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Culture, Media and Sport Committee launches sequel to British film and high-end TV inquiry

31 October 2024

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee is to continue work from the last Parliament examining the challenges faced by the British film and high-end television industry and how the sector and its workforce can be better supported.

The British film and high-end TV inquiry follows on from the previous inquiry started by the predecessor committee in July last year and cut short by the general election.

The previous Government announced several measures designed to support the industry following calls from the last committee, including the Independent Film Tax Credit, confirmed by the new Government earlier this month, and targeted tax relief for visual effects, which was confirmed in yesterday’s Budget.

The new inquiry will build on the successes of the last. It will continue to examine the attractiveness of the UK as a global destination for production and what more could be done  to ensure it has the skilled workforce it needs. It will also look at the ethical use of artificial intelligence in film-making and probe the work of the BFI and the Government’s vision for the sector.

Chair's comment

Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, said:

“The predecessor committee’s work in the last Parliament featured some blockbuster successes, securing tax incentives from the Treasury to support independent film and visual effects and raising awareness of the huge importance of the industry to the UK’s economy and culture. While the general election left a real cliffhanger for the sector, I’m delighted it is now lights, camera, action once again.

Like any good sequel, the new Committee’s inquiry will follow up important themes from last time, while moving the story on to shine a light on how the industry can best thrive into the future.

The confirmation in yesterday’s Budget that additional tax relief for visual effects will go ahead is a welcome step in providing certainly for the industry, but there is a constant challenge to make sure the UK maintains and enhances its status as a global destination for production. Our inquiry will make sure the industry and new Government have the right vision and measures in place to ensure the British film and high-end TV sector remains a powerhouse on the world stage.”

The previous Committee wrote to the previous Chancellor in February to call for more support for independent UK film and also ahead of the Autumn Statement last year to highlight the need for tax support for the visual effects industry. It also wrote to the then Culture Secretary after the general election was called.

Written evidence and oral evidence transcripts from the last inquiry are available here.

Further information

Image: Adobe Stock