Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Grassroots Music Support

Thursday 11 January 2024 · 5 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 4 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Grassroots live music venues are vital for nurturing musical talent in the UK.
  • The government is supporting these venues with funds and rate relief.
  • There are no current plans for a government-mandated ticket levy.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Damian Green Con
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The MP is concerned about the closure of small music venues despite a booming live music industry.

Question

If she will take steps to require arenas, stadiums and major festivals to charge a ticket levy to help fund grassroots live music. In 2023, across the country, not just in Edinburgh, live music boomed, with some 22 million people attending gigs, yet 76 small venues closed—more than one a week.

Answer from Julia Lopez

Grassroots live music venues are the talent pipeline of our music industry. We are supporting them with funds and rate relief. We have no plans for a Government-mandated ticket levy, but we encourage industry discussion.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not commit to considering or implementing a ticket levy.

How: Encouraging Industry Discussion Instead Of Government Mandate

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Q2 Christine Jardine Lib Dem Edinburgh West
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The MP highlights the importance of Edinburgh's small music venues which depend on the annual festival to survive, but struggle with major events.

Question

Will the Government consider a levy to support smaller venues because without them we will never have the Elton Johns, the Queens and the Taylor Swifts who use them to learn their craft, develop and benefit our economy and culture. At the moment all the excitement is about Taylor Swift coming to Edinburgh in June.

Answer from Julia Lopez

The hon. Lady is absolutely right that grassroots venues are the talent incubators of the music industry. We gave £7 million for a new hub for the Edinburgh Fringe because of that talent pipeline at last year's Budget. We are doing what we can with various different pots of money, but we also think there is room for the industry to find a solution on ticket levies.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not commit to considering or implementing a ticket levy.

How: Industry Discussion Instead Of Government Mandate

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Q3 Damian Green Con
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The MP draws attention to the closure of small music venues despite a booming live music industry, making an analogy with football where revenues trickle down to grassroots.

Question

A levy on tickets from large shows would help small venues to produce the superstars of tomorrow. Will the Minister take a positive attitude towards a levy?

Answer from Julia Lopez

We agree about the importance of grassroots music, which is why we have given another £5 million to the supporting grassroots music fund. We are also in close touch with the Music Venue Trust and Arts Council England.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not commit to considering or implementing a ticket levy.

How: Industry Discussion Instead Of Government Mandate

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Q4 Pete Wishart SNP Perth and Kinross-shire
Scotland
Context

The MP highlights the inequality in earnings between artists at the top and bottom of the music industry, referencing French practices and Scottish initiatives.

Question

Surely we should be doing everything possible to try to change that. Will the Minister support that effort and initiative in Scotland, and if it shows that it can help redistribute some of this money, will she follow that example?

Answer from Julia Lopez

I thank the hon. Gentleman for telling us what the Scottish National party is doing. I had understood that it was cutting a substantial amount from the arts budget. We have been supporting, for instance, the Edinburgh grassroots hub. I think there is a great deal of appetite in this place for a solution; I also think that the best option is for those in the industry to get together.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not commit to supporting Scottish initiatives or implementing a ticket levy.

How: Industry Discussion Instead Of Government Mandate

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Q5 Caroline Dinenage Con Gosport
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The MP welcomes the Minister's return and mentions £5 million funding for grassroots live music venues, but considers it a tiny amount compared to the number of entities eligible.

Question

Let us be clear: festivals, rehearsal spaces and independent promoters are also eligible for the fund. That is a lot of mouths to feed. In real terms, this is a tiny amount of money for grassroots music venues. Is my hon. Friend pushing the Treasury to expand that funding to ensure that it can go further?

Answer from Julia Lopez

I thank the hon. Lady for drawing on her expertise in this regard, and for the work that the Select Committee is doing. I am going to provide that dreadful answer: ahead of the Budget, we will be discussing all these matters with the Treasury.

Not addressed: The Minister did not commit to increased funding or direct actions.

How: Budget Discussions Instead Of Immediate Action

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