Asked by: Lord Freyberg (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will proceed with the proposed Creative Content Exchange (CCE) before establishing a clear and enforceable framework for copyright, data use and fair remuneration for creators; and what assessment they have made of the risk of the CCE benefitting large technology platforms more than UK rightsholders.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The development of the CCE functions in tandem with the Government’s work on copyright, and we will ensure a copyright regime that values and protects human creativity, can be trusted, and unlocks new opportunities for innovation across the creative sector and wider economy. Supporting rightsholders in licensing their work in the digital age while allowing AI developers to benefit from access to creative material, such as through the CCE, will unlock new opportunities across the whole economy.
Asked by: Lord Freyberg (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that the proposed Creative Content Exchange does not displace or undermine existing rights management organisations, collecting societies and digital marketplaces that facilitate the licensing and monetisation of creative works.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We are developing a proof-of-concept pilot scheme for the Creative Content Exchange (CCE) to test the need for a new marketplace for selling, buying, licensing, and enabling permitted access to digitised cultural and creative assets. The pilot scheme is being developed as a research project with the input of a broad range of partners - including public organisations - to design an exchange that best suits the needs of content owners and data users. We are also working with licensing and rights management societies to benefit from their input and expertise.
Asked by: Lord Freyberg (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what evidence they used to support the need for the Creative Content Exchange; and how they will ensure that the proposed Creative Content Exchange complements, rather than competes with, existing industry-led platforms and institutions.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We are developing a proof-of-concept pilot scheme for the Creative Content Exchange (CCE) to test the need for a new marketplace for selling, buying, licensing, and enabling permitted access to digitised cultural and creative assets. The pilot scheme is being developed as a research project with the input of a broad range of partners - including public organisations - to design an exchange that best suits the needs of content owners and data users. We are also working with licensing and rights management societies to benefit from their input and expertise.
Asked by: Lord Freyberg (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of potential duplication between the proposed Creative Content Exchange and existing commercial licensing, distribution and rights management platforms.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We are developing a proof-of-concept pilot scheme for the Creative Content Exchange (CCE) to test the need for a new marketplace for selling, buying, licensing, and enabling permitted access to digitised cultural and creative assets. The pilot scheme is being developed as a research project with the input of a broad range of partners - including public organisations - to design an exchange that best suits the needs of content owners and data users. We are also working with licensing and rights management societies to benefit from their input and expertise.
Asked by: Lord Freyberg (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 23 October (HL10981), how many people have (1) attended the independent Arts Council England review’s formal roundtables, (2) attended its formal in-person meetings, and (3) made formal submissions to it, as part of its consultation of the public and arts sector.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Baroness Hodge will share her findings with the government in the Autumn of 2025. When the government publishes the conclusions of the review along with the government’s response in 2026 it will include information about the methodology of the review including how many people and organisations have contributed.
Asked by: Lord Freyberg (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to publish the independent review of Arts Council England following the closure of the public consultation on 30 June.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Baroness Hodge will share her findings with the government in the Autumn of 2025, and the government will publish the conclusions of the review along with the government’s response in early 2026.
Asked by: Lord Freyberg (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to advertise the position of Creative Freelance Champion, as announced in the 2025 Creative Industries Sector Plan; what the remit and responsibilities of the role will be; and by when they expect the appointment to be made.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We committed in the Creative Industries Sector Plan to appoint a Freelance Champion in 2025, who will advocate for the creative sector’s freelancers within government and be a member of the Creative Industries Council.
We have been working closely with established industry forums, including unions and freelancer representatives, to inform the role's remit, and we will make an appointment in the coming months. Upon appointment, we expect the Freelance Champion to establish their priorities and develop a workplan to address them. They will work closely with the sector and with ministers and government officials, to represent the experiences of creative freelancers and to build awareness of key rights, responsibilities, and resources among freelancers and their contractors.
Asked by: Lord Freyberg (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 17 September (HL10442), whether the Government Art Collection holds or plans to hold any contractual or licensing rights over digital reproductions of two-dimensional artworks that are in the public domain; and if so, what is the legal basis for those licences.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government Art Collection (GAC) does not claim copyright in digital reproductions of two-dimensional artworks that are in the public domain. The GAC has not sought or received guidance about the assertion of copyright, aside from Crown Copyright. The decision to license images for commercial and non-commercial use through a contractual agreement is an operational decision taken by the GAC, based on commercial contract law for the access and supply of digital assets.
There are no current or scheduled plans for the GAC to allow high-resolution images of works of art that are in the Government Art Collection and in the public domain to be downloaded free of charge for non-commercial use.
Asked by: Lord Freyberg (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 17 September (HL10444), whether they plan to allow high-resolution images of works of art that are in the Government Art Collection and in the public domain to be downloaded free of charge for non-commercial use; and if so, what is their timetable for implementing that access.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government Art Collection (GAC) does not claim copyright in digital reproductions of two-dimensional artworks that are in the public domain. The GAC has not sought or received guidance about the assertion of copyright, aside from Crown Copyright. The decision to license images for commercial and non-commercial use through a contractual agreement is an operational decision taken by the GAC, based on commercial contract law for the access and supply of digital assets.
There are no current or scheduled plans for the GAC to allow high-resolution images of works of art that are in the Government Art Collection and in the public domain to be downloaded free of charge for non-commercial use.
Asked by: Lord Freyberg (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 17 September (HL10442), what guidance they have issued to the Government Art Collection about the assertion of copyright, other than Crown Copyright, over digital reproductions of two-dimensional artworks that are in the public domain.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government Art Collection (GAC) does not claim copyright in digital reproductions of two-dimensional artworks that are in the public domain. The GAC has not sought or received guidance about the assertion of copyright, aside from Crown Copyright. The decision to license images for commercial and non-commercial use through a contractual agreement is an operational decision taken by the GAC, based on commercial contract law for the access and supply of digital assets.
There are no current or scheduled plans for the GAC to allow high-resolution images of works of art that are in the Government Art Collection and in the public domain to be downloaded free of charge for non-commercial use.