King’s Speech (4th Day)

Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury Excerpts

Monday 22nd July 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury (LD)]

My Lords, I join other noble Lords in thanking the Minister, the noble Lord, Lord Vallance, for his opening and maiden speech. I welcome him to his new role.

Throughout Labour’s campaign it emphasised economic growth, as has the Minister today. Central to this are the creative industries. I speak on DCMS matters—I think I am the first person so far to come to this area, but I see many around the House who will do so. I hope that the noble Lord who is summing up will address the points that we bring up, because in a sense we are shoehorned into this debate.

Today, I will concentrate on the economic contributions of arts and culture, and the best way to encourage and harness them. The national wealth fund Bill aims for every £1 of public investment to raise £3 from the private sector. This is something the creative industries have demonstrated they can do—see how creative industry tax credits contribute to GVA growth.

Another example is the BBC. For every £1 of its R&D, it contributes £5 to £9 in value for the economy. It seems that we are entering a happier time for our PSBs. How wonderful it was to hear Lisa Nandy, the new Secretary of State for DCMS, speak out so unequivocally in support of the BBC. Sanity has returned. She recognised in particular the importance of the World Service, as well as what the BBC provides for our children. Sadly, the Media Bill found itself mired in the wash-up. The Reithian principles—to inform, educate and entertain—were saved, but a clear definition of genres, rather than the vague term “appropriate”, did not make it into the Bill, nor did addressing the powers of Ofcom. I hope the Minister is open to revisiting these issues, as well as to funding the World Service from the FCDO budget.

Education was covered last week, and we support everything that was said about the importance of returning arts and culture to the centre of the curriculum, something since pledged by the Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson. These are more happy tidings, but essential ones. Creative education’s decline is now almost at crisis point in England’s state schools, according to a report published today by the Campaign for the Arts and Warwick University. We on these Benches believe that Ofsted should give outstanding ratings only to schools that can demonstrate excellence in the provision of creative subjects. I hope the Minister agrees.

We welcome the Skills England Bill, as mentioned by my noble friend Lord Fox, and reform of the apprenticeship levy, but this must work for the creative industries. There is a lack of diversity within the creative workforce. Changes to the levy and to the education system will help to address this, but much more needs to be done. The creative industries are a world of freelancers. The UK’s tax and social security framework is not set up to support them effectively. What is needed is a freelance commissioner.

Finally, there is the calamitous consequence of Brexit across the creative sector, with the inability to access the continent, and complicated paperwork—carnets, cabotage and visas—inflicting punishing costs and red tape. Our young people are being cut off from European culture. We must pursue visa waivers, negotiate a return to Erasmus+ and apply to participate fully in Creative Europe. I hope this new Government agree.

The value of arts and culture is not just economic; they are at the heart of what brings us together as families, communities and friends, helping to combat loneliness, alleviate pain and bring solace to those dealing with physical or mental health problems. As I heard Chris Bryant MP, the Minister of State for DCMS and DSIT, say last week, they allow us to walk in other people’s footsteps—an aptly poetic use of words. Please do not do as recent Governments have and treat the DCMS as a Cinderella department. Put culture and the arts, and not just the money-making industries that they create, centre stage, as previous Labour Governments have. Embrace the legacy of Jennie Lee and Chris Smith—the noble Lord, Lord Smith—and harness them. There is a real power to creativity that is not linear, which is what makes it so special: James Dyson went to art school; Rio Ferdinand trained as a ballet dancer.

I end–as a Liberal, I have to–with John Maynard Keynes, creator of the Arts Council and of course a great economist. His vision was reaffirmed last week, almost 80 years on, by the present ACE chair, Nick Serota, who urged the Government to

“remember and reaffirm the value of the arm’s-length principle, which, by maintaining the political independence of arts funding, protects artistic freedom”.