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
33
Deferred
Government must ensure the Growth and Skills Levy fully benefits film and HETV sectors.
Recommendation
We welcome the Government’s plans for a Growth and Skills Levy that meets the needs of the film and HETV sectors, and wider creative industries. The rollout of shorter apprenticeships is welcome, but the Government must now go further to …
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Government Response Summary
The government committed to scaling up the UK Global Screen Fund from £7 million to £18 million per year as part of a new £75 million Screen Growth Package. However, this action relates to a different fund and did not directly address maximizing the use of skills levy funds for apprenticeships as requested.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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49
Deferred
Independent cinemas require ongoing organisational and capital funding for their vital cultural roles
Recommendation
Independent cinemas need and deserve organisational and capital funding to continue to perform their vital cultural roles in the heart of communities. Without it, there is a risk that the Culture Recovery Fund’s investment in independent cinemas will have been …
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Government Response Summary
The government states it is actively considering the recommendation and highlights that broader programmes like the Plan for Neighbourhoods offer £1.5 billion to towns, which *could* be used to support local cultural offerings, including cinemas.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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50
Deferred
Fund BFI proposals to deliver core and capital funding for independent cinemas
Recommendation
The Government should fund the BFI’s proposals to deliver core funding, similar to Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Organisation model, for independent cinemas. This should include a capital funding pot to upgrade cinemas’ infrastructure and improve their energy efficiency. (Recommendation, …
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Government Response Summary
The government states it is actively considering the recommendation to fund BFI proposals for core funding for independent cinemas. It also highlights broader government programs like the Plan for Neighbourhoods that could potentially support cultural offerings, including local cinemas.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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55
Deferred
Require AI developers to license copyrighted works before training AI models
Recommendation
The Government should abandon its preference for a data mining exception for AI training with rights reservation model, and instead require AI developers to license any copyrighted works before using them to train their AI models. (Recommendation, Paragraph 194)
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Government Response Summary
The government is considering 11,500 consultation responses and will provide an economic impact assessment and a report on copyright and AI training within nine months of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 Royal Assent, establishing working groups and a Creative Content Exchange, keeping an open mind on all options rather than committing to licensing now.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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58
Deferred
Legislate to prevent historical contract waivers from allowing AI use of recorded performances
Recommendation
The Government should legislate to prevent historical contract waivers from being interpreted to allow the use of recorded performances by AI tools. (Recommendation, Paragraph 207)
Government Response Summary
The government states it keeps legal frameworks under review and has committed to a report on copyright and AI training, but cannot commit to specific legislative action now as it is undertaking further analysis on ratifying the Beijing Treaty.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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59
Deferred
Conduct a review of copyright and GDPR to prevent unlicensed data use for AI.
Recommendation
Within the next six months the Government should also conduct a review of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and the UK’s GDPR framework to consider whether further legislation is needed to prevent unlicensed use of data for AI …
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Government Response Summary
The government states it keeps legal frameworks under review, has committed to publishing a report on copyright and AI training within nine months of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 Royal Assent, and is undertaking further analysis on the Beijing Treaty, but does not commit to the requested review of CDPA and GDPR within six months.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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62
Deferred
Ensure screen sector tax incentive changes increase BFI Certification Unit grant-in-aid settlement.
Recommendation
At each Spending Review, the Government should ensure any recent or upcoming changes to the screen sector’s tax incentives, including but not limited to the addition of new forms of expenditure credit, are reflected in a commensurate increase in the …
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Government Response Summary
The government's response broadly committed to supporting the domestic screen sector, including through public service media and business rates reform. However, it did not address the specific recommendation to link changes in screen sector tax incentives to a commensurate increase in funding for the BFI's Certification Unit.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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68
Deferred
Create a National Screen Heritage Strategy with BFI covering funding, skills and infrastructure.
Recommendation
Within the next 12 months, the Government should work with the BFI and wider screen heritage sector to create a National Screen Heritage Strategy, including in the areas of funding, skills and infrastructure. The strategy should be reviewed and renewed …
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Government Response Summary
The government deferred the recommendation, stating it will consider it with the BFI but cannot commit to undertaking the project without a resource assessment, also suggesting the BFI is better placed to lead.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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Conclusions (3)
54
Conclusion
Deferred
Getting the balance between AI development and copyright wrong will undermine the growth of our film and HETV sectors, and wider creative industries. Proceeding with an ‘opt-out’ regime stands to damage the UK’s reputation among inward investors for our previously gold-standard copyright and IP framework. (Conclusion, Paragraph 193)
Government Response Summary
The government is considering 11,500 consultation responses and will provide an economic impact assessment and a report on copyright and AI training within nine months of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 Royal Assent, establishing working groups and a Creative Content Exchange to inform its position.
60
Conclusion
Deferred
We repeat our predecessor Committee’s calls for the Government to implement the Beijing Treaty within the next six months, including extending unwaivable moral rights to audiovisual performances. (Recommendation, Paragraph 209) The work of the BFI
Government Response Summary
The government is undertaking further analysis on ratifying the Beijing Treaty and will announce its intended approach when complete, but cannot commit to implementing it or taking legislative action within the six-month timeframe.
67
Conclusion
Deferred
The Government, in collaboration with the screen heritage sector and education providers, should develop a degree-level apprenticeship standard for film preservation and presentation within the next 24 months. To enable education institutions to deliver apprenticeships with small student cohorts, the Growth and Skills Levy should provide dedicated funding to make …
Government Response Summary
The government redirected the recommendation, stating that apprenticeship standards are developed by employer-led trailblazer groups and Skills England would consider any new proposals, while the BFI would work with industry on such proposals.