Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Music Tours: Special Event Hauliers

Thursday 24 March 2022 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Kerry McCarthy asked the Minister about discussions with the Secretary of State for Transport on supporting domestic music tours through dual registration proposals.
  • The Minister responded that she wrote to the Department for Transport in February to discuss plans for supporting domestic tours and that those proposals are being implemented.
  • Barbara Keeley raised concerns about difficulties for musicians touring to the EU, mentioning road haulage limits as a significant issue.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Kerry McCarthy Lab Bristol East
Transport
Context

The question addresses the issue of insufficient specialist event haulage capacity to support UK-based summer music tours in 2022, highlighting concerns about truck and driver shortages.

Question

What discussions has she had with the Secretary of State for Transport on helping to ensure adequate availability of specialist event hauliers to support domestic music tours in summer 2022?

Answer from Julia Lopez

I wrote to Baroness Vere of Norbiton, my counterpart at the Department for Transport, in February to discuss plans for supporting domestic tours through the implementation of the dual registration proposals. I am pleased to say that those are being taken forward and should come into force later this year.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about immediate support for summer 2022 was not addressed, focusing instead on measures coming 'later this year'.

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Q2 Kerry McCarthy Lab Bristol East
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The question builds on the previous inquiry, emphasizing the urgent need for a solution before summer 2022 due to truck and driver shortages.

Question

I thank the Minister for that response; I am glad that the Government are finally talking about this issue, which has been flagged up as a problem for a very long time, but “later this year” will not be good enough for bands wanting to tour the UK this summer. Harvey Goldsmith has said that there are not enough trucks and not enough drivers, and that we need a solution now. What is the Minister's answer?

Answer from Julia Lopez

That is not the message that I have heard, but I will be meeting UK Music representatives on Monday; if they share the concerns that the hon. Lady has just expressed, I will be happy to discuss those with them.

Not addressed: The MP's specific ask about an immediate solution was not addressed.

How: Will Meet Representatives

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Q3 Barbara Keeley Lab
Brexit Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The question highlights specific financial burdens imposed by road haulage limits, affecting UK orchestras touring in Europe, with a call for pragmatic solutions.

Question

In an astonishing admission, Lord Frost, the Government's former Brexit negotiator, recently said of musicians touring to the EU: “There is a whole set of problems here that is making life difficult on both sides”. Big problems include the road haulage limits, which mean that UK-based vehicles cannot make more than two laden stops in the EU, which adds a £30,000 cost to each tour. Cabotage limits can add up to £16,000 a day. Those are substantial burdens, and most tours of UK orchestras are to Europe: such tours represent 12% of their earned income. Lord Frost now believes that the Government should change and move to a more pragmatic position to ease touring. Does the Minister agree?

Answer from Julia Lopez

I thank the hon. Lady for her interest in this issue. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is not responsible for the overall negotiating position, but as I say we have been in close discussions with other Departments. We have made progress on some of the specific issues raised with us, such as splitter vans, and we have also provided a lot of support to the wider events sector.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The MP's specific ask about agreement on a pragmatic position was not directly addressed.

How: Not Responsible For Negotiating Position

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