Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the BBC’s announcement of the launch of spin-off stations on BBC Sounds before Ofcom have completed their regulatory scrutiny of DAB+ proposals.

The BBC has responsibilities set out in its Royal Charter to avoid unnecessary adverse impacts on the market, which were underscored in the Government’s recent Mid-Term Review. HM Government will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the reforms as we approach the renewal of the BBC’s Royal Charter.

The BBC is required by the Royal Charter to submit a Public Interest Test to Ofcom for review when considering making any material changes to its public service output. The Corporation is currently consulting on the Public Interest Test regarding planned new radio services.

As the BBC’s independent regulator, it will be for Ofcom to review the evidence provided and robustly to hold the BBC to account in meeting its obligations to both its audiences and the market.