Written question asked by Baroness Kennedy of Cradley (Non-affiliated) on Monday, 22 February 2021, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Monday, 8 March 2021. It was answered by Baroness Barran (Conservative) on Monday, 8 March 2021 on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

National Theatre: EU Countries

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the National Theatre's decision to postpone tours in the EU due to uncertainty about work permits.

Answer: Touring in Europe is currently not possible due to Covid-19 and EU Member States have not set out plans for when it will be. We are working urgently with the UK’s creative industries to help ensure they can work confidently in Europe once touring can safely resume. In the meantime, we also urge EU member states to at least match what the UK offers to all EU artists touring here. The UK government strongly believes supporting touring is in the interests of both the UK and EU, and we continue our work on solutions.

Secondary information