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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the covid-19 outbreak, whether he plans to provide emergency funding to the BBC to ensure that it can continue to operate at full capacity in the next 12 months.

As the national broadcaster, the BBC has a vital role to play in supplying information to the public in the weeks and months ahead. The BBC has stated that its priority over the coming period is to do everything it can to serve the nation at this uniquely challenging time.

The BBC and the government have been discussing the national coronavirus situation, and these discussions will continue.

In 2018/19 the BBC received nearly £3.7bn in licence fee income.