DCMS committee launches inquiry on impact of COVID-19 on DCMS sectors

A new inquiry will examine the impact of COVID-19 on a wide range of industries and organisations under the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s remit.

It will consider the effect of social and financial measures both in the immediate and long-term on areas including: culture and the creative industries; civil society; sport; tourism; heritage; publishing, media and journalism; and telecoms.

The DCMS Committee is calling for evidence from organisations and arms-length bodies. It will seek to question ministers about the effectiveness of Government action to date and what further support is needed. The committee expects to hold evidence sessions from late April into May.

DCMS Committee Chair Julian Knight MP said:

“COVID-19 is casting a long shadow over our lives and will do so for years to come.

“We’re particularly concerned that we risk seeing an irreversible impact on things that we value as part of our culture. Whether it’s sport, music, theatre or your local newspaper to give a few examples.

“We’re already seeing a long queue for government support across many areas. We want to make sure that our cultural organisations that give us much that we’re missing in this lockdown get a fair hearing.”

ENDS 

Terms of Reference:

The DCMS Committee is inviting written submissions on the impact of COVID-19 on any sectors under the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s remit by Friday 1 May however the deadline is flexible (its closure will be advertised in advance on the website).

Areas to be considered by the inquiry:

• What has been the immediate impact of COVID-19 on the sector?

• How effectively has the support provided by DCMS, other Government departments and

arms-length bodies addressed the sector’s needs?

• What will the likely long-term impacts of COVID-19 be on the sector, and what support is

needed to deal with those?

• What lessons can be learnt from how DCMS, arms-length bodies and the sector have dealt

with COVID-19?

• How might the sector evolve after COVID-19, and how can DCMS support such innovation to

deal with future challenges?

Further information: 

Committee membership: 

Julian Knight MP (Chair) (Conservative, Solihull); Kevin Brennan MP (Labour, Cardiff West); Steve Brine MP (Conservative, Winchester); Philip Davies MP (Conservative, Shipley); Clive Efford MP (Labour, Eltham); Julie Elliott MP (Labour, Sunderland Central); Rt Hon Damian Green MP (Conservative, Ashford); Rt Hon Damian Hinds MP (Conservative, East Hampshire); John Nicolson MP (Scottish National Party, Ochil and South Perthshire); Jo Stevens MP (Labour, Cardiff Central); Giles Watling MP (Conservative, Clacton).