February 19, 2018

The APPG on Publishing has announced a call for evidence into how to maintain a world-leading publishing sector.

The Publishers Association explains that the publishing industry generates up to £7.8 billion gross value for the wider economy and supports more than 70,000 jobs directly and indirectly.

Fundamentally linked to the success of the publishing industry is the bookselling sector, which makes a strong economic contribution to the health of the UK economy in its own right, with a turnover to the value of £1.3 billion and employing 24,400 directly.

The industry as a whole is fundamental in safeguarding the UK’s cultural identity and standing in the world, with the UK already being the world’s biggest exporter of physical books and punching well above its weight in contributing to global academic research.

However, the Publishers Association says that the sector faces a number of challenges in the coming years. From copyright and IP protection abroad, to the UK’s future trading relationship with the EU and the rest of world, and from the Association’s work to end the VAT discrimination on digital publications, to promoting wider literacy and accessibility for all, 2018 will prove a “decisive year for the industry and will likely set its regulatory framework for years to come.”

The APPG is looking into the economic, cultural and social benefits that publishing brings to the UK and invite written evidence on the following areas:

• Impact of Brexit: what impact is Brexit likely to have on the UK publishing industry? What can the Government do to ensure that the industry is prioritised in any trade negotiations with the EU or the rest of the world?
• Export growth: what are the biggest emerging markets in publishing and what does the industry need in order to to grow those markets and develop new ones?
• Copyright and IP Protection: how can we best protect our content at home and abroad?
• Education and research: how can the sector continue to support the UK’s position as a global leader in education and research?
• Piracy: what are the latest developments in tackling piracy in the journal and book sector and what more can be done to deal with this ever-growing and evolving threat?
• Literacy and Accessibility: what are the greatest challenges posed in improving literacy and accessibility to books? How can we best address these problems?
• Bookselling: what challenges do booksellers face and how can we best sustain a healthy, diverse book sector?

Written evidence can be submitted up until 5 pm on 15 March 2018. To read the Publishers Association’s press release in full, click here.