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

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the BBC about the decision to end access to BBC Sounds for overseas listeners.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) meets regularly with representatives of the BBC on a range of matters, including how it engages listeners both in the UK and internationally.

The BBC is operationally and editorially independent of the Government, and decisions on changes to its BBC Sounds service is a matter for the BBC.

The Government recognises the BBC’s value as a UK soft power asset, and promoting British stories to audiences across the world.