The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to make provision to decriminalise the non-payment of the BBC licence fee.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions her Department has had with the BBC board on impartiality in news coverage of the conflict in Israel and Gaza.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
My Department meets regularly with representatives of the BBC on a range of matters.
The BBC is editorially and operationally independent of the Government. As the external independent regulator of the BBC, Ofcom is responsible for ensuring BBC coverage is duly impartial and accurate under the Broadcasting Code and BBC Charter.
Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of the soft power value to the UK of the news programming provided by the BBC World Service; and whether they intend to fund fully the BBC World Service language services.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government strongly values the BBC World Service as a UK soft power asset. It is the world's most trusted international broadcaster. Consisting of 42 language services, it provides impartial accurate news to a global audience of 320 million across more than 120 countries.
The Government is committed to a successful BBC World Service and ensuring its financial sustainability. Ahead of Charter Review, the Government will keep an open mind about the future of the licence fee and how the World Service is funded, and engage with the BBC, the public and other stakeholders before making decisions.
Sep. 09 2024
Source Page: BBC Scotland Debate Night programme: FOI releaseFound: BBC Scotland Debate Night programme: FOI release
Jul. 18 2024
Source Page: BBC Scotland's The Sunday Show - Deputy First Minister's interview 19th November 2023: FOI releaseFound: BBC Scotland's The Sunday Show - Deputy First Minister's interview 19th November 2023: FOI release
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what her planned timetable is for launching the next BBC charter review.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The next Charter Review has to ensure the BBC doesn’t just survive but thrives for decades to come. The existing Charter is due to expire on 31 December 2027. DCMS is in the early stages of preparation for the upcoming Charter Review, which we expect to launch in 2025.
Asked by: Julia Lopez (Conservative - Hornchurch and Upminster)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to alter the membership of the Expert Panel for her Department's BBC Funding Model Review.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is committed to the licence fee for the remainder of the current Charter period. The Government will keep an open mind about the future of the licence fee, and will engage with the BBC and other relevant stakeholders before deciding on next steps.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the Asserson report into the BBC, published in September 2024.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The BBC has a duty, outlined in its Charter, to provide accurate and impartial news and information. That is particularly important when it comes to coverage of highly sensitive issues such as the conflict in Gaza. However, the BBC is independent from the Government and its editorial decisions are rightly not something for the Government to interfere with.
Responsibility for ensuring the BBC fulfils its obligations to audiences as outlined in its Charter falls with Ofcom, the independent regulator.
Sep. 18 2024
Source Page: Complaints made to BBC Scotland: FOI releaseFound: Complaints made to BBC Scotland: FOI release