UK Budget: Comment from Silvia Montello (AIM)

"Music contributes over £6 billion to the UK economy a year. However, further support will be required from the government in order to maintain our position in the global market and continue to develop world-leading artists.

“This should include fiscal incentives for the independent businesses that find and invest in the global stars of tomorrow and tax breaks for music along the lines of initiatives supporting the film and TV industries. These measures would also help to counter the damage done to local music scenes over recent years through the reduction in arts and culture funding across the UK. There is still a vital need for support for artists and concert venues in order to weather the current crisis facing live music.

"Finally, we also urge the government to consider the need for stronger copyright standards to ensure creators are fairly remunerated when AI systems are trained on their work, as well as greater help for freelance workers, who make up around 70% of workers in the music business.”