Support for the music sector and the covid-19 roadmap

That this House notes that stage four of the covid-19 roadmap has been moved from 21 June to 19 July 2021; further notes that many music businesses and freelance workers have been without work since March 2020 and that, in 2020, 70 per cent of musicians lost over three quarters of their work due to covid-19 restrictions; believes that the covid19 outbreak presents a profound challenge to music businesses and music workers in the UK’s world leading music sector; further believes that those workers and businesses are a national asset who will be critical to the recovery; and therefore calls on the Government to match the extension of restrictions with the extension of additional support to the music sector including a Government backed insurance scheme, 100 per cent business rate relief for 2021-22 for businesses in England to match the rate in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, a VAT freeze at five per cent for cultural tickets for 2021-22, additional support for freelancers and an extension to the commercial evictions moratorium.