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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when her Department last conducted a resilience test of public service broadcasting infrastructure against the scenario of a national telecommunications network failure.

The Government understands how important it is that everyone can access information in times of national emergency. Television and radio both play an important role in providing such access in a range of different emergency scenarios, including scenarios where other communications may be disrupted.

The BBC has specific requirements under its Framework Agreement in relation to broadcast security and resilience, and works closely with DCMS in ensuring its infrastructure is able to support emergency communications.

Detailed planning and preparations for a range of risks in the National Risk Register is an operational matter for the BBC. The BBC has informed DCMS that there are robust plans and procedures in place, which are tested regularly, for maintaining resilient communications to the public via its TV and radio broadcast networks including live tests of its broadcast systems.