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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the role local newspapers play in keeping residents informed on local planning decisions, including those who either (a) don’t use or (b) have access to the internet.

The government recognises the importance of local newspapers to communities and the continued need to reach out to people who cannot, or prefer not to, digitally access information. The government is also mindful of the potential impact that any changes to the existing publicity requirements for statutory notices, including planning notices, might have on transparency and local democracy, as well as the potential effect on the sustainability of the local newspaper industry.