Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered question first ministerially corrected answering member label previous answer version answering member constituency answering member printed answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1352536

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2021
	answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Television: Standards
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Department's news story, It’s time to level up Britain’s screens, published on 23 June 2021, what evidence his Department used to inform the assessment that choice is no longer an issue for UK viewers.
	tabling member constituency	Maidstone and The Weald
	tabling member printed	Mrs Helen Grant
	uin	41839
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2021 answer text <p>There is a wealth of evidence set out in our consultation document that supports the case we have made about the evolving media landscape and the challenges this presents for linear TV broadcasters. Linear TV viewing is down almost 60% amongst 16-25 year olds since 2010, whilst 16-34 year olds now spend almost twice as much time on YouTube and subscription VoD services than they do with broadcast content. There are now 315 channels, compared to 5 in 1982 when Channel 4 was established. Linear TV advertising revenues - which constituted <del class="ministerial">over 90</del><ins class="ministerial">74</ins>% of Channel 4’s revenue in 2020 - have declined across the sector at a compound annual rate of 2.5% since 2015.</p><p>Moreover, Ofcom, in their latest recommendations to Government on the future of public service media, outlined what it called the ‘rapid change in the industry – driven by global commercial trends and a transformation in viewing habits - [which] is making it harder for public service broadcasters to compete for audiences and maintain their current offer”.</p><p>It is against this backdrop that the Government is taking action through a strategic review of the UK’s public service broadcasting system, with plans to bring forward a White Paper in the Autumn, to ensure that our traditional public service broadcasters are equipped to retain their place at the centre of the UK’s media ecosystem.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 13/09/2021 16:35:03 question first ministerially corrected 28/09/2021 10:52:04 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez previous answer version 21016 answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Mr John Whittingdale answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
	tabling member	4018 label Biography information for Mrs Helen Grant

1352527

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2021
	answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Channel Four Television
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, on what dates (a) he and (b) officials across Government have had discussions and meetings with (i) global media companies, (ii) UK broadcasters and (iii) financial institutions on the possibility of their purchasing Channel 4.
	tabling member constituency	Maidstone and The Weald
	tabling member printed	Mrs Helen Grant
	uin	41830
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2021 answer text <p>The government is consulting on whether an alternative ownership model for Channel 4 (but one where it retains a public service remit) may be better for the broadcaster, and better for the country.</p><p>We want Channel 4 to continue to be a public service broadcaster, and we want it to continue to contribute socially, economically and culturally to life across the UK. But all linear TV broadcasters are facing significant challenges in today’s changing media landscape and Channel 4 is uniquely constrained in its ability to meet these challenges while it remains under public ownership - particularly because its access to capital and ability to pursue strategic partnership opportunities is limited.</p><p>Moving Channel 4 into private ownership could allow it to access new capital, take advantage of international opportunities, and create strategic partnerships only available through the private sector.</p><p>Consulting on the broadcaster’s future is therefore about ensuring that Channel 4 can continue to contribute to the UK’s success in public service broadcasting for years to come, and how we ensure its ownership model best supports this aim.</p><p>The Government has not decided whether to sell Channel 4, or how Channel 4 may be sold. Ministers and DCMS officials are meeting with a broad range of stakeholders to discuss our ongoing consultation. Their views and evidence will inform our policy-making and a final decision.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Mr John Whittingdale question first answered 13/09/2021 16:15:35 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
	tabling member	4018 label Biography information for Mrs Helen Grant

1352528

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2021
	answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Channel Four Television
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of delivering the Government’s objectives for Channel 4 by increasing the broadcaster's investment and commissioning more content under the corporation’s current ownership model.
	tabling member constituency	Maidstone and The Weald
	tabling member printed	Mrs Helen Grant
	uin	41831
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2021 answer text <p>The government is consulting on whether an alternative ownership model for Channel 4 (but one where it retains a public service remit) may be better for the broadcaster, and better for the country.</p><p>We want Channel 4 to continue to be a public service broadcaster, and we want it to and continue to contribute socially, economically and culturally to life across the UK. But all linear TV broadcasters are facing significant challenges in today’s changing media landscape and Channel 4 is uniquely constrained in its ability to meet these challenges while it remains under public ownership - particularly because its access to capital and ability to pursue strategic partnership opportunities is limited.</p><p>Moving Channel 4 into private ownership could allow it to access new capital, take advantage of international opportunities, and create strategic partnerships only available through the private sector.</p><p>Consulting on the broadcaster’s future is therefore about ensuring that Channel 4 can continue to contribute to the UK’s success in public service broadcasting for years to come, and how we ensure its ownership model best supports this aim.</p><p>No decisions have been made yet - the government, through its consultation, is seeking evidence from a wide range of stakeholders to inform its policy-making and a final decision on the ownership model of the channel.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Mr John Whittingdale question first answered 13/09/2021 16:17:24 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
	tabling member	4018 label Biography information for Mrs Helen Grant

1352529

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2021
	answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Channel Four
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will conduct and publish the results of an assessment of the potential impact of revising Channel 4’s publisher-broadcaster model on (a) the UK production sector as a whole, (b) small and medium-sized production companies and (c) UK production companies based outside of London.
	tabling member constituency	Maidstone and The Weald
	tabling member printed	Mrs Helen Grant
	uin	41832
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2021 answer text <p>The government is currently consulting on issues around the channel’s publisher-broadcaster restriction, its contribution to levelling up, and its remit.</p><p>We will use the responses to our consultation, and evidence received through it, to inform our decision-making. As such, it would not be appropriate for us to carry out an impact assessment until we have considered the responses and answered the questions set out in the consultation - until then, we do not know what specific impacts we are assessing.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Mr John Whittingdale grouped question UIN 41835 41840 question first answered 13/09/2021 16:24:28 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
	tabling member	4018 label Biography information for Mrs Helen Grant

1352530

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2021
	answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Channel Four Television
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to ensure that a potential change to Channel 4’s publisher-broadcaster model will not negatively effect businesses and employment in the UK’s production sector.
	tabling member constituency	Maidstone and The Weald
	tabling member printed	Mrs Helen Grant
	uin	41833
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2021 answer text <p>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.</p><p>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 PSB commissions to sector revenue fell from 64% to 42%, due in large part to the growth of international revenue.</p><p>Potential reform of the publisher broadcaster restriction could enable Channel 4 to achieve greater financial diversification that will support its growth and long term sustainability, therefore increasing its ability to invest in UK content and the creative industries.</p><p>We are consulting on this so the government may take into account a broad range of evidence and views to shape its policy-making. Both officials and Ministers have also met regularly with key stakeholders from within the production sector, including PACT.</p><p>Whatever decision we make, it will not compromise this Government’s commitment to the independent production sector and wider creative economy. Our support for the UK film and TV industry has helped it bounce back from the impact of the pandemic when it had to shut-down in March 2020. For Q4 2020 the UK film and TV industry had the second highest production spend for any quarter on record - at £1.19 billion.</p><p>Last year, the government invested over £1 billion through the creative sector tax reliefs which support the UK screen sectors. In High-End TV, the UK has seen a production boom worth over £4 billion since a dedicated tax relief was introduced in 2013.</p><p>More than 600 productions have been supported by the government’s UK Film and TV Production Restart Scheme, protecting over 55,000 jobs and securing £1.9 billion of production spend.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Mr John Whittingdale grouped question UIN 41834 question first answered 13/09/2021 16:22:16 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
	tabling member	4018 label Biography information for Mrs Helen Grant

1352531

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2021
	answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Channel Four Television: Privatisation
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions (a) he and (b) officials in his Department have had with UK production companies on the potential impact that privatising Channel 4 may have on the future of the production sector.
	tabling member constituency	Maidstone and The Weald
	tabling member printed	Mrs Helen Grant
	uin	41834
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2021 answer text <p>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.</p><p>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 PSB commissions to sector revenue fell from 64% to 42%, due in large part to the growth of international revenue.</p><p>Potential reform of the publisher broadcaster restriction could enable Channel 4 to achieve greater financial diversification that will support its growth and long term sustainability, therefore increasing its ability to invest in UK content and the creative industries.</p><p>We are consulting on this so the government may take into account a broad range of evidence and views to shape its policy-making. Both officials and Ministers have also met regularly with key stakeholders from within the production sector, including PACT.</p><p>Whatever decision we make, it will not compromise this Government’s commitment to the independent production sector and wider creative economy. Our support for the UK film and TV industry has helped it bounce back from the impact of the pandemic when it had to shut-down in March 2020. For Q4 2020 the UK film and TV industry had the second highest production spend for any quarter on record - at £1.19 billion.</p><p>Last year, the government invested over £1 billion through the creative sector tax reliefs which support the UK screen sectors. In High-End TV, the UK has seen a production boom worth over £4 billion since a dedicated tax relief was introduced in 2013.</p><p>More than 600 productions have been supported by the government’s UK Film and TV Production Restart Scheme, protecting over 55,000 jobs and securing £1.9 billion of production spend.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Mr John Whittingdale grouped question UIN 41833 question first answered 13/09/2021 16:22:16 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
	tabling member	4018 label Biography information for Mrs Helen Grant

1352532

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2021
	answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Channel Four Television
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make and publish the results of an assessment of the potential effect that a change in Channel 4’s ownership model may have on the levelling up of the UK’s creative sector outside of London.
	tabling member constituency	Maidstone and The Weald
	tabling member printed	Mrs Helen Grant
	uin	41835
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2021 answer text <p>The government is currently consulting on issues around the channel’s publisher-broadcaster restriction, its contribution to levelling up, and its remit.</p><p>We will use the responses to our consultation, and evidence received through it, to inform our decision-making. As such, it would not be appropriate for us to carry out an impact assessment until we have considered the responses and answered the questions set out in the consultation - until then, we do not know what specific impacts we are assessing.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Mr John Whittingdale grouped question UIN 41832 41840 question first answered 13/09/2021 16:24:28 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
	tabling member	4018 label Biography information for Mrs Helen Grant

1352533

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2021
	answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Channel Four Television: Arts
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking in relation to securing the contribution that Channel 4 makes to the UK’s creative economy through its (a) regional offices and employees, (b) 50 per cent commissioning spend outside of London and (c) investment in skills and apprenticeships across the country.
	tabling member constituency	Maidstone and The Weald
	tabling member printed	Mrs Helen Grant
	uin	41836
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2021 answer text <p>We value Channel 4’s contribution to the UK’s creative economy, and the consultation clearly states that we consider a continued and renewed commitment to it will be appropriate to any potential change of ownership.</p><p>We have also been clear that whatever Ministers decide, Channel 4 will continue to have a Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) remit. Currently all national PSBs, including those that are privately owned, have quotas for content outside of the M25.</p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Mr John Whittingdale question first answered 13/09/2021 16:23:56 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
	tabling member	4018 label Biography information for Mrs Helen Grant

1352534

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2021
	answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Channel Four: Young People
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to ensure that under a potential change in ownership model Channel 4 would maintain its current levels of investment in skills and productivity for young people.
	tabling member constituency	Maidstone and The Weald
	tabling member printed	Mrs Helen Grant
	uin	41837
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2021 answer text <p>The Government believes that a change in ownership could allow Channel 4 the best chance of responding effectively to current market dynamics and opportunities, with greater access to capital and more scope to form strategic partnerships and expand internationally.</p><p>We all have a role to play in ensuring that the UK has an effective skills system that meets the needs of employers and learners - including young people - and that everyone with talent and ambition, regardless of their background, should have the opportunity to build a successful career in the Creative Industries.</p><p>A thriving, sustainable Channel 4 could offer the best prospects for long term job creation for young people in the creative economy. That is why we are considering potential reform to gather views and evidence on how the channel’s future sustainability can be achieved.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Mr John Whittingdale question first answered 13/09/2021 16:25:42 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
	tabling member	4018 label Biography information for Mrs Helen Grant

1352535

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2021
	answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Channel Four: Young People
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to ensure that under a potential change in ownership model Channel 4 would maintain its focus on producing content that appeals to young people.
	tabling member constituency	Maidstone and The Weald
	tabling member printed	Mrs Helen Grant
	uin	41838
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2021 answer text <p>Channel 4’s current remit and obligations are largely based on the key building blocks for public service broadcasting as set out in the 2003 Communications Act, with further changes made in the 2010 Digital Economy Act. The Government has made clear in the consultation that it intends to preserve Channel 4’s PSB remit.</p><p>The consultation also makes clear that the Government sees the value delivered to society through the obligations placed on Channel 4 to broadcast content appealing to young and diverse audiences. Indeed, we would expect the channel’s success with younger audiences to be something particularly appealing to potential buyers.</p><p>The Government is minded to retain such obligations, though it will be important to ensure its remit does not prohibit Channel 4’s future sustainability and its ability to broadcast relevant and quality content given the developments in the media landscape – with young audiences increasingly likely to consume content on non-linear platforms such as VoD services for example.</p><p>We are seeking views on the possible modernisation of Channel 4’s remit and obligations through the consultation.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Mr John Whittingdale question first answered 13/09/2021 16:26:53 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
	tabling member	4018 label Biography information for Mrs Helen Grant