Last year, our Deputy Chief Executive provided evidence to the Committee’s inquiry into creator remuneration. The subsequent report, published in April, highlighted the precarity facing UK writers and included a number of key recommendations that ALCS has campaigned for, including a UK private copying scheme such as the Smart Fund, the establishment of a Freelancer Commissioner and mechanisms to ensure creators are compensated for the use of their work within AI.

The Government response, published today, acknowledges the importance of freelancers to the creative industries, the need to improve their job quality and opportunities across the country, and sets out plans to discuss proposals for a Freelance Commissioner and identify specific challenges for the creative industries’ self-employed work force. The Government response to the Committee’s call for a Smart Fund suggests that it will meet with representatives from the UK’s creative industries to further explore this issue.

The Government response also acknowledges the need to address the concerns authors have regarding the use of their work around AI. It is encouraging to see the new Government include authors in their initial engagement in this area and we hope this engagement will continue and deepen in the next steps, due to be announced soon.

ALCS Chief Executive Barbara Hayes says: “The Culture Media and Sport Committee report into creator remuneration called for achievable, and much needed action to address the challenges creators face. We are glad to see the Government response acknowledge the need to further engage on these concerns and hope they will work with creators’ representatives, including ALCS, to explore solutions such as the proposed Smart Fund and Freelancer Commissioner.”

You can learn more about our campaigning work here.