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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the comments made by the retiring Chair of the BBC about the increasing frequency of interventions on BBC matters by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

The BBC is operationally and editorially independent of the Government. As it is a public service broadcaster funded by licence fee-payers, it is right that the Government engages constructively with the BBC to ensure that it upholds the highest standards expected by the public.

As its sponsor department, DCMS maintains regular contact with the BBC on a number of issues. DCMS is grateful for Dame Elan Closs Stephens's constructive engagement whilst Acting Chairman of the BBC.