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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the BBC’s Digbeth development on regional storytelling in the West Midlands.

The Government wants broadcasters to be more ambitious in growing the TV sector outside London and the South East and commissioning content nationwide, and for British storytelling to reflect the full diversity of people, communities and experiences across the UK. As part of Charter Review we are looking at how we can ensure the BBC’s commissioning, decision-making, and budgets truly reflect and deliver for all nations and regions of the UK.

The BBC expected to open its Digbeth headquarters in Birmingham in 2027, an example of the positive role the BBC is playing in the West Midlands. This is expected to create over 900 jobs and encourage 200 new creative businesses in the region over the next decade.