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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans her Department has to publish a timetable outlining the steps required to secure secondary legislation in order that analogue FM and AM commercial radio licences simulcasting on DAB will be uninterrupted before they are due to expire.

The government supports a strong and vibrant radio sector and we fully recognise the important role that both national and local commercial stations broadcasting on analogue (FM and AM) frequencies and on DAB play in providing the widest possible choice for listeners.

The first of the analogue commercial radio licences renewed by Ofcom under the Legislative Reform (Further Renewal of Radio Licences) Order 2015 will start to expire in early 2022. We plan to consult on the options of a further renewal of these licences as soon as possible.