Second Special Report - Economics of music streaming: Government and Competition and Markets Authority Responses to Committee’s Second Report

This is the government's response, published 22 September 2021.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The Government welcomes the Committee's report but says "more targeted research and evidence is needed" before it decides action on some issues, and sets out a work programme of contact and working groups and research, with a review in spring 2022.

• On equitable remuneration and new creator rights, the Government says impacts are "difficult to predict" and will assess models, "including through potential legislation", with an update expected in spring 2022.
• On transparency, the Government's view is that the industry "can, and should, seek to fix itself"; an industry-led working group is to report after 6 months, and it "will consider whether legislative intervention is warranted" if the outcome is unsatisfactory.
• It will not take forward the recommendations on publishing royalty chain information or on black box revenues, giving feasibility and existing regulation as its reasons. It also "disagrees" with the recommendation on the Music Export Growth Scheme and a fiscal incentive.
• On the market study, it notes the Committee's concerns and says it is "for the CMA to decide" how to use its resources, while having written to the CMA. It will legislate on the Digital Markets Unit "as soon as Parliamentary time allows".

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error