Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of an opt-out for AI and copyright on (a) visual artists sharing their works online and (b) museums and galleries displaying artists’ works.
Answered by Feryal Clark
The Government’s consultation on Copyright and AI, which sought views on proposals to support the development and use of AI technology while continuing to reward human creators, has just closed
The Government published an assessment of options alongside the consultation. Further information and evidence on the economic impact of the use of AI models on visual artists and the wider creative and cultural heritage sector was welcomed as part of the consultation.
Our priority now is to review the evidence from the consultation which will inform the Government response.
Asked by: Jonathan Davies (Labour - Mid Derbyshire)
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 rural (a) museum and (b) arts and music venues in (i) Mid Derbyshire constituency and (ii) the East Midlands.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Secretary of State announced a new £270 million Arts Everywhere Fund on 20 February. This will include support to museums, arts and music venues across the country and is a critical step that this Government is taking to help create jobs, boost local economies, and expand access to arts and culture for communities.
This is in addition to steps already being taken to support arts and culture via the Arts Council England (ACE). In the East Midlands, ACE is providing regular National Portfolio funding to 72 organisations from 2023-2027. This includes more than £8.7 million to nine museum services including Derby Museums and Creswell Crags. £4.8 million has been awarded to eight music organisations including Derby based Baby People and Sinfonia Viva (the orchestra of the East Midlands).
Across the East Midlands, since 2021, ACE has also awarded £37.5 million to music organisations and projects via the Grassroots Music Fund, and £7.5 million to regional museum projects via the Museum Estate and Development Fund.
In the Mid Derbyshire constituency, ACE has supported eight individual artists since 2021 through its Developing your Creative Practice grants, providing a total of £73,111 of funding across visual arts and music. ACE has also made six awards across combined arts, literature, theatre and museums in the constituency through National Lottery Grants, totalling more than £272,000.
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 support the film industry in (a) England and (b) Hertsmere.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government’s Industrial Strategy will prioritise the creative industries.
We will ensure that the sector can continue to drive growth, boost opportunities and help people to fulfil their creative potential across the UK, including in Hertsmere. Our support includes:
Providing £1 million in funding for 2025/26 for the British Film Commission, which has previously provided support for both Elstree Studios and Sky Studios Elstree in Hertsmere;
Expanding the global reach of independent content through with a further £7 million for the UK Global Screen Fund in 2025/26;
Building on the success of the screen sector tax reliefs, by introducing the enhanced Independent Film Tax Credit, and a new 5% uplift on the rate of relief for visual effects.
Opportunities to drive growth in our screen sectors exist across the whole of the UK, with seven established film production hubs and many more areas brimming with potential and ambition. The film industry also benefits from two major UK Research and Innovation programmes run by the Arts and Humanities Research Council: the £75.6 million CoSTAR programme and the £56 million Creative Industries Clusters programme
In addition, the British Film Institute has committed £34.2 million National Lottery funding over 2023-2026 for education and skills programmes. This includes £9 million to develop skills clusters, one of which has been set up to cover the Metro London area, which includes Hertfordshire, led by Film London.
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 ensure growth in the British film industry.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government’s Industrial Strategy will prioritise the creative industries.
We will ensure that the sector can continue to drive growth, boost opportunities and help people to fulfil their creative potential across the UK, including in Hertsmere. Our support includes:
Providing £1 million in funding for 2025/26 for the British Film Commission, which has previously provided support for both Elstree Studios and Sky Studios Elstree in Hertsmere;
Expanding the global reach of independent content through with a further £7 million for the UK Global Screen Fund in 2025/26;
Building on the success of the screen sector tax reliefs, by introducing the enhanced Independent Film Tax Credit, and a new 5% uplift on the rate of relief for visual effects.
Opportunities to drive growth in our screen sectors exist across the whole of the UK, with seven established film production hubs and many more areas brimming with potential and ambition. The film industry also benefits from two major UK Research and Innovation programmes run by the Arts and Humanities Research Council: the £75.6 million CoSTAR programme and the £56 million Creative Industries Clusters programme
In addition, the British Film Institute has committed £34.2 million National Lottery funding over 2023-2026 for education and skills programmes. This includes £9 million to develop skills clusters, one of which has been set up to cover the Metro London area, which includes Hertfordshire, led by Film London.
Asked by: Samantha Niblett (Labour - South Derbyshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to take steps to strengthen bilateral cooperation with Australia on matters relating to the (a) sports and (b) cultural sectors.
Answered by Catherine West
The UK maintains a strong and modern partnership with Australia across sporting and cultural fields, fostering mutual understanding and people-to-people ties. Over the next year, significant sporting events, including the England Women's Cricket and British Lions tours to Australia, will showcase our enduring sporting links. The British Council collaborates closely with Australian institutions as exemplified by the 2022 UK-Australia Season of Culture. We remain committed to deepening these connections, including when looking ahead to Australia's hosting of the Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032. There are several major UK contemporary visual arts and museum exhibitions touring to Australia in 2025.
Asked by: Lord Freyberg (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government how the Department of Culture, Media and Sport distinguishes and accounts for different income scenarios when collecting and analysing data related to visual artists, for example, where the artists derive their main income from sources other than their artistic endeavours.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) publishes official statistics on earnings in the sectors and occupations for which it has policy responsibility. These statistics focus on how much is earned by an individual in a particular job, rather than providing information on an individuals’ total earnings.
We publish the following estimates of earnings:
Based on the Office for National Statistics (ONS)’s Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, we publish median annual and weekly earnings for any job in a DCMS sector. This would include anyone working in, for example, the cultural subsector of ‘Arts’ and the creative industries subsector ‘Music, performing and visual arts’. Earnings of visual artists who are self-employed or who work in industries outside these statistics would not be captured in these earnings estimates.
Based on ONS’s Annual Population Survey, we publish hourly gross pay estimates for any self-identified main job in a DCMS sector. Using the same data source, we also publish hourly gross pay estimates for any self-identified main job in a DCMS creative occupation. This would include, for example, Artists (SOC 3411) and Graphic Designers (SOC 3421).
We recently asked users of our statistics for feedback on these estimates and are considering our plans for these publications in the future.
Asked by: Lord Freyberg (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government how the Department of Culture, Media and Sport captures information about visual artists’ overall income when they derive their main income from sources other than their artistic endeavours.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) publishes official statistics on earnings in the sectors and occupations for which it has policy responsibility. These statistics focus on how much is earned by an individual in a particular job, rather than providing information on an individuals’ total earnings.
We publish the following estimates of earnings:
Based on the Office for National Statistics (ONS)’s Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, we publish median annual and weekly earnings for any job in a DCMS sector. This would include anyone working in, for example, the cultural subsector of ‘Arts’ and the creative industries subsector ‘Music, performing and visual arts’. Earnings of visual artists who are self-employed or who work in industries outside these statistics would not be captured in these earnings estimates.
Based on ONS’s Annual Population Survey, we publish hourly gross pay estimates for any self-identified main job in a DCMS sector. Using the same data source, we also publish hourly gross pay estimates for any self-identified main job in a DCMS creative occupation. This would include, for example, Artists (SOC 3411) and Graphic Designers (SOC 3421).
We recently asked users of our statistics for feedback on these estimates and are considering our plans for these publications in the future.
Asked by: Lord Freyberg (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government how the Department of Culture, Media and Sport ensures accuracy and comprehensiveness in capturing the financial details of visual artists who may have diverse income streams.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) publishes official statistics on earnings in the sectors and occupations for which it has policy responsibility. These statistics focus on how much is earned by an individual in a particular job, rather than providing information on an individuals’ total earnings.
We publish the following estimates of earnings:
Based on the Office for National Statistics (ONS)’s Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, we publish median annual and weekly earnings for any job in a DCMS sector. This would include anyone working in, for example, the cultural subsector of ‘Arts’ and the creative industries subsector ‘Music, performing and visual arts’. Earnings of visual artists who are self-employed or who work in industries outside these statistics would not be captured in these earnings estimates.
Based on ONS’s Annual Population Survey, we publish hourly gross pay estimates for any self-identified main job in a DCMS sector. Using the same data source, we also publish hourly gross pay estimates for any self-identified main job in a DCMS creative occupation. This would include, for example, Artists (SOC 3411) and Graphic Designers (SOC 3421).
We recently asked users of our statistics for feedback on these estimates and are considering our plans for these publications in the future.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of funding provided by Arts Council England for cultural activities in the East Midlands.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
His Majesty’s Government is deeply committed to supporting access to high-quality arts and culture across the country, including through public funding to organisations in the East Midlands via Arts Council England.
Through Arts Council England’s 2023–26 National Portfolio, public funding is being provided to 72 organisations (an increase from 54 in the 2018–22 portfolio) in the East Midlands, encompassing theatre, dance, museums, visual arts, literature and libraries. The total investment in the East Midlands through the national portfolio is currently £22.6 million per year – an increase of more than £5.4 million per year compared to the last portfolio.
Between 2020/21 and 2023/24, Arts Council England will have invested over £198 million in arts and cultural organisations in the East Midlands. This includes £8.7 million of public funding through the Government’s Cultural Development Fund, Libraries Improvement Fund and Museum Estate and Development Fund, administered by Arts Council England. Arts and cultural organisations in the East Midlands also benefited from over £43 million through the Culture Recovery Fund during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of funding provided by Arts Council England for cultural activities in the North East.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
His Majesty’s Government is deeply committed to supporting access to high-quality arts and culture across the country, including through public funding to organisations across the North East via Arts Council England.
Through Arts Council England’s 2023–26 National Portfolio, public funding is being provided to 56 organisations (an increase from 47 in the 2018–22 portfolio) in the North East, encompassing theatre, dance, museums, visual arts, literature and libraries. The total investment in the North East through the national portfolio is currently £24.4 million per year – an increase of more than £2.5 million per year compared to the last portfolio.
Between 2020/21 and 2023/24, Arts Council England will have invested over £181 million in arts and cultural organisations in the North East. This includes £8.5 million of public funding through the Government’s Cultural Development Fund, Libraries Improvement Fund, and Museum Estate and Development Fund, administered by Arts Council England. Arts and cultural organisations across the North East also benefited from over £36 million through the Culture Recovery Fund during the COVID-19 pandemic.