You may be aware that I am now the chair of the first ever All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the wedding industry. The sector is still seeking clarity over rules on attendance numbers and recovery from the pandemic.
I have been a vocal champion for entrepreneurs and companies like caterers, florists, photographers and venues who employ many people in the local area and make a big contribution to the Gloucestershire economy.
Stroud and the Cotswolds is a destination area for weddings. That means the couples and businesses introduce thousands of people to our beautiful five valleys every year.
To help give the industry a voice, I set up and is chair of the APPG. During the first Zoom meeting, around 150 people heard from paymaster general Penny Mordaunt and business minister Paul Scully.
Penny Mordaunt told the meeting her biggest job for the wedding sector was working to establish clarity on the Step 4 21st June position for couples tying the knot and businesses so they can plan as soon as possible.
The Government has previously indicated it would give 28 days’ notice on changes to the 30-person attending rule to allow the industry and couples to prepare for but next Monday's announcement may now be in doubt due to fears over the Indian covid variant.
Paul Scully told the meeting he has committed to work with the paymaster general to provide councils with information to ensure the wedding sector is receiving government support through the discretionary grant funding.
He said he will also investigate the government’s refusal to categorise wedding dress fitters as close contact workers for the purpose of grants. Tattooists, for example, are receiving grants of up to £10k.
I am really pleased to be able to set up this APPG and to have two ministers talk to people from Stroud and all over the country who have really been challenged by lockdown restrictions and how to move this industry back to normal was important.
On the plus side there is massive pent-up demand for weddings of all shapes and sizes that will help the industry make up its losses in the pandemic. However, the message to ministers was loud and clear: this industry needs clarity on attendance numbers without delay.
The job of the APPG now is to focus on obtaining that clarity, the recovery and on any support myself as an MP and ministers can give.
I also joined the UK Weddings taskforce for an Instagram live interview and I have written to the Prime Minister following his own wedding.
Around 400, 000 people work in the wedding industry and it contributes an estimated £15 billion to the UK economy. It is unacceptable that we are still waiting for promised information to allow couples and businesses to plan. Couples are really desperate.
It is unfair that they cannot look forward to their big day – particularly given all the other large events that are now taking place and relaxations that have happened elsewhere.