A first All Party Parliamentary Group for Events (APPG), which includes 27 MPs and peers, elected its first officers at its inaugural meeting at the House of Commons last week.
 
Nick De Bois MP, Conservative Member for Enfield North, was elected Chairman of the APPG, with Ian Murray, Labour Member for Edinburgh South, acting as Vice Chairman. Steve Brine and Paul Uppal were elected at Treasurer and Secretary respectively.
 
Issues on the agenda for the first meeting included the future level of Government support for the events sector, given VisitBritain’s withdrawal from business tourism.
 
The role events can play in the community and in raising local revenues was also raised by the group which agreed to compile an Event Management Guide to include health and safety guidelines with input from Whitehall departments.
 
The first business meeting of the APPG will be held 13 June, and Kevin Murphy, CEO at Excel London, will address the Group about business events. There will also be an industry leader from the leisure events sector to brief members on outdoor and cultural events and festivals.  A number of familiarisation visits to venues and major events for the Group are also being organised.
 
The establishment of the first APPG for Events follows a reception at the House of Commons organised by the Business Visits and Events Partnership last October.  
 
Michael Hirst, OBE, Chairman of the BVEP described the creation of an APPG specifically for the events sector as “a major step forward” for the industry.

“The enthusiasm for this group within Parliament and the sheer number of MPs and Peers seeking to join demonstrates the interest in our sector and will significantly help us to communicate the importance of events to both Parliament and Government.”
 
Other members of the APPG include:

• Esther McVey - Wirral West
• Karen Lumley - Redditch
• Laura Sandys - South Thanet
• Paul Uppal - Wolverhampton South
• Mark Menzies - Fylde
• Caroline Dineage - Gosport
• Jack Dromey - Birmingham Erdington
• Michael Dugher - Barnsley East
• Tom Greatrex - Rutherglen and Hamilton West
• Tony Lloyd - Manchester Central
• Ian Murray - Edinburgh South
• Stephen Timms - East Ham
• Don Foster - Bath
• Adrian Saunders - Torbay
• Lord Lee of Trafford
• Anas Sarwar - Glasgow Central
• Richard Harrington - Watford
• Charlotte Leslie - Bristol North West
• John Cryer - Leyton and Wanstead
• Emily Thornberry - Islington
• Dan Byles - North Warwickshire and Bedworth
• John Pugh - Southport
• Steve Brine - Winchester
• Kevin Brennan - Cardiff West
• Connor Burns - Bournemouth West

 Do you have a news story for EN? Email: ncameron@mashmedia.net