Time for creative thinking?
Mr Ed Vaizey MP, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), will appear before the Lords Social Policies and Consumer Protection EU Sub-Committee on Thursday 15 March.
The Committee will question Mr Vaizey on the Commission's Creative Europe proposal, which will provide funding for thousands of people working in film, TV, culture, music, performing arts, heritage and related areas, on transnational European projects to reach new audiences and develop key skills required for the digital age. The Commission estimates that well over 100 million people will be affected by the proposal. The Commission has proposed a total budget of €1.8 billion for the period 2014 to 2020; a 37% increase in the total amount allocated to the three predecessor programmes (Culture, MEDIA & MEDIA Mundus) for the period 2007 to 2013.
The Committee first considered the Creative Europe proposal at the beginning of the year, and decided to hold two oral evidence sessions to investigate further. The Government are opposed to the Commission's proposed budget increase for the proposal. In 2011 the UK received the largest funding allocation (€5.7million) of any Member State under the Culture programme and in 2010 it also received €8.7 million under the MEDIA programme. Domestic funding for the creative industries in the UK has fallen by 6.9% during the current financial year and is projected to fall by a total of 15% between 2011 and 2015.
The Minister will be questioned on issues including:
- whether the EU has and can continue to add value to the UK's cultural and creative sector;
- why the Government is opposed to the proposed budget increase for the Creative Europe proposal;
- why the Government is opposed to the Commission's proposal for a financial guarantee facility for cultural and creative SMEs; and
- how the Government intend to implement the recommendations made by former culture minister Lord Smith's Review of the UK film industry, particularly those which concern closer collaboration with other European countries.
The evidence session will take place at 10.00am on Thursday 15 March in Committee Room 2 of the House of Lords.
The evidence session is open to media and the public. Please allow time for security screening.
The evidence session will also be broadcast live on Parliament TV.