Recommendations & Conclusions
30 items
1
Conclusion
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Not Addressed
The many and varied sectors under the remit of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport are integral to the UK’s national life and identity, as well as being vital drivers of economic growth and employment. Yet many parts of these sectors face an existential threat due to Covid-19 …
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The many and varied sectors under the remit of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport are integral to the UK’s national life and identity, as well as being vital drivers of economic growth and employment. Yet many parts of these sectors face an existential threat due to Covid-19 and the continued uncertainty that accompanies it. (Paragraph 4) Sport
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Government response AI summary
The government response is a section reference and does not address the substance of the committee's observation.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
2
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Accepted
We are concerned that a lack of confidence, and a fear of being in close proximity with people from outside their own household, will affect people’s return to group sports, particularly those that take place indoors (such as indoor exercise classes), those that require physical contact (such as rugby), and …
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We are concerned that a lack of confidence, and a fear of being in close proximity with people from outside their own household, will affect people’s return to group sports, particularly those that take place indoors (such as indoor exercise classes), those that require physical contact (such as rugby), and those that require participants to be in close proximity for extended periods of time (such as rowing). We support requests from the sport sector for clear and effective public messaging from the Government to ensure people feel safe returning to group physical activity. To help to get the UK moving again, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport should fund advertisements, based on the ‘This Girl Can’ model, using realistic content about how to get back to exercise without fear. In the medium-to-long term, we recommend that DCMS establishes a fund to invest specifically in helping those people whose activity levels have been adversely affected by the lockdown restrictions—including older people, BAME people, disabled people, women, people from lower socio-economic backgrounds and those unable to access physical activity content online—to ensure that the progress that was being made in physical activity levels within these groups is not set back by Covid-19.
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Government response AI summary
The government refers to Sport England's existing "Join the Movement" campaign for physical activity and notes that Sport England’s new strategy will focus on tackling inequalities and supporting those most affected, implying existing and planned work rather than new commitments for advertisements or a specific …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
3
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Accepted
The cessation of community sport countrywide during lockdown has hit under- represented groups the hardest. While we welcome the announcement that some recreational sports teams can now resume play, we are concerned about gyms and leisure centres. These facilities act as community hubs, often providing subsidised facilities to those who …
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The cessation of community sport countrywide during lockdown has hit under- represented groups the hardest. While we welcome the announcement that some recreational sports teams can now resume play, we are concerned about gyms and leisure centres. These facilities act as community hubs, often providing subsidised facilities to those who most need them, but have been the last sport sector to re- open. Following huge levels of uncertainty, it is essential that leisure facilities are protected and have the funds to ensure that the necessary hygiene and social distancing measures can be put in place to re-open fully. The worst outcome would be for local authority funding shortfalls to translate into leisure centre closures; if this were to happen, the Government would risk abrogating its own 2015 Sport Strategy commitment to increase participation in sport by under-represented groups. DCMS’s Sport Working Group must work with local councils to ensure necessary funding is in place to preserve leisure centre facilities. This must be done with urgency so that leisure centres are fully operational in August to provide crucial fitness opportunities for children during the school holidays.
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Government response AI summary
The government states that indoor leisure centres reopened by late July and announced a specific income guarantee scheme to reimburse local councils 75 pence in the pound for lost income, including from leisure centres they own and operate, with ongoing conversations for outsourced services.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
4
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Accepted
We recognise the importance of ‘horizon-scanning’ work to ensuring people maintain and increase their activity levels, which in turn will boost their resilience to the virus. However, smaller organisations are unlikely to have the resources 56 Impact of COVID-19 on DCMS sectors: First Report available to collect data, analyse it …
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We recognise the importance of ‘horizon-scanning’ work to ensuring people maintain and increase their activity levels, which in turn will boost their resilience to the virus. However, smaller organisations are unlikely to have the resources 56 Impact of COVID-19 on DCMS sectors: First Report available to collect data, analyse it and then act on that insight. We believe that Sport England is in the best position to continue this work. We call on DCMS to provide Sport England with the necessary resources for it to prioritise data collection, so that long-term indicators can be developed to help the sports sector better understand the needs of its audiences.
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Government response AI summary
The government highlights the ongoing OpenActive programme, run by Sport England since 2016, which already focuses on data collection to make physical activity opportunities accessible, indicating existing efforts address the recommendation without committing to new resources.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
5
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Not Addressed
With no clear messaging from the Government about when spectators can expect to return to sporting events, we support calls from elite sports organisations for the Government to extend its financial assistance for those organisations that are unable to generate revenue until mass gatherings are permitted. We recommend that DCMS …
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With no clear messaging from the Government about when spectators can expect to return to sporting events, we support calls from elite sports organisations for the Government to extend its financial assistance for those organisations that are unable to generate revenue until mass gatherings are permitted. We recommend that DCMS works with HM Treasury to identify organisations within the professional sport sector that remain unable to generate revenue until mass gatherings are permitted again, and to ensure that the systems that have helped them survive the crisis thus far, such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the VAT and PAYE deferral period, are extended beyond the current cut-off dates, and backdated where they have already come to an end (such as the VAT payments deferral scheme).
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the challenges faced by sports organisations due to spectator restrictions and lists various existing support schemes and new initiatives like the Job Retention Bonus and Kickstart Scheme. However, it does not commit to extending the specific financial assistance mechanisms like the Coronavirus …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
6
Conclusion
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Accepted in Part
The current football business model is not sustainable. The Covid-19 crisis has shone a stark light on the financial issues within football, specifically in the leagues below the Premier League. The Premier League is the main income generator of English football. If it does not step up to help the …
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The current football business model is not sustainable. The Covid-19 crisis has shone a stark light on the financial issues within football, specifically in the leagues below the Premier League. The Premier League is the main income generator of English football. If it does not step up to help the English Football League, many more clubs will follow in Bury FC’s footsteps. The EFL needs also to ensure it develops a more sustainable financial model.
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Government response AI summary
The government notes salary caps have been introduced in EFL One and Two and is in discussions for the Championship. It commits to a fan-led review of football governance, while reiterating that financial stability is primarily for the Premier League and EFL to consider.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
7
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Accepted in Part
We firmly believe that football must use its response to the Covid-19 crisis to ‘reset’. The crisis has shone a light on the culture of unfair pay in football. The decision by some Premier League clubs to furlough non-playing staff was deplorable, and we welcomed its reversal. Parachute payments must …
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We firmly believe that football must use its response to the Covid-19 crisis to ‘reset’. The crisis has shone a light on the culture of unfair pay in football. The decision by some Premier League clubs to furlough non-playing staff was deplorable, and we welcomed its reversal. Parachute payments must become a thing of the past, and considerable work must be done to advance work on salary caps. DCMS should engage with the Premier League and the EFL to learn lessons from abroad on policies such as salary caps, which may seem radical to those inside UK football, but seem to work well elsewhere.
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Government response AI summary
The government notes that salary caps were introduced for English Football Leagues One and Two and discussions are ongoing for the Championship. It committed to a fan-led review of football governance, which will consider the Owners’ and Directors’ Test, but stated that the financial stability …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
8
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Deferred
Football must also become more representative. The fact that no Premier League club and virtually no English Football League club has a black owner, Chair or chief executive, is a fundamental inequality at the heart of the game. We do not believe that the voluntary initiative proposed by the FA …
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Football must also become more representative. The fact that no Premier League club and virtually no English Football League club has a black owner, Chair or chief executive, is a fundamental inequality at the heart of the game. We do not believe that the voluntary initiative proposed by the FA will motivate clubs to act with sufficient speed. Instead, we recommend that DCMS revises the Code for Sport Governance, adding targets for BAME representation on boards. We also wish to record our dismay at the slow progress in kicking out homophobia from football. It is crucial that everyone involved in the game is clear about the remaining barriers to players coming out. The Covid-19 crisis is an opportunity to improve a number of areas within football, and to this end we will continue to pursue opportunities in this Parliament to introduce legislation outlawing homophobic chanting at matches.
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Government response AI summary
The government announced a joint review of the Code for Sports Governance, which will examine areas including equality, diversity, and inclusion on boards, but did not commit to adding specific BAME targets. The response did not address the recommendation regarding homophobia in football or the …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
9
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Acknowledged
The lack of visibility of women’s sport this summer risks undoing work to improve funding for women’s elite sport. Cancellation of women’s events is likely to reduce the number of women being inspired to take part in sporting activities. In its response to Impact of COVID-19 on DCMS sectors: First …
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The lack of visibility of women’s sport this summer risks undoing work to improve funding for women’s elite sport. Cancellation of women’s events is likely to reduce the number of women being inspired to take part in sporting activities. In its response to Impact of COVID-19 on DCMS sectors: First Report 57 this report, the Government should outline how it intends to support women’s sport post-crisis and ensure that, going forward, men’s elite sports are not further prioritised at the expense of the women’s game. (Paragraph 36) Culture and the Creative Industries
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Government response AI summary
The government recognises the negative impact of the pandemic on women's sport and states its commitment to raising the profile and encouraging commercial investment. It mentions a ministerial meeting with sports bodies and Women in Sport, and a general commitment to working closely with the …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
10
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Accepted
The Department should investigate how the market for recorded music is operating in the era of streaming to ensure that music creators are receiving a fair reward.
Government response AI summary
The government fully recognises the importance of the issue and has the Intellectual Property Office supporting an independent research project to investigate how music creators earn money from streaming, with a report due in Summer 2021.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
11
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Accepted
The Covid-19 crisis presents the biggest threat to the UK’s cultural infrastructure, institutions and workforce in a generation. The loss of performing arts institutions, and the vital work they do in communities by spreading the health and education benefits of cultural engagement, would undermine the aims of the Government’s ‘levelling …
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The Covid-19 crisis presents the biggest threat to the UK’s cultural infrastructure, institutions and workforce in a generation. The loss of performing arts institutions, and the vital work they do in communities by spreading the health and education benefits of cultural engagement, would undermine the aims of the Government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda and Arts Council England’s next 10-year strategy, and reverse decades of progress in cultural provision and diversity and inclusion that we cannot afford to lose. In addition to the emergency funding already announced, the performing arts need a sector-specific recovery deal that includes continued workforce support measures, including enhanced measures for freelancers and small companies; clear, if conditional, timelines for reopening, and technological solutions to enable audiences to return without social distancing; and long-term structural support to rebuild audience figures and investment in time of economic uncertainty.
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Government response AI summary
The government announced a £1.57 billion support package for cultural and arts institutions, committed to supporting freelancers, allowed indoor performances with social distancing, and is actively exploring technological solutions to enable the safe return of fuller audiences.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
12
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Rejected
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme have been a lifeline for all those in the creative industries who have been eligible for them. However, the closure of the schemes in October and the fact too many self-employed people have missed out on support to date, …
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The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme have been a lifeline for all those in the creative industries who have been eligible for them. However, the closure of the schemes in October and the fact too many self-employed people have missed out on support to date, means the future of our creative workforce remains at significant risk. From October 2020 at the latest, the Government should introduce flexible, sector specific versions of the CJRS and SEISS guaranteed for the creative industries until their work and income returns to sustainable levels. Any such measures should account for the differences in timeframes for the easing of Covid-19 restrictions across the four nations. Support for the self- employed, in particular, should be urgently reviewed and amended so that it covers people who have been excluded to date. The Treasury Committee’s report, ‘Economic impact of coronavirus: Gaps in support’, proposed practical solutions for how this might be achieved, which we endorse.
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Government response AI summary
The government rejected further extensions or changes to the CJRS, stating it would close in October. It announced a new Job Support Scheme and an extension to the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme as part of the Winter Economy Plan, but these were not specifically tailored …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
13
Conclusion
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Acknowledged
We welcome the Government’s commitment to provide £1.57 billion in funding for our cultural and heritage sectors; however, whether it is enough to safeguard the cultural sector will ultimately depend on how long institutions remain closed or subject to social distancing, and we are concerned that freelancers and small companies …
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We welcome the Government’s commitment to provide £1.57 billion in funding for our cultural and heritage sectors; however, whether it is enough to safeguard the cultural sector will ultimately depend on how long institutions remain closed or subject to social distancing, and we are concerned that freelancers and small companies will continue to fall through the gaps of Government support. It is also regrettable that it took so long for the package to be announced, as the uncertainty inevitably led to closures and redundancies in the cultural sector that might otherwise have been avoided.
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Government response AI summary
The government responded by detailing the swift allocation of Culture Recovery Fund money to various sub-sectors, including grassroots music venues and independent cinemas, and stated its commitment to ensure fair distribution that protects smaller organisations and local cultural venues.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
14
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Accepted
The Government must learn from the shortcomings of previous support schemes, including those for charities and self-employed people, to ensure this package is tailored to the unique characteristics of the cultural sector and its workers, and reaches them promptly. The Government must recognise the interconnected nature of the cultural 58 …
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The Government must learn from the shortcomings of previous support schemes, including those for charities and self-employed people, to ensure this package is tailored to the unique characteristics of the cultural sector and its workers, and reaches them promptly. The Government must recognise the interconnected nature of the cultural 58 Impact of COVID-19 on DCMS sectors: First Report sector and should not restrict support to well established, high profile, institutions: it is essential that cultural freelancers and small companies in the creative industries supply chain are also eligible for direct support. To reduce uncertainty, the Government must publish eligibility criteria and application guidance as soon as possible, and ensure that the funding reaches recipients no later than October 2020.
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Government response AI summary
The government published the Culture Recovery Fund criteria and application process in early August and began allocating funds, with significant allocations announced by October 2nd, demonstrating it met the deadlines. It confirmed the fund covers various sub-sectors and aims to protect smaller organisations and venues.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
15
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Accepted in Part
To further combat the negative effects of closure, and to stimulate long-term recovery, the Government should introduce other fiscal measures. We recommend the cut in VAT on ticket sales for theatre and live music be extended beyond January 2021, for the next three years. The Government should increase Theatre Tax …
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To further combat the negative effects of closure, and to stimulate long-term recovery, the Government should introduce other fiscal measures. We recommend the cut in VAT on ticket sales for theatre and live music be extended beyond January 2021, for the next three years. The Government should increase Theatre Tax Relief to 50% for the next three years and broaden the definition of ‘core expenditure’ in line with the industry’s proposals. It should introduce a Music Tax Relief, modelled on existing reliefs such as the Orchestra Tax Relief. The Government should also develop a system to save ‘Assets of Cultural Value’ along the lines of the regime for ‘Assets of Community Value’. This would allow a moratorium on the sale of a building while stakeholders seek an alternative bidder to maintain the asset as a cultural business. The Government should also build on recent ‘Agent of Change’ planning reform to protect cultural assets by tightening planning regulations around change of use from venues or music studios to residential and other developments.
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Government response AI summary
The government extended the temporary VAT cut for tourism and hospitality until March 2021 (shorter than recommended) and stated that other tax reliefs are under review. It highlighted existing reforms to planning regulations, including the 'agent of change' principle and changes to the Use Classes …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
16
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Accepted
Lessons must be learnt from Arts Council England’s emergency funding when it comes to distributing the additional Government support. Support cannot be limited to organisations with a track record of public funding. Although recipients must be able to demonstrate they will use public monies appropriately, such a restrictive criterion risks …
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Lessons must be learnt from Arts Council England’s emergency funding when it comes to distributing the additional Government support. Support cannot be limited to organisations with a track record of public funding. Although recipients must be able to demonstrate they will use public monies appropriately, such a restrictive criterion risks excluding vital parts of the cultural ecology, including whole sectors that have historically had less engagement with funding bodies such as contemporary music, circus and amateur theatre. In allocating additional sector funding, the Government must ensure support reaches cultural sectors and institutions that are in need, irrespective of whether they have previously received subsidy. It must also ensure an equitable distribution of cultural resources across all parts of the UK— north and south, rural and urban—and support for BAME and disabled artists and audiences.
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Government response AI summary
The government details how Arts Council England has already allocated £50 million to non-National Portfolio organisations and is setting criteria to ensure funding reaches diverse cultural sectors, including specific guidance requiring applicants to demonstrate improvements in diversity of workforce, governance, audiences, and participants.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
17
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Deferred
Since lockdown began, we and many others in the cultural sector have been warning DCMS about the challenges of resuming live performance. The £1.57 billion of support from Government will only tide the cultural sector over for so long and will not be sufficient to compensate for a loss of …
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Since lockdown began, we and many others in the cultural sector have been warning DCMS about the challenges of resuming live performance. The £1.57 billion of support from Government will only tide the cultural sector over for so long and will not be sufficient to compensate for a loss of the Christmas season. The Cultural Renewal Taskforce has been slow to demonstrate meaningful progress. The fact it was only established two months after lockdown means valuable planning time for the return of live performance has been lost. Moreover, telling venues they can reopen with just a few days’ or weeks’ notice does not address the lead times for performance, the challenges of social distancing or the concerns about audience behaviours. To provide more certainty and allow for forward planning the Government should, no later than 1 August, publish ‘no earlier than’ dates for stage 5 of its plan to reopen performing arts venues.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledged the importance of clarity for Stage 5 reopening but stated that further reopening depends on the public health context, without providing dates. They are instead convening a steering group to develop an action plan to enable fuller audiences as soon as possible.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
18
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Accepted
We are concerned that innovative technology-based solutions are being explored across the theatre, sports and festivals sectors without full collaboration between them. This is exactly the issue the Cultural Renewal Taskforce was set up to address. The Cultural Renewal Taskforce must co-ordinate cross-sector work on technological Impact of COVID-19 on …
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We are concerned that innovative technology-based solutions are being explored across the theatre, sports and festivals sectors without full collaboration between them. This is exactly the issue the Cultural Renewal Taskforce was set up to address. The Cultural Renewal Taskforce must co-ordinate cross-sector work on technological Impact of COVID-19 on DCMS sectors: First Report 59 solutions for mass gatherings, ensuring the sports and entertainment sectors work together, alongside NHS Test and Trace, to develop a universal, technological solution to enable the safe return of ticket holders to events.
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Government response AI summary
The government is actively working with performing arts and sports sectors, developing pilot events and using DCMS coordination to ensure learning is shared between sectors on technological solutions for mass gatherings.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
19
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Accepted in Part
Government must address the urgent need for the UK’s cultural industries to be covered by adequate insurance. Without it, efforts to resume filming, touring and live performance are doomed to failure. Alongside working with the insurance industry to introduce a long-term pandemic reinsurance scheme, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media …
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Government must address the urgent need for the UK’s cultural industries to be covered by adequate insurance. Without it, efforts to resume filming, touring and live performance are doomed to failure. Alongside working with the insurance industry to introduce a long-term pandemic reinsurance scheme, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport should establish an emergency fund to guarantee coverage for TV and film productions, stage productions, concerts and tours interrupted or abandoned due to Covid-19. (Paragraph 79) Tourism
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Government response AI summary
The government announced a temporary £500 million Film and TV Production Restart Scheme to compensate for COVID-19 related delays or abandonment, partially addressing the call for an emergency fund for some cultural industries but not covering all sectors or a long-term reinsurance scheme.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
20
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Accepted
The issue of quarantine periods is beyond our remit, so we will limit our comments to saying that the timing and guidance about quarantining have been far from clear. Whilst we understand that there was considerable uncertainty around how the pandemic developed internationally, the tourism sector was in limbo for …
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The issue of quarantine periods is beyond our remit, so we will limit our comments to saying that the timing and guidance about quarantining have been far from clear. Whilst we understand that there was considerable uncertainty around how the pandemic developed internationally, the tourism sector was in limbo for over two months with no certainty as to whether an international visitor market would exist for the rest of 2020. As of July 2020, the Government has announced a list of ‘low risk’, exempt countries from quarantining on arrival in England. We wholeheartedly support calls for the Department for Culture Media and Sport to work with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for Transport to clearly communicate information about international travel agreements to the tourism sector, including the science behind the decisions and the plans for reviewing the effectiveness of the agreements.
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Government response AI summary
The government stated that risk assessments for travel arrangements are conducted by the Joint Biosecurity Centre, and officials from DFT and Home Office discuss policies with the tourism industry through working groups and pre-announcement notification lists for key stakeholders. This indicates they are already communicating …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
21
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Deferred
International tourism to the UK had halved by April 2020 and has continued to decline. Visitor attractions, including museums and galleries, are being hit hard as a result. Not only are these organisations facing an end to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme in October, they have also largely depleted their …
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International tourism to the UK had halved by April 2020 and has continued to decline. Visitor attractions, including museums and galleries, are being hit hard as a result. Not only are these organisations facing an end to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme in October, they have also largely depleted their financial reserves and are looking at the prospect of only being able to open at a reduced capacity with social distancing measures in place. Losing these important spaces, and the valuable collections they hold, would be a significant loss to our cultural identity. To secure collections at risk from museum insolvencies, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport should introduce a temporary change to legislation to ensure that if an accredited museum becomes insolvent as a result of the Covid-19 crisis, the institution’s collections cannot be liquidated for financial assets for the first 12 months.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the risk of museum insolvencies and the potential loss of collections, stating it is 'looking at legislative, and non-legislative, options' to prevent their dispersal. This indicates consideration of the issue but does not commit to introducing the specific temporary legislative change recommended.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
22
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Rejected
Seasonal workers in the tourism industry are falling between the cracks in the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. We recommend that DCMS works with the tourism sector and HM Treasury to review the measures in place to support tourism businesses and seasonal workers to ensure they fully meet the needs of …
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Seasonal workers in the tourism industry are falling between the cracks in the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. We recommend that DCMS works with the tourism sector and HM Treasury to review the measures in place to support tourism businesses and seasonal workers to ensure they fully meet the needs of the sector. We repeat the recommendation first made in our report on ‘The Covid-19 crisis and charities’ that the Government revisit the terms of the furlough scheme in its final few months to allow for greater flexibility for staff to volunteer their time back to their organisations. (Paragraph 95) 60 Impact of COVID-19 on DCMS sectors: First Report
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Government response AI summary
The government effectively rejected revisiting the terms of the furlough scheme, stating there would be no further extensions or changes and that it would close. While noting flexible furloughing was introduced and a new Job Support Scheme, it did not commit to reviewing existing measures …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
23
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Accepted in Part
The capacity constraints that arise from the requirements of social distancing make yield management and smoothing out demand more important than ever. The Eat Out to Help Out programme will help shift some demand to trough days. Doubtless attractions, transport providers and lodgings will re-examine their own promotional programmes to …
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The capacity constraints that arise from the requirements of social distancing make yield management and smoothing out demand more important than ever. The Eat Out to Help Out programme will help shift some demand to trough days. Doubtless attractions, transport providers and lodgings will re-examine their own promotional programmes to maximise yield in these circumstances, and where relevant, attractions will look at their opening hours/days. DCMS needs to go further in supporting work to reduce the seasonality of the UK tourism industry. This will matter next year, as well as in 2020, due to the problem of booking deferrals and concomitant loss of income for a second year in a row. In its response to this report, DCMS should set out its plans for supporting an extension of the holiday season. As a matter of urgency, DCMS should introduce a Tourism Data Hub to assess visitor intention for 2021 so that the industry can plan ahead for next year.
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Government response AI summary
The government partially accepted, outlining existing measures like VAT cuts, business rates relief, and domestic campaigns to extend the holiday season. For the Tourism Data Hub, it committed to implementation and is actively seeking funding and support.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
24
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Accepted
Tourism is an incredibly important force within the UK economy; however, it is more than just the sum of its parts, and it demonstrates vital links to culture, heritage and environmental work. Moreover, tourism is an essential part of many peoples’ lives, and the prospect of some time away from …
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Tourism is an incredibly important force within the UK economy; however, it is more than just the sum of its parts, and it demonstrates vital links to culture, heritage and environmental work. Moreover, tourism is an essential part of many peoples’ lives, and the prospect of some time away from home has, we are sure, been a beacon of hope for many people during the lockdown period. We urge DCMS to launch a national campaign to restore consumer confidence in the domestic UK holiday market. If done quickly, there is still time to boost the end of the summer—plus the autumn and 2021—market. Such a campaign will be hugely beneficial in assisting the tourism industry in clawing back some of the business it has lost during the lockdown period and will help to fill the hole left by the sharp decrease in international visitors to the UK. (Paragraph 98) The role of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
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Government response AI summary
The government agreed with the recommendation and launched a £10 million "Enjoy Summer Safely" domestic campaign in July, followed by VisitEngland's "Escape the Everyday" campaign in mid-September to boost autumn and winter tourism.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
25
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Not Addressed
Throughout the Covid-19 crisis, vulnerable people across the country have suffered as a result of being excluded from digital services and communication. Yet initiatives to tackle the issue, such as the DevicesDotNow campaign, have been limited by a lack of both direct and charitable funding. The Department for Digital, Culture, …
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Throughout the Covid-19 crisis, vulnerable people across the country have suffered as a result of being excluded from digital services and communication. Yet initiatives to tackle the issue, such as the DevicesDotNow campaign, have been limited by a lack of both direct and charitable funding. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s commitment to tackling digital exclusion and co-ordinating work on it across Government urgently needs to be supported by adequate resource from HM Treasury.
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Government response AI summary
The government's response outlines existing social tariffs, industry commitments, and Ofcom initiatives to support vulnerable consumers with connectivity and affordability, but it does not address the recommendation for adequate resource from HM Treasury for DCMS's work on digital exclusion.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
26
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Not Addressed
We commend the work done by cultural and fitness organisations, both before and during the Covid-19 crisis, to move access to content and facilities online. In the immediate future, DCMS should work with HM Treasury to develop a data voucher scheme, to give those with limited access to the internet …
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We commend the work done by cultural and fitness organisations, both before and during the Covid-19 crisis, to move access to content and facilities online. In the immediate future, DCMS should work with HM Treasury to develop a data voucher scheme, to give those with limited access to the internet due to financial constraints the ability to access online cultural and physical activity content.
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Government response AI summary
The government commends efforts to provide online content but does not commit to developing a data voucher scheme. Instead, it highlights existing social tariffs, new low-cost broadband services from providers, and past industry agreements on data access, while noting Ofcom is conducting research on affordability …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
27
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Deferred
While we welcome Ofcom’s focus on affordability of broadband services, and the measures introduced across the telecoms industry to make websites and mobile data available to those who need it during the Covid-19 outbreak, more needs to be done to support all those experiencing data poverty, and particularly pay-as-you-go users. …
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While we welcome Ofcom’s focus on affordability of broadband services, and the measures introduced across the telecoms industry to make websites and mobile data available to those who need it during the Covid-19 outbreak, more needs to be done to support all those experiencing data poverty, and particularly pay-as-you-go users. The Government and Ofcom should work with telecommunications companies to facilitate data gifting and wi-fi sharing. Ofcom’s work on affordability of internet connectivity should also tackle the poverty premium associated with pay-as-you-go mobile services. (Paragraph 109) Impact of COVID-19 on DCMS sectors: First Report 61
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Government response AI summary
The government highlights existing social tariffs, industry measures during COVID-19, and Ofcom's guidance to support vulnerable consumers. It states Ofcom is undertaking research on affordability and will publish a review to inform future interventions, deferring specific action on data gifting, wi-fi sharing, or tackling the …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
28
Conclusion
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Rejected
The Government has been too slow to respond to the needs of the sectors under the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s remit during the Covid-19 outbreak. In its response, DCMS has been hampered by its overall spending power, a lack of robust data on ineligibility for support and …
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The Government has been too slow to respond to the needs of the sectors under the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s remit during the Covid-19 outbreak. In its response, DCMS has been hampered by its overall spending power, a lack of robust data on ineligibility for support and a fundamental misunderstanding across Government of the needs, structures and vital social contribution of sectors such as the creative industries.
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Government response AI summary
The government rejects the criticism of being too slow and lacking understanding, highlighting the 'unprecedented level of support' provided through various schemes like the Job Retention Scheme, Culture Recovery Fund, and Emergency Sport Funding. It also states that DCMS has enhanced its data collection during …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
29
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Accepted
The Cultural Renewal Taskforce and working groups demonstrate a worrying lack of diversity of representation. To ensure that sectors remain accessible to all as they reopen, it is essential that all decisions and proposals by the Cultural Renewal Taskforce and its working groups are accompanied by full equality impact assessments …
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The Cultural Renewal Taskforce and working groups demonstrate a worrying lack of diversity of representation. To ensure that sectors remain accessible to all as they reopen, it is essential that all decisions and proposals by the Cultural Renewal Taskforce and its working groups are accompanied by full equality impact assessments and monitoring.
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Government response AI summary
The government states that its working groups are already diverse and that government departments already undertake analysis of impacts to fulfil the Public Sector Equality Duty, and consider equality impact when making decisions.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
30
Recommendation
Third Report - Impact of COVID-19 on DC…
Rejected
Forming a ‘Creators Council’ could boost confidence across the sector and ensure its views are represented at a time when many of the creative industries workforce are struggling to stay in the sector. We recommend that DCMS forms a Creators Council as a mechanism for better dialogue with the creative …
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Forming a ‘Creators Council’ could boost confidence across the sector and ensure its views are represented at a time when many of the creative industries workforce are struggling to stay in the sector. We recommend that DCMS forms a Creators Council as a mechanism for better dialogue with the creative workforce to understand its needs and viewpoints as we emerge from this crisis. (Paragraph 116) 62 Impact of COVID-19 on DCMS sectors: First Report
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Government response AI summary
The government did not commit to forming a Creators Council, stating it already engages with the sector through existing mechanisms like the Creative Industries Council. It would require a clear steer and robust evidence from the sector to demonstrate the need for such an additional …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport