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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that payment of royalties is made by platform providers to broadcasters as well as to the rights-holders of programmes.

The Government’s consultation on the balance of payments between pay TV platforms and Public Service Broadcasters (PSBs) closed on 30 June 2015. The consultation examined the flow of payments between PSBs and pay TV platforms, and whether regulations relating to these transactions are necessary to ensure broadcasters can deliver the highest quality content, at the best price, to the widest possible audience. Department for Culture, Media and Sport officials are now analysing with a view to publishing a Government response in due course.