BBC Funding Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDamian Green
Main Page: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)Department Debates - View all Damian Green's debates with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
(2 years, 7 months ago)
Commons ChamberLike many of the best things in this country, the BBC licence fee may not work in theory but works really well in practice, as shown by very low levels of evasion. There are, of course, many alternative ways of funding it, but as the DCMS Committee, which my right hon. Friend referred to, concluded last year, the Government either need to
“come out with a strong alternative to the BBC licence fee that it can put to Parliament, or strongly support the current model for at least the next Charter period (2028-2038).”
Does the Secretary of State have that alternative on offer?
I thank my right hon. Friend for his contribution. I am afraid that we differ in our opinions. We have five or six years—there is plenty of time to decide what a future funding model would look like.