To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he plans to take to strengthen creative industries. (240274)

In February this year the Government published “Creative Britain-New Talents for a New Economy, a strategy for the Creative Economy in the UK”, which sets out in 26 commitments the Government’s determination to move the creative industries from the margins to the mainstream of the UK economy.

The strategy includes commitments to encourage employers to create 5,000 new apprenticeships in the creative industries by 2013, and the establishment of a new, international event for business and the creative industries—the Creativity & Business International Network (c&binet)—the first of which will take place in 2009.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to the answer of 24 November 2008, Official Report, columns 1027-28W, on intellectual property, when he expects to publish updated figures for the value of the creative industries to the UK economy. (242451)

The Creative Industries Economic Estimates bulletins contain statistics on gross value added, exports, employment and numbers of businesses within the creative industries.

The publication of the 2008 bulletin has been delayed to allow additional time to investigate revisions that have been made to the source data.

The Department is aiming to publish the 2008 bulletin by the end of the year. It will be available on our website at

http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/research_and_statistics/4848.aspx