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Lord Bassam of Brighton (Lab)

Speaking in the House of Lords on 28 January 2025

Debate

Data (Use and Access) Bill [HL]

Contribution

My Lords, I will happily withdraw my amendment. I am delighted to hear of the progress that the Minister has set out. I view his comments as a positive endorsement of the progress made so far. It is essential that we get more money into the hands of creators, who are an important driving force and part of our economy. It is essential too that we make more funds available for arts generally across the country. This is one way of doing it. The approach was endorsed in a recent Fabian Society publication, Arts For Us All. It identified a number of other potential sources for generating income that could be distributed to the arts and arts organisations. I commend the Government for taking up the challenge posed by the smart fund and I look forward to playing my part, along with my colleagues on the Cross Benches and others who support this initiative. It could do much to strengthen the funding base for the arts as a cultural sector, which was sadly eroded by the previous Government over the last decade and a half. I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.

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