Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the Young Audience Content Fund on delivering high-quality children’s programming and regional economic benefits, and if she will commit to reintroducing the Fund.

The Young Audiences Content Fund, which ran from April 2019 to March 2022, was awarded £44.1 million to support the creation of quality and distinctive content for audiences up to the age of 18. The three-year fund supported 61 new commissions and funded the development of 160 projects. The end of term evaluation can be found at: https://www.bfi.org.uk/get-funding-support/create-films-tv-or-new-formats-storytelling/young-audiences-content-fund.

The government has no plans to reintroduce the Fund. The government continues to support children's content through UK-wide television tax reliefs. In 2024/25, animation and children’s TV received approximately £67 million in UK tax relief (£38m for animation, £29m for children’s TV).