BBC Royal Charter: Gaelic Broadcasting

Baroness MacLeod of Camusdarach Excerpts

Thursday 16th July 2026 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Baroness MacLeod of Camusdarach]

To ask His Majesty’s Government whether they intend to ensure Gaelic broadcasting will be given the same certainty and sufficiency of funding as Welsh broadcasting under the next BBC Royal Charter.

[Baroness MacLeod of Camusdarach (Lab)]

I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper and I declare an interest as a member of the development board of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, a Gaelic college on the island of Skye.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Baroness Twycross) (Lab)]

My Lords, the Government are clear about the vital role of Gaelic broadcasting: the BBC belongs to all of us and must reflect every community it serves. Charter review aims to put the BBC on a sustainable financial footing so that it can continue to deliver wide public value, including through the provision of Gaelic broadcasting. Alongside this, proposals detailed in the media Green Paper aim to ensure the long-term sustainability of public service media, including through minority-language broadcasting.

[Baroness MacLeod of Camusdarach (Lab)]

I am grateful for the Minister’s reply. It certainly is a step forward. Gaelic is one of the UK’s indigenous languages, and it is much older than English. It is fighting for its life, although the number of Gaelic speakers is increasing, and Gaelic broadcasting is pivotal in that role. Although MG Alba was created by legislation at Westminster, there has been no UK funding since the Lord Speaker left the other House. S4C in Wales is funded by the licence fee, with £22 million for programmes and £96 million in cash. BBC Alba gets no cash from the licence fee, only £10 million in kind from the BBC and another £15 million from the Scottish Government. All Gaelic broadcasting is asking for is parity of esteem. It is not a big ask for a priceless gain. I hope the Minister will carry on agreeing.

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

I agree with my noble friend on how important our UK languages are. Keeping them alive is part of not just our history but our culture for the future, and it should matter to all of us. The Government recognise the valuable contribution that providers of minority-language broadcasting have and their vital role in the preservation of our national heritage. The Government are considering the most appropriate arrangements for providing sustainable funding for minority-languages broadcasting as part of the charter review. MG Alba’s total budget stands at an estimated £420 per Gaelic speaker, including both BBC and Scottish Government spend. This compares to an equivalent of £260 per Welsh speaker for S4C. That is not to minimise the importance of it but to show that there is investment in this space.