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Written Question
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Brexit
Tuesday 20th December 2022

Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment they have made of the impact of the UK's departure from the EU on their ability to deliver successful policy outcomes.

Answered by Paul Scully

When the UK left the EU on 31st January 2020, we regained the ability to set our own rules and regulations. This was a key reason why the British people voted to leave the EU. The UK’s departure from the EU will enable the UK Government to remove and reform years of burdensome EU regulation in favour of a more agile, home-grown regulatory approach that benefits the UK - for example, through powers in the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill. This will allow us to seize the benefits of Brexit to create the best regulated economy in the world, stimulating economic growth, innovation and job creation.


Written Question
Press Freedom
Thursday 25th June 2020

Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many members of the public have written to his Department in support of the Save the Independent Press campaign.

Answered by John Whittingdale

The Department has received correspondence from a range of stakeholders, including from members of the public.

This Government is clear that newspapers play an invaluable role in the fabric of our society and we continue to work with stakeholders from across the Press sector and political landscape in order to ensure the effectiveness of our policies in relation to supporting all news publishers, including independent outlets. The Government will continue to consider all possible options in the interests of promoting and sustaining high-quality news journalism across the sector.


Written Question
Newspaper Press: Regulation
Wednesday 24th June 2020

Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department plans to work with IMPRESS or other independent regulators.

Answered by John Whittingdale

An independent press is vital to a strong and healthy democracy. The government is supportive of the independence of self-regulatory bodies. Ministers and officials are open to engagement with such bodies.


Written Question
Channel Four: Privatisation
Wednesday 24th June 2020

Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Government has plans to privatise Channel 4.

Answered by John Whittingdale

The government has no current plans to privatise Channel 4.


Written Question
Television Licences: Coronavirus
Tuesday 23rd June 2020

Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he has any plans to review the BBC licence fee in response to the covid-19 outbreak.

Answered by John Whittingdale

A television licence is required to watch, record or receive television as it is broadcast live on any channel or online service. A licence is also required to watch or download live or on-demand content on BBC iPlayer. It is not a fee or charge for BBC services and is payable regardless of whether the licence holder ever watches the BBC. Licence fee revenue is not just used to fund the BBC, it is also used for other strategic public service objectives including funding the Welsh language broadcaster S4C.

The Licence Fee is part of a funding settlement agreed with the BBC as part of the Royal Charter. The government has committed to maintain the licence fee funding model for the duration of this 11 year Charter period, until the end of 2027. However, we have been clear that, ahead of the next Charter Review process, we will undertake a detailed look at the future of the TV licence model itself.

TV Licensing has said that it appreciates the challenges that many people face at the moment and it is working on ways it can provide further support. More information on how TV Licensing is responding to the COVID-19 situation on its website here: https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/coronavirus.


Written Question
BBC: Ownership
Tuesday 23rd June 2020

Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of relinquishing Government ownership of the BBC to licence fee payers.

Answered by John Whittingdale

The Royal Charter is the constitutional basis of the BBC which guarantees the BBC’s independence and provides the framework for how the BBC is governed and funded. The Royal Charter was renewed in 2017 for 11 years and the Government has no plans to review it before the next Charter Review, which is due to take place ahead of 2027.


Written Question
Independent Press Standards Organisation
Monday 22nd June 2020

Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department has plans to undertake a review of the role of Independent Press Standards Organisation in the regulation of the news media.

Answered by John Whittingdale

The media landscape has changed significantly since the Leveson Inquiry, with crucial changes to press self-regulation. The government is committed to self-regulation and we now have a stronger system through The Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO).

IPSO is independent of government. In 2016 it commissioned its own external review which found it had made some important achievements in demonstrating it was an independent and effective regulator.


Written Question
Press Freedom
Monday 22nd June 2020

Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many hon. Members have written to him on the campaign to Save the Independent Press.

Answered by John Whittingdale

The Department has received correspondence from a range of stakeholders, including from Members.

This Government is clear that newspapers play an invaluable role in the fabric of our society and we continue to work with stakeholders from across the Press sector and political landscape in order to ensure the effectiveness of our policies in relation to supporting all news publishers, including independent outlets. The Government will continue to consider all possible options in the interests of promoting and sustaining high-quality news journalism across the sector.


Written Question
Newspaper Press: Democracy
Monday 22nd June 2020

Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment he has made of the contribution of independent and local newspapers as regulated by the Press Regulation Panel to the functioning of democracy.

Answered by John Whittingdale

The government recognises the importance of reliable, trustworthy news, which is vital to helping ensure a healthy democracy both nationally and at a local level.

Local and independent newspapers play an invaluable role in the fabric of our society. They remain uniquely placed to undertake the investigative journalism and scrutiny of public institutions, including local councils and our courts.


Written Question
Newspaper Press: Regulation
Monday 22nd June 2020

Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that newspapers and their websites are properly regulated.

Answered by John Whittingdale

The government is committed to a free and independent press, and does not intervene in what the press can and cannot publish.

There now exists a strengthened, independent, self-regulatory system for the press. The majority of traditional publishers—including 95% of national newspapers by circulation—are members of IPSO. A small number of publishers have joined IMPRESS.