Select Committee · Culture, Media and Sport Committee

British film and high-end television 2

Status: Closed Opened: 31 Oct 2024 Closed: 15 Jul 2025 37 recommendations 31 conclusions 1 report

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee is to continue work from the last Parliament examining the challenges faced by the British film and high-end television industry and how the sector and its workforce can be better supported. Previous Committee inquiry: British film & high-end tv The new inquiry will build on the successes of the … Show more

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
First Report - British film and high-end television HC 328 10 Apr 2025 68 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

3 items
11 Conclusion First Report - British film and high-en… Not Addressed

Enhance HETV tax incentives to specifically benefit public service broadcasters and independent producers

Domestic HETV needs to be supported through enhanced tax incentives just as independent film has been. To tackle the issues facing domestic production, any increase in HETV tax relief must not merely incentivise streamers to spend more but specifically benefit public service broadcasters and independent producers. This might be done … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government reiterates its commitment to competitive AVEC reliefs, including existing support for independent films and VFX, but does not specifically address the call for HETV tax relief designed to benefit public service broadcasters and independent producers with lower budget productions.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
16 Recommendation First Report - British film and high-en… Not Addressed

Implement a 5% levy on SVoD UK subscriber revenue for domestic HETV production

We recommend that all subscription video-on-demand (SVoD) platforms that operate in the UK pay a 5% levy on their UK subscriber revenue into a cultural fund administered by the BFI to support domestic HETV production. The industry should establish this fund on a voluntary basis; however, if it does not … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government commits to supporting the domestic sector and culturally relevant UK content, and will build on the Media Act and Ofcom's review to support public service media, but provides no specific response to the recommendation for a 5% SVoD levy.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
46 Conclusion First Report - British film and high-en… Not Addressed

Cinemas face insufficient variety and quality of films, not a lack of releases.

The problem facing cinemas is not that too few films are being released; it is that there is not enough variety and quality in the films that are reaching cinemas to tempt cinemagoers through the doors. The solution is therefore not simply more films, but better films with improved marketing. … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government highlights its commitment to AVEC competitiveness for independent films and VFX, and general considerations for new tax reliefs, but does not directly address the recommendation for a distribution tax relief.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Oral evidence sessions

3 sessions
Date Witnesses
28 Jan 2025 Alastair Jones · Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Ben Roberts · British Film Institute (BFI), Jay Hunt OBE · British Film Institute (BFI), Sir Chris Bryant MP · Department for Culture, Media and Sport View ↗
7 Jan 2025 Jane Featherstone · Sister View ↗
11 Dec 2024 Benjamin Field · Deep Fusion Films, Dr Mathilde Pavis, Ed Newton-Rex · Fairly Trained, Liam Budd · Equity, Martin Adams · Metaphysic, Nick Lynes · Flawless View ↗

Who gave evidence

11 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Alastair Jones · Deputy Director, Creative Industries Department for Culture, Media and Sport 1
Ben Roberts · Chief Executive British Film Institute (BFI) 1
Benjamin Field · Executive Producer Deep Fusion Films 1
Dr Mathilde Pavis 1
Ed Newton-Rex · Chief Executive Fairly Trained 1
Jane Featherstone · Founder and Chief Creative Officer Sister 1
Jay Hunt OBE · Chair British Film Institute (BFI) 1
Liam Budd · Industrial Official for Recorded Media Equity 1
Martin Adams · Co-founder Metaphysic 1
Nick Lynes · Co-Chief Executive Flawless 1
Sir Chris Bryant MP · Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism Department for Culture, Media and Sport 1

Correspondence

6 letters
DateDirectionTitle
24 Jan 2025 To cttee Letter from Mitchell Simmons, Vice-President, Public Policy and Government Affa…
24 Jan 2025 To cttee Letter from Benjamin King, Senior Director of Public Policy, UK and Ireland, Ne…
24 Jan 2025 To cttee Letter from Gidon Freeman, Senior Vice-President, Government and Regulatory Aff…
24 Jan 2025 To cttee Letter from Monica Ariño, Director of Public Policy, Amazon, regarding on skill…
24 Jan 2025 To cttee Letter from Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, Chair, Culture, Media and Sport Committe…
31 Oct 2024 To cttee Letter from Rt Hon Lisa Nandy MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Spo…