The UK government has responded to the parliamentary Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee’s report on creator remuneration, addressing concerns about copyright protection, freelancer support, and music streaming revenue distribution in the £124.6 billion (~$162B) creative sector.

The response follows the Committee’s April 2024 report highlighting challenges facing the UK’s 2.4 million creative industry workers. While acknowledging the sector’s significant economic contribution, the government stops short of implementing several key recommendations.

The Committee’s proposal for a statutory private copying scheme, which would compensate creators when their work is copied between devices, remains under review. The government cites a need for “further evidence” to understand current user behavior, particularly given the shift toward streaming services.

Music streaming presents a complex challenge. UK retail streaming revenues reached £1.866 billion (~$2.42B) in 2023, up 9.8% from the previous year. While 2,245 artists achieved 10 million or more streams in 2023, concerns persist about revenue distribution. Independent labels now account for 29.2% of album equivalent sales, increasing their market share by nearly a third since 2017.

On artificial intelligence, the government acknowledges industry concerns about the unauthorized use of creative works in AI development. The Departments for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) are working with the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) to address these issues, promising to “proceed carefully but with a degree of urgency.”

For freelancers, who represent over 20% of the creative workforce in every UK region, the government points to its Employment Rights Bill, introduced in October 2024. The legislation aims to provide enhanced protections, including the right to a written contract and action against late payments.

The government has approved the continuation of the Creator Remuneration Working Group, which recently met on July 31, 2024, to discuss issues facing artists on pre-digital recording contracts. The group includes representatives from major and independent labels, publishers, platforms, and creative talent organizations.

Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, Chair of the CMS Committee, stresses the need to address “gaps in copyright protections and support that are clearly leaving many struggling to get by.”

The Committee plans to examine AI’s ethical use in filmmaking as part of its British film and high-end TV inquiry, announced on October 31.

Arts Council England reports supporting more than 1,200 individual practitioners through National Lottery Project Grants totaling almost £30 million (~$39M) in 2023/24, with an additional £14.5 million (~$19M) distributed through the Developing Your Creative Practice program.

The government maintains that industry-led solutions remain preferable to legislative intervention, citing successful initiatives like the recently agreed metadata and transparency codes. However, it “reserve[s] the right to consider alternative measures if necessary.”