Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any implications of the proposed merger between Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery on (1) the UK's commercial public sector broadcasters, (2) the BBC, and (3) the UK's independent film production sector; and if they have not made any such assessment, whether they intend to do so.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Given the legal and commercial sensitivities involved, it would not be appropriate for the Government to comment on any live or potential media merger involving Warner Bros Discovery or other US‑based companies. As set out in our Creative Industries Sector Plan, we recognise that convergence in the TV and streaming market is leading to greater consolidation as companies seek economies of scale. Should any proposed transaction progress, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) would be responsible for examining implications for competition and consumers.
The Government recognises the vital role that cinemas and independent British content play in local communities and in supporting economic growth. That is why we have committed to backing the UK's film and TV industry in the Sector Plan, which includes a £75 million Screen Growth Package with an £18 million per year expansion of the UK Global Screen Fund to support independent UK content. We continue to offer world-leading tax credits - 53% for independent film and 34% for high-end TV - the latter providing over £1 billion in support to British television. We remain in close contact with the British Film Institute, British Film Commission, and UK Cinema Association on the challenges facing content producers and exhibitors.
The Government has also committed to taking action to support the future of public service media, which is why we are getting on with implementing the Media Act 2024 and have recently launched the BBC Charter Review. Ofcom’s Public Service Media review also makes a number of recommendations that will inform that work.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
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 increase the competitiveness of the (a) visual effects and (b) animation industry.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government has prioritised film and television as a high-growth sub-sector in the Industrial Strategy and Creative Industries Sector Plan.
Many of the interventions in the £75 million Screen Growth Package we announced in the Sector Plan will benefit VFX and animation. For example, we are scaling up the UK Global Screen Fund to £18 million per year, which will include a new majority co-production strand for UK animation. Through the Sector Plan, we will ensure that the UK continues to develop world-class talent, facilities and innovation in animation and VFX, including through £10 million to expand capacity and apprenticeships at the National Film & Television School, and £25 million for five new CoSTAR labs advancing augmented reality and motion capture technologies.
In addition, we continue to offer generous and stable tax credits - including the new credit for VFX costs in film and TV we introduced last year, and recent changes to R&D credits which now better recognise artists' roles in addressing scientific and technological challenges. In addition, the British Business Bank is increasing financial backing for the Creative Industries opening new opportunities for screen businesses and IP creators.
DCMS remains in close contact with UK Screen Alliance and Animation UK on the sector's opportunities and challenges.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the answer of 26 November 2025 to question 92072, what framework, conditions and support she has agreed with the TV and film sector since July 2024 to ensure the inclusion of English regional dialects in productions.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Our priority is supporting a healthy and mixed screen ecology where public service broadcasters, alongside commercial broadcasters, can continue to deliver high-quality, culturally relevant content for audiences across England and the UK.
The Government has engaged extensively with industry and has consistently championed the commissioning and production of programming in all parts of the country, For example, the BBC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the West Midlands Combined Authority and Create Central, committing to increased output, skills investment, and a new production base in Digbeth.
In addition Part 1 of the Media Act 2024, once commenced, will for the first time make clear in legislation the importance of the provision of indigenous regional and minority languages in the modernised public service remit for television, and will require public service broadcasters to provide a sufficient quantity of audiovisual content that reflects the lives and concerns of different communities and cultural interests across the UK. It will be for Ofcom, the independent regulator, to monitor compliance.
Alongside this, and building on competitive fiscal incentives like the Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit, the Creative Industries Sector Plan published in June, also set out plans for how the Government will support television and film and television production across the nations and regions, tapping into the huge potential for growth across the country. Our £75 million Screen Growth Package specifically will support regional growth of Film & TV alongside wider measures - from our £150m Creative Places Growth Fund, to £100m for the Creative Industries Clusters programme - helping to create opportunities for all.
Asked by: Baroness Griffin of Princethorpe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the production of original UK content in film, television and radio.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government continues to incentivise the production of original content across film, television and radio. The Creative Industries is one of eight growth-driving sectors in our Industrial Strategy. Our ten-year Sector Plan, published in June, sets out over sixty commitments, with film and TV prioritised as a 'frontier industry' due to its high growth potential and strong connections across the wider economy.
The Sector Plan supports the screen sector, through a £75 million Screen Growth Package to fund original UK film and television content, helping independent British productions reach global audiences. This includes an £18 million per annum scale up of the UK Global Screen Fund supporting development, co-productions, and international distribution. We have also maintained a 40% reduction on business rates for eligible film studios in England until 2034, directly supporting world-class filming facilities across the country.
Our competitive tax reliefs across the audiovisual sector, including high-end TV, visual effects and independent British film, in addition to our generous support for studio infrastructure encourages production activity across the UK.
Our public service broadcasters, in particular, are all subject to original production quotas, which require them to make a minimum level (by hours) of original content, whether commissioned or produced, available on their respective services. Our reputation as a world-leader in film and television production coupled with the attractive fiscal incentives offered by the Government means we also continue to attract significant inward investment from global streaming services and studios.
The UK’s commercial radio sector has benefited from changes in the Media Act to reduce regulatory burdens on licensed stations and the introduction of new protections for the carriage of radio services on smart speaker platforms. We are exploring, as part of the Creative Industries Sector Plan, the scope to encourage further growth in the UK’s audio and podcast sector. We have recently commissioned a new study by Frontier Economics to assess the economic potential of the radio and podcasting sector. This research will be completed no later than summer 2026.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
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 (a) film and (b) television industry in (i) Surrey and (ii) Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is committed to spreading the benefits of our world-leading film and TV sector right across the country. That includes existing production hubs like Surrey - home to world-class facilities such as Longcross and Shepperton.
This is why we have maintained a 40% reduction on business rates for eligible film studios in England until 2034, directly supporting Surrey's studios and protecting local jobs and investment.
Further to this, the Creative Industries is one of eight growth-driving sectors in our Industrial Strategy. In June, we published a ten-year Sector Plan setting out over sixty commitments, with film and TV prioritised as a 'frontier industry' due to its high growth potential and strong connections across the wider economy.
To support this, we have announced a £75 million Screen Growth Package to bolster independent UK content, attract international investment, and showcase British cinema globally. This includes funding for the British Film Commission to drive inward investment into facilities like those in Surrey, stable and competitive tax reliefs such as the Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit, and a scaled-up UK Global Screen Fund to support co-productions and international distribution.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 Northern Ireland film industry.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
While culture is a devolved policy area, the department works closely with its Arm’s Length Body, the British Film Institute (BFI), and the devolved governments on a range of funding and initiatives for the film industry - including in Northern Ireland. This includes the UK-wide screen sector tax reliefs, as well as the £75 million Screen Growth Package announced in the Creatives Industries Sector Plan.
DCMS will continue to work with the Northern Ireland Executive to support culture and creativity in Northern Ireland - particularly through the Belfast Cluster as an anchor location creating opportunities for businesses and talent. This includes continued annual funding from the UK government to NI Screen to support the Irish Language and Ulster-Scots Broadcast Funds.
Through their National Lottery programmes, the BFI will also continue to support the screen sector in Northern Ireland - particularly through the dedicated Northern Ireland Screen fund. The British Film Commission (BFC), a national body supported by funding from DCMS, also supports and promotes UK-wide film and high-end television production and works in close partnership with the national and regional screen agencies.
Asked by: Nigel Huddleston (Conservative - Droitwich and Evesham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the report by the Injury Prevention Consultancy entitled Impact of Injury ’24 report, published in March 2025, what steps his Department has taken to help ensure the safety of performers and crew in their place of work.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and associated regulations provide a framework for securing the health, safety and welfare of those working in the sector. Employers and the self-employed are required to comply with this law. A further duty is placed on them by Regulation 3 of The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, which requires every employer to make a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of the risks to those employees and non-employees in relation to risks arising from conduct of their undertaking and share the significant findings.
To help the industry comply with their duties under health and safety law, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides a wide range of guidance on common risks which may be applicable to activities within film, television and theatrical production. HSE also provides a range of guidance specific to film and television industry, describing the various roles and responsibilities of those within the production process (INDG360 - Health and safety in audio-visual production. Your legal duties) and guidance and information sheets for specific production activities and risks, e.g. stunts, use of firearms and filming while using vehicles. All guidance is freely available on the HSE website, a section of which is dedicated to health and safety in the film, theatre and broadcasting industries. Industry specific guidance is also available from a range of industry bodies and stakeholders.
HSE facilitates and chairs the Joint Advisory Committee for Entertainment (JACE). Membership is drawn from industry trade bodies, trades unions, large event facilities and the major national broadcasting organisations. It is a forum to consider problems in the industry, is a route for raising industry concerns with government, enforcing authorities, manufacturers, suppliers etc, and promotes improved health and safety standards within the industry, as encouraged in the report.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will support initiatives to connect books with (a) TV, (b) film and (c) gaming franchises to engage children and young people with reading.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The government recognises the importance of reading for children’s development and of reading for pleasure. All children should have the opportunity to access books and other resources to support their learning and enjoyment. Many recognisable British stories start out as books before finding new audiences told through film, TV and video games adaptations, with production supported by the Government’s stable, efficient and reliable creative tax reliefs. The government is always supportive of the creative industries working together to enhance access of children to reading and literacy.
Arts Council England provides funding to literature organisations, writers, and independent publishers through National Portfolio funding and project grants. This includes grants for literary festivals, and support for organisations like BookTrust, which in addition to getting millions of children reading each year, works with school children until the age of 13 to showcase the very best in children’s literature. Moreover, Into Film and their partners have developed a course “Teaching Literacy through Film” which supports the use of film in classroom settings to improve speaking, listening, comprehension, and writing attainment. Many resources are provided from Oliver Twist to How to Train Your Dragon which combine the best of film and literature to provide excellent learning outcomes.
The government has also established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The review seeks to deliver an excellent foundation in the core subjects of reading, writing and maths, and a rich and broad, inclusive and innovative curriculum that readies young people for life and work. This includes creative subjects such as art and design, music and drama. The Review Group has now published a well-evidenced, clear interim report, which highlights the successes of the current system, making clear that the most trusted and valued aspects of our system will remain, whilst setting a positive vision for the future. The government will respond to the final recommendations in autumn.
In addition to the role that industry can play, public libraries are an important resource for teachers, parents and children to engage children and young people with reading.
Asked by: James Frith (Labour - Bury North)
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 help support the (a) long-term growth, (b) international competitiveness and (c) financial sustainability of the film production sector in the UK.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We are committed to supporting the growth and sustainability of the film sector. We provide globally competitive tax measures to incentivise production. We are investing in infrastructure through continued funding via the British Film Commission (BFC) which has doubled the amount of studio space since 2020, and we are providing a 40% business rates relief for eligible film studios until 2034. We are supporting our independent domestic sector through our 53% independent film tax relief and committing a further £7m this year to the UK Global Screen Fund to promote and distribute UK independent screen content. We are strengthening our public service broadcasters through the Media Act. And we are working with industry to support the skills pipeline to ensure the sustainability of the sector for years to come.
As part of our Industrial Strategy, we will soon publish a Creative Industries Sector Plan, which will set out actions to support the growth of the film and TV sector.
Asked by: James Frith (Labour - Bury North)
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 help ensure the financial sustainability of film studios in the UK.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We are committed to supporting the growth and sustainability of the film sector. We provide globally competitive tax measures to incentivise production. We are investing in infrastructure through continued funding via the British Film Commission (BFC) which has doubled the amount of studio space since 2020, and we are providing a 40% business rates relief for eligible film studios until 2034. We are supporting our independent domestic sector through our 53% independent film tax relief and committing a further £7m this year to the UK Global Screen Fund to promote and distribute UK independent screen content. We are strengthening our public service broadcasters through the Media Act. And we are working with industry to support the skills pipeline to ensure the sustainability of the sector for years to come.
As part of our Industrial Strategy, we will soon publish a Creative Industries Sector Plan, which will set out actions to support the growth of the film and TV sector.