Creative Industries: Freelance Champion

Baroness Twycross Excerpts

Thursday 22nd January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what progress they have made in the appointment of the freelance champion for the creative industries as announced in the Creative Industries Sector Plan on 23 June 2025.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Baroness Twycross) (Lab)]

Freelancers play a vital role in the creative industries, which is why we committed to appoint a freelance champion in the creative industries sector plan. Since then, we have been working closely with industry to develop the scope of the role. In two weeks’ time, my colleague, Ian Murray, who is the Minister in the other place responsible for the creative industries, will hold a round table with freelancers’ representatives in the sector to finalise discussions. We will make an appointment as swiftly as possible after that.

[Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury (LD)]

I thank the Minister for her response. As she says, freelancers are an essential part of our creative industries and these Benches have been asking for a freelance commissioner for a long time. We thank the Government for the champion. The Covid pandemic exposed the truth: a financial and benefits system that does not take into consideration the fragmented employment practices of the creative sector. Can the Minister assure us that not only the remit but the powers of the champion will be significant enough to work across government to enable change and end the discrimination that freelancers experience; in particular, in access to mortgages, loans, credit and pensions?

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

The champion-type role appointed by the Government is designed exactly for the purpose of making sure that these conversations are had and action is taken across government. We are very keen for the person who is appointed to this role to be involved in developing their own work plan, in discussion with the department, the Minister and the sector. The appointee will produce a work plan in their first months in the role, which will set out their priorities and planned actions. I might suggest that they have a conversation with the noble Baroness in that first period, so that she can be assured that they are looking at the right things that will support what is a vital part of the creative industries, but also one that has particular issues, as she outlined.

[The Earl of Clancarty (CB)]

My Lords—

--- Later in debate ---

[Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Lab)]

Please could my noble friend the Minister update us on the progress of implementing the creative industries sector plan? How is DCMS addressing problems of social mobility as part of the “arts for everyone, everywhere” vision?

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

Delivery of our ambitious vision is on track. Key achievements include the £150 million creative places growth fund allocated to six mayoral strategic authorities; we have secured agreement to boost music creator streaming income; we have announced the price cap to ban for-profit resale of live event tickets; and we have secured investment for three Bollywood films in the UK, which are expected to create over 3,000 jobs. We also have an increase in innovation funding of £369 million from UKRI and over £4 billion for scaling creative businesses through the British Business Bank. I am delighted to say that the Culture Secretary announced today that £1.5 billion will be invested to save more than 1,000 arts venues—museums, libraries and heritage buildings—across England from closure. These are just a few of the actions that we have taken so far.

[The Earl of Clancarty (CB)]

My Lords—

--- Later in debate ---

[Baroness Buscombe (Con)]

My Lords, is one of the problems not that, in spite of the creative industries enjoying vast subsidies recently and throughout Covid—the Government were very generous—there are scant employment rights? The noble Baroness asked about freelancers, but the industry is rife with people who are nepotistic and people who say, “Come and work for us, but we cannot pay you”. Will the Government please track where those huge subsidies are going? I think I know; I think they are going to what are called non-executive and executive producers. Where is the money going in terms of employment rights?

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

There is strong evidence, including in the report from the trade union Bectu that was published last year, on some of the real issues that the noble Baroness identified within the creative industries. They particularly affect freelancers, who struggle with a huge range of issues—everything from late payment through to not getting paid or not having pensions. The Government are determined to strengthen employment rights, not least to help people thrive in good-quality self-employment. These are some of these issues that the freelance champion will need to look at to make sure that we get the type of creative industries that are fair to all those involved.

[The Earl of Clancarty (CB)]

My Lords, there is concern that the Creative Industries Council, of which the freelance champion will be a member, has very little workforce representation within its newly expanded membership. It includes not one working practitioner in any area. Will the Minister promise to look at this?

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

I am happy to take that back to the department. I do not have a list of the make-up of the council, but I will take the point back and write to the noble Earl.

[Lord Wigley (PC)]

My Lords, I draw attention to my registered interests. Does the Minister accept that creative practitioners suffered disproportionately during the Covid lockdown and many from the impact of Brexit? Their predicaments are many and varied; in these circumstances, will she give an assurance that, when the appointment is made and is effective, it will relate to all the many and varied people in this sector to make sure that there is a proper channel to hear their needs?

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

The noble Lord describes exactly what a freelance champion should do: to be a representative and voice for all those across the sector. I will make sure that I forward the working spec to all noble Lords who have taken part in this debate.

[Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall (Lab)]

My Lords—

--- Later in debate ---

[Baroness Stedman-Scott (Con)]

My Lords, I genuinely congratulate the Government on the appointment of a person to look at these things. Notwithstanding what my noble friend said, the creative industries have been an absolute powerhouse in creating opportunities for young people. When the Kickstart scheme went live—I was involved—they embraced it, especially the people at Pinewood Studios. They gave them opportunities, such as James Bond, and some of us might remember the Ealing comedies. This was very good, but please can the Minister tell us whether the Government have done any impact assessment on the Employment Rights Act and the national insurance hikes? I think we will find that they have stopped opportunities for young people, so I hope it is something that the commissioner will look at.

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

One of the key priorities for this Government is to make creative careers accessible for everyone, including by making sure that we get career opportunities for more people from diverse backgrounds. I will have to come back to the noble Baroness on those points. We want to make sure that we get join-up, on which this freelance champion will engage.

[Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall (Lab)]

My Lords, my noble friend the Minister will agree with me, I am sure, that, within the overall creative industries, the arts sector—performing and visual arts, and museums—is a significant employer of freelance practitioners. I would just say that within that sector there is a great deal of good practice in the employment of those freelancers. What progress has been made on the excellent report that our noble friend Lady Hodge recently produced on the Arts Council, which funds many of those organisations?

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

The Government and particularly DCMS strongly welcomed our noble friend Lady Hodge’s review of Arts Council England. It is an excellent read, which I commend to any noble Lords who have not read it. We are planning to publish our full response later this year, but we are already looking in detail at how our noble friend’s recommendations could be worked through.

[The Earl of Effingham (Con)]

My Lords, Minister Murray in the other place is driving success for creative industries in Liverpool but relies on government funding. As we have just heard, the Arts Council has advised, quite rightly, that a mixed-economy model, which combines public funding and private investment, produces the optimum outcome. Is DCMS working with the Treasury to make it easy for companies to invest and give them some kind of tax break incentive, the net result being positive for the sector and economic growth?

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

There are a number of tax incentives within the system currently. We are very clear that there is significant investment in creative industries in this country. I outlined some of those in relation to the rollout of the sector plan. We are very confident that we are working across government on the issues that the noble Earl raised.