Lord Freyberg

The government's Plan for Change milestones of 1.5 million new homes over five years and 150 decisions on major infrastructure projects by the end of the Parliament, will see a significant increase in demand for construction materials, that will provide greater certainty for construction material suppliers. Currently 75% of all construction materials used in the UK are made in the UK. The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) works closely with the Construction Leadership Council's Materials Supply Chain Group on product availability, and regularly reviews opportunities to address capability and capacity gaps, including through targeted Foreign Direct Investment.

The updated GPSR largely formalises the reality of how many businesses are already operating and the measures are therefore likely to have limited impact in practice. We understand that for some businesses, the regulation will require changes, and we take any concerns extremely seriously.

The Government is providing support. We have issued guidance, will keep this under review and continue to engage businesses directly to ensure we are supporting them to trade freely within the UK and with the EU. We have regular discussions with online marketplaces and businesses that sell products online on a range of issues to hear their concerns.

The updated GPSR largely formalises the reality of how many businesses are already operating and the measures are therefore likely to have limited impact in practice. We understand that for some businesses, the regulation will require changes, and we take any concerns extremely seriously.

The Government is providing support. We have issued guidance, will keep this under review and continue to engage businesses directly to ensure we are supporting them to trade freely within the UK and with the EU. We have regular discussions with online marketplaces and businesses that sell products online on a range of issues to hear their concerns.

The updated GPSR largely formalises the reality of how many businesses are already operating and the measures are therefore likely to have limited impact in practice. We understand that for some businesses, the regulation will require changes, and we take any concerns extremely seriously.

The Government is providing support. We have issued guidance, will keep this under review and continue to engage businesses directly to ensure we are supporting them to trade freely within the UK and with the EU. We have regular discussions with online marketplaces and businesses that sell products online on a range of issues to hear their concerns.

The updated GPSR largely formalises the reality of how many businesses are already operating and the measures are therefore likely to have limited impact in practice. We understand that for some businesses, the regulation will require changes, and we take any concerns extremely seriously.

The Government is providing support. We have issued guidance, will keep this under review and continue to engage businesses directly to ensure we are supporting them to trade freely within the UK and with the EU. We have regular discussions with online marketplaces and businesses that sell products online on a range of issues to hear their concerns.

The updated GPSR largely formalises the reality of how many businesses are already operating and the measures are therefore likely to have limited impact in practice. We understand that for some businesses, the regulation will require changes, and we take any concerns extremely seriously.

The Government is providing support. We have issued guidance, will keep this under review and continue to engage businesses directly to ensure we are supporting them to trade freely within the UK and with the EU. We have regular discussions with online marketplaces and businesses that sell products online on a range of issues to hear their concerns.

The updated GPSR largely formalises the reality of how many businesses are already operating and the measures are therefore likely to have limited impact in practice. We understand that for some businesses, the regulation will require changes, and we take any concerns extremely seriously.

The Government is providing support. We have issued guidance, will keep this under review and continue to engage businesses directly to ensure we are supporting them to trade freely within the UK and with the EU. We have regular discussions with online marketplaces and businesses that sell products online on a range of issues to hear their concerns.

The Government is committed to hearing a broad range of views to help inform its approach to copyright and AI.

Ministerial meetings are published according to normal transparency requirements.

The current best estimate of the number of meetings involving officials at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (including the Intellectual Property Office) and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport between July 2024 and February 2025 is in the table below.

This includes meetings where officials from both departments attended.

The minutes of official level meetings are not routinely published

The Government’s consultation on Copyright and AI closed on 25^th February. It would be premature to legislate now: the Government is clear that no changes will be considered unless we are completely satisfied we are delivering a solution which works for creators. Our priority is to review the evidence from the consultation which will inform the Government response, including any legislative proposals.

The Government Art Collection (GAC) does not assert Crown Copyright over images of 2D original artworks in the Collection, where the image has been taken by its employees (i.e. Civil Servants). This is a recent change in approach to copyright assertion, with all affected documentation in the process of being updated.

GAC continues to license images for commercial and non-commercial use through a contractual agreement.

The Government Art Collection (GAC) does not assert Crown Copyright over images of 2D original artworks in the Collection, where the image has been taken by its employees (i.e. Civil Servants). This is a recent change in approach to copyright assertion, with all affected documentation in the process of being updated.

GAC continues to license images for commercial and non-commercial use through a contractual agreement.

The DCMS-sponsored museums take their responsibilities to extend engagement with their Collections seriously. As Arm’s Length Bodies national museums operate independently and are responsible for developing their own policies, including around the provision of images, and for taking appropriate commercial and legal advice. Policies can be found on the respective websites and image licensing portals of the museums, many of which provide users with the ability to view high resolution images.

The government strongly supports efforts to expand the reach and impact of the national museums, including digitally, while also recognising and encouraging efforts to balance this against the need to raise private income. Government-backed digitisation projects and investment in Collections databases since the Covid pandemic have resulted in marked increases in the accessibility of Collections records. The wider museums sector, whilst not directly funded by the department, is also making progress in increasing digital access to Collections, with the support of organisations and initiatives such as Art UK, the Museum Data Service, and the AHRC-funded Towards a National Collection research project.

The department is working with the national museums to understand the extent and pace of further planned digitisation work, alongside opportunities provided by new work to establish a Creative Content Exchange, to ensure we are both maximising public access to culture, and positioning our cultural organisations to engage fruitfully with the AI revolution underway.

The DCMS-sponsored museums take their responsibilities to extend engagement with their Collections seriously. As Arm’s Length Bodies national museums operate independently and are responsible for developing their own policies, including around the provision of images, and for taking appropriate commercial and legal advice. Policies can be found on the respective websites and image licensing portals of the museums, many of which provide users with the ability to view high resolution images.

The government strongly supports efforts to expand the reach and impact of the national museums, including digitally, while also recognising and encouraging efforts to balance this against the need to raise private income. Government-backed digitisation projects and investment in Collections databases since the Covid pandemic have resulted in marked increases in the accessibility of Collections records. The wider museums sector, whilst not directly funded by the department, is also making progress in increasing digital access to Collections, with the support of organisations and initiatives such as Art UK, the Museum Data Service, and the AHRC-funded Towards a National Collection research project.

The department is working with the national museums to understand the extent and pace of further planned digitisation work, alongside opportunities provided by new work to establish a Creative Content Exchange, to ensure we are both maximising public access to culture, and positioning our cultural organisations to engage fruitfully with the AI revolution underway.

As highlighted in the recent debate on support for the crafts sector (12th July), the UK’s craft industry is a custodian of heritage, a source of enrichment, and a powerful driver of growth.

The skills system is central to achieving economic growth and breaking down barriers to opportunity. The government will provide £1.2 billion of additional investment in the skills system per year by 2028-29, and will set out further detail on its plans in a strategy for post-16 education and skills later in the year.

DCMS ministers will meet with sector representatives to discuss craft skills soon. As set out in the Creative Industries Sector Plan, the government will also work with industry to support creative sector training pathways, including through a new DCMS and Skills England led Creative Sector Skills Forum. We will develop the growth and skills offer to deliver apprenticeships and skills training that recognises the particular needs of the Creative Industries, of which the crafts industry is a vital part.

DCMS publishes official statistics on Culture and Creative Industries employment. These include statistics on the number of filled jobs using the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Annual Population Survey and Labour Force Survey, both household surveys, and skills gaps and shortages from the Department for Education’s Employer Skills Survey.

The department also supports research into the creative industries and jointly with the Creative Industries Council has funded the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre to undertake the creative employers skills survey. This is a new survey of 1,300 businesses across the creative industries in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland that aims to add to our understanding of the skills challenges of today and the talent and skills that will be crucial to the success of the industry in the future.

The understanding that we gain from this data is important for informing our policy work on workforce practice, job quality, careers and training pathways in the creative industries. The main data sources that DCMS currently draw on in these areas are survey based and are not based on administrative data. However, DCMS keeps its statistics and research requirements under review to ensure decision making is based on the best available evidence, including exploring administrative and other data sources where relevant.

The Arts Councils of each of the four UK nations are devolved responsibilities.

Ministers have not made an assessment of the case raised in the question. However, we are aware of the need for data collection to be consistent, proportionate, and manageable for publicly-funded arts organisations. Baroness Hodge of Barking has been appointed by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to conduct a Review of Arts Council England. This includes in its terms of reference to consider how effective the relationships between ACE and the organisations it funds are; and how far ACE cooperates and shares knowledge with the United Kingdom’s Arts Councils in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Arts Council England publishes an Annual Data survey of its National Portfolio Organisations, which provides a breakdown of expenditure for those organisations. Data from this survey is available on line from the year 2016-17 onwards. ACE also publishes data on its own staff and expenditure in its Annual Report - the latest of which covering 2023-24 can be found on their website.

DCMS is looking more widely into the cultural sector's data needs as the digital data ecosystem grows and evolves. This includes supporting both the Bradford City of Culture team's work on cultural data dashboards and North East Culture Connect, an open access data platform, delivered in collaboration with Northumbria University, North East Combined Authority, and the Arts and Humanities Research Council. The platform brings together a subset of cultural data from across the North East in a series of dashboards that are intended to be expanded with new data. The data includes information on income streams, funding recipients, and sector economic characteristics, which can support analysis of the financial health of the sector. Furthermore, DCMS is on the Steering Group for the National Cultural Data Observatory project, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, led by the Centre for Cultural Value at the University of Leeds, with partners including MyCake, and The Audience Agency. The project aims to develop a blueprint for a national cultural data observatory for the UK, incorporating a range of data.

All charities registered in England or Wales, regardless of their annual income, must send a digital annual return to the Charity Commission. These returns are publicly available in a machine readable PDF format on the Charity Commission's website.

The Charity Commission is committed to further digitalisation of the submission of annual accounts information and will continue to explore solutions which are proportionate, affordable and minimise the regulatory burden on charities.

Currently, there are no steps being taken to standardise full time equivalent employment data across companies, charities and mutuals filed with regulators/registrars.

All charities registered in England or Wales, regardless of their annual income, must send a digital annual return to the Charity Commission. These returns are publicly available in a machine readable PDF format on the Charity Commission's website.

The Charity Commission is committed to further digitalisation of the submission of annual accounts information and will continue to explore solutions which are proportionate, affordable and minimise the regulatory burden on charities.

Currently, there are no steps being taken to standardise full time equivalent employment data across companies, charities and mutuals filed with regulators/registrars.

No meetings took place between Ministers and officials from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and representatives of the Tony Blair Institute between July 2024 and March 2025.

The Government recognises Stoke-on-Trent’s rich ceramics heritage and its potential for economic growth. While no formal assessment has been made of the potential economic benefits of a dedicated Cultural Heritage Zone, we are continuing to support the city’s creative and heritage sectors through a range of initiatives. Our support includes £370,000 to boost creative industry skills in Stoke-on-Trent College, alongside the Small Community and Heritage Assets Grants Programme which has supported creative businesses in the region.

The Government recognises Stoke-on-Trent’s rich ceramics heritage and its potential for economic growth. While no formal assessment has been made of the potential economic benefits of a dedicated Cultural Heritage Zone, we are continuing to support the city’s creative and heritage sectors through a range of initiatives. Our support includes £370,000 to boost creative industry skills in Stoke-on-Trent College, alongside the Small Community and Heritage Assets Grants Programme which has supported creative businesses in the region.

The government recognises the importance of the UK’s copyright regime to the economic success of the creative industries, one of eight growth-driving sectors as identified in our Industrial Strategy. We are committed to supporting rights holders by ensuring they retain control over and receive fair payment for their work, especially as technology advances to include AI.

This is an area where the Department for Culture, Media and Sport works closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and the Intellectual Property Office (IPO). We are actively working with stakeholders to ensure copyright protections remain robust and fit for purpose.

As part of this commitment, we have launched a public consultation on Copyright and AI, which opened on the 17 December and closed on the 25 February. This consultation sought to engage stakeholders across AI and the creative industries to assess and address the evolving challenges of copyright regulation.

We will now consider the full range of responses we have received through our consultation on any new approach. No decisions will be taken until we are absolutely confident we have a practical plan that delivers each of our objectives. We will continue to develop our policy approach with DSIT and the IPO in partnership with creative industries, media and AI stakeholders - supporting our brilliant artists and the creative industries to work together with the AI sector to harness the opportunities this technology provides.

The Government is committed to supporting our heritage, culture and creative industries to thrive for years to come.

We recognise the value of cross-border exchanges for craftspeople, particularly in Europe. The UK has a number of visa routes suitable for people coming to work in skilled trades, or to do training or work experience. More broadly, the Government will work to improve the UK’s trade and investment relationship with the EU by tearing down unnecessary barriers to trade.

The Government recognises there are skills gaps and shortages in creative sectors and is working with industry to identify current and future skills needs. Across the economy, the people that create and work in businesses will be central to successful growth, and the Government has already taken some steps to support this, including establishing Skills England. We have heard calls from businesses for greater flexibility in our apprenticeships system, and greater flexibility in how employers spend levy funds. And we are acting. That’s why our reformed growth and skills levy will deliver greater flexibility for learners and employers.

The Government is committed to supporting our heritage, culture and creative industries to thrive for years to come.

We recognise the value of cross-border exchanges for craftspeople, particularly in Europe. The UK has a number of visa routes suitable for people coming to work in skilled trades, or to do training or work experience. More broadly, the Government will work to improve the UK’s trade and investment relationship with the EU by tearing down unnecessary barriers to trade.

The Government recognises there are skills gaps and shortages in creative sectors and is working with industry to identify current and future skills needs. Across the economy, the people that create and work in businesses will be central to successful growth, and the Government has already taken some steps to support this, including establishing Skills England. We have heard calls from businesses for greater flexibility in our apprenticeships system, and greater flexibility in how employers spend levy funds. And we are acting. That’s why our reformed growth and skills levy will deliver greater flexibility for learners and employers.

The Government is committed to supporting our heritage, culture and creative industries to thrive for years to come, celebrating our nation's wealth of talent and driving economic growth into communities across the country. We want the craft sector and British arts and culture as a whole to thrive.

As a new administration, we are currently exploring a wide range of policy options to support skills development. We are working closely with the Department for Education and engage with the heritage and skills sectors regularly in order to understand and address skills gaps. The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports traditional craft skills and training in a variety of ways, including funding projects that train people in traditional crafts and skills. They also run a Heritage Crafts programme which offers bursaries to help people train in heritage crafts or develop their skills.