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 (a) small and (b) independent artists in securing adequate levels of payments from music streaming services.

The Government recognises the vital importance of ensuring that all music creators, including independent artists, are appropriately compensated for their work. Many have raised legitimate concerns about remuneration from streaming platforms and we take these issues seriously. Through a dedicated working group, we are facilitating industry-led action on music streaming remuneration, with the aim of making meaningful progress.

We recognise that positive steps are being taken by parts of the industry, such as the decision by some, but not all, labels to disregard unrecouped advances in legacy contracts on a rolling basis. These are welcome moves that reflect an increasing recognition across the sector of the need for more equitable outcomes. However, there is still a clear need for further progress. Too many musicians and song writers are expected to work for a pittance. We remain committed to pursuing practical, effective solutions that empower our world-class industry and its creators to thrive.