Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the (a) effectiveness of screen industry training pathways and (b) potential merits of additional support for industry-led, on-set training frameworks developed by working professionals.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Creative Industries Sector Plan sets out our approach to developing a high-quality and targeted skills and training offer, meeting the workforce requirements of the creative industries. This includes responding to the rapid changes in the screen sector to build a resilient skills base that can adapt and thrive as new opportunities emerge, and to retain knowledge within the domestic freelance workforce. We are supporting industry to develop skills passports, which will support the documenting and transfer of industry-recognised skills and competencies.
The Government’s £10 million investment in the National Film and Television School (NFTS) will deliver 2,000 new trainee and apprenticeship opportunities and has unlocked £11 million in private investment from partners including Disney, the Broccoli Foundation, and Sky. The investment is focused on increasing access for disabled students and providing structured career paths. This adds to the Government's investment in infrastructure to support virtual production and adoption of emerging technology as part of the government’s £75.6 million investment in the CoSTAR programme and its expansion through DCMS's £25 million Createch Futures.
As part of the BFI National Lottery Funding Plan 2026-2029, £35.55 million will also be provided for Skills and Workforce Development. This includes a refreshed BFI Film Academy with additional Government funding, continuation of the BFI National Lottery Skills Clusters Fund and the WorkWise for Screen pilot.
More broadly, this Government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will offer greater flexibility to employers and learners. As of August 2025, shorter apprenticeships are now possible for screen and audio production assistant apprentices, and from April 2026, we will introduce short course ‘apprenticeship units’ in areas such as digital and AI. Additionally, Skills Bootcamps continue to offer free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks in areas including Film Production and Screen Crafts, giving people the chance to build sector-specific skills with an offer of a job interview on completion.
In November, Skills England also introduced the UK Standard Skills Classification, the first standardised skills framework of its kind in our country, to help everyone from individual job seekers to major employers to navigate the world of skills with confidence.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support the development of standardised skills frame-works and transferable accreditation systems for freelance technical roles in the UK screen industries.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Creative Industries Sector Plan sets out our approach to developing a high-quality and targeted skills and training offer, meeting the workforce requirements of the creative industries. This includes responding to the rapid changes in the screen sector to build a resilient skills base that can adapt and thrive as new opportunities emerge, and to retain knowledge within the domestic freelance workforce. We are supporting industry to develop skills passports, which will support the documenting and transfer of industry-recognised skills and competencies.
The Government’s £10 million investment in the National Film and Television School (NFTS) will deliver 2,000 new trainee and apprenticeship opportunities and has unlocked £11 million in private investment from partners including Disney, the Broccoli Foundation, and Sky. The investment is focused on increasing access for disabled students and providing structured career paths. This adds to the Government's investment in infrastructure to support virtual production and adoption of emerging technology as part of the government’s £75.6 million investment in the CoSTAR programme and its expansion through DCMS's £25 million Createch Futures.
As part of the BFI National Lottery Funding Plan 2026-2029, £35.55 million will also be provided for Skills and Workforce Development. This includes a refreshed BFI Film Academy with additional Government funding, continuation of the BFI National Lottery Skills Clusters Fund and the WorkWise for Screen pilot.
More broadly, this Government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will offer greater flexibility to employers and learners. As of August 2025, shorter apprenticeships are now possible for screen and audio production assistant apprentices, and from April 2026, we will introduce short course ‘apprenticeship units’ in areas such as digital and AI. Additionally, Skills Bootcamps continue to offer free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks in areas including Film Production and Screen Crafts, giving people the chance to build sector-specific skills with an offer of a job interview on completion.
In November, Skills England also introduced the UK Standard Skills Classification, the first standardised skills framework of its kind in our country, to help everyone from individual job seekers to major employers to navigate the world of skills with confidence.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support industry-led workforce development initiatives to provide consistent training and progression pathways across the UK screen sector.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Creative Industries Sector Plan sets out our approach to developing a high-quality and targeted skills and training offer, meeting the workforce requirements of the creative industries. This includes responding to the rapid changes in the screen sector to build a resilient skills base that can adapt and thrive as new opportunities emerge, and to retain knowledge within the domestic freelance workforce. We are supporting industry to develop skills passports, which will support the documenting and transfer of industry-recognised skills and competencies.
The Government’s £10 million investment in the National Film and Television School (NFTS) will deliver 2,000 new trainee and apprenticeship opportunities and has unlocked £11 million in private investment from partners including Disney, the Broccoli Foundation, and Sky. The investment is focused on increasing access for disabled students and providing structured career paths. This adds to the Government's investment in infrastructure to support virtual production and adoption of emerging technology as part of the government’s £75.6 million investment in the CoSTAR programme and its expansion through DCMS's £25 million Createch Futures.
As part of the BFI National Lottery Funding Plan 2026-2029, £35.55 million will also be provided for Skills and Workforce Development. This includes a refreshed BFI Film Academy with additional Government funding, continuation of the BFI National Lottery Skills Clusters Fund and the WorkWise for Screen pilot.
More broadly, this Government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will offer greater flexibility to employers and learners. As of August 2025, shorter apprenticeships are now possible for screen and audio production assistant apprentices, and from April 2026, we will introduce short course ‘apprenticeship units’ in areas such as digital and AI. Additionally, Skills Bootcamps continue to offer free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks in areas including Film Production and Screen Crafts, giving people the chance to build sector-specific skills with an offer of a job interview on completion.
In November, Skills England also introduced the UK Standard Skills Classification, the first standardised skills framework of its kind in our country, to help everyone from individual job seekers to major employers to navigate the world of skills with confidence.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to on-set mentorship on training and skills transfer on the film and television industry.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Creative Industries Sector Plan sets out our approach to developing a high-quality and targeted skills and training offer, meeting the workforce requirements of the creative industries. This includes responding to the rapid changes in the screen sector to build a resilient skills base that can adapt and thrive as new opportunities emerge, and to retain knowledge within the domestic freelance workforce. We are supporting industry to develop skills passports, which will support the documenting and transfer of industry-recognised skills and competencies.
The Government’s £10 million investment in the National Film and Television School (NFTS) will deliver 2,000 new trainee and apprenticeship opportunities and has unlocked £11 million in private investment from partners including Disney, the Broccoli Foundation, and Sky. The investment is focused on increasing access for disabled students and providing structured career paths. This adds to the Government's investment in infrastructure to support virtual production and adoption of emerging technology as part of the government’s £75.6 million investment in the CoSTAR programme and its expansion through DCMS's £25 million Createch Futures.
As part of the BFI National Lottery Funding Plan 2026-2029, £35.55 million will also be provided for Skills and Workforce Development. This includes a refreshed BFI Film Academy with additional Government funding, continuation of the BFI National Lottery Skills Clusters Fund and the WorkWise for Screen pilot.
More broadly, this Government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will offer greater flexibility to employers and learners. As of August 2025, shorter apprenticeships are now possible for screen and audio production assistant apprentices, and from April 2026, we will introduce short course ‘apprenticeship units’ in areas such as digital and AI. Additionally, Skills Bootcamps continue to offer free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks in areas including Film Production and Screen Crafts, giving people the chance to build sector-specific skills with an offer of a job interview on completion.
In November, Skills England also introduced the UK Standard Skills Classification, the first standardised skills framework of its kind in our country, to help everyone from individual job seekers to major employers to navigate the world of skills with confidence.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to improve accessibility and reduce financial barriers to training and career progression within the freelance screen workforce.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Creative Industries Sector Plan sets out our approach to developing a high-quality and targeted skills and training offer, meeting the workforce requirements of the creative industries. This includes responding to the rapid changes in the screen sector to build a resilient skills base that can adapt and thrive as new opportunities emerge, and to retain knowledge within the domestic freelance workforce. We are supporting industry to develop skills passports, which will support the documenting and transfer of industry-recognised skills and competencies.
The Government’s £10 million investment in the National Film and Television School (NFTS) will deliver 2,000 new trainee and apprenticeship opportunities and has unlocked £11 million in private investment from partners including Disney, the Broccoli Foundation, and Sky. The investment is focused on increasing access for disabled students and providing structured career paths. This adds to the Government's investment in infrastructure to support virtual production and adoption of emerging technology as part of the government’s £75.6 million investment in the CoSTAR programme and its expansion through DCMS's £25 million Createch Futures.
As part of the BFI National Lottery Funding Plan 2026-2029, £35.55 million will also be provided for Skills and Workforce Development. This includes a refreshed BFI Film Academy with additional Government funding, continuation of the BFI National Lottery Skills Clusters Fund and the WorkWise for Screen pilot.
More broadly, this Government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will offer greater flexibility to employers and learners. As of August 2025, shorter apprenticeships are now possible for screen and audio production assistant apprentices, and from April 2026, we will introduce short course ‘apprenticeship units’ in areas such as digital and AI. Additionally, Skills Bootcamps continue to offer free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks in areas including Film Production and Screen Crafts, giving people the chance to build sector-specific skills with an offer of a job interview on completion.
In November, Skills England also introduced the UK Standard Skills Classification, the first standardised skills framework of its kind in our country, to help everyone from individual job seekers to major employers to navigate the world of skills with confidence.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of skills and knowledge retention within the freelance film and high-end television workforce.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Creative Industries Sector Plan sets out our approach to developing a high-quality and targeted skills and training offer, meeting the workforce requirements of the creative industries. This includes responding to the rapid changes in the screen sector to build a resilient skills base that can adapt and thrive as new opportunities emerge, and to retain knowledge within the domestic freelance workforce. We are supporting industry to develop skills passports, which will support the documenting and transfer of industry-recognised skills and competencies.
The Government’s £10 million investment in the National Film and Television School (NFTS) will deliver 2,000 new trainee and apprenticeship opportunities and has unlocked £11 million in private investment from partners including Disney, the Broccoli Foundation, and Sky. The investment is focused on increasing access for disabled students and providing structured career paths. This adds to the Government's investment in infrastructure to support virtual production and adoption of emerging technology as part of the government’s £75.6 million investment in the CoSTAR programme and its expansion through DCMS's £25 million Createch Futures.
As part of the BFI National Lottery Funding Plan 2026-2029, £35.55 million will also be provided for Skills and Workforce Development. This includes a refreshed BFI Film Academy with additional Government funding, continuation of the BFI National Lottery Skills Clusters Fund and the WorkWise for Screen pilot.
More broadly, this Government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will offer greater flexibility to employers and learners. As of August 2025, shorter apprenticeships are now possible for screen and audio production assistant apprentices, and from April 2026, we will introduce short course ‘apprenticeship units’ in areas such as digital and AI. Additionally, Skills Bootcamps continue to offer free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks in areas including Film Production and Screen Crafts, giving people the chance to build sector-specific skills with an offer of a job interview on completion.
In November, Skills England also introduced the UK Standard Skills Classification, the first standardised skills framework of its kind in our country, to help everyone from individual job seekers to major employers to navigate the world of skills with confidence.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help support industry-led training and workforce infrastructure in the freelance screen workforce.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Creative Industries Sector Plan sets out our approach to developing a high-quality and targeted skills and training offer, meeting the workforce requirements of the creative industries. This includes responding to the rapid changes in the screen sector to build a resilient skills base that can adapt and thrive as new opportunities emerge, and to retain knowledge within the domestic freelance workforce. We are supporting industry to develop skills passports, which will support the documenting and transfer of industry-recognised skills and competencies.
The Government’s £10 million investment in the National Film and Television School (NFTS) will deliver 2,000 new trainee and apprenticeship opportunities and has unlocked £11 million in private investment from partners including Disney, the Broccoli Foundation, and Sky. The investment is focused on increasing access for disabled students and providing structured career paths. This adds to the Government's investment in infrastructure to support virtual production and adoption of emerging technology as part of the government’s £75.6 million investment in the CoSTAR programme and its expansion through DCMS's £25 million Createch Futures.
As part of the BFI National Lottery Funding Plan 2026-2029, £35.55 million will also be provided for Skills and Workforce Development. This includes a refreshed BFI Film Academy with additional Government funding, continuation of the BFI National Lottery Skills Clusters Fund and the WorkWise for Screen pilot.
More broadly, this Government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will offer greater flexibility to employers and learners. As of August 2025, shorter apprenticeships are now possible for screen and audio production assistant apprentices, and from April 2026, we will introduce short course ‘apprenticeship units’ in areas such as digital and AI. Additionally, Skills Bootcamps continue to offer free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks in areas including Film Production and Screen Crafts, giving people the chance to build sector-specific skills with an offer of a job interview on completion.
In November, Skills England also introduced the UK Standard Skills Classification, the first standardised skills framework of its kind in our country, to help everyone from individual job seekers to major employers to navigate the world of skills with confidence.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support parents and carers with childcare flexibility in the freelance screen industries.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department of Culture, Media and Sport recognises that the freelance workforce is crucial to the success of the UK's world-leading creative industries, and we are committed to listening to the voices of the self-employed as we develop policies for the creative industries. The Creative Industries Sector Plan committed to increasing the diversity of the creative workforce, which includes ensuring that parents and carers can continue sustainable careers.
It is good to see initiatives such as Raising Films to support parents and carers in this sector, showing positive industry action. More broadly, the Government has committed to a review of the parental leave and pay system. The review will look at whether support available meets the needs of other working families who do not qualify for existing leave and pay entitlements, such as self-employed parents.
Where staff in the Film and HETV sector have employee status, they will benefit from reforms delivered through the Employment Rights Act including changes to make it more likely that flexible working requests are accepted, making paternity and unpaid parental leave a ‘day one’ right, and making it unlawful to dismiss a woman who is pregnant, including for six months after her return to work - except in specific circumstances. We are also supporting carers who want to work alongside managing their caring responsibilities is an important element of our plans to modernise the world of work. This is why we are reviewing the implementation of carer's leave and looking at where any improvements may be needed.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to improve financial stability for film and television workers during periods of production slowdown.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department of Culture, Media and Sport recognises that the freelance workforce is crucial to the success of the UK's world-leading creative industries, including the screen sector, but we understand that many self-employed workers in the creative industries desire greater job security.
We committed in the Creative Industries Sector Plan to increase the productivity, resilience and diversity of the creative workforce, including through the appointment of a Freelance Champion, who will advocate for the creative sector’s freelancers within government and be a member of the Creative Industries Council. Building on the Sector Plan, we are developing a sector Jobs Plan which will provide a clear direction of travel for government and industry to develop the domestic workforce together. The Creative Industries Jobs Plan will be published later this year.
For film and TV specifically, the global market is evolving quickly, creating significant opportunities for the UK. We remain an open and highly attractive destination for international investment, including £5.8 billion in inward screen investment in 2025 and record film production spend, and this has helped deliver some of our most successful content. Major global studios and streamers are investing directly in UK skills and talent, including through support for the National Film and Television School (NFTS) and initiatives like the Prime Video Pathway. This investment strengthens our workforce and we want it to continue.
We are pairing global investment with strong public action to build resilience across the sector. Through the Creative Industries Sector Plan, we are delivering a £75 million Screen Growth Package to scale up domestic production, £10 million for the NFTS to create 2,000 new trainee and apprenticeship places, and £150 million through the Creative Places Growth Fund to expand film and TV activity across the regions. These measures sit alongside competitive tax reliefs, including the Independent Film Tax Credit, modernised co‑production treaties and expanded finance via the British Business Bank.
We have also strengthened terms of trade through the Media Act and have asked the Competition and Markets Authority, supported by Ofcom, to consider how market developments, including convergence, should inform future competition assessments. Through the BBC Charter Review and ongoing engagement with streamers, independents and Public Service Media (PSM) providers, we will continue to ensure that commissioning practices support a sustainable workforce and a thriving UK screen sector.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of income volatility among freelance workers in the film and high-end television sector.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department of Culture, Media and Sport recognises that the freelance workforce is crucial to the success of the UK's world-leading creative industries, including the screen sector, but we understand that many self-employed workers in the creative industries desire greater job security.
We committed in the Creative Industries Sector Plan to increase the productivity, resilience and diversity of the creative workforce, including through the appointment of a Freelance Champion, who will advocate for the creative sector’s freelancers within government and be a member of the Creative Industries Council. Building on the Sector Plan, we are developing a sector Jobs Plan which will provide a clear direction of travel for government and industry to develop the domestic workforce together. The Creative Industries Jobs Plan will be published later this year.
For film and TV specifically, the global market is evolving quickly, creating significant opportunities for the UK. We remain an open and highly attractive destination for international investment, including £5.8 billion in inward screen investment in 2025 and record film production spend, and this has helped deliver some of our most successful content. Major global studios and streamers are investing directly in UK skills and talent, including through support for the National Film and Television School (NFTS) and initiatives like the Prime Video Pathway. This investment strengthens our workforce and we want it to continue.
We are pairing global investment with strong public action to build resilience across the sector. Through the Creative Industries Sector Plan, we are delivering a £75 million Screen Growth Package to scale up domestic production, £10 million for the NFTS to create 2,000 new trainee and apprenticeship places, and £150 million through the Creative Places Growth Fund to expand film and TV activity across the regions. These measures sit alongside competitive tax reliefs, including the Independent Film Tax Credit, modernised co‑production treaties and expanded finance via the British Business Bank.
We have also strengthened terms of trade through the Media Act and have asked the Competition and Markets Authority, supported by Ofcom, to consider how market developments, including convergence, should inform future competition assessments. Through the BBC Charter Review and ongoing engagement with streamers, independents and Public Service Media (PSM) providers, we will continue to ensure that commissioning practices support a sustainable workforce and a thriving UK screen sector.