Asked by: Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance has been issued to the film and television industry regarding the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Work in the film and television industry is covered under the general requirements of the Health and Safety etc. Act 1974 and associated regulations. However, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) also provides extensive guidance on common or higher risk activities encountered across multiple industries which may be applicable to activities within film and television production, e.g. working at height or managing asbestos (when filming on location).
HSE also provides a range of guidance which is specific to film and television industry that describes the various roles and responsibilities of those within the production process (INDG360: Health and safety in audio-visual production. Your legal duties) and information sheets for specific production activities and risks, e.g. stunts, use of firearms and filming while using vehicles.
All guidance and information are freely available on the HSE website, a section of which is dedicated to health and safety in the film, theatre and broadcasting industries.
Alongside this, industry specific guidance is also available from a range of industry bodies and stakeholders.
Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the film and television industry in England, including the freelance workforce, and to encourage investment from the US, following the industrial action by Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists in 2023.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
His Majesty’s Government has set out a clear plan to grow the creative industries by a further £50 billion and to add another 1 million jobs in the sector by 2030. That includes supporting the growth of the television and film industry.
Since 2010, HM Government has introduced a range of tax reliefs across the creative industries, including expanded relief for film and high-end television. Our screen sector tax relief is estimated to be worth more than £13 billion in Gross Value Added to the UK economy.
We have taken a number of additional steps to ensure that British film and television companies are able to invest in production, expand their businesses, and offer opportunities for cast and crew across the UK, in spite of production disruption resulting from the pandemic and the recent strike action in the United States of America.
This includes the £500 million Film and TV Production Restart Scheme and the Culture Recovery Fund for Independent Cinemas. To build on this, and support the industry not only to survive but to thrive, the Government has taken further actions. This includes our support for the British Film Institute and British Film Commission, which has helped drive a near doubling of UK studio capacity, and the £28 million UK Global Screen Fund, which is expanding the global reach of UK independent content. The sector also benefits from the continued success of our screen sector tax reliefs (for film, high-end TV, animation and children’s TV), which in 2021–22 provided £792 million of support for over 1,000 projects.
We recognise the impact of the American strikes on the film and TV workforce. HMRC has a ‘Time to Pay’ policy which may provide some support to affected cast and crew. This policy allows people experiencing temporary financial difficulty to schedule their tax debts in affordable, sustainable, and tailored instalments with no maximum repayment period. These arrangements can be applied to any tax debt and are flexible, so they can be amended if circumstances change.
In the Creative Industries Sector Vision, the Government set out an ambition to improve the job quality and working practices of the sector, including supporting the high proportion of freelancers in the sector. This includes promoting fair treatment and working practices, enhancing support networks and resources for creative freelancers through Creative UK's Redesigning Freelancing initiative. DCMS and the industry will also continue to work together to produce an action plan in response to the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre’s Good Work Review, and proposals include the recent launch of the British Film Institute’s £1.5 million Good Work Programme for screen. The Government will continue to work with the BFI and the newly established screen sector Skills Task Force to support a strong skills pipeline in the sector and attractive careers pathways into the industry.
Correspondence Feb. 23 2024
Committee: Culture, Media and Sport Committee (Department: Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport)Found: Chancellor of the Exchequer, relating to Priorities for Spring Budget: Support for Independent British Film
Jan. 01 2024
Source Page: New tax credits for British film, TV and video game makers start from todayFound: New tax credits for British film, TV and video game makers start from today
Mar. 27 2024
Source Page: Consultation on additional tax relief for visual effects costsFound: The government especially invites comments from visual effects companies and film and high -end TV production
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Independent Film Tax Credit on the independent film sector.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The UK Independent Film Tax Credit (IFTC) announced at Spring Budget is an enhanced tax credit, designed to boost the production of UK independent films and incubate UK film talent. Under the IFTC, films with budgets up to £15m that meet the criteria of a new British Film Institute test will be able to claim a tax credit of 53% on up to 80% of their UK production costs.
Industry has welcomed the measure, with the British Film Institute Chair describing it as a game changer for UK filmmakers that will create jobs and ensure great British stories continue to be told.
Further information on HMRC’s assessment of the credit can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/corporation-tax-tax-relief-for-independent-film-productions
Mar. 15 2024
Source Page: New powers to turn the North East into film and TV powerhouseFound: New powers to turn the North East into film and TV powerhouse
Written Evidence Dec. 12 2023
Inquiry: British Film and High-End TelevisionFound: FIL0091 - British Film and High-End Television Sky Written Evidence
Written Evidence Nov. 14 2023
Inquiry: British Film and High-End TelevisionFound: FIL0013 - British Film and High-End Television Prop Makers Ltd Written Evidence
Written Evidence Nov. 14 2023
Inquiry: British Film and High-End TelevisionFound: FIL0077 - British Film and High-End Television Sunderland City Council Written Evidence