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Cultural Attractions: Contribution to Local Economy — [Sir Charles Walker in the Chair]

06 October 2020

Lead MP

Nickie Aiken

Responding Minister

Not recorded

At a Glance

Nickie Aiken raised concerns about cultural attractions: contribution to local economy — [sir charles walker in the chair] in Westminster Hall. Response awaited from government.

Key Requests to Government:

I ask the Government to continue funding jobs in sectors that remain unable to recover due to restrictions in place. I also urge them to extend the 5% VAT reduction for at least three years and introduce a Government-backed insurance scheme for live music, theatre, and performance to allow venues, producers, and creators to proceed with developing projects confidently.

How the Debate Unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:

Lead Contributor

Nickie Aiken

Opened the debate

I am concerned about the impact of the covid pandemic on theatres, live music venues, and cultural attractions. In March 2020, these venues closed their doors or turned off their sound systems due to the pandemic. Some have reopened with social distancing measures in place, but many remain unable to reopen because it is not financially viable within current restrictions. I highlighted that in 2019, west end theatres attracted more than 15 million audience members and generated a gross revenue of £800 million. The gross value added of arts, museums, and galleries in the west end was over £1 billion in 2018. There are estimated to be 97,000 jobs in music, performance, and visual arts across London.

Alison Thewliss SNP

Glasgow Central

Concerned about the lack of support for Glasgow's cultural and creative sectors, Alison Thewliss highlighted the significant economic impact these industries have, citing examples like live events, museums, and cinemas. She criticised recent government rhetoric as hurtful to professionals in these fields and emphasised the importance of continued financial assistance to avoid job losses and ensure the sustainability of local ecosystems.

Andrew Lewer Con

Northampton South

Andrew Lewer highlighted the importance of cultural attractions in Northampton, such as the Royal & Derngate theatre and Northampton Museum and Art Gallery. He expressed concern over the need for further financial support to keep local theatres and attractions operational. He also mentioned the significant investment by local councils in cultural activities and urged the Government to adopt a place-based approach to recovery.

Andrew Slaughter Lab

Hammersmith and Chiswick

Cultural institutions in Hammersmith and Fulham, including Olympia, the Eventim Apollo, Shepherd's Bush Empire, and three theatres—the Lyric, the Bush, and the Riverside—are vital for the local economy. However, these venues are struggling due to the impact of covid-19. The loss of income has put many smaller venues in danger of closing down, with some considering staff cuts.

Andy Carter Con

Warrington South

The speaker highlighted the importance of local theatres and live events for community life, emphasizing the economic impact of closures due to the pandemic. He mentioned that Culture Warrington lost over £1 million since March 2020, with redundancies likely following. The MP also called for additional support for highly skilled technicians.

Charles Walker Con

Sevenoaks

Order. There will be a time limit of three minutes. The Chair asked the Minister to leave two minutes at the end for the Member who proposed the debate.

Chris Clarkson Con

Derby North

Chris Clarkson raised concerns about the impact of social distancing on cultural venues in his constituency. He mentioned that some venues have been unable to operate under current restrictions and need support from the Government to sustain themselves through this period.

Chris Evans Lab

Islwyn

Chris Evans highlighted the importance of arts funding across different regions. He mentioned that despite the Chancellor's announcement in July to continue supporting the arts and culture sector, the level of support is still below pre-COVID levels. The current support measures may not be enough for venues struggling with reopening under strict social distancing guidelines.

David Warburton Con

North Wiltshire

Emphasised the social and economic importance of cultural venues and festivals, citing the impact of Glastonbury festival on Somerset's economy. Raised concerns about smaller venues like The Cheese & Grain in Frome facing financial difficulties.

Florence Eshalomi Lab Co-op

Vauxhall and Camberwell Green

The South Bank area in Vauxhall is home to iconic cultural institutions such as the London Eye, National Theatre, BFI, and South Bank Centre. These venues contribute significantly to the local economy but are facing financial challenges due to reduced audiences during the pandemic. Smaller theatres like the Young Vic theatre also play a crucial role by engaging with communities through educational programmes.

Gavin Newlands SNP

Paisley and Renfrew North

Newlands highlighted the importance of cultural activities for local economies, emphasizing the financial peril facing workers in the creative sector due to the pandemic. He praised the Scottish Government's proactive support measures like a £30-million hardship fund and mentioned stark statistics on venue closures and job losses. Newlands urged the UK government to provide fuller support or risk irreparable damage to businesses and talent.

Giles Watling Con

Clacton

Tourism is vital to the local economy of Clacton, contributing £392 million annually. Cultural venues and attractions are crucial for attracting tourists, supporting nearly 400,000 jobs nationwide. Giles calls for a creative solution to bring people back safely into theatres through a voucher scheme similar to the eat out to help out initiative.

Kevin Brennan Lab

Cardiff West

Stressed the importance of arts and culture, highlighting their economic contribution of £10.8 billion a year to the UK economy and over 360,000 jobs. Criticized the Chancellor's suggestion that creative industry workers should retrain for other roles. Kevin Brennan noted a protest outside Parliament by the Let Music Live group, where musicians played Gustav Holst's music. He congratulated the Musicians' Union on their efforts and declared his membership in the union.

Kim Johnson Lab

Liverpool Riverside

The speaker discussed Liverpool's cultural significance and economic contribution from arts and music festivals. She noted that the city faces a serious threat due to local restrictions, highlighting the need for long-term financial support for artists beyond short-term grants.

Paul Scully Con

Dulwich and West Norwood

Paul Scully discussed the impact of COVID on local businesses in his constituency, including cultural institutions. He mentioned that theatres and other venues have been struggling to operate under social distancing measures and some may not be able to reopen without financial assistance from the Government.

Peter Aldous Con

Waveney

Theatres in Waveney are vital for town centre vibrancy, community engagement, nurturing talent and supporting the theatre supply chain. Five theatres in the area need quick access to cultural recovery funds due to covid-19 impacts.

Rachel Hopkins Lab

Luton South and South Bedfordshire

The creative sector must be supported after the pandemic, as it promotes community cohesion and develops social capital. The chancellor's remarks about musicians getting another job were seen as contemptuous by many in the sector.

Stephen Doughty Lab Co-op

Cardiff South and Penarth

Acknowledges Eluned Morgan's work in securing support for cultural industries, including freelancers. Stephen Doughty emphasised the importance of cultural industries in Cardiff South and Penarth, highlighting that many musicians and artists are struggling financially due to the pandemic. He called for an expansion of self-employment schemes and better support for freelancers.

Stephen Hammond Con

Wimbledon

Expressed gratitude for the Government's support package and highlighted the difficulties faced by the events industry due to the pandemic. He noted that viable businesses in his constituency were struggling without work, advocating for a guarantee package that would provide certainty for planning future events.

Steve McCabe Lab

Birmingham Selly Oak

Steve McCabe spoke about the importance of supporting small independent cultural venues. He highlighted that these smaller businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic and need targeted support to survive. The current measures, such as grants and loans, may not be sufficient for them.

Taiwo Owatemi Lab

Coventry North West

Discussed the impact of the pandemic on Coventry's cultural attractions and the need for urgent financial support to ensure their viability post-pandemic. She raised concerns about potential job losses and business bankruptcies in the sector if better support is not provided soon.

Tracy Brabin Lab

Batley and Spen

Expressed gratitude for contributions in the debate, highlighting the importance of cultural sectors. Raised concerns about freelancers losing work and struggling with childcare costs and mortgages. Criticised delays in cultural recovery fund distributions and lack of clarity on funding criteria changes. Asked the Minister to explain the delay in funds distribution and provide details on successful organisations receiving their funding.

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About Westminster Hall Debates

Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.

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