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 the BBC Board on the cost of BBC Local Radio afternoon and evening programming; and if she will make it her policy to provide financial support to BBC Local Radio to assist with the financing of that programming.

The Government remains disappointed that the BBC is planning to reduce parts of its local output. Ministers have met with the BBC on several occasions since the announcement where they have expressed the concerns shared across the House about the BBC’s plans.

While it is up to the BBC to decide how it delivers its services, the Government is clear that the BBC must make sure it continues to provide distinctive and genuinely local radio services, with content that reflects and represents people and communities from all corners of the UK.

The BBC is still required to deliver its remit as set out in the Charter and Agreement. It should prioritise using its £3.8 billion annual licence fee income as necessary to deliver that remit.

The Government also expects Ofcom, as regulator of the BBC, to ensure the BBC is robustly held to account in delivering its public service duties. Ofcom recently published a new BBC Operating Licence, which sets out that it will hold the BBC to its commitments on local radio in England. The BBC will be required to monitor the impact of changes on audiences and publish more information about how it delivers high quality, distinctive content and services for audiences across the UK. Ofcom will be monitoring the BBC’s performance in this area closely and will step in if they are concerned the BBC is not delivering for audiences.