14.07.2017: Digital Minister Matt Hancock MP addressed UK Music’s summer party on Wednesday 12 July. Welcoming the findings of UK Music’s Wish You Were Here report, which revealed music tourism contributes £4 billion to the economy with over 30 million attending live events in 2016, Matt stressed the vital importance of intellectual property on the music industry.

The minister also raised concerns about the operation of Form 696, a form used by the Met Police which he believes is having a negative impact on the London grassroots music scenes and its venues.

Matt said “I have seen countless case studies of the problems that it has caused and I hope that working with the Mayor of London, who I have written to on this, and pushing on this can make some progress to make sure all forms of music have their live venues.”

He concluded his remarks by saying he hoped that music in the UK, both live and recorded, continued to go from strength to strength.

The speakers were Digital Minister Matt Hancock, chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Music David Warburton MP, Labour’s deputy leader and Shadow Culture Secretary Tom Watson, UK Music chief executive Michael Dugher, UK Music chairman Andy Heath and Lucie Caswell, CEO of the Feature Artists Coalition. Nadine Shah performed to a packed house on in the Commons’ Terrace Pavilion.

The event was attended by a number of Parliamentarians including Chris Elmore MP, Giles Watling MP, John Spellar MP, Lord Inglewood, Tommy Sheppard MP, Baroness Garden of Frognal, Caroline Nokes MP, Chi Onwurah MP,  Dawn Butler MP, Greg Knight MP, Ian Austin MP, Ian C Lucas MP, Jeff Smith MP, Julie Cooper MP, Kerry McCarthy MP, Lord Clement-Jones, Lord Razzall, Lord Watts, Lord Wood of Anfield, Mark Tami MP, Matt Hancock MP, Nigel Adams MP, Nigel Evans MP, Pat McFadden MP, Paul Williams MP, Penny Mordaunt MP, Rosie Cooper MP, Sharon Hodgson MP, Tom Watson MP, Tracey Crouch MP, Wes Streeting MP, Will Quince MP, David Morris MP, Kevin Brennan MP, Pete Wishart MP, Mims Davies MP, Lord Storey, Toby Perkins MP, Marsha de Cordova MP, Dan Jarvis MP, Lord Aberdare, Baroness Kennedy of Cradley, Ellie Reeves MP, Rachel Reeves MP, Conor McGinn MP, Nigel Huddleston MP, Chris Ruane MP and Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury.

For images of our summer party click here.