She said no government in the past 10 years had done enough to support the sector.
The government should support the sector's efforts to relax the restrictions on so-called "political" campaigning.
Graham Honeyman, Sheffield Forgemasters' chief executive, said last week there was more the government could do to support the sector.
The industry said the government now needed to do more to support the sector, including stopping the dumping of cheap steel from China and cutting business rates.
The Treasury, which has two months to respond to the commission, says it will do its best to support the sector.
In a reply Willetts said that her concerns were "noted" but government plans to support the sector to help it compete with public universities would continue.
This, of course, is down to the skills of thousands of talented individuals – but the UK Film Council has played a hugely influential role in securing, and keeping, government support and tax breaks to support the sector through some very rough times.
This might slightly improve margins in September, but anything under $10 per barrel through winter wouldn't support the sector.
It added: "Given the right support, the sector will continue to grow and provide more and more high-quality jobs in disciplines where the UK has real strength".
The Local Government Association said the private rented sector had a key role to play in providing new homes, and that councils were keen to support the sector in providing good quality homes.
And most organizations that study or support the sector -- including GEO, FSG, Independent Sector, the Foundation Center and UPenn's Center for High Impact Philanthropy -- have made the case as well.
