First Report - The future of UK music festivals

The Government highlights its comprehensive financial support for the festival sector during the pandemic, including over £21 million awarded to music festivals from the final round of the Culture Recovery Fund, but does not specifically address the committee's conclusion about lessons to be learned regarding engagement with festivals.

The government accepts the recommendation and has swiftly worked with the insurance industry to announce a Live Events Reinsurance Scheme, directly addressing the need for government-backed insurance to mitigate COVID-19 related risks for festival organisers.

The Government acknowledges challenges for touring and commits to continue working closely with creative industries and keeping them informed, but does not commit to introducing a time-limited insurance scheme for event cancellations due to Covid-19 restrictions.

The government's response discusses supporting festivals on emissions targets and environmental measures in licensing, which does not address the committee's conclusion regarding the Events Research Programme and the need for further festival pilots.

The government's response focuses on tackling drug misuse, including its stance on front-of-house and back-of-house drug testing at festivals, which does not address the recommendation for extending the Events Research Programme to additional pilot events.

The government's response addresses measures to crack down on unacceptable behaviour in the ticketing market, which does not engage with the committee's concern about the financial sustainability of festival supply chains and freelance workers.

The government welcomes the Keychange initiative and agrees that festivals should ensure greater representation of female artists. However, it offers no new government action, instead pointing to Arts Council England's existing expectations for National Portfolio Organisations regarding diversity.

The Government details actions taken to support touring artists, including establishing a working group and providing new guidance. However, it implicitly rejects monthly reporting to the Committee, stating its own communication channels are considered most appropriate for updates.

The government acknowledges the challenges for touring artists post-Brexit and reiterates its efforts to secure bespoke arrangements with individual EU Member States. It is establishing a new DCMS-led working group, producing new guidance, and considering an Export Office to provide practical help to the creative industries.

The Government agrees with the goal of supporting emissions reduction and will work with DEFRA and MHCLG to explore incorporating strict environmental measures into local authority licensing frameworks for festivals. They also acknowledge current industry efforts and urge organisers to continue progress.

The Government agrees with supporting emissions reduction and will explore with DEFRA and MHCLG the proposal to include strict environmental measures within local authority licensing frameworks for festivals. They also acknowledge existing industry sustainability efforts.

The Government acknowledges concerns about festival drug testing but states it is unable to support front-of-house testing until further assessments of unintended consequences are carried out, thus rejecting the implied recommendation for this type of drug checking. It will, however, continue to support back-of-house testing.

The Government states it is unable to support front-of-house drug testing at festivals until further assessments of potential unintended consequences are carried out, thereby rejecting the immediate recommendation for regulations and a licensing scheme. However, it will continue to support back-of-house testing.

The government rejected the recommendation to assess the COVID-19 pandemic's impact in a formal Post Implementation Review of the Ticket Sales Regulations 2018, stating such a review is not appropriate, though it committed to ongoing monitoring of the offence's effectiveness.