Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential importance of the advertising sector for the creative industries.

Advertising is a thriving sector that makes a significant and valuable contribution to the UK economy and creative industries. It is a key revenue source for many creative industries, underpinning the provision of key services that are positively transforming people’s lives. The Advertising and marketing sub-sector contributed £5.1 billion to UK exports in services worldwide in 2020. This was a 27.3% increase from the previous year. The UK is second in Portland’s Soft Power Index and the advertising sector plays a leading role in this ranking. The creative industries provide a distinctive image of our country and our cities, helping them to stand out from competitors. As a home to some of the most influential international advertising agencies, the UK advertising sector makes a significant contribution to the country’s soft power by creating awareness of, and familiarity surrounding, the nation’s products, services, cultural outputs and distinctive image abroad.