The government has today announced that pubs, clubs and live music venues will receive a further 20% cut to their business rates bills from April 2027.

Building on the work done at the last Budget and earlier this year, the changes will breathe life into communities across the country. The new...

The government has today announced that pubs, clubs and live music venues will receive a further 20% cut to their business rates bills from April 2027.

Building on the work done at the last Budget and earlier this year, the changes will breathe life into communities across the country. The new...

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions the Department has had with arena and stadium operators on increasing participation in the voluntary levy to support grassroots music venues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions the Department has had with arena and stadium operators on increasing participation in the voluntary levy to support grassroots music venues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support grassroot music venues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support grassroot music venues.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of reducing VAT on cultural ticketing in Grassroots Music Venues.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of reducing VAT on cultural ticketing in Grassroots Music Venues.

Lords question for short debate on what assessment they have made of the contribution of live music to the UK's culture and economy.

Lords question for short debate on what assessment they have made of the contribution of live music to the UK's culture and economy.

My Lords, I start by drawing the House’s attention to my declaration in the register of interests, including my membership of the Musicians’ Union and the Ivors Academy. It will not surprise a number of colleagues here that I will take this opportunity of a debate about live music to...

My Lords, I start by drawing the House’s attention to my declaration in the register of interests, including my membership of the Musicians’ Union and the Ivors Academy. It will not surprise a number of colleagues here that I will take this opportunity of a debate about live music to...

My Lords, I will focus on the cultural importance of live music, which can enrich the lives of us all. The response to the noble Lord, Lord Brennan, shows that there is feeling around the House on just that. It supports artistic expression, preserves musical heritage and strengthens communities. Live...

My Lords, I will focus on the cultural importance of live music, which can enrich the lives of us all. The response to the noble Lord, Lord Brennan, shows that there is feeling around the House on just that. It supports artistic expression, preserves musical heritage and strengthens communities. Live...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Brennan, on an excellent speech. In policy terms, the guidance provided for culture as an area of competence for the mayoral strategic authorities—we discussed this at length during the passage of the devolution Bill—is that it needs to be a consultation from...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Brennan, on an excellent speech. In policy terms, the guidance provided for culture as an area of competence for the mayoral strategic authorities—we discussed this at length during the passage of the devolution Bill—is that it needs to be a consultation from...

My Lords, I too congratulate my noble friend on an excellent opening speech. My focus today is on the pipeline of musicians and the music teachers needed to train them—a pipeline damaged by young people’s lack of access to music in state schools. Our Labour Government inherited an education system...

My Lords, I too congratulate my noble friend on an excellent opening speech. My focus today is on the pipeline of musicians and the music teachers needed to train them—a pipeline damaged by young people’s lack of access to music in state schools. Our Labour Government inherited an education system...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Brennan, on his epically superb speech. I declare my interest as a trustee of the KOKO Foundation. As all noble Lords know, KOKO is a fantastically cool music venue in Camden. In fact, it was made live music venue of the year.

Stemming...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Brennan, on his epically superb speech. I declare my interest as a trustee of the KOKO Foundation. As all noble Lords know, KOKO is a fantastically cool music venue in Camden. In fact, it was made live music venue of the year.

Stemming...

My Lords, I congratulate my noble friend Lord Brennan on securing this debate and on his powerful introductory speech—at a time when live music is at the crossroads, to reference an iconic song by one of my heroes, the Delta blues singer Robert Johnson.

I want to focus on the crisis...

My Lords, I congratulate my noble friend Lord Brennan on securing this debate and on his powerful introductory speech—at a time when live music is at the crossroads, to reference an iconic song by one of my heroes, the Delta blues singer Robert Johnson.

I want to focus on the crisis...

My Lords, I declare my interest as chair of trustees of CDMT. I thank my noble friend Lord Brennan of Canton for his leadership of the fan-led review of live music. Its central message is simple: live music must work for audiences, artists and communities alike, and that starts with...

My Lords, I declare my interest as chair of trustees of CDMT. I thank my noble friend Lord Brennan of Canton for his leadership of the fan-led review of live music. Its central message is simple: live music must work for audiences, artists and communities alike, and that starts with...

My Lords, “Do You Want to Know a Secret”, “It’s Not Unusual”, “Hit the Road Jack”, “We Will Rock You” and “Song 2” are all songs that last just two minutes, the length of our speeches, but have had a long-lasting impact and show that music has the unique ability...

My Lords, “Do You Want to Know a Secret”, “It’s Not Unusual”, “Hit the Road Jack”, “We Will Rock You” and “Song 2” are all songs that last just two minutes, the length of our speeches, but have had a long-lasting impact and show that music has the unique ability...

My Lords, I welcome this debate and I thank my noble friend Lord Brennan of Canton for bringing it forward today.

I imagine many of us in this Chamber can still remember our first live music concert. It is almost a rite of passage. I certainly remember taking my son to...

My Lords, I welcome this debate and I thank my noble friend Lord Brennan of Canton for bringing it forward today.

I imagine many of us in this Chamber can still remember our first live music concert. It is almost a rite of passage. I certainly remember taking my son to...

My Lords, I, too, congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Brennan, on securing this debate and on his eloquent speech.

Live music is a defining strength of UK culture. Live music matters because it reflects the diversity of the UK, from grime, bhangra and indie to classical orchestras and global festival sounds....

My Lords, I, too, congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Brennan, on securing this debate and on his eloquent speech.

Live music is a defining strength of UK culture. Live music matters because it reflects the diversity of the UK, from grime, bhangra and indie to classical orchestras and global festival sounds....

My Lords, this is proving to be a passionate debate and no wonder—music has the power to stir emotions, lift the spirits and uplift the soul. More prosaically, as we have heard, it can create jobs and boost the economy, so I add my congratulations to MP4’s guitarist, the noble...

My Lords, this is proving to be a passionate debate and no wonder—music has the power to stir emotions, lift the spirits and uplift the soul. More prosaically, as we have heard, it can create jobs and boost the economy, so I add my congratulations to MP4’s guitarist, the noble...

My Lords, I am delighted to take part in this debate in the midst of King Harry’s record-breaking run at Wembley, while the other King Harry is busy cementing his place in football history. I thought I might sing a few minutes of “Bohemian Rhapsody” to illustrate the breadth and...

My Lords, I am delighted to take part in this debate in the midst of King Harry’s record-breaking run at Wembley, while the other King Harry is busy cementing his place in football history. I thought I might sing a few minutes of “Bohemian Rhapsody” to illustrate the breadth and...

My noble friend Lord Brennan has consistently championed live music, and we are grateful for that. As we have heard, he is an accomplished musician himself, so he does his bit to enrich our lives within and outwith the Chamber.

I have no doubt that many in this House understand and...

My noble friend Lord Brennan has consistently championed live music, and we are grateful for that. As we have heard, he is an accomplished musician himself, so he does his bit to enrich our lives within and outwith the Chamber.

I have no doubt that many in this House understand and...

My Lords, I too congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Brennan, on securing this debate. I was fortunate to chair the committee looking into the Licensing Act 2003, where we heard powerful evidence that grass-roots venues were closing owing to the failure in this country, particularly in England, to properly implement...

My Lords, I too congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Brennan, on securing this debate. I was fortunate to chair the committee looking into the Licensing Act 2003, where we heard powerful evidence that grass-roots venues were closing owing to the failure in this country, particularly in England, to properly implement...