First Report - British film and high-end television
Select Committee
Culture, Media and Sport Committee
HC 328
10 April 2025
Government Response (AI assessment · 68 of 68 classified)
Accepted
17
Acknowledged
12
Deferred
11
Rejected
18
Government response
4th Special Report - British film and high-end television: Government Response · published 3 Jul 2025
Recommendations & Conclusions
7 results
2
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
Essential funding for film sector development needed to grow resilient production companies.
Conclusion
Development is the essence of R&D in the film sector. Funding it is essential for producers to develop valuable intellectual property, pay creative teams from the earliest stages of a project and maintain a consistent slate of films. This is …
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Government Response Summary
The government, while not changing the R&D definition, will publish revised guidance in 2025 clarifying that arts activities contributing to scientific or technological advances are within the scope of R&D tax reliefs. This aims to support eligible interdisciplinary innovation.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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21
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
Government lacks understanding of future studio space needs and business rates impact.
Conclusion
It is concerning that the Government does not know how much additional studio space the UK will need to support both inward investment and domestic production in the years ahead. Recent business rates revaluations also risked devastating inward investment in …
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Government Response Summary
The government addresses concerns about business rates by highlighting a 40% reduction for eligible film studios until 2034, and stating it will publish an interim report on business rates reform this summer with further details by Autumn Budget 2025.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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23
Recommendation
Accepted in Part
Require AVEC productions to report spending breakdown across UK nations and regions.
Recommendation
The Government should require productions claiming AVEC to report a breakdown of their spending across the nations and regions of the UK. This would improve data on the national and regional distribution of production spend and support the case for …
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Government Response Summary
The government rejects requiring productions to report regional spending due to concerns about adding complexity to tax incentives, but agrees on the merits of better regional data and will engage with BFI and industry partners to explore voluntary reporting.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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34
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
Ensure Growth and Skills Levy compatibility with film and HETV by addressing specific barriers.
Conclusion
The Growth and Skills Levy must be fully compatible with work in the film and HETV sectors by: (Recommendation, Paragraph 120) • Ensuring portability of apprenticeships between employers; • Supporting smaller companies with the overhead costs of delivering apprenticeships; • …
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Government Response Summary
The government commits to refining the Growth and Skills offer for creative industries, including shorter apprenticeships from August 2025 and new short courses from April 2026, and will consider smaller employers' needs. It is exploring the portability of apprenticeships but has not yet fully committed.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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38
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
Government and industry must increase support for film and HETV freelancers during unemployment.
Conclusion
The British film and HETV industry benefits hugely from the flexibility afforded by a predominantly freelance workforce, but in return both it and the Government need to do more to support freelancers when they are out of work. (Conclusion, Paragraph …
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Government Response Summary
The government commits to appointing a creative freelance champion in 2025 and outlines ongoing work to strengthen rights and protections for the self-employed, including measures against late payments. However, it explicitly rejects introducing a guaranteed basic income for creative freelancers.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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39
Recommendation
Accepted in Part
Set out specific measures to address pay precarity for creative industry freelancers.
Recommendation
In its forthcoming industrial strategy, the Government should set out specific measures to address pay precarity among freelancers working across the creative industries, such as a guaranteed basic income or minimum hourly wage. (Recommendation, Paragraph 136)
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Government Response Summary
The government commits to appointing a creative freelance champion by 2025 and highlights existing measures to tackle late payments and introduce written contracts. However, it explicitly rejects plans to introduce a guaranteed basic income or minimum hourly wage for creative freelancers.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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41
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
Appoint a Freelancers’ Commissioner to develop framework addressing industry pay and working conditions.
Conclusion
We repeat our predecessor Committee’s call for the Government to appoint a Freelancers’ Commissioner, with appropriate powers and cross- departmental oversight. The Freelancers’ Commissioner should work with the film and HETV industry to develop a framework for addressing pay precarity, …
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Government Response Summary
The government will appoint a creative freelance champion by 2025 to advocate for the sector, but states this is different from the recommended Freelancers' Commissioner role which would require more infrastructure and time to implement.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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