Events Research Programme

Question

The hon. Member inquired about the delay in publishing ERP results, questioning if some organisations were favoured over others and demanded immediate publication of the report.

Question

The MP highlighted the financial losses incurred by event organisers due to delays in releasing vital data and asked for immediate publication of available information.

Question

Asked why the Government is not offering insurance help despite calls from his party and colleagues.

Question

Welcomed the programme’s work but called for prompt publication of findings to aid venues in planning reopening.

Question

My constituency is home to internationally-known theatre and music venues and exhibition centres. They tell me they are still waiting for promised Government funds, an insurance scheme that gives them certainty on reopening and, specifically, the publication of the events research programme report. One industry source told me today that failure to publish ‘is both creating confusion and eroding confidence across the events industry.’ What should I tell them, their customers and their staff?

Question

In my constituency and others, many events over the summer have been cancelled for a second year. Was there ever an expression of interest from the Scottish Government to hold any test events north of the border? Should event organisers in mine or other constituencies approach DCMS for permission to be made a test event, would the Minister consider that?

Question

If the Government were to underwrite insurance for events and festivals, it would be a real boost. There is precedent with terrorism where Her Majesty’s Government do well out of that deal. Will the Government think again?

Question

First, thank you for your visit to my constituency and Puzzlewood attraction. On this particular subject, though, I am a little confused. When the Government do not publish something, it is normally because it is bad news and they are trying to hide it away. My suspicion is that this set of data is fantastically positive. It must be ready for publication because it was prepared for last week when step 4 was due to announced. Why does the Minister not publish it today?

Question

The live events sector has been severely hit during this pandemic, with many excluded from Government support schemes. Can the Minister confirm whether the Prime Minister had access to the ERP findings and used them to inform decisions about extending lockdown restrictions? If seeing that information was important enough for him, why is it not good enough for Parliament?

Question

Is not Israel’s example, where high vaccination levels among the general population avoid restrictions on events, one for the Government to follow? If my hon. Friend were to publish this report, he most certainly would not be damned.

Question

The delay in publishing ERP data has real-world consequences, particularly for us in north Lancashire and south Cumbria where we saw the cancellation of Kendal Calling festival. Can he try once to give one credible reason for the delay?

Question

Even when step 4 is reached, events sectors need confidence that they can plan for future events either considered safe due to ERP or because of sufficient insurance. Without this confidence, it will be difficult for organisations to plan.

Question

Does he agree that mixed messages are being sent about safety outdoors with schools still making parents and children carry on wearing masks, yet they can walk from school to playground without a mask? Will he clarify requirements for outdoor activities so all Government Departments send same message?

Question

The events and conferences sector has a positive impact on the economy, showcasing the UK globally. Despite this, it remains one of the last sectors still almost shut down because of the COVID emergency. Will the Minister publish data? Given that pilot events have not led to increased infection rates, is it time to give this sector a clear timetable for reopening?

Question

While celebrating the success of events like Download festival, can the Minister extend event insurance to support more such pilots moving forward?

Question

Is a reinsurance scheme necessary for an industry worth £84 billion annually, employing 1.5 million people across the country?

Question

Industry experts believe a Government-backed insurance scheme could unlock £9 billion boost. Can the Minister provide a definitive answer now?

Question

Can Boardmasters in August go ahead, provided step 4 is reached by July 19th with continued success from the pilot scheme?

Question

Is it reasonable for businesses to have access to data and results of pilot events to inform their approach to staging events safely this summer?

Question

Will the Minister look at equalising allowable crowd capacities between seated and non-seated venues?

Question

What assessment has the Minister made on the impact of this latest lockdown on the events industry?

Question

Is it essential that the British Grand Prix goes ahead as a fully attended spectator event, contributing over £100 million to the local economy?

Question

Should events like Creative Hull, Humber Street Sesh and Freedom festival become pilot events if they wish?

Question

I am excited to inform the House that the Buxton International festival and Buxton Fringe will take place from 8 July, but concerns remain about other local events such as the Hope show and Y Not festival. I urge the Minister to consider an indemnity scheme to restore confidence in the sector.

Question

The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee reported insufficient data for businesses in the hospitality and entertainment sectors. The test events seem successful but details have not been published, raising questions about transparency.

Question

The events industry employs 1.5 million self-employed people who often miss out on furlough payments, so reopening events and conferences is crucial for their welfare.

Question

Event insurance underwritten by the Government is uncertain due to unanswered questions regarding support for cancellation insurance. When can the events sector expect clarity?

Question

Thanks to the events research programme, people have enjoyed events like the FA cup final and Euro 2020 fixtures at Wembley. Can football stadiums open at full capacity from August?

Question

The Kendal Calling festival cancelled due to the Government's failure to publish research from the events research programme, despite no significant difference between 25% and 100% capacity. Why is this information hidden?

Question

Cricket fans enjoyed watching matches at Edgbaston despite initial concerns. Does the Minister agree that the public accepts cautious approaches and data-driven decisions for proper reopening?

Question

Pilot schemes allow some full-capacity events while others cannot continue at all, and contradictions exist between professional and non-professional choirs. Why are choirs singled out?

Question

There is a two-tier system for data support; outdoor events like the Black Deer festival must cancel despite being covid-safe due to lack of data. What advice can be given?

Question

Like many Warringtonians, and indeed a number of other hon. Members who I know plan to attend, I am massively looking forward to Warrington’s Neighbourhood Weekender festival, which has been rescheduled for September. Naturally, news that the Kendal Calling festival has been cancelled has caused huge concern to the events sector, as has the lack of publication of the events research programme. Festivals cannot plan ahead on a vague promise of “very soon” from the Minister, so what recent discussions has the Minister had with festivals across the country that need to make imminent decisions impacting on jobs, livelihoods and events of cultural significance to ensure they can go ahead?

Question

Will my hon. Friend join me in praising the events sector, especially those businesses and organisations in Stoke-on-Trent, for the measures they have put in place and taken to cautiously begin reopening in line with restrictions over the past few months, and does he agree that the events research programme will play a crucial role in supporting the sector to be able to bring back much larger events over the coming months?

Question

I really feel for the Minister, who has clearly been sent here to say as little as possible in an hour, and in that he has largely succeeded, but it does a real disservice to the creative arts, the exhibition and the events sector, which want to be able to plan ahead. He says, “data, not dates”, and I agree with him. Where is the data to allow these companies and organisations to be able to plan ahead? Get on with it, cut the waffle and publish the data.

Question

Reopening sports, live music and theatre is obviously very important. Many companies, such as Stage Audio Services in Dudley South, rely on community events, and business events and conferences as well. Will my hon. Friend make sure that the next phase does include such business events, so that we can bring people back safely to the full range of events and all of the jobs that rely on them?

Question

The cancellation of Kendal Calling in the north of England has been devastating to the whole region. In the statement that Kendal Calling issued, it said that its understanding was that the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport had the information from the events research programme and could release it, but that No. 10 did not want it released. That is staggering if true. What assessment has the Minister made of the economic impact on the livelihoods of people working in this area in the north of England specifically, because many of the events being mentioned here are in the south? There seems to be a huge lack of recognition of the hugely important work done in the north and the number of people’s jobs that rely on the industry.

Question

The excellent Minister has talked about publication being in due course, shortly, very soon, as soon as possible. I was going to ask: what does that mean in English? Does it mean this week or next week? But I want to ask him something more important, bearing in mind that this was sort of agreed with the Secretary of State in the Chamber a week or so ago. Would the Minister consider making this House of Commons a pilot event for one Wednesday before recess, ripping out these stupid barriers, getting the public back in and voting in the Lobbies to see what happens?

Question

Throughout this pandemic, transparency is key, and while, on the one hand, we can understand how circumstances have changed with the delta variant, it makes no sense in ensuring public trust and business trust that the data is not presented now so that we can get a sense of, for example, outdoor versus indoors and seated versus mingling. There will be broad-brush conclusions that can be drawn from the data as seen. Why will the Government not treat people like grown-ups, and why will they not release the data and then let us have a debate about what happens next?

Question

I am extremely proud that my constituency is home to the world-renowned theatreland in the west end. Sadly, the latest figures from the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre suggest that, this year, theatres will return to only 67% of 2019 levels and 66% of that is planned for stage 4. While the theatre sector is keen to provide as much data as possible to prove that its environments are safe, will my hon. Friend confirm that the reopening of theatres at stage 4 will not be delayed to analyse data from the events research programme?