BBC: Scotland

(asked on 14th June 2021) - View Source

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department has entered into any memoranda of understanding with the Scottish (a) Government and (b) Parliament on the (i) operation of the BBC and (ii) appointment to the BBC's Board of Governors.


Answered by
John Whittingdale Portrait
John Whittingdale
This question was answered on 21st June 2021

The UK Government has not entered into a memoranda of understanding with the Scottish government or parliament in relation to the operation of the BBC, or appointments to the BBC Board.

The BBC is operationally and editorially independent of government, and the UK government has no say in the BBC’s day-to-day operations. The BBC Charter requires the BBC to represent, reflect and serve audiences, taking into account the needs of diverse communities of all the UK nations and regions, including Scotland. The BBC Board is responsible for ensuring the BBC delivers these Charter obligations.

The Chair and Nations Members of the BBC Board are appointed by Her Majesty the Queen, via Order in Council, following a fair and open competition. This includes the BBC Board Member for Scotland. As per the BBC Charter, no appointment shall be made for the BBC Board member for Scotland without the agreement of the Scottish Ministers.

All other appointments are made by the BBC.

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