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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with television providers on ensuring that Channel 7 and 8 on Freeview will be allocated to local TV once current licences end in 2025.

The Government recognises the important contribution and impact that local TV services make to our broadcasting ecosystem, and officials from my department meet regularly with both local TV providers and platforms.

In the Broadcasting White Paper, we announced our intention to consult on our approach to the renewal or relicensing of the 34 local TV services whose licences expire in November 2025. Subject to the outcome of that consultation, the Government has no plans to change the status of local TV services under the current linear prominence regime set out in section 310 of the Communications Act 2003 (as modified by the Local Digital Television Programme Services Order 2012). Under that regime, the providers of regulated electronic programme guides must give appropriate prominence to local TV services.