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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the command paper, Protecting What Matters, CP 1540, 9 March 2026, page 21, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of reductions in the requirements for statutory notices in local papers on the financial sustainability of local newspapers.

As part of the Local Media Action Plan, we have outlined plans for a review of statutory notices. In this review, we intend to consult on whether action is needed to better ensure that communities have access to journalistic scrutiny of local decisionmaking.

We will launch a public consultation, to determine whether any changes to legislation are required, and our approach will be informed by the following principles, that we:

• continue to drive transparency and accountability in local governance

• serve all audiences

• help ensure value for money to the local authorities and others required to publicise the information contained within statutory notices

• maintain a link to journalistic scrutiny

• foster innovation in the local media ecosystem and do not unfairly disadvantage local news outlets with a proven track record in public interest journalism regardless of whether they operate in print, online or both.

We will publish our planned timetable in the coming weeks.