):...I commend the
freelancers’ charter and the news recovery plan, both produced by
the National Union of Journalists, and ask that Ministers take on
board what the NUJ has proposed; my hon. Friend the Member for
Easington made reference to that. My hon. Friend the Member for
Cardiff West talked about the importance of supporting
freelance musicians and my right hon.
Friend the Member for Hayes and Harlington () referred to the work that Equity has done on
supporting actors in getting back to work...
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