Centre for Creativity, Regulation, Enterprise and Technology

Lord Marland Excerpts

Wednesday 31st October 2012 Lords Chamber

[Lord Clement-Jones]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to assess the objectives and work of the Centre for Creativity, Regulation, Enterprise and Technology (CREATe).

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Lord Marland)]

My Lords, the centre is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council and two other research councils. It is run by a consortium led by the University of Glasgow. It will be subject to the AHRC’s performance management framework for large investments, including regular reporting. The work and objectives of the centre will be overseen by a governance board chaired by the vice-principal for research and enterprise at the University of Glasgow.

[Lord Clement-Jones]

My Lords, is my noble friend confident that the research programme being undertaken by CREATe will support the creation and protection of intellectual property rather than undermine it? Many participants seem rather hostile to it. Is the research, which I believe will cost £5 million of public money, a valid way of supporting the creating industries?

[Lord Marland]

My noble friend must understand that this has not been initiated by the Government; it was initiated by the research councils. They have budgeted accordingly and think that it is the right thing to do. It would be totally wrong of the Government not to support any initiative to do with the creative industries, particularly at this time.

[Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury]

My Lords, is my noble friend confident that the academics engaged in CREATe have the support and confidence of the creative industries which we all support so much?

[Lord Marland]

I must thank the noble Baroness for her work in the Creative Industries Council, of which she is a member. Of course, she has first-hand knowledge of these things. However, I will not legislate on behalf of the Government as to whether this proposal should work. It will be up to the AHRC, which has been invested with it. That is the right thing to do.