Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on the Government's BBC funding model review.
Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Government has launched a review of the BBC’s funding model, to ensure it is fair to licence fee payers, sustainable for the long term, and supports the BBC’s vital role in growing our thriving creative industries.
This is an important cross-Government programme of work, HMT and DCMS are in regular engagement, and will continue to do so over the course of the review.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his planned timetable is for laying the secondary legislation required to commence section 19 of the Road Safety Act 2006.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport is currently considering how best to take forward implementation of section 19 of the Road Safety Act 2006.
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.
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.