With politics now moving into the gladiatorial phase for the general election, it’s easy to forget the huge amount of parliamentary work taken up by cross-party efforts in select committees responsible for overseeing the work of government departments.
The culture, media and sport committee recently produced a report on grassroots music venues – smaller, often independently run spaces – in the last parliament that is likely to be highly relevant to the next government whatever the electoral outcome.
The report was timely. Grassroots venues, a precarious group at the best of times, have been reeling recently from the enduring effects of pandemic lockdowns, alongside huge increases in running costs. Rising energy bills and inflation – including an average rent increase of 37.5% – have put hundreds of venues at risk of closure.
