BBC Sounds: Access from Abroad

Lord Blunkett Excerpts

Wednesday 14th May 2025 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Blunkett]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the BBC about its decision to deny access to BBC Sounds for people travelling or living abroad; and what the outcome of any such discussions was.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Baroness Twycross) (Lab)]

As my noble friend is aware, the BBC is operationally independent of the Government. Decisions of this nature are rightly for the BBC. However, I welcome the BBC’s commitment to keep BBC Sounds available internationally until access arrangements to other BBC stations for international listeners are confirmed. The Government are continuing conversations with the BBC to understand the timing and potential impact of changes.

[Lord Blunkett (Lab)]

Since laying this Question, and as a supporter of the BBC, I have been pleased to have a dialogue, but I am sure my noble friend would agree that if it is to be “our BBC” then there must be communications with listeners and timescales for implementation, linking in with genuine accessibility for every user. Developing this with the World Service and investing in our soft power will be really important—perhaps this is tongue-in-cheek—to ensure that when we are abroad all of us can tune in and listen, because it helps us feel that we are not strangers in someone else’s land.

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

As I made clear to my noble friend, DCMS is having ongoing conversations with the BBC to better understand the timing and implications of the proposed changes. Accessibility is clearly important. As somebody who, like many other Members of your Lordships’ House, listens using BBC Sounds when abroad, I am very grateful that the BBC is going to consider this further. However, under the current proposals, the international audience will still be able to access Radio 4, the World Service and the BBC’s journalism for free through bbc.com. Ultimately, whatever comes out of the delay to the changes and the refinement of the plans, this is a matter of operational independence for the BBC.