All Party Writers Group Summer Reception

The APWG is the Parliamentary group that represents the interests of writers, consisting of MPs and Lords from across the political spectrum. 

The event was hosted by APWG Chair, Chris Evans MP, who opened proceedings by emphasising the need for writers to have choice, control and transparency regarding the use of their works. He also welcomed the announcement from the Department of Media, Culture and Sport of a Freelance Champion to represent the interests of freelance creatives. 

“The freelance creative workforce felt they’d not been adequately considered in policymaking despite their essential contributions. We welcome the announcement of the Freelance Champion, and we can hopefully address many issues facing writers and positively influence policy making on their behalf.”

ALCS Chair Lord Clement-Jones praised the efforts of Baroness Kidron and other supporters who tried to include transparency provisions around AI in the Data (Use and Access) Bill. Citing our AI survey of members, he echoed the need for greater transparency, control and choice for writers.  

“We at ALCS believe that at the end of this consultation, the Government must provide a sustainable route forward based on choice not compulsion, that means no text and data mining exception and no opt-out. Effective transparency regulation could pave the way for a dynamic licensing market in the UK that sees authors and other creators retaining control of their work and access to remuneration, while developers have legitimate access to the quality content necessary to train AI.” 

Lord Clement-Jones also welcomed the recent announcement of a Freelance Champion, but warned that the role must be able to make a meaningful difference to Government policy.  

 “We know that freelance creators need access to support that reflects their working reality, tax and benefit rules that take into account the frequent complexity of their careers, and more tailored skills and developmental policies. But we want the champion to be able to really influence government policies and not just be an ornament for the creative industries council.” 

Finally, Carolyn Hunter from the University of York launched the results of research into the changing nature of screenwriters’ earnings in the age of streaming subscriptions. 

The report found that up-front buyouts are now standard practice, UK screenwriters are increasingly being offered buyouts of their original content at the expense of retaining the rights to ongoing royalties and residuals. 

This has led to greater insecurity and precarity, as without ongoing residuals or royalties, these screenwriters often go long periods of time with little to no pay. 

They also found that due to subscription streaming services commissioning fewer productions but with higher budgets, this has led to greater risk-aversion. As a result, they tend to favour more established writers, with fewer opportunities for new or underrepresented writers, negatively impacting diversity. 

You can read the report in full here. 

You can learn more about the All Party Writers Group here.