Creator remuneration
Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Where it stands
The inquiry is closed, opened 4 September 2023.
The committee has published 1 report, most recently Fifth Report - Creator remuneration on 10 April 2024.
The government's response
Published 1 November 2024. The deadline was 10 June 2024.
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government welcomes the report but sets out a largely evidence-gathering and industry-led approach, with few firm commitments to the legislative or statutory measures the Committee recommended.
- On a statutory private copying scheme, the government is "not ruling out" a private copying exception and levy, but "further evidence is needed"; the IPO will meet creative industries representatives on strengthening the evidence base.
- On AI and copyright, the government "intend[s] to proceed carefully but with a degree of urgency" and "hope[s] to announce next steps soon". It does not set the deadline for legislation that the Committee sought.
- On freelancers, it does not state a position on a Freelancers' Commissioner. A Good Work Review sub-group is "expected to discuss proposals" for one, and the five Good Work proposals are to be implemented "by March 2026".
- On music streaming, its "current view" is that dialogue and "industry-led action" are best. It is confident the Working Group's membership is adequate and will "adapt the group if it feels it is necessary".
Recommendations and conclusions
- 1: Lack of UK private copying scheme threatens creators' reciprocal payments from abroad.Conclusion
- 2: Introduce statutory private copying scheme with creative industries, safeguarding reciprocal payments from abroad.Recommendation
- 3: Government's AI working group failed to produce IP code, favouring AI developers.Conclusion
Reports
- Fifth Report - Creator remuneration10 April 2024 · 14 items
Evidence
- 2 oral evidence sessionsLatest 12 December 2023
- 12 witnesses
Recent activity
- 1st Special Report - Creator remuneration: Government response1 November 2024, Report published
- Fifth Report - Creator remuneration10 April 2024, Report published
- Letter from David Martin et al, Council of Music Makers, relating to the Creator Remuneration Working Group, dated 22 February 20245 March 2024, Correspondence
Recommendations and conclusions 14 shown
2: Introduce statutory private copying scheme with creative industries, safeguarding reciprocal payments from abroad.
Recommended (the committee's words)3: Government's AI working group failed to produce IP code, favouring AI developers.
Concluded (the committee's words)4: Require Government to establish mechanisms and a legislative deadline for AI creator compensation.
Recommended (the committee's words)5: Creative freelancers lack unified voice, leading to declining pay and poor conditions.
Concluded (the committee's words)6: Appoint a Freelancers’ Commissioner with cross-departmental oversight to advocate for creative freelancers.
Recommended (the committee's words)7: Creators experience poor working conditions, inconsistent contracts, and inadequate support.
Concluded (the committee's words)8: Acknowledge and address poor creator working conditions by implementing Good Work Review recommendations.
Recommended (the committee's words)9: Maintain momentum on music streaming reform using finalised research into creator earnings.
Recommended (the committee's words)10: Drive fundamental reform of music streaming based on commissioned research results.
Recommended (the committee's words)11: Creator Remuneration Working Group membership gives creators minority voice and excludes producers.
Concluded (the committee's words)12: Revisit Creator Remuneration Working Group membership to give music makers a stronger voice.
Recommended (the committee's words)13: Music streaming revenue split does not reflect importance of songwriters and composers.
Concluded (the committee's words)14: Require Government to consult on measures incentivising optimal publishing rights rates for creators.
Recommended (the committee's words)Reports
Fifth Report - Creator remuneration
- HC No.
- HC 156
- Published
- 10 Apr 2024
- Items
- 14
- Government response
- Government response published 1 November 2024 (deadline 10 June 2024). Read the government's response ↗
Oral evidence sessions
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| Date | Session and witnesses | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Dec 2023 |
Oral evidence session
Dr Hyojung Sun,
Merck Mercuriadis,
Nile Rodgers,
Paul Clements · Music Publishers Association,
Professor David Hesmondhalgh,
VV Brown · The Ivors Academy
|
View ↗ |
| 19 Sep 2023 |
Oral evidence session
Andrew Harrower · Directors UK,
Caroline Norbury OBE · Creative UK,
John Hollingworth · British Equity Collecting Society Ltd,
Nicola Solomon · Creators’ Rights Alliance,
Reema Selhi · Design and Artists Copyright Society,
Richard Combes · Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society
|
View ↗ |
Who gave evidence
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| Witness | Organisation | Sessions |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Harrower · Chief Executive | Directors UK | 1 |
| Caroline Norbury OBE · Chief Executive | Creative UK | 1 |
| Dr Hyojung Sun | Not recorded | 1 |
| John Hollingworth · Actor and BECS Member | British Equity Collecting Society Ltd | 1 |
| Merck Mercuriadis | Not recorded | 1 |
| Nicola Solomon · Chair | Creators’ Rights Alliance | 1 |
| Nile Rodgers | Not recorded | 1 |
| Paul Clements · Chief Executive | Music Publishers Association | 1 |
| Professor David Hesmondhalgh | Not recorded | 1 |
| Reema Selhi · Head of Policy and International | Design and Artists Copyright Society | 1 |
| Richard Combes · Head of Rights and Licensing and Deputy Chief Executive | Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society | 1 |
| VV Brown · singer-songwriter, record producer and board director | The Ivors Academy | 1 |
Correspondence
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| Published | Direction | Letter |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Mar 2024 | To committee | Letter from David Martin et al, Council of Music Makers, relating to the Creator Remuneration Working Group, dated 22 February 2024 |
| 6 Feb 2024 | To committee | Letter from Julia Lopez MP, Minister for Media, Tourism and Creative Industries, relating to music streaming follow-up, dated 30 January 2024 |