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 bring forward legislative proposals to require TV broadcasters to provide Audio Description Access.

The Communications Act 2003 already requires broadcasters to ensure that they provide access services on linear TV. These are audio description, subtitling, and sign language services. Ofcom are responsible for administering the Code on Television Access Services which sets out what proportion of programming must have access services. The Digital Economy Act 2017 made provision for regulations to ensure that there are also access services for video on demand players. Ofcom consulted on these proposals this summer and are due to submit their report to the Secretary of State shortly.