Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Terms of Reference for the BBC Funding Review Panel allow the Panel to consider all the funding options contained in the 6th report of the DCMS Select Committee of session 2019-21, and in the annex to that report.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Terms of Reference for the BBC Funding Model Review set out that the Government wants the BBC to continue to succeed as a Public Service Broadcaster long into the future, providing high quality public service content on a universal basis.
As the Terms of Reference make clear, the review will be looking at a range of models for funding the BBC to ensure it is fair to licence fee payers, sustainable for the long term and supports the BBC’s vital role in growing the creative industries. This will include looking at options to reform the licence fee, and how the BBC can increase its commercial revenues. Given pressure on household incomes, the Secretary of State has explicitly ruled out this review looking at creating any new taxes.
The findings of the review will support the Government’s views on the future funding of the BBC. Any final decision on reforming the BBC’s funding model would be taken at Charter Review.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what criteria her Department uses to determine who will be consulted on the Government’s BBC funding model review; and if she will publish a list of those that have been consulted.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
As set out in the Terms of Reference for the BBC Funding Model Review, the review will take evidence from a range of relevant stakeholders as we seek to assess the merits of different options for securing the sustainability of the BBC. The Secretary of State issued formal evidence requests to industry stakeholders across the broadcasting and media sector and to all three of the Devolved Administrations.
The review aims to report to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport by Autumn 2024. The findings will inform Charter Review, which is where any final decisions on changing the BBC’s funding model will be made by the Government. As required by the Charter, the Government will consult the public as part of the Charter Review process.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to publish the (a) minutes and (b) conclusions of the meetings of the expert panel for the Government’s BBC funding model review.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The BBC Funding Review is looking at how alternative funding models could help secure the broadcaster’s long-term sustainability amid an evolving media landscape, increased competition and changing audience behaviour, while reducing the burden on licence fee payers. It is a government-led review, supported by an expert panel that incorporates a broad range of views from across the sector, providing advice and external challenge on the issues set out in the review’s Terms of Reference, which are available on gov.uk.
Stakeholders are submitting evidence on the basis that evidence provided is confidential in nature, especially given potential commercial sensitivities, and there is no intention for these submissions to be made public, either in full or in part.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make it her policy to publish the evidence and submissions received to inform her Department's BBC funding model review.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The BBC Funding Review is looking at how alternative funding models could help secure the broadcaster’s long-term sustainability amid an evolving media landscape, increased competition and changing audience behaviour, while reducing the burden on licence fee payers. It is a government-led review, supported by an expert panel that incorporates a broad range of views from across the sector, providing advice and external challenge on the issues set out in the review’s Terms of Reference, which are available on gov.uk.
Stakeholders are submitting evidence on the basis that evidence provided is confidential in nature, especially given potential commercial sensitivities, and there is no intention for these submissions to be made public, either in full or in part.
Asked by: Andy Carter (Conservative - Warrington South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding her Department has given to the British Film Institute since 2010.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government is committed to the continued success of the film and high end TV (HETV) sectors. As an Arms-Length Body (ALB), the British Film Institute (BFI) plays a critical role in leading the UK’s screen sectors, helping drive economic growth and create jobs while supporting cultural and place-based objectives.
DCMS has provided nearly £400 million of funding in total to the BFI since 2010. The BFI is also a National Lottery Distributor and also has its own self-generated income. More information on the BFI’s funding, including from DCMS, going back to 1998/99 can be found in the BFI’s published accounts via: https://www.bfi.org.uk/strategy-policy/annual-review-management-agreement.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the expenditure on TV licence reminder letters was in each year since 2020.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Under the Communications Act 2003, the BBC is responsible for the collection and enforcement of the licence fee, not the Government. The BBC’s role in enforcing the Licence Fee is set out in the Royal Charter. The BBC carries this out under the trading name TV Licensing.
Data on the cost of licence fee collection for TV Licensing is contained in their published annual reviews. The cost of collection data does contain partial disaggregation into different cost categories, however exact data on the cost of administering TV licence reminder letters is unavailable.
Further information on costs and administering the licence fee can be found directly on the TV Licensing website: https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/about/our-performance-AB6
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to have discussions with the Welsh Government on the BBC Funding Model Review.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Terms of Reference for the BBC Funding Model Review set out that the review would undertake close engagement with the devolved administrations, including the Welsh Government, as appropriate. As part of the review’s evidence gathering exercise, evidence requests have already been sent to the Welsh Government, alongside the other Devolved Administrations. The Government intends to continue engaging the Welsh Government, and relevant broadcasting stakeholders in Wales, as the review progresses.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she plans to take to enable (a) industry representatives and (b) other relevant stakeholders to make submissions to the BBC funding model review.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The BBC Funding Review is looking at how alternative funding models could help secure the broadcaster’s long-term sustainability amid an evolving media landscape, increased competition and changing audience behaviour, while reducing the burden on licence fee payers. It is a government-led review, supported by an expert panel that incorporates a broad range of views from across the sector, providing advice and external challenge on the issues set out in the review’s Terms of Reference, which are available on gov.uk.
Stakeholders are submitting evidence on the basis that evidence provided is confidential in nature, especially given potential commercial sensitivities, and there is no intention for these submissions to be made public, either in full or in part.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how her Department plans to manage the proposed national register for short-term lets; what information property owners will be required to provide to the register; and what estimate she has made of the (a) timeframe for implementing and (b) average cost to property owners to register their properties on the system.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We are now conducting an initial phase of digital development to test how the short-term lets registration scheme is best delivered. This initial phase of digital development will allow us to consider and test how the scheme is best managed, including matters such as the frequency of registration, which information should be collected and cost to property owners. Further details on the scheme will be provided later this year, including our full response to the consultation and information on the legislative process that will bring the scheme to life.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the BBC Funding Model Review: Terms of Reference, published on 21 March 2024, what steps she plans to take to ensure that the review assesses the potential merits of all options for securing the sustainability of the BBC.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government believes that there are challenges around the sustainability of the current licence fee funding model, and is therefore conducting a review of the BBC’s funding model.
As the Terms of Reference make clear, the Review is assessing a range of options for funding the BBC. It is looking at how alternative models could help secure the broadcaster’s long-term sustainability amid an evolving media landscape, increased competition and changing audience behaviour, while reducing the burden on licence fee payers.