The UK government has ruled out the introduction of streamer collection in its return to Creative Europe or its formal response Culture, media and sports committee recommendations from research into film and high-end television (HETV).
“The government has reset our relationships with our European neighbors. We hope to use strengthened relationships to provide long-term UK-EU strategic partnerships, improving lives, including within the arts and creative sectors, and to strengthen prosperity.”
The government confirmed that “there are no plans to rejoin creative Europe.”
However, it pointed to the expanded support it provided to the UK Global Screen Fund (UKGSF). This increased funding from £7 million to £18 million a year as part of the £75 million package of the Creative Industry Sector Plan to support the UK’s independent screen content to reach international audiences.
Similarly, the government has no plans to introduce 5% collection of the UK subscriber revenues Subscription Video-on-Demand (SVOD) platform.
Instead, he said the aim was to “support mixed ecology” in the local UK sector, not to block inward investment.
However, it has been pointed out again in the Creative Industry Sector Plan as evidence of plans to strengthen their UK production sector, including increased support from their own financial institutions, including increased support from their country’s financial institutions, including increased support.
The British Business Bank has committed an additional £4 billion to support the government’s investment and growth in eight target sectors, including the creative sector. The Creative Industries Sector Plan has set an ambitious target of increasing annual investment in the creative industry from £17 billion to £31 billion by 2035.
With the tax credit, the government’s response was quiet by addressing directly the call for a 25% tax credit for film print & advertising (P&A) costs claiming an enhanced high-end TV (HETV) tax credit at UK production levels, or an independent film tax credit.
“We will continue to work with stakeholders to ensure the continued effectiveness of the AVEC (tax) relief.”
It rejected a request for a survey to obtain the value and eligibility criteria for British films and tax standards twice a year. Skill development also contributes to overall competitiveness. ”
It also ruled out production calls for AVEC to report collapse in spending across the nation and region. “One of the key attractions of UK tax incentives beyond competitiveness is the ease, simplicity and consistency of the process.”
A proposal for a VAT for a cultural event that includes movie tickets was rejected. “VAT relief can add complexity and management costs to the tax system and create opportunities for non-compliance,” the government said.
The proposal will divide the role of the British Film Commission (BFC) CEO and film role (now London CEO held by Adrian Wooton) when the next contract is negotiated or promoted to stop industry-centric bias.
Freelancer skills training and protection
As for skills, there is no legal requirement for the entire film and the HETV production industry to report spending on skills and training as a percentage of production budgets per year each year. The response said the government is in the process of exploring proposals for a survey of portability apprentice across multiple employers, in line with the realities of film and television landscapes. The government has confirmed it is working with England to improve apprenticeships and skills delivery in the creative sector.
In order to support the benefits of the freelance workforce, the government has pledged to appoint creative freelance champions to advocate for freelancers in the sector within the government where champions are appointed this year. The government has no plans to introduce guaranteed basic income for creative freelancers, or to introduce an hourly minimum wage above the national minimum wage.
The Commission’s request was agreed by the government to link future public funds for screen skills to certain measurable results. “Under a new five-year strategy, Screenskills already offers new jobs, including comprehensive research articles on the screen workforce.”
CIISA – Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA) – is an industry-backed institution. However, a long-term funding plan is required. The survey proposed: “All parts of the creative industry under the authority of CIISA should commit to unconditional, long-term funding within six months. Meanwhile, governments should explore all options for funding CIISA if the industry does not provide a voluntary solution.
“If linking eligibility for CIISA-supported audiovisual spending credits is too complex and could block inward investments, the industry under CIISA’s authority could be taxed to fund the job.”
The government said it was not currently considering introducing additional complexities into the AVEC system or putting additional statutory burdens on businesses that could potentially have an unsustainable impact on small and medium-sized businesses.”
However, “We hope that the sector will support CIISA and the Secretary of State reserves the right to intervene if this is not approaching.”
The survey began in 2023 and received submissions from 130 companies and industry associations before moving on to the public evidence session in early 2024.
Key figures to show evidence include BFI CEO Ben Roberts and Chairman Jay Hunt, Studycanal’s British boss Alex Hamilton, Vue CEO Tim Richards, producers Jane Featherstone, Rebecca O’Brien, directors Glinder Chada and James Hers, and BBC films and films Eva Yates and Ollie Madden.
After the general election hiatus, a second repetition of the survey was returned in the second half of 2024 and early 2025.
The Cross-Party CMS Committee scrutinizes the spending, policies and management of government ministries of culture, media and sports, including BFI, as well as its connected bodies.
(TagStoTRASSLATE) UK/Ireland
