The (CB):...We have a Brexit
freedoms Bill but, as UK Music pointed out in its helpful
briefing, we should not ignore the importance of Europe as a
market and a partner. For the music industry, which was worth
£5.8 billion to the economy pre-pandemic, there continue to be
concerns about touring in Europe. We need an UK-EU visa waiver
agreement. Dual registration will not solve the cabotage problem
for orchestras. The answer has to be a cabotage exemption from
the TCA. I ask the Minister: what progress has been made on
Eurostar becoming a CITES-designated port and will the Government
explore a cultural exemption for ATA carnets in relation to the
non-portable instruments and equipment? In the other direction,
because of hold-ups and increasing red tape, there are now real
concerns about whether visa-national acts, booked for festivals
in the UK this summer, will be able to meet their engagements.
This is something the DDCMS should perhaps keep an eye on.
The higher education Bill, the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill
and the Schools Bill ought to overtly recognise the importance of
the creative industries. The idea that there should be
“a school system that works for every child, regardless of where
they live”
is excellent, but it will work only if there is a properly
balanced education that seeks fulfilment for every child, and
that must include the arts. School should be a place where
children want to be, and they will want to be there if there is
something that interests them. Boredom is an acknowledged major
cause of absenteeism in both primary and secondary schools. The
creativity crisis—as it has now been dubbed—in schools should be
the first thing that the Government address. It is a crisis that
has been exacerbated by the pandemic, as shown by this year’s
University of Nottingham Art Now survey for the teaching of art
and design. This means, in the long term, the scrapping of the
EBacc and proper funding for the arts in schools. A good place to
start would be to reintroduce the arts premium that the
Government promised previously. Taking music as an example,
research by the Incorporated Society of Musicians found that
departmental mean budgets for independent schools are about five
times greater than those of either maintained schools or
academies. This is unacceptable and it does not need a Bill to
move schools away from the narrower, more academic road they are
going down—an approach that does not suit all children.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for
Digital, Culture, Media and Sport ( of Whitley Bay) (Con):...The
noble Earl, , and others asked about
touring for artists. The UK took an ambitious approach during our
negotiations with the European Union, which would have ensured
that touring artists and their support staff did not need work
permits to perform in the UK. Regrettably, this was rejected by
the European Union. Our trade deal with the three EFTA countries
was based on the very same offer and shows that it is workable
and that we are fighting to help musicians and performers to tour
abroad. The Government are committed to supporting this important
sector to adapt to the new arrangements, and we are working with
the sector and directly with member states to clarify what
creative workers need to do to continue touring in these
important industries.
The noble Earl, , asked specifically about
the work to designate the St Pancras station for Eurostar as a
CITES point of entry. Defra is working with the Incorporated
Society of Musicians, the Association of British Orchestras, the
Musicians’ Union and others who are undertaking
surveys to gauge numbers likely to use St Pancras as such a point
of entry if it were to become CITES-designated. The results are
due soon and once received Defra will work with Border Force to
understand the operational implications of designating St
Pancras. We will provide further updates in due course. I am
grateful to the noble Earl and to Deborah Annetts from the
Incorporated Society of Musicians for their engagement on this
important issue...
