On 9 September, the All-Party Parliamentary Writers Group (APWG) met to confirm Giles Watling MP as its Chair. Mr Watling took over as Acting Chair of the group after Rt Hon John Whittingdale MP left the position to become Minister for Media and Data within the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport.
Mr Watling has a long interest in the creative industries with a background in the performing arts, primarily as an actor. He has also run theatres, produced shows, has written for film and television and has been a director for the commercial touring circuit. In Parliament, he continues to champion the arts and joined the All-Party Parliamentary Writers Group to ensure writers’ rights are recognised and rewarded. Before becoming its Chair, Mr Watling took a key role in the APWG inquiry into authors’ earnings; the report of which urged the Government to establish a ‘Creators’ Council’, provide ongoing support for the creative industries upon withdrawal from the European Union and to support high-street booksellers.
Looking at the priorities for the group, Mr Watling said:
“Our inquiry into authors’ earnings showed that the UK’s excellent creators faced a difficult situation even before the impact of COVID-19, which is expected to have a major effect on our creative industries. We made suggestions to the Government that were necessary then and we must see where these measures are urgently needed to ensure our creators and creative industries can continue to succeed through these difficult times. We also hope to look at opportunities to ensure the interests of authors are represented across the country. Too often opportunities in the creative industries are tied to London even though creative talent is found across the country and as it stands, too many communities are left out and opportunities are missed.
I have been involved with this group for some time, and I am pleased to have been confirmed as Chair. This is a well-supported and established group in Parliament, that does some excellent work. I will continue to push the Government on support for writers and the wider creative arts.”
