The UK’s publishing industry has reportedly contributed £11 billion overall to the country’s economy, exporting more books than any other nation in the world, new research suggests.

The study, conducted by public policy consultancy Public First, alongside the Publishers Association, found that the publishing industry has the potential to contribute even more than it currently does.

According to the report entitled “Vision for Publishing,” it predicts that with the right support from the government, it will be able to contribute an additional £5.6 billion to the UK economy by 2033 and support a further 43,000 jobs.

The report states that around 84,000 jobs were supported in the publishing industry while claiming that there would be a 20% rise in international demand for UK publishing by 2033.

At the same time, it said that the industry had “long embraced AI and, through the provision of high-quality content, fuel reliable and trustworthy AI.”

This comes as the Publishers Association announced it had sent a letter to AI firms regarding the unauthorised use of UK publishers’ copyright-protected works to train and operate generative AI models.

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The trade body called on the next government to help broaden the scope of publishing across the country by providing more funding to different regions. It said: “Global successes such as Shetland, Poldark and Harry Potter attract tourists to all parts of the country, adding to the industry’s economic contribution and enriching communities. Publishers are focused on growing beyond a traditionally London-centric base and clusters are emerging, including around universities. But there’s more to do.”

Similarly, it called on the government to “axe the final tax on reading,” by extending the zero-rate of VAT and publishing fees to audiobooks, and not just ebooks.

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In recent months, there has also been more scrutiny around the public funding of libraries. Hence, the association reiterated some stark figures, stating that 1 in 7 primary schools do not have a library, public libraries have faced sustained budget cuts, and university libraries are being hit by university deficits.

The Vision for Publishing report added: “Every school should be funded to have a library and support for public libraries should increase, prioritising literacy cold spots across the country. An innovation fund can allow libraries to develop, trial and scale new partnerships that address societal challenges and deliver public value.”

However, it also said that it was important that creative subjects were taught in schools, as the number of students studying these topics fell by a fifth over last decade. As a result, the Publishers Association urged the government to provide opportunities “regardless of background, and connections between education institutions should be strengthened, to establish clear pathways into creative careers.”