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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that Ofcom’s regulation of the BBC is enhanced in the next five years.

The government established Ofcom as the BBC regulator to ensure the BBC is robustly held to account as the nation's broadcaster. Ofcom is independent of the government and the government has no say over Ofcom’s operational decisions

However, the Mid-Term Review of the Royal Charter offers an opportunity for the government to consider whether current governance and regulatory arrangements for the BBC are working effectively, including the effectiveness of the regulation by Ofcom. We will start the preparations now, ahead of the review starting formally next year, as the Royal Charter sets out.