Select Committee Inquiry into the Impact of Covid-19 on DCMS sectors

Updated 12th May 2020

Impact of Covid-19 on DCMS sectors

DCMS Inquiry

The DCMS Committee has a current inquiry into the immediate and long-term impacts of COVID-19 on all sectors that DCMS covers, including leisure, tourism, culture, heritage and asking how effective the Government action to date has been and what further support is needed.

This inquiry is still accepting evidence. You can submit evidence here until Friday 19th June 2020.

The committee heard oral evidence from the sports sector on 5th May 2020 and held a further oral evidence session with experts on inclusion and children's services on 15th May.

The next oral evidence session for this Inquiry is scheduled for Tuesday 19th May 2020 9am to midday with the following witnesses:

  • Bernard Donoghue, Director at Association of Leading Visitor Attractions
  • Samantha Richardson, Director at National Coastal Tourism Academy
  • Patricia Yates, Acting Chief Executive Officer at Visit Britain

No reports or government responses have been published yet.

The committee wants to hear your views and welcomes submissions from anyone with answers to the questions in the call for evidence. Please note, this is a different inquiry to the DCMS charities inquiry. All Science Centres should submit evidence to both.

Submit your evidence now

DCMS Committee page

The questions this DCMS inquiry is trying to answer

What has been the immediate impact of Covid-19 on the sector?

How effectively has the support provided by DCMS, other Government departments and arms-length bodies addressed the sector’s needs?

What will the likely long-term impacts of Covid-19 be on the sector, and what support is needed to deal with those?

What lessons can be learnt from how DCMS, arms-length bodies and the sector have dealt with Covid-19

How might the sector evolve after Covid-19, and how can DCMS support such innovation to deal with future challenges?

Guidance on what you need to submit

  • An introduction about you and your organisation and your reason for submitting evidence
    • Emphasise that you are grounded in your cities and regions, provide a hub that brings STEM industry/research/education with families/schools/other publics etc
    • Highlight the work you do within your communities and with those who are disadvantaged and marginalised in STEM
    • Highlight ways we are essential within our future world
    • Including any innovation in digital engagement that is being developed/continuing for your audience engagement
  • Explain the financial situation of your Science Centres (hopefully you have this data at your fingertips from recently sending to ASDC)
    • Highlight the lack of DCMS / Government support and the reliance on visitors for income for our sector
    • The use you have made of the excellent furloughing scheme for x% of staff, but the need for your resilience team and the cost of these wages

Format for submissions

  • A single word, ODT or RTF document that is uploaded to the inquiry at the above portals
  • The document should be less than 25 MB
  • No logos included
  • Be concise (e.g. under 3000 words)
  • Make sure you add an executive summary in bullet point form of the main points made in the submission
  • Have numbered paragraphs
  • Include an introduction to you or your organisation and your reason for submitting evidence
  • Include any factual information you have to offer from which the committee might be able to draw conclusions, or which could be put to other witnesses for their reactions
  • Include any recommendations for action by the Government or others which you would like the committee to consider.
  • This should not be a report that is already published

Bear in mind, when you submit evidence, it will be published on the internet and stay public forever, although you can ask for your evidence to be anonymous.