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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate her Department has made of the annual value of the intellectual property and exports generated for independent producers by working with Channel 4.

Channel 4 has played an important role in supporting independent production in the UK. The government has been clear that we want Channel 4 to remain a public service broadcaster, with obligations and benefits similar to those all public service broadcasters have - including those PSBs that are currently privately-owned broadcasters - if there is a change of ownership.

We are clear that Channel 4’s public service remit, and its strengths in working with independent producers are precisely the strengths we would expect to be attractive to a buyer, and that we would expect any buyer to be likely to nurture and develop through new investment.

We have consulted on a potential change of ownership of Channel 4. Our public consultation closed on 14 September. We are carefully considering the views and evidence we have received to inform the government’s policy-making and final decision.

Whatever decision we make about the future ownership model of Channel 4 will not compromise this government’s commitment to the independent production sector and to the wider creative economy.