Source · Select Committees · Culture, Media and Sport Committee
First Report - British film and high-end television
Culture, Media and Sport Committee
HC 328
Published 10 April 2025
Recommendations
14
Acknowledged
Commission research on applying regulatory measures to SVoD platforms for IP ownership
Recommendation
We recommend the Government immediately commissions research on how regulatory measures, akin to the PSB terms of trade, could be applied to SVoD platforms to ensure that independent production companies developing IP in the UK maintain a minimum level of …
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Government Response 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 does not commit to immediately commissioning research on applying PSB terms of trade to SVoD platforms.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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26
Acknowledged
UK film and HETV industry remains exposed to global investment market forces.
Recommendation
It is tempting to see 2023’s inward investment crisis as a blip, but while the UK remains so exposed to US investment global political and market forces will continue to affect our film and HETV industry. Our recommendations to support …
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Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the importance of avoiding complacency to maintain the UK's international position in the film and HETV industry and commits to remaining a strong global partner and destination for inward investment.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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Conclusions (9)
1
Conclusion
Acknowledged
The Independent Film Tax Credit is a game-changer for domestic production and a welcome sign of continued Government commitment to the sector. But it is not a silver bullet for all the problems facing independent British film. Without further intervention, producers will still struggle to develop and raise finance for …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the vital contribution of the film and HETV industry and its commitment to its growth. It highlights competitive tax incentives, business rates relief, and new measures from the Creative Industries Sector Plan to support the sector's growth, including tackling finance barriers and building a skilled workforce.
13
Conclusion
Acknowledged
The success of the UK’s HETV sector relies on continuing to attract inward investment while maintaining a vibrant domestic industry underpinned by strong intellectual property rights. Yet the dynamic between independent producers and subscription video-on-demand (SVoD) platforms is not sustainable, and successful production companies are being gutted by deals that …
Government Response Summary
The government is committed to strengthening the domestic sector and recognizes the challenges around IP retention for independent producers in deals with SVoD platforms. It will build on the Media Act and Ofcom’s Public Service Media review and use the Industrial Strategy to improve investment conditions for producers.
15
Conclusion
Acknowledged
In HETV, the balance between inward investment and domestic production is at a tipping point. It is time for streamers to put their money where their mouth is. They laud the UK’s mixed production ecology, with public service broadcasters and independent producers at its heart, but their business practices are …
Government Response 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 does not propose specific action to compel streamers to increase their support.
17
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Advertising revenue is key to the HETV production ecosystem, and the market is changing as SVoD platforms grow their ad-supported subscription tiers. We intend to revisit the issue of advertising and its role in the TV ecosystem later in the Parliament. (Conclusion, Paragraph 64) Incentivising inward investment
Government Response Summary
Acknowledges advertising revenue is key and intends to revisit the issue later in the Parliament.
20
Conclusion
Acknowledged
We are not convinced that Audio-Visual Expenditure Credits are the best vehicle to incentivise wider industry practices, if doing so undermines the fundamental aim of attracting investment. (Conclusion, Paragraph 76)
Government Response Summary
The government implicitly acknowledges the committee's concern by highlighting its commitment to keeping AVEC competitive through additional support for independent films and VFX uplift, and continuing to work with stakeholders to ensure its effectiveness in attracting investment.
28
Conclusion
Acknowledged
The film and HETV industry has been too slow to respond to skills shortages. That has had serious consequences for those working in it, and for the ability of domestic productions to afford to pay crews and creatives. Countless reviews, reports, strategies and plans for tackling this crisis have been …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees on the importance of data for a coherent skills strategy, viewing it as an industry-led effort, and explicitly states it does not support a statutory intervention across the industry.
31
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Given how important skills are to the film and HETV industry, we are surprised that major streamers and studios could not give us a straight answer on how much they spend on training. The companies either don’t know how much they are spending or have something to hide. Either way, …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees that data on industry investment in skills and training is vital for a coherent strategy, but believes this should be an industry-led effort and does not support a statutory intervention.
56
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Our world-class creatives are the lifeblood of the UK’s film and HETV sectors. However, the rapid growth of generative AI technologies threatens their earnings and future employment opportunities. This is not just an issue for one part of the industry: it about real lives and livelihoods, and the impact will …
Government Response Summary
The government keeps legal frameworks under review, noting updates in the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 and a commitment to publishing a report on copyright and AI training, while also undertaking further analysis on ratifying the Beijing Treaty.
57
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Although the film and HETV industry may be motivated to protect performers’ interests, with the history of collective bargaining agreements equipping it do so, that situation is not common across all the creative industries. The UK’s patchwork of copyright, intellectual property and data protection legislation is failing to protect performers …
Government Response Summary
The government keeps legal frameworks, including copyright and data protection, under review, noting updates in the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 and a committed report on AI training, alongside further analysis on ratifying the Beijing Treaty.