Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the reasons for a decrease in the number of jobs filled in the (a) film, (b) television, (c) video, (d) radio and (e) music digital subsector in 2022-23.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
There are a multitude of factors affecting the number of filled jobs across the creative industries in any given year. Recently this has included the recession in the TV advertising market; streaming services reducing content budgets as they prioritise profitability; and the impact of the US writers strike. Major companies in the digital music industry have also cut staff or relocated employees outside the UK, partly due to the maturation of streaming services and a need to streamline their global operations.
Despite these challenges, the creative industries remain one of the fastest growing sectors in the UK economy. They have been identified as a priority sector in the Government’s Industrial Strategy based on their significant potential for supporting opportunity and growth in the country.
To address skills shortages and support long-term development, Skills England, a new arm’s-length body, will form a coherent national picture of where skills gaps exist and collaborate with key partners to meet the skills needs of the next decade.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate his Department has made of the number of over 75s in the Foyle constituency who will be required to pay for TV licences.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The government is deeply disappointed with the BBC’s decision to restrict the over 75 licence fee concession to only those in receipt of pension credit. We recognise the value of free TV licences for over-75s and believe they should be funded by the BBC.
However, the Digital Economy Act 2017 provides that the future of the concession is the responsibility of the BBC, not of the government. The BBC must look urgently at how it can use its substantial licence fee income to support older people and deliver for UK audiences of all ages.
The BBC has estimated that around 3.7 million households will now be expected to pay for their TV licence as a result of its decision. The BBC has not published information on the breakdown by constituency of those affected by its decision.