Broadcasting (Regional Programme-making and Original Productions) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay Excerpts

Tuesday 18th November 2025 Grand Committee

I want to raise one other issue; this is perhaps not the right place to raise it, but I am going to get it off my chest. In all of last week’s concerns about a certain “Panorama” programme—rightly so—we failed to remember that many of the so-called scandals faced by the BBC were made by independent production companies. During the furore, I do not recall anybody asking, “What responsibility are the independent production companies taking? Has anybody from the independent production company offered to resign? Has anybody been chastised?” Where does the responsibility lie when a programme is made by an independent company? The BBC has a commissioning editor, of course, and they have some responsibility, presumably, but I would have thought that the independent production company does as well. Finally, we support these SIs.

[Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Con)]

My Lords, I am glad to have this opportunity to consider these two statutory instruments. They form part of the implementation of the Media Act 2024, which I had the pleasure of taking through your Lordships’ House in practically the final hours of the last Parliament.

I thank the Minister for her introduction to the two instruments in front of us. As she clearly outlined, these instruments are technical but important. They ensure that the quotas applying to our public service broadcasters—whether for independent productions, original productions or regional programme-making—remain meaningful, measurable and fit for purpose both at a time when the balance between how people consume their news and their entertainment is shifting from linear channels to on-demand services and at a time when people are watching not just British broadcasters but streaming services owned by international entities.

I turn first to the regulations relating to independent productions. We on this side of the Committee have no difficulty with the changes that these regulations introduce. They are designed to reflect the clear shift in how viewers consume content and the wider reforms that were implemented through the Media Act. The statutory instrument updates the independent production quota by converting the long-standing 25% requirement into a minimum number of hours; that seems to us a sensible evolution, ensuring that the quota can be applied consistently across linear broadcasting and on-demand platforms. It will help maintain a strong and diverse pipeline of high-quality programming from the UK’s independent production sector.

The SI also updates the definitions of “independent productions” and “independent producer”, while rightly preserving the important principle that qualifying content must be made by companies not owned or controlled by broadcasters. The Government are also correct to uphold the established position that repeats should not count towards the quota, given the importance of commissioning new content and supporting our creative industries. These are proportionate changes which strike the right balance.

The first instrument relates to regional programme-making and original productions. Again, these amendments ensure consistency with the new regime brought in by the Media Act. I am grateful to my noble friend Lord Kirkhope for his contributions based on his own extensive experience in broadcasting—and it was very good to have another contribution from the land of Tyne Tees. I agree particularly with what he said about probing the description “regional”, which must not become a way of saying “not London”. For plenty of us in other parts of the country, London is a region, too. I echo what the noble Lord, Lord Storey, said about the importance of local news. It is particularly important at a time when we have a greater number of metro mayors and further devolution. With decisions made at an ever more local level, it is all the more important that the decision-makers are held to account by rigorous and independent local news productions.

The changes in this SI update the definitions of “original productions” and “regional” programming so that programmes can qualify whether they are first made available via linear broadcasting or online—which, again, is a necessary alignment with modern production and viewing habits. Importantly, they also give Ofcom the discretion to determine how repeats should be treated in these quotas, which is a practical and coherent approach reflecting the operational realities of commissioning and scheduling. It maintains the integrity of the system while giving the regulator appropriate flexibility.

Taken together, the two instruments before us bring significant aspects of our public service broadcasting framework up to date without altering the underlying principles that have long supported the UK’s world-leading broadcasting ecosystem, diversity of supply, strong regional representation, and the central role of independent producers in delivering high-quality British content. They reflect the changing nature of viewers’ behaviour, provide regulatory clarity and maintain the balance between public service broadcasters’ obligations and the flexibility that they need. We are very happy to support both instruments before the Grand Committee today.