Media Green Paper
Ian Murray Excerpts(1 day, 12 hours ago)
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The Minister of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Ian Murray)
It is great to see you in the Chair, Dr Allin-Khan; I think this is the first time I have responded to a debate with you in the Chair, so congratulations. I congratulate the new shadow Minister on what I understand is his first visit to Westminster Hall since his appointment. It has been a good visit.
It is great to be having this debate, and I congratulate the right hon. Member for Maldon (Sir John Whittingdale) on securing it. He is right to say that an hour is not enough for it, but I am sure we will come back to these issues on a number of occasions. As he knows, we have a Green Paper process to consider the principles behind these big issues, and we then work out the detail by asking people what they think is the best way to deliver things. I know that he is very knowledgeable about these issues and will continue to bring that knowledge and experience to the Chamber.
The right hon. Gentleman said that the Green Paper has some controversial proposals, but I am not sure that they are necessarily controversial. There are big questions that we have to answer in a changing media environment, and they sit alongside a number of other big issues that the Government currently have timetabled, including the BBC charter, which I will come to in a few moments. BBC charter renewal, the Green Paper and other issues of online safety are all coming together in this new environment, with the blurring between what is television and other issues.
Let me set the scene for why we are doing this. When they are functioning effectively, we would all agree that our media provide the foundation for a cohesive country and a healthy democracy. They can establish shared understanding, shared facts and shared experiences. That is crucial for helping people to trust and understand one another, and for communities to be held together.
However, the media are facing huge challenges. As we set out in the Green Paper, television is undergoing a profound transformation, having moved from the system of limited broadcast channels we had when we were growing up, as the hon. Member for North West Norfolk (James Wild) suggests, to an environment of having content everywhere for everyone, where the largest players are the global streaming services, video-sharing platforms and social media companies. Our domestic broadcasters, which are the best in the world, including our public service media providers, are battling to be seen in an increasingly competitive and fragmented market in which audiences are seeking their entertainment and news.
As we know, people—particularly the young—increasingly access news online, rather than through more regulated spaces such as their TV sets, so there is a disparity: if someone is sitting in front of a piece of content on television, it is regulated, whereas if they watch the same or similar content online, it is not regulated. That is the kind of big issue that the Green Paper is trying to draw out. That weakens the ability of trustworthy news providers to reach audiences and shape and inform public debate. The Government believe that we need to do more to adequately equip younger generations with access to high-quality media. That is why we are acting.
In the light of those challenges, for the “Watch this space” Green Paper we consulted on a variety of proposals to ensure that media, and television in particular, can continue to play a vital role in our society and our democracy by making high-quality UK content and trustworthy news accessible and sustainable for the next generation and beyond. I welcome this debate and the many thousands of responses to the consultation that we received—many tens of thousands, I believe—which help us scrutinise every measure properly to ensure it is as robust and forward-looking as possible.
Let me come to some of the issues that Members raised. First, the right hon. Member for Maldon raised prominence. Public service media content needs to be easy to find on the platforms on which people watch TV or TV-like content. The Green Paper therefore examines the need for increased discoverability on third-party platforms such as video-sharing platforms. The Government have been very clear that our strong preference remains an industry-led voluntary agreement to achieve that in a sustainable and robust way that satisfies all parties. I pay particular tribute to YouTube for the way in which it has engaged with us. However, should those partnerships not go far enough in delivering our objectives, we will need to consider legislation.
The hon. Member for North West Norfolk said that content on YouTube is delivered by the user or by user preference. It is not, really; it is delivered by the algorithm. What is delivered to users is fed to them by whatever the algorithm suggests. If it were purely user-driven, that would deal with prominence, because people would be looking for the stuff that they want to see.
Gordon McKee (Glasgow South) (Lab)
The Minister is making an important point, and I completely agree. My question is quite simple. Every nation around the world is grappling with this problem, although we have the BBC, which is a phenomenal and unique achievement. Has he looked at other jurisdictions and countries to gather international best practice? Every nation is dealing with the fact that all of our media now takes place on platforms that are mostly owned by big American tech firms.
Ian Murray
Absolutely. The international comparisons are not there, because nobody in other regimes has done this before for prominence. If we look at the entire online world, we see that Australia has been the cheerleader for an under-16s social media ban and for functionality changes to social media, but nobody has really looked at the algorithms, how people digest their entertainment and where it comes from, so we would be the first movers. One of the key issues that we have to unpick is that we want a UK solution for UK audiences and users, but west coast American companies dominate the marketplace. That is one of the key things that we are trying to work through with this Green Paper and the big issues that have been raised.
I will not go into the various ways of improving discoverability today, but they will be looked at in the coming weeks and months as a result of the Green Paper consultation. We want a thriving public service media sector, which would have massive spill-over effects for the entirety of the rest of the economy. If we crack prominence and get it right on a voluntary basis, we will not need legislation.
The right hon. Member for Maldon said that YouTube is all user-generated and not mainstream, so we should not give public service media prominence in it. I am sure he shares that very strong view with others. YouTube may once have been the home of cat videos and other things, but it is changing. In December 2025, YouTube had higher monthly viewing figures than the BBC for the very first time, so people are digesting that content, and I am not quite sure whether those users are aware of the differences between it and television. I know that if I sit my six-year-old daughter down in front of the television, she can watch something that is heavily regulated and safe. I would never sit her down in front of YouTube and just let her watch stuff, for the simple reason that she should probably not be doing that at six—and it is unregulated.
I want to talk briefly about the BBC, because it sits alongside the issues of public service media and prominence. My hon. Friend the Member for Salford (Rebecca Long Bailey) raised a number of issues about the BBC. We will have a permanent charter. The hon. Member for North West Norfolk raised that issue as well, but the Secretary of State has been very clear that we will have a permanent charter. That is a great outcome for the charter renewal period, I think. On under-75s, we have no plans to change the position. It is now the preserve of the BBC to make those decisions, and it has done so. Under-75s on pension credit do receive a free television licence.
I say to the hon. Member for Caerfyrddin (Ann Davies) that the charter review has a very clear commitment to supporting minority language broadcasting, including Welsh and indeed Gaelic, as Members can tell from my accent. We are actively exploring ways to ensure that S4C in particular and minority-language broadcasting continue to be sustainably funded. Of course, one of the key questions for the BBC in relation to renewal is about the issue of sustainable funding, which the White Paper will address.
Perran Moon
Unfortunately, although the Green Paper highlights the importance of Welsh-language broadcasting, it is largely silent on Cornish-language content, despite Kernewek’s recognition in the Media Act 2024. Will the Minister ensure that these ambitions are translated into practical opportunities for Cornish-language content so that our national minority status is properly reflected?
Ian Murray
In the interests of time, I will take that as a lobby and will add it to the consultation responses.
I want to deal very briefly with two big issues that have been raised a lot. The first is about what trustworthy news is; that is what the Green Paper is trying to address, and we will come back with proposals relatively shortly. I welcome the debate across the Chamber.
The second issue is the future of television distribution. I think we all agree that we have dealt with the “if”—we will move from DTT to internet-only television at some point—but we have to deal with the “when”. Is it 2034? Is it 2044? I accept the big arguments around payments and around connectivity, the quality of connectivity and digital inclusion, but none of those should be a reason not to go forward in 2034 if that is what we decide. It should be the beacon that we aim for to deliver on digital inclusion and high-quality broadband in every part of the country and make sure that people are included.
As a Government, as a Parliament and as constituency Members of Parliament, we should not just accept that broadband might not be good enough and that therefore we should not make these decisions. We should use it as a key driver to make sure that we can deliver on connecting everyone and on the benefits not just of television, but of everything that comes with being digitally included and digitally connected. We have not made a decision on 2034 or 2044, which is why both dates are in the Green Paper.
Other issues have been raised, but in the interests of time I will conclude. No doubt we will come back to this debate. We have the Green Paper and the consultation closed on 31 August, so the next steps are to go through the process of analysing all the responses that many Members and their constituents have inputted. I thank the right hon. Member for Maldon for bringing forward this debate; I look forward to his securing further debates on the Green Paper as the process works through.
Oral Answers to Questions
Ian Murray Excerpts(6 days, 12 hours ago)
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Leigh Ingham (Stafford) (Lab)
The Minister of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Ian Murray)
Everyone should be able to participate in and enjoy culture wherever they live in the country. Through our arts everywhere programme, we are investing £1.5 billion into arts, culture and heritage across England. In addition, our UK city and town of culture competitions are empowering cities and towns to celebrate their local culture, and we are focusing investment and engagement in our culture priority places to ensure that the benefits of culture can be felt everywhere.
Amanda Martin
Statistically, Portsmouth more closely resembles places such as Hull, Gateshead and the Wirral than its neighbours on the south coast. Our region is often overlooked as affluent, but my city has suffered loss of industry and faces serious deprivation and child poverty. Bringing in the good vibes, however, Portsmouth has so much to offer, from our historic dockyard to seafront creative activities and festivals, and Portsmouth is bursting with talent. This August we officially submitted our bid to become UK city of culture. Does the Minister agree that it is time for the first city of culture in the south of England and that Portsmouth deserves that investment?
Ian Murray
Nobody brings good vibes to the Chamber more than my hon. Friend. Portsmouth holds an important place in our national story, with its strong maritime history, thriving cultural sector and iconic sites such as the historic dockyard. The UK city of culture competition gives all bidders, win or lose, opportunities to deliver on their ambitions to use culture as a catalyst to make transformative change for their people and place. The competition has an independent panel of judges, chaired by the wonderful Sir Phil Redmond. I wish Portsmouth and all bidding places the very best of luck, and I thank my hon. Friend, who does so much for her constituents, for her lobbying.
Leigh Ingham
Mr Speaker, you know as well as I do that Stafford has brilliant cultural amenities, such as the Gatehouse theatre, which recently hosted a first-of-its-kind technical summer school, providing a unique opportunity for young people to experience technical theatre skills. However, it can be much more challenging for those who live in more rural areas, such as in those in my constituency, who do not necessarily get the same opportunities due to rural transport issues and a lack of cultural amenities. Will the Minister please tell me what the Government are doing to support cultural activities, particularly for young people in our rural areas?
Ian Murray
I commend the Gatehouse theatre in Stafford for all that it does for young people; it is a fantastic initiative. The DCMS understands that people in rural areas face additional challenges in accessing culture. We know that transport challenges make accessing touring productions and after-school activities more difficult. Indeed, that was something we discussed on Staffordshire Day in this place. Arts Council England is committed to responding to the specific needs of rural areas, such as working with artists, improving access for rural audiences and building partnerships for growth. Access to culture should not be a postcode lottery, either due to transport restrictions or availability, and that is what our arts everywhere programme is all about.
Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
I thank the Minister for that answer. Castle Ward, a local National Trust site in my constituency, puts on a host of cultural and creative activities throughout the year to allow locals to engage with the arts. Bus services are needed so that people in urban and rural areas can access those activities. Will the Minister work in partnership with the National Trust on this issue right across this great United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Ian Murray
Absolutely, and I commend the hon. Gentleman for the work done in his constituency, including at Castle Ward. Encouraging everyone to go and visit would be the best thing for me to do as the Minister. Transport connectivity for those attending cultural and music events and historic and heritage places came up at the Select Committee sitting I attended this week, so we are working hard to resolve these issues.
Vikki Slade (Mid Dorset and North Poole) (LD)
Wareham is fortunate to be served by the fantastic Rex cinema, which is Dorset’s oldest cinema and one of the oldest in the country, and it is volunteer led. It shows two films every day and has been refurbished to maintain its art deco interior. However, its roof is now over 135 years old and will cost £400,000 to repair. The volunteers have funded a new projector, but they just cannot raise that sort of money. Will the Minister consider extending cultural capital grants to community cinemas?
Mr Speaker
Order. I am struggling because we only get a short time for these questions. I think we should have an hour, and I hope somebody will reflect on that.
Ian Murray
In the interests of time, I will just say that I am happy to meet the hon. Lady to discuss that issue in more detail.
Rebecca Paul (Reigate) (Con)
Celebrating culture as a community can be an incredibly unifying experience, and many people will have enjoyed Notting Hill carnival this weekend, but 636 people were arrested for crimes including sexual offences and possession of weapons. Last year, it cost about £16 million just to police the carnival, and this year a further £4.6 million of taxpayers’ money was provided for additional safety measures. Given those figures, are the Minister and the Secretary of State satisfied that this particular cultural event represents good value for taxpayers? What discussions is the Secretary of State having with colleagues about whether the present approach is sustainable?
Ian Murray
I congratulate the hon. Lady on her position and welcome her to her place. I look forward to the many discussions the ministerial team will have with her shadow ministerial team. I am sure that she will do a marvellous job.
It was the 60th anniversary of Notting Hill carnival. Everyone is concerned about the 636 arrests. It is a carnival that has been enjoyed by tens of millions of people over the past 60 years. Its policing is the responsibility of the Mayor of London, and we will work closely with the Mayor of London on what will happen over the next 60 years of the Notting Hill carnival. It is something that we should celebrate and enjoy, but that has to be done safely, without discrimination for anyone and without fear or favour for anyone.
Shockat Adam (Leicester South) (Ind)
Danny Beales (Uxbridge and South Ruislip) (Lab)
The Minister of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Ian Murray)
I thank my hon. Friend for bringing this incredibly serious question to DCMS questions this morning. There is no place for homophobia or prejudice in our society, and the media has a duty to uphold the highest standards, not polarise or divide. I understand that Ofcom is investigating whether the programme has breached broadcasting code standards, and I expect it to do so without fear or favour. Through our media Green Paper, we are considering how to ensure Ofcom has the right powers to protect audiences and regulate TV services in the future. We have a proud free media and free press in this country, but that does not come without responsibilities, and GB News should be thoroughly ashamed of itself.
Mr Will Forster (Woking) (LD)
Creative Freelance Champions
Ian Murray Excerpts(1 week, 1 day ago)
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The Minister of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Ian Murray)
The DCMS Secretary of State (Lisa Nandy) has appointed Leila D’Aronville and Lizzie Crump to the role of creative freelance champion, to ensure that the voice of this vital workforce is heard at the heart of policymaking.
Freelancers form the backbone of the UK’s creative economy—providing a significant workforce across sectors from performing arts and film production to design and crafts. They provide the agility and specialised skills that make our creative industries a global success story. However, creative freelancers face unique challenges regarding job security, skill development, and working conditions.
Lizzie Crump and Leila D’Aronville have been appointed, in a job-share working pattern, for a period of 18 months as direct ministerial appointments. Over the first six months, they will identify their priority areas of work, and define a number of set deliverables for their appointment term. They have also joined the Creative Industries Council.
The champions will act as a strategic bridge between the Department, wider Government, industry bodies, and the creative freelance community. Their terms of reference have been published online, with a remit focused on advocacy, representation and building understanding of the freelance workforce. This will mean:
Representation: Working closely with the sector to coherently represent the experiences of creative freelancers within Government, and improve the application of policy initiatives to this group.
Building understanding: Working with relevant Government Departments, arm’s length bodies, and the sector to improve understanding of this section of the workforce, and build awareness of key rights, responsibilities and resources amongst freelancers and their contractors.
The champions will be supported by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Arts Council England and the British Film Institute, and will work in partnership with a wide range of organisations from the sector, including unions and sector bodies.
[HCWS294]
Radio Selection Services Consultation
Ian Murray Excerpts(1 month, 3 weeks ago)
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The Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts (Ian Murray)
Radio continues to be a strong and highly valued medium in the UK, with 87% of the population tuning in every week. However, the means by which listeners tune into radio has undergone a significant shift in recent years. In particular, there has been sustained growth in listeners’ use of voice-activated devices (such as smart speakers) to access online streams of live broadcast radio. The use of these kinds of devices by radio listeners has grown strongly. According to the most recent figures from RAJAR, 18% of total radio listening is via a voice-assisted device.
In response to these changes, the Media Act 2024 amended the Communications Act 2003 to introduce new powers to protect the availability and carriage of online streams of UK broadcast radio on such voice-activated services (defined as radio selection services or RSS.) These protections were put in place to ensure that listeners using these services as designated by the Secretary of State are able to continue to access live radio. Before making any such designation the Secretary of State must first receive a report from Ofcom, which the Secretary of State received on 19 March 2026.
Having taken into account Ofcom’s advice and recommendations, the Secretary of State agrees with Ofcom’s conclusion that 700,000 users is the appropriate threshold for designation. Consequently, the Secretary of State is minded to agree that Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple’s Siri should all be designated radio selection services.
Before making regulations to designate these services, and having already received Ofcom’s report, the Secretary of State is now required by section 362BB of the Communications Act 2003 to consult persons who appear to represent providers of radio selection services and providers of internet radio services, and other appropriate persons.
This consultation launches today and responses can be submitted by the closing date of 9 September 2026.
[HCWS271]
Newspaper Direct Holdings: Acquisitions by State-owned Investors
Ian Murray Excerpts(1 month, 3 weeks ago)
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The Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts (Ian Murray)
The Enterprise Act 2002 (Mergers Involving Newspaper Enterprises and Foreign Powers) (No. 2) Regulations 2025, which can be found at www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/1351/made, were debated and approved by Parliament in December 2025, and came into force on 31 January 2026.
They amended the exceptions for state-owned investors in the foreign state influence regime in the Enterprise Act 2002 to provide that, if a state-owned investor acquires a direct holding of more than 5% of the shares or voting rights in a newspaper—up to a maximum of 15%—they must notify the Secretary of State and publish certain details on a website before the end of a period of 14 days beginning with the date of the relevant acquisition in order to qualify for the exception.
When the regulations were laid before Parliament, I made a written statement, which can be found at https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2025-10-30/hcws1009 that set out the Secretary of State’s commitment to sharing a statement every six months on the details that state-owned investors have published about their investments pursuant to the regulations.
Since 31 January 2026, the Secretary of State has received no notifications of acquisitions resulting in a state-owned investor holding more than 5% in a UK newspaper directly.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport will continue to publish statements every six months to maintain transparency around state-owned investment in newspapers, and to build public and parliamentary confidence in this regime. The next statement is due in January 2027.
[HCWS252]
Unlicensed Gambling Sponsorship Consultation
Ian Murray Excerpts(1 month, 3 weeks ago)
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The Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts (Ian Murray)
I am repeating the following written ministerial statement made today in the other place by my noble Friend, the Minister for Museums, Heritage and Gambling and Department for Culture, Media and Sport Lords Minister, Baroness Twycross:
I am pleased to inform the House that we have today published a consultation on banning unlicensed gambling sponsorship and advertising in sport and all other sectors. This follows our announcement in February of our intention to consult on banning such sponsorship in the sport sector.
Under current legislation, businesses are able to enter into advertising and sponsorship arrangements with gambling operators that are not licensed by the Gambling Commission, so long as those operators’ services cannot be accessed by consumers in Great Britain. Unlicensed operators achieve this by geo-blocking their websites. However, this can be circumvented by consumers using a virtual private network. This has become a particular issue over the past year in the sporting sector, particularly football, as the result of changes in the advertising landscape.
We therefore intend to introduce a ban on unlicensed gambling sponsorship and advertising that will target any physical forms or manifestations of advertising or sponsorship. Within a sporting context, this will include kit and equipment sponsorships, pitchside billboards, tournament programmes, venue infrastructure, and the naming of events, leagues and venues. This will make it a criminal offence for any club, league, event, venue, individual or related assets to advertise or be sponsored by a gambling operator not licensed by the Gambling Commission when operating in Great Britain. We also intend to apply this ban to all sectors, to avoid other sectors replacing sport as an alternative vehicle for unlicensed sponsorship.
Our rationale for change is driven by three core objectives:
to protect consumers, especially young people and those who are vulnerable, from unregulated platforms that may not offer adequate player protections or fraud recourse;
to defend the integrity of our domestic market by ensuring that advertising footprints are exclusive to operators who are required to adhere to the Gambling Commission’s licence conditions and codes of practice; and
in the sport sector, to eliminate severe money-laundering vulnerabilities within football clubs and agents that have been explicitly flagged within our national risk assessment.
We believe that although most sectors and sports will be unaffected, some sports or clubs will be impacted. For example, a number of football clubs have or have had sponsorship deals with gambling operators that do not hold a licence to operate in Great Britain. Nevertheless, we want to introduce this ban as quickly as possible. In recognition that football is the primary source of unlicensed gambling sponsorships and advertising, our preferred option is to implement this ban from a fixed date in August 2027, ahead of the 2027-28 football season. This should minimise commercial disruption and allow time to secure legitimate replacements.
I would encourage those in this House who are interested in gambling and sport policy, as well as relevant stakeholders, to share their views through this consultation. I will deposit a copy of the consultation in the Library of each House.
[HCWS255]
Draft Trade (Mobile Roaming) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
Ian Murray Excerpts(2 months ago)
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The Minister for Digital Government and Data (Ian Murray)
I beg to move,
That the Committee has considered the draft Trade (Mobile Roaming) (Amendment) Regulations 2026.
It is great to see a fellow Edinburgher in the Chair, Ms Jardine. [Interruption.] I will not divide the Committee on the pronunciation of “Jardine”.
The draft regulations are required in order to amend the Trade (Mobile Roaming) Regulations 2023 by updating the international mobile roaming wholesale rates that they set. Wholesale rates are those that mobile operators charge other mobile operators, as opposed to retail customers. The amendments will give effect in domestic law to a November 2025 decision of the EEA EFTA-UK free trade agreement joint committee, the governing body of the agreement, on which each party has a seat. I note, however, that one EEA EFTA member, Liechtenstein, has opted out of the international mobile roaming provisions in the free trade agreement.
The amendments to the international mobile roaming wholesale rates are being made to ensure that they continue to reflect current international benchmarks, which reflect market conditions. This is consistent with and necessary under the terms of the free trade agreement.
Let me provide some background for the Committee. In 2021, the UK and the EEA EFTA signed a free trade agreement. Its core terms included provisions on industrial goods, digital trade, services and investment and, of course, fisheries and agriculture. Under digital trade, in a telecoms chapter, it contained provisions on international mobile roaming. These provisions set a wholesale cap, which limits what mobile operators can charge each other. In 2023, the UK introduced the Trade (Mobile Roaming) Regulations to implement these provisions in UK legislation. The draft regulations will amend those regulations.
As per the free trade agreement, the Trade (Mobile Roaming) Regulations covered wholesale charges only. The free trade agreement contains a review clause, under which the wholesale rates should be reviewed by all affected parties every two years
“with a view to determining whether those rates are still appropriate”.
The UK is one of the affected parties, along with Norway and Iceland.
The rate set under the agreement has now diverged from the “relevant international benchmarks” that the agreement states should be considered. The benchmark relevant to EEA EFTA-UK is the European Union-set international mobile roaming wholesale rate, called the Euro rate. EEA EFTA adheres to the Euro rate as part of its access to the EU single market. The UK adhered to the Euro rate until 2021, with the end of the Brexit transition period at the end of 2020. The EU benchmark is based on the principle that the wholesale cap must be high enough to allow operators fully to recover reasonably incurred costs involved in building, maintaining and operating their networks. This principle, based on market conditions, is supported by the United Kingdom.
In 2025, Norway, supported by Iceland, requested a move to reflect the Euro rate. The reason was that the wholesale cap in the UK-EEA EFTA agreement should reflect international benchmarks and current market conditions. Ministers agreed to proceed with legislation for these new rates to demonstrate the UK’s willingness to align with the provisions of the free trade agreement. In November 2025, the governing body of the agreement, the UK-EEA EFTA joint committee, made Decision No. 1/2025, which agreed that the wholesale rates should be changed. The draft regulations will amend the Trade (Mobile Roaming) Regulations 2023 to give effect in domestic law to the commitments that the UK has made to the joint committee.
I should start asking questions, to see whether people are still keeping up with all this. I think I am.
The draft regulations are strictly about amending the wholesale rate set out in the Trade (Mobile Roaming) Regulations. It is a very technical amendment. However, I believe that it would be helpful to conclude by setting the context for the wholesale cap in the free trade agreement.
Peter Fortune (Bromley and Biggin Hill) (Con)
What reassurance do we have that these savings will be passed on to customers, rather than just going towards the companies’ bottom line?
Ian Murray
That is an incredibly good question. That is why we are making the draft regulations, because the wholesale rates, or the Euro rates, are much lower than the rates currently in operation. For example, a voice call, which is €0.032, will go down to €0.019; an SMS, which is €0.01, will go down to €0.003; and data, which is €2.50 per gigabyte, will go down to €1.30 per gigabyte. The Euro rate is €1 per gigabyte. One would hope that if wholesale prices are being lowered, the savings will be passed on to consumers, as I am sure the Committee agrees they should be. Although the hon. Gentleman’s question was not strictly about the draft regulations, it was a great question to which I am delighted to have the answer.
Mark Sewards (Leeds South West and Morley) (Lab)
The Minister talks about the price reductions for the three countries. By my maths, that is a 70% reduction in the price of sending SMS texts, which is incredibly welcome, although I am not sure who sends those any more. Is he working on similar agreements with other countries not covered by the changes that we are making today?
Ian Murray
That is a good question. Actually, yes. This is purely about the EEA EFTA-UK agreement countries, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, although Liechtenstein is outside it at the moment because of its relationship with the European Union. On the prices, we are looking to align with the Euro rate, which the European Union uses, so the answer to my hon. Friend’s question, by default of the technicalities of the measure, is yes.
I can confirm that surcharge-free roaming has not been delivered for all UK travellers to Norway and Iceland. Mobile network operators EE and Three continue to surcharge their customers roaming in Norway and Iceland, so they should be passing that on. It is welcome that Vodafone removed the surcharges as a result of the change, and VMO2 did not reintroduce roaming charges to the EU and EEA EFTA post Brexit—post the transition period, in any case.
The Government have continued to review options for delivering surcharge-free roaming for UK travellers to Norway and Iceland, in line with the aspirations of the free trade agreement. I fully agree with hon. Members that if there are wholesale rate savings, companies that have not yet taken off surcharging for Norway and Iceland should do so. I stress that the draft regulations are strictly about amending the wholesale rates contained in the Trade (Mobile Roaming) Regulations and fulfilling the commitments that the UK made under the international treaty. I commend the draft regulations to the Committee.
Ian Murray
The shadow Minister is correct that we should be doing things at a greater pace, but I disagree with him about the value of the wholesale rates. The voice call rate is already higher. As I said to the hon. Member for Bromley and Biggin Hill, it is going from €0.032 to €0.019, and SMS is going from €0.01 to €0.003. That is a reduction. Data is going from €2.50 to €1.30 per gigabyte, and then €1 on the Euro rate. That is about formalising in the SI what was in the EEA EFTA agreement to reflect the wholesale prices at these international benchmarks. The international benchmark used by EFTA in this agreement is the Euro rate, which is the rate that will come into effect for the wholesale charges. I hope that that answers the shadow Minister’s question.
The reason that there is no impact on consumers is that this measure does not directly affect consumers at this moment in time. As I say, some mobile operators have already reduced their surcharges regardless. In fact, VMO2 did not reintroduce any roaming surcharges at all to EEA EFTA countries post the Brexit transition period. Operators EE and Three continue to surcharge their customers roaming in Norway and Iceland, and Vodafone removed its surcharges as a result of the agreement, so this instrument will have no impact on consumer prices, because it is a wholesale issue, not a consumer issue.
On the time and the cost that it has taken to get here, I may have to come back to the shadow Minister. The cost of bringing this SI to the House is the cost of doing parliamentary democracy. It is a price worth paying for the hon. Gentleman to have his voice heard.
Ian Murray
Let me start by answering the hon. Member for Surrey Heath. It will depend on which package he is on, of course. I have a worldwide roaming package, which means that I take my package with me wherever I go, but that is the package that I purchased; it is not necessarily open to everyone who has a mobile phone.
On the challenge with Canada, Mexico and the US, there will be many fans over there at the moment—maybe not many Scotland fans, but a lot of England fans. Some will be racking up huge bills, while some will not; it will depend on which package they are on. That is why I am very clear that this is about wholesale prices and implementing the provisions in the agreement, not about the charges to the consumer. That explains my answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Biggin Hill about the consequences and whether we should be passing the savings on. The answer to that is, of course, yes, but they do not need to be passed on to the hon. Member for Surrey Heath, because he has a package already and is paying in other ways to cover these kinds of issue.
I say to the Liberal Democrat spokesperson, the hon. Member for Harpenden and Berkhamsted, that this Government’s manifesto was perfectly clear about what we want to achieve with the EU. The current Prime Minister has been very clear about resetting the relationship with the European Union. The EU-UK summit agreement from last May is coming into effect; that is deepening our relationship in a whole host of ways, from defence to trade in goods, digital and things like EU touring, which the Department for Culture, Media and Sport looks after closely. That will be renewed every year; there is a summit every year now, deepening that relationship even further.
The direction of travel from this Government is very clearly to get closer to our allies in the European Union. The Prime Minister has led the charge on defence spending through NATO and with our European partners, and that has been recognised, particularly by the NATO Secretary-General. There is no doubt at all that we are deepening that relationship, because it is right for our economy, it is right for our people and it is right for issues like this.
Question put and agreed to.
Media Green Paper
Ian Murray Excerpts(2 months, 2 weeks ago)
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The Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts (Ian Murray)
The Government have today published a Green Paper that sets out a new strategic direction for the Government’s media policy.
At its best, our media provides the basis of a cohesive country and a healthy democracy. It has the power to advance shared understanding, shared facts, and shared experiences which help people trust and understand one another. It is this common ground on which a country is built.
However, like so many of our other civic spaces, it is facing fundamental challenges which are putting these benefits at risk. Television is undergoing a profound transformation, having moved from a system of limited broadcast channels to an environment of “content everywhere”, where the largest players are global streaming services, video sharing platforms, and social media companies. Our domestic broadcasters, including our public service media (PSM) providers, are fighting to be seen in an increasingly competitive and fragmented market. People are increasingly accessing news online, rather than through more regulated spaces like their TV sets. This is weakening the ability of trustworthy news providers to reach audiences and shape an informed public debate.
We are consulting on a comprehensive set of proposals to ensure our media, and television in particular, can continue to play its vitally important role in our society and our democracy.
First, we are proposing three interventions to support an informed society. We will explore legislative options to require social media to make trustworthy news providers—which could include national and local news publishers and broadcasters—easily discoverable. This is crucial for countering misinformation, especially during times of crisis. We will also explore a new duty on PSM providers to develop and report on media literacy strategies, leveraging their high level of public trust and reach to help people critically assess the information they encounter. Further, we will consider mechanisms to support co-ordinated media literacy efforts across public service media, and the wider media sector.
Secondly, building on the extensive stakeholder engagement already undertaken, we will consult on measures to ensure audiences can continue to enjoy universal access to trusted and high-quality television content. The UK television market is shifting from traditional broadcast platforms such as digital terrestrial TV (DTT) to internet-delivered viewing (IPTV). The Government are committed to maintaining DTT until at least the end of 2034, but we are now consulting on what will come after this. To do this, we will work with industry and audience groups to design a package of support that helps audiences transition to IPTV services, ensuring that no one is left behind. This support will aim to address challenges around affordability and accessibility, enabling viewers to make the switch with confidence and benefit from the enhanced functionality and wider choice that IPTV services can offer. Alongside this, we will bring forward a plan for the managed withdrawal of DTT services. Final decisions will be taken in response to the consultation and set out in a White Paper.
We will also undertake a separate period of stakeholder engagement to ensure the regulatory framework for TV services continues to protect audiences from harmful content, supports media providers, and allows our creative industries to thrive into the future.
Finally, the Green Paper will explore how we can support our PSM providers—the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, STV and S4C—who sit at the heart of our domestic TV ecosystem, driving growth and inward investment. PSM content needs to be easy to find on the platforms on which people watch TV. Therefore, the Green Paper examines the need for prominence on third party platforms, such as video sharing platforms. The Government’s strong preference remains for industry-led, voluntary agreements to achieve increased prominence in a sustainable and robust way that satisfies all parties. However, should these partnerships not go far enough in delivering our objectives we would need to consider legislating.
We will also consult on illustrative options for strategic reform to the PSM system with the aim of better reflecting how people consume media and to address the regulatory and economic challenges this poses. We want a system that encourages the creation of more public service content, reversing the trend of recent years which has seen the output of our PSM providers decline.
Taken together, this work will ensure that our media continues to play its vitally important roles in entertaining, educating, serving democracy and supporting social cohesion in the UK, while putting audiences first.
The consultation attached to the Green Paper will be open for 10 weeks. Following this, the Government will bring forward a White Paper later this year.
This Green Paper complements the review we are undertaking of the BBC’s royal charter. We will consider the findings and conclusions of this Green Paper alongside the BBC Green Paper published in December 2025 as part of the charter review.
In connection with the above, our Department has made the following documents available on gov.uk:
Watch this Space: A new strategic direction for UK media
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/watch-this-space-a-new-strategic-direction-for-uk-media-green-paper-and-public-consultation
Papers from the Future of TV Distribution Stakeholder Forum
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/future-of-tv-distribution-stakeholder-forum-papers
Minutes from the Future of TV Distribution Stakeholder Forum
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/future-of-tv-distribution-stakeholder-forum-minutes
Future of TV distribution—Assessing the value and alternative uses of DTT spectrum for the future of UK TV distribution
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/future-of-tv-distribution-assessing-the-value-and-alternative-uses-of-dtt-spectrum-for-the-future-of-uk-tv-distribution
I will also deposit a copy of “Watch this Space” in the Libraries of both Houses.
[HCWS136]
Culture, Media and Sport
Ian Murray Excerpts(2 months, 3 weeks ago)
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Ian Murray
… I acknowledge the contribution of my right hon. Friend the Member for Islington South and Finsbury (Emily Thornberry). She is not alone; the Charity Commission itself and several commentators, many of whom she mentioned, have long expressed the view that there is a strong conflict of interest in the majority of the hall’s trustees being seat holders, because they are sometimes acting in their own financial interests instead of the charity’s best interests, which is against the rules and regulations of the Charity Commission.
[Official Report, 15 June 2026; Vol. 787, c. 646.]
Written correction submitted by the Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts (Ian Murray):
Ian Murray
… I acknowledge the contribution of my right hon. Friend the Member for Islington South and Finsbury (Emily Thornberry). She is not alone; the Charity Commission itself and several commentators, many of whom she mentioned, have long expressed the view that there is a strong conflict of interest in the majority of the hall’s trustees being seat holders, because they could act in their own financial interests instead of the charity’s best interests, which would be against the rules and regulations of the Charity Commission.
Oral Answers to Questions
Ian Murray Excerpts(2 months, 3 weeks ago)
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Andrew George (St Ives) (LD)
The Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts (Ian Murray)
It would be churlish of me not to recognise England’s wonderful victory in the world cup last night, but there is only one European nation that has three points at the world cup without conceding a goal, and that is indeed Scotland—the new favourites to lift the trophy.
Culture, Media and Sport Ministers have had no recent discussions with counterparts in the Hellenic Republic on mutual exchanges of cultural artefacts. As the hon. Member knows, the Parthenon sculptures are legally owned by the trustees of the British Museum. The chair of the museum has been in discussions with the Greek Government about a partnership, including reciprocal loans. As I said to the hon. Gentleman from the Dispatch Box last time, this Government would not stand in the way if such loans were agreed.
Andrew George
There is an opportunity for another victory for the United Kingdom if we can find a way of co-operating. Clinging on to half of the Parthenon sculptures while assuring ourselves that we own them, when they were obtained in, at best, highly dubious circumstances two centuries ago, is not a great look for this country. Does the Minister agree that the imminent restoration of the British Museum provides the museum and the Government with a golden opportunity to engage in what would be a better look for this country—a gracious act, reflecting a partnership and a shared love of classical history, but also natural justice—and to see all the sculptures displayed in Athens, where they belong?
Ian Murray
I can only repeat what I have said in previous answers and in my initial response to the hon. Gentleman. The sculptures are owned by the British Museum. The chair of the trustees, the former Chancellor —the hon. Gentleman’s Chancellor in the coalition Government—has had talks with Greek Ministers on this issue to seek a constructive partnership. We support those talks, but it is for the British Museum trustees to reach an agreement with the Greek Government. As I have said, we would not stand in the way if such an agreement was put in place.
Tessa Munt (Wells and Mendip Hills) (LD)
John Whitby (Derbyshire Dales) (Lab)
The Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts (Ian Murray)
Responsibility for managing and funding UNESCO world heritage sites is devolved to local authorities and the devolved Governments. As such, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not typically provide direct funding. Heritage sites can apply for UK Government funding through our arm’s length bodies, notably the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England, which can provide support to world heritage sites through capital grants for conservation, education and community resilience projects.
John Whitby
Cromford Mills in Derbyshire Dales was the world’s first water-powered cotton spinning mill and the birthplace of mass production. In recent decades the Arkwright Society has transformed this UNESCO world heritage site into the much-loved tourist attraction it is today. However, the renewal of the site is not yet complete, with another £1.2 million in match funding needed to help secure its financial viability. Will the Minister therefore agree to officials meeting the Arkwright Society to see what support the Department can give to help Cromford Mill secure this much-needed financial support?
Ian Murray
I pay tribute to the Arkwright Society, which does amazing work in managing Cromford Mills, which is an integral part of the wider Derwent Valley Mills world heritage site. I am therefore pleased that it has already secured £1.3 million of investment from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. I understand the remaining challenges my hon. Friend set out about the longer-term financial viability. He asked for a meeting with officials, and we should set up that meeting, but also with the Minister in the other place, Baroness Twycross, who would be very happy to meet him and the Arkwright Society.
Sir Roger Gale (Herne Bay and Sandwich) (Con)
The Roman forts of Reculver and Richborough, linked by the Wantsum channel and the River Stour in east Kent, are ambitious to secure UNESCO world heritage site status. Those ambitions will be killed stone dead if the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero supports the building of a 90-foot-high converter station on the Minster marshes. Would the Minister have a word with that Department to make sure that does not happen?
Ian Murray
It is important that any new site put forward for UNESCO world heritage site status first goes through a robust national assessment process—and the issues that the right hon. Gentleman raises will be considered as part of that—before being put on the UK’s tentative list of prospective world heritage nominations. However, I am very happy to arrange a meeting with him to discuss what may have to be done to make that application as strong as possible.
Pete Wishart (Perth and Kinross-shire) (SNP)
The Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts (Ian Murray)
We are fully committed to implementing the measures that we announced last year, which will put fans back at the heart of live events, and eliminate industrial-scale ticket touting—it has been fleecing fans for far too long. We are working at pace to prepare the legislation and intend to publish a draft Bill in this parliamentary Session for pre-legislative scrutiny. That will allow us to draw on expertise from Parliament and across industry to ensure that our legislation is effective and enforceable.
Pete Wishart
It would be churlish not to acknowledge the result last night. The whole House can rowdily congratulate Ghana on their fantastic victory last night. I do not think the Minister fully understands the real sense of disappointment and frustration that those in the live sector feel because there is no full Bill, as has been promised by everybody, from the Prime Minister down. While this Government dither, fans continue to be ripped off by the touts, the profiteers and the spivs, as they suck the lifeblood out of our live music sector. Can the Minister clearly set out how the Bill will progress and when the sector is likely to see an outcome? Can he possibly explain why the outlawed company Viagogo was recently in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, weeks before the announcement was made?
Ian Murray
It is important to lay out that it is a manifesto commitment—from the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State and all of us—to get that legislation through. It is incredibly popular legislation. We need to stop fans being ripped off by ticket touts, but it is important to get the legislation right. Given the complexity of what we are proposing, with a price cap, a cap in service fees, resale volume limits, strict legal obligations on the platforms, and strict enforcement, it has to be done right. If there are any loopholes or edges to the legislation, they will be exploited by ticket touts, who are already exploiting fans and the system. I hope that the hon. Gentleman will join us in trying to get the legislation right.
Anna Sabine (Frome and East Somerset) (LD)
I would also like to start by congratulating the England football team on their win yesterday. While fans are rightly excited to finally see England bring it home this summer, some world cup tickets this year have surged to over £24,000. Fans should not be forced to choose between remortgaging their homes or missing out on supporting their country. Will the Minister therefore support the Liberal Democrats’ call for an international fans charter to safeguard supporters against unfair ticket pricing?
Ian Murray
It is well documented that there have been issues with tickets for this world cup. My hon. Friend the Sport Minister has been having meetings about tickets for Euro 2028, which will take place in this country. It is really important, whether it is sport, music or festivals, that fans are not ripped off by ticket touts, who make huge profits out of ordinary fans who just want to watch their favourite sports or bands. The hon. Member did congratulate England on winning yesterday, but I am disappointed that she did not also congratulate Scotland for their wonderful win on Sunday morning.
Aphra Brandreth (Chester South and Eddisbury) (Con)
Jeff Smith (Manchester Withington) (Lab)
The Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts (Ian Murray)
A tremendous question. Helping touring artists is a manifesto commitment. At last year’s UK-EU summit, the UK and the European Commission committed to supporting cultural exchange, recognising those touring artists. I discussed cultural professionals’ working conditions with the European culture commissioner at the first high-level meeting on culture in March. Digital ATA carnets that enable movement without customs declarations or duties were launched on 1 June across the UK, EU, Norway and Switzerland. We continue to engage with our EU counterparts at all levels and with industry to support touring.
Jeff Smith
I thank the Minister for that answer; there is some good news there. One of the many negatives of Brexit is that it has placed barriers on UK artists being able to tour in Europe. The Culture, Media and Sport Committee has just published its report, featuring a number of practical measures that the Government can take to remove those barriers. Will Ministers act on those recommendations? I point to one in particular. As well as leaving the EU, the UK decided not to participate in the Creative Europe scheme, which we were net beneficiaries of. Ahead of the upcoming EU-UK summit, a signal that we intend to participate in the successor scheme, AgoraEU, would be a positive message to our creative artists.
Ian Murray
I congratulate the Committee on its report, and I welcome its continued interest in recognising the importance of international touring to the UK’s world-leading arts and creative industries sector. We are carefully considering the recommendations and will form the response in due course.
The Prime Minister agreed with the European Commission President on Tuesday to press ahead with the UK-EU summit on 22 July, so that people on both sides can feel the benefits of the UK-EU collaboration as soon as possible. Touring artists were mentioned in the summit agreement last year. I cannot comment on the ongoing negotiations, but we are determined to ensure that UK touring artists can tour again in the EU as best as possible.
Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
I am very fortunate that I have exceptional talent in my constituency, and for those who wish to take their talents across Europe and other parts of the world, the opportunity is there. The Minister was positive in his answer to the hon. Member for Manchester Withington (Jeff Smith). Will the same enthusiasm, energy and commitment be shown to our Minister in Northern Ireland to ensure that he does the same for my constituents in Strangford?
Ian Murray
As well as sending artists across the European Union, Strangford sends the very best to this Chamber. There is a firm commitment on the EU side to take this forward. I met Commissioner Micaleff at the high-level meeting, and also discussed the matter at the Culture Ministers’ meeting. We are determined to ensure that there can be as much ease as possible for UK touring artists in Europe. That is the manifesto commitment, and we are doing everything that we possibly can. It is complicated. There are a number of Commission elements to this—it is not just about visas but transportation, marketing and all those kinds of issues—but we are trying our very best to get through those as quickly as possible.
Peter Swallow (Bracknell) (Lab)
Pete Wishart (Perth and Kinross-shire) (SNP)
The Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts (Ian Murray)
As the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology laid out to the House on 18 March, we are taking forward four big strategic priorities—digital replicas, AI labelling, creative control and licensing—to get this right. No country in the world has been able to resolve this problem, but the UK is uniquely placed to try to resolve it. We want to work across the House and with both the tech and creative industries to get it right.
Jonathan Davies (Mid Derbyshire) (Lab)
Chris Bloore (Redditch) (Lab)
Ian Murray
The Redditch local history museum deserve all the support it can get. Local museums are hugely important, and decisions on the operation of cultural organisations are taken locally, independent of Government, through Arts Council England. The national development agency for museums may be able to offer some advice, and I wish Redditch good luck in the town of culture bid.
Hannah Spencer (Gorton and Denton) (Green)
Grassroots music venues in the constituency I represent, such as the Talleyrand, face increasing costs from business rates despite the emergency relief that has been provided. Can the Minister tell me how the music plan will help tackle the structural issues facing grassroots venues, such as the Talleyrand, and how it will secure the venue’s long-term future in our community and cultural landscapes?
Ian Murray
The music plan is to help grassroots music. It is part of a whole package that this Government are putting in place to ensure that music thrives, and continues to thrive, in this country, including the £30 million music growth fund. We have the music plan, which will be coming out and announced shortly, but we also have the ticket levy—a £1 voluntary ticket levy on every single ticket sold for major concerts—which is putting money straight into grassroots music. That has put in half a million; there is another million to come, so that is hugely good news for grassroots music.
Claire Hazelgrove (Filton and Bradley Stoke) (Lab)
I am so proud to back Filton’s bid to become the UK town of culture 2028. From our vibrant community to our vast heritage, including as the British home of Concorde, we have so much to offer the whole country. Will the Minister agree to meet me to hear more about this bid and what makes Filton so special?