Government response to the Culture Media and Sport Committee report on Creator Remuneration

Last week the Government published their response to the CMS Committee Inquiry into Creator Remuneration Report. The CMS Committee Report, published in April, recognised Creators’ Rights Alliance policy positions and made the following recommendations:   

• Address issues around contracts and working conditions by implementing the recommendations of the DCMS sponsored Good Work Review, using the CRA CREATOR campaign as a basis for fair working standards  

• The appointment of a Freelance Commissioner  

• The introduction of proper mechanisms for creators to force their consent and to receive fair compensation, for use of their work by AI developers  

• The introduction of a statutory private copying scheme, which at a minimum, safeguards reciprocal payments from abroad  

Chair of the CRA Nicola Solomon gave evidence in the inquiry on behalf of 23 members representing 500,000 creatives. In response, CRA Chair Nicola Solomon says:

 “The Culture Media and Sport Committee report made clear recommendations to address the challenges creators face. 

We are glad to see the Government response acknowledge some of these, especially issues around Freelancers, the Smart Fund and AI, and the negotiation of remuneration. However any support to creators needs to be actioned at pace. We hope the Government will take up our offer to work with creators’ and representative bodies like the CRA to ensure action happens that protects and supports growth.”

The CRA welcomes the Government’s response for acknowledging the fragility of the industry in terms of freelancers; and they indicate that the Government's legislative programme for the Employment Bill will address these gaps.  They also indicate that several policy ideas including the Smart Fund require further input and suggest that the Government will meet with representatives from the UK’s creative industries to further explore this issue. We welcome being part of these discussions.

The response also builds on recent statements to address the concerns creators have regarding AI and remuneration. It is encouraging to see the new Government reference these gaps - but we await to see detail in the forthcoming consultations.

The CRA will continue to push the recommendations forward to the Government to make the case for implementation.