Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the recommendation made by the Film Diversity Action Group that film tax breaks should be conditional on the achievement of diversity targets on the (a) finances of and (b) levels of diversity in companies in the film industry.
Answered by Margot James
We recognise that there is more to be done to ensure that the screen sector and the wider creative industries reflects the diversity of UK society. DCMS is working with the British Film Institute (BFI) to drive improved diversity by promoting the uptake of the BFI Diversity Standards. These focus on training as well as representation, and are designed to drive lasting change in the workforce. The BFI has set a target of all producers active in the UK having voluntarily accepted the BFI Diversity Standards by 2022. The operation of tax relief is a matter for the Treasury.
Asked by: Lord Grade of Yarmouth (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of proposals from the UK's screen industries and others for reform of the apprenticeship levy to increase the numbers of skilled new entrants needed to meet demand.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
Apprenticeships offer businesses in the screen industries an opportunity to make a long-term, sustainable investment in training and promote diversity in the workforce.
We have already responded to feedback from businesses by introducing flexibilities in our funding rules. This includes increasing the time for employers to spend their levy funds from 18 to 24 months and raising the transfer cap from 10% to 25% this year. Levy-paying employers will be able to transfer funds to as many smaller employers or charities as they wish, in order to support the development of skills in their supply chain or respond to skills shortages in their sector. In the Budget, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer also announced up to £240 million of additional funds to halve apprenticeship training costs for smaller employers. We continue to keep all aspects of apprenticeship funding policy under review.
We recognise that co-ordinating and delivering apprenticeship training can be a challenge for smaller employers in the screen industries. We are working closely with Screen Skills in response to their report in order to explore how employers can take advantage of flexible delivery of off-the-job training including, potentially, through Apprenticeship Training Agencies. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has a £2 million funding package under the creative industries sector deal, which includes support for employers to help them accelerate the development of up to 20 new apprenticeship standards. DCMS will work with the Institute for Apprenticeships to identify skills gaps and understand how the apprenticeship programme can support the priorities identified in the Industrial Strategy.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential (a) financial effect and (b) effect on diversity in the film industry of the Film Diversity Action Group's November 2018 recommendation that a Diversity Monitor be set up to track diversity data across individual productions, sectors and segments of that industry and to publish its results quarterly.
Answered by Margot James
Government and industry recognise the need to improve the collection of diversity data in the film industry as well as the wider creative industries to inform interventions to promote diversity and inclusion. DCMS is working with its arm’s length body for film and moving image, the BFI, on promoting and monitoring diversity. The joint government-industry Creative Industries Council is working to improve the monitoring of diversity data across the creative industries as part of its growth strategy.
Asked by: George Howarth (Labour - Knowsley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Government plans to remain part of Creative Europe after the current funding period concludes in 2020.
Answered by Margot James
The UK will always be a European country that advocates for cultural diversity as part of its global identity and is committed to continuing its contribution to and support of European culture. The Government has been clear that will be explore participation in any successor programme to Creative Europe.
Where EU funding programmes are to the UK and EU's joint advantage, we want to discuss continued participation as part of the negotiations. Ultimately, the decision on which programmes are in the UK’s interests will be decided as part of the future partnership negotiations, which are ongoing.
Asked by: Paul Farrelly (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Government plans to remain part of Creative Europe after the current funding period concludes in 2020.
Answered by Margot James
The UK will always be a European country that advocates for cultural diversity as part of its global identity and is committed to continuing its contribution to and support of European culture. The Government has been clear that will be explore participation in any successor programme to Creative Europe. Where EU funding programmes are to the UK and EU's joint advantage, we want to discuss continued participation as part of the negotiations. Ultimately, the decision on which programmes are in the UK’s interests will be decided as part of the future partnership negotiations, which are ongoing.Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with broadcasters on the omission of religion as a category in the diversity monitoring system Project Diamond.
Answered by Margot James
We expect broadcasters to voluntarily publish their data on all diversity characteristics - not just those they are legally obliged to - and the BBC should be leading the way on this.There have been no discussions with broadcasters regarding Project Diamond monitoring categories. Project Diamond is an industry led monitoring scheme owned by the Creative Diversity Network which is made up of all of the UK’s major broadcasters. Therefore, the decision to include or exclude categories is for the Creative Diversity Network alone.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with the BBC on (a) the omission of religion in the diversity monitoring system Project Diamond and (b) the effect of that omission on on-off screen diversity monitoring of faith groups working in or with that public service broadcaster.
Answered by Margot James
We expect broadcasters to voluntarily publish their data on all diversity characteristics - not just those they are legally obliged to - and the BBC should be leading the way on this.There have been no discussions with broadcasters regarding Project Diamond monitoring categories. Project Diamond is an industry led monitoring scheme owned by the Creative Diversity Network which is made up of all of the UK’s major broadcasters. Therefore, the decision to include or exclude categories is for the Creative Diversity Network alone.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Wyre Forest (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on changing (a) film and (b) high-end television tax relief to encourage an increase in the diversity of people working in the film and television industries.
Answered by Margot James
The Secretary of State meets regularly with his counterparts in Treasury to discuss a range of matters, including the creative sector tax reliefs, which have successfully encouraged the production of culturally British films and high-end TV programmes worth over £10 billion in expenditure since 2007, making the UK one of the top production destinations in the world.
We are committed to improving diversity in all DCMS sectors and is supportive of relevant work being undertaken by the British Film Institute (BFI) as the government’s arm’s length body for the moving image.
Asked by: Thelma Walker (Labour - Colne Valley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with the Department for Education on ensuring young people from diverse backgrounds can succeed in the creative industries.
Answered by Matt Hancock
Ministers for the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport have regular discussions with their counterparts in the Department for Education on a range of issues relating to the creative industries, including ensuring young people from diverse backgrounds can succeed in the sector. The Department also supports a wide range of initiatives to diversify talent in the creative industries, including the Creative Industries Council’s Create Together strategy, which sets diversity targets for the sector; the BFI’s Three Ticks, which requires films receiving public funding to meet diversity standards; and Project Diamond, which monitors diversity in the broadcasting sector.
Asked by: Tracy Brabin (Labour (Co-op) - Batley and Spen)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential barriers to working in the creative industries for (a) expectant mothers and (b) parents.
Answered by Matt Hancock
It is important that working parents have the choice and flexibility that enables them to fully realise their potential contribution to the creative industries workforce.
We will soon be hosting a Forum with industry leaders from across DCMS sectors, including the creative industries, which will aim to identify and share best practice around promoting diversity and social mobility in the workforce, to help ensure we have an economy that works for all.