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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the opportunity arising from the establishment by Channel Four of a second headquarters outside London to develop their regional policy and to promote less affluent parts of the UK; and what discussions they have had with Channel Four in this regard.

We are committed to spreading jobs, prosperity and opportunity around the UK, and Channel 4, as a publicly-owned public service broadcaster, can play an important part in this. The government commissioned external economic analysis which found that there could be significant regional economic benefits from Channel 4 relocating staff and moving spending out of London. The government welcomes Channel 4's agreement to increase its regional impact, and in doing so it will better reflect and provide for the country that owns it.