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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the privatisation of Channel 4 on the independent production sector.

Her Majesty’s Government consulted extensively on the future ownership model of Channel 4, and the views and evidence from a wide range of interested parties – including from the independent production sector – has informed the Government’s assessment and wider policy decisions.

The Government recognises that Channel 4 has consistently delivered on its remit in the decades since being established, including supporting the UK’s independent production sector. Forty years on, this sector is now flourishing. Independent production is increasingly less reliant on income from UK public service broadcasters, and will continue to be in demand for the high-quality, differentiated, distinctively British content it produces. In the 10 years between 2008 and 2018, the contribution of public service broadcaster commissions to sector revenue fell from 64% to 42%, due in large part to the growth of international revenue.

Her Majesty’s Government will publish its response to the consultation shortly.