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1175167

registered interest
date	21/01/2020
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	Rugby: Disadvantaged
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of The Rugby League Dividend report, published by the Rugby Football League on 22 August 2019, on the economic and social impact of rugby league in disadvantaged communities and the role of sport in promoting social mobility.
tabling member printed	Lord Caine
uin	HL615
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/02/2020 answer text <p>The Government welcomes the RFL’s Dividend Report which demonstrates the valuable contribution that rugby league can have within communities. Rugby League is a fantastic example of how sport and physical activity can play a leading role in engaging people from every background.</p><p> </p><p>The Government’s <em>Sporting Future</em> strategy is explicit <del class="ministerial">that</del> that everyone, regardless of background, sex, age or level of ability should be able to engage in sport and physical activity as participants, spectators and in the workplace, and that sport and physical activity should be valued for the much broader positive impact it can have across a range of physical, social and economic outcomes. The strategy included a specific focus on engaging people from groups in society that have traditionally been underrepresented in sport and physical activity and who have the most to gain from getting more active.</p><p> </p><p>Government is directly supporting rugby league through more than £11m of Sport England investment in the Rugby Football League over 2017-21 and investment of up to £10m in rugby league facilities to help drive a legacy from the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 06/02/2020 16:01:50 question first ministerially corrected 11/02/2020 17:41:44 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran previous answer version 5352 answering member printed Baroness Barran answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	4581 label Biography information for Lord Caine

1348894

registered interest
date	20/07/2021
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	Sports: Fundraising
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to discuss with the National Lottery Community Fund ways to assist small sports clubs with fundraising events after the COVID-19 lockdowns.
tabling member printed	Lord Jones of Cheltenham
uin	HL2218
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/08/2021 answer text <p>HMG have worked closely with the Fundraising Regulator and the Chartered Institute of Fundraising to produce guidance to support safe and effective fundraising, in line with restrictions under each step of the COVID-19 roadmap. Current guidance is available on the Fundraising Regulator’s website.</p><p>The National Lottery Community Fund is a non-departmental public body (NDPB), which means that it operates at ‘arm’s length’ from government. As a distributor of Lottery money, rather than of government funds, it makes its individual funding decisions independently, within the framework of the policy directions set by the Secretary of State for DCMS. <del class="ministerial">The government cannot, therefore, intervene in o</del><ins class="ministerial">The government cannot, therefore, intervene in or influence the Fund’s decision-making process or support individual applications for funding.</ins></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 03/08/2021 11:51:58 question first ministerially corrected 03/08/2021 14:16:16 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran previous answer version 17816 answering member printed Baroness Barran answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	248 label Biography information for Lord Jones of Cheltenham

1176158

registered interest
date	04/02/2020
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	Civil Society
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Answer of 23 October 2019 to Question 665, on Third Sector, what further progress his Department has made on establishing a cross-government group.
tabling member constituency	Lewisham, Deptford
tabling member printed	Vicky Foxcroft
uin	12433
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2020 answer text <p><strong>Government recognises the need to work with<ins class="ministerial"> the</ins> civil society<ins class="ministerial"> sector</ins> to establish principles of effective civil society involvement in the policy-making process. My officials have started to scope a programme of work and the details of this will be set out in due course. </strong></p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Helen Whately question first answered 11/02/2020 17:31:46 question first ministerially corrected 11/02/2020 17:42:07 answering member 4527 label Biography information for Helen Whately previous answer version 6372 answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Helen Whately answering member 4527 label Biography information for Helen Whately
tabling member	4491 label Biography information for Vicky Foxcroft

1360275

registered interest
date	15/10/2021
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	Public Lending Right
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many authors received compensation through the Public Lending Right in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) England in 2019.
tabling member constituency	Ceredigion
tabling member printed	Ben Lake
uin	57257
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2021 answer text <p><ins class="ministerial">For the Public Lending Right (PLR) Scheme year 2019/20, PLR payments were made to 20,911 registered authors in the United Kingdom. The British Library, which administers the PLR Scheme on behalf of the department, does not maintain a record of payments to authors by country of residence in the United Kingdom.</ins></p><p><del class="ministerial">The Public Lending Right Act 1979 provides a right for authors, known as the “public lending right”, to receive payments from a central fund for the loan of their books to the public by local library authorities. The central fund is provided from government grant-in-aid, and the PLR Scheme is administered for DCMS by the British Library.</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">The PLR Scheme sets out how to calculate the payments that authors can expect to receive from the central fund and this is calculated, and recommended to the government, by the British Library using the number of ‘notional loans’ of their books from public libraries in the UK. The PLR Scheme sets out a maximum payment threshold per author of £6,600 and the minimum level for authors to receive payments is £1.</del></p><p><strong></strong><br /><br /></p> answering member constituency Mid Worcestershire answering member printed Nigel Huddleston question first answered 20/10/2021 09:23:49 question first ministerially corrected 22/10/2021 10:13:38 answering member 4407 label Biography information for Nigel Huddleston previous answer version 25187 answering member constituency Mid Worcestershire answering member printed Nigel Huddleston answering member 4407 label Biography information for Nigel Huddleston
tabling member	4630 label Biography information for Ben Lake

1547351

registered interest
date	01/12/2022
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 Licences: Non-payment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many pensioners have been prosecuted for non-payment of the TV Licence fee in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Ashfield
tabling member printed	Lee Anderson
uin	101060
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2022 answer text <p>The requirement to hold, and pay for, a TV Licence is set out in the Communications Act 2003 and the Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004.</p><p>The Ministry of Justice currently publishes the number of prosecutions, convictions and sentencing outcomes for the non-payment of TV licence fees annually as part of their criminal justice statistics quarterly publications, which can be viewed here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly</a></p><p>Figures for each year since 2005 up to 2022 are available in the Outcomes by Offence data tool, and can be found in the following dataset:</p><ul><li><p>2018-2022: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1118314/outcomes-by-offence-june-2022.xlsx" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1118314/outcomes-by-offence-june-2022.xlsx</a></p></li></ul><p>To view the relevant figures in these tables, select ‘191A Television licence evasion’ in the Offence filter. These figures can be refined further by age to identify an age range of 70+, it is impossible to provide the data for 'pensioners' as that is a diverse group that cannot be filtered purely by age.</p><p>The data for individuals aged 70+ are the following:</p><ul><li><p>​2022 - 260 proceeded against &amp; 217 sentenced</p></li><li><p>2021 - 238 proceeded against &amp; 207 sentenced</p></li><li><p><del class="ministerial">2022</del> <ins class="ministerial">2020 </ins>- 329 proceeded against &amp; 288 sentenced</p></li></ul><p>Alternative data does also show no Over 75s have been prosecuted and that none of the prosecutions have resulted in custodial sentences.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 07/12/2022 16:17:04 question first ministerially corrected 15/12/2022 09:17:36 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez previous answer version 40369 answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4743 label Biography information for Lee Anderson

1523393

registered interest
date	18/10/2022
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 Licences: Non-payment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many people were convicted for not paying their TV license under the provisions of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 since 1992.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	65608
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2022 answer text <p>The requirement to hold, and pay for, a TV Licence is set out in the Communications Act 2003 and the Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004.</p><p>Parliament approved the BBC assuming the role of the TV Licensing Authority in 1991, and under the Communications Act 2003, the BBC is authorised to collect and enforce the Licence Fee by law on the government's behalf.</p><p>The TV licence fee was administered under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 until the passage of the 2003 Act.</p><p>The Ministry of Justice currently publishes the number of prosecutions, convictions and sentencing outcomes for the non-payment of TV licence fees annually as part of their criminal justice statistics quarterly publications, which can be viewed here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly</a></p><p>Figures for each year since 2005 up to 2021 are available in the Outcomes by Offence data tool, and can be found in the following tables:</p><p>2017-2021: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1076459/outcomes-by-offence-tool-2021-v2.xlsx" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1076459/outcomes-by-offence-tool-2021-v2.xlsx<br /></a>2016: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1063880/outcomes-by-offence-2020-revised.xlsx" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1063880/outcomes-by-offence-2020-revised.xlsx<br /></a>2005-2015: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/524326/cjs-outcomes-by-offence.xlsx" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/524326/cjs-outcomes-by-offence.xlsx</a></p><p>To view the relevant figures in these tables, select ‘191A Television licence evasion’ in the Offence filter.</p><p>The number of people convicted for TV licence evasion in the years between 1992 and 2004 can be found in the attached tables. Table 1 sets out the number of convictions for television licence evasion in this period under the Communications Act 2003. Table 2 sets out convictions for offences against the Wireless Telegraphy Acts, 1949 to 1967 in the same period. While television licence evasion was an offence under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949, the figures in Table 2 may include other offences under the specified Acts.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 24/10/2022 16:37:09 question first ministerially corrected 25/10/2022 16:09:44 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez attachment 1 file name PQ 65608 table final.pdf title Table outlining information sources previous answer version 26685 answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

1315110

registered interest
date	17/05/2021
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	Arts Council: Music
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Arts Council spent on (a) opera and (b) brass bands in each of the last two financial years.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	2248
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2021 answer text <p>The figures for Arts Council England funding for opera and brass bands in financial years 2019/20, 2020/21 are given below.</p><p> </p><p>The figures for each year are broken down into primary and secondary funding and then a total. Primary classification indicates that, in this case, opera or brass bands, was a major focus of the activity funded with the assumption most of this amount went to funding this activity. Secondary classification indicates this was a minor focus of the activity and so it cannot be assumed this full amount of funding went towards this activity.</p><p> </p><p>A small number of projects are classified under both opera and brass bands, so these figures cannot be added together, as these projects would be double counted.</p><p><ins class="ministerial">ACE Opera Funding:</ins></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"><strong>Year</strong></ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial"><strong>Primary</strong></ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial"><strong>Secondary</strong></ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial"><strong>Total</strong></ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">2019/20</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">£59,230,322</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">£26,335,477</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">£85,565,799</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">2020/21</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">£61,920,159</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">£37,675,988</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">£99,596,147</ins></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"><strong>ACE Brass Bands Funding:</strong></ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"><strong>Year</strong></ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial"><strong>Primary</strong></ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial"><strong>Secondary</strong></ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial"><strong>Total</strong></ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">2019/20</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">£375,339</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">£765,573</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">£1,140,912</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">2020/21</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">£392,670</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">£5,132,587</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">£5,525,257</ins></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /> <br /><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage question first answered 20/05/2021 14:18:23 question first ministerially corrected 21/05/2021 10:00:31 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage previous answer version 1290 answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1353847

registered interest
date	08/09/2021
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, if he will make an assessment of the effect of privatising Channel 4 on (a) businesses and jobs in the UK production sector; (b) the balance in the creative economy between London and the rest of the UK and (c) UK viewers’ access to original and distinctive UK content.
tabling member constituency	Ochil and South Perthshire
tabling member printed	John Nicolson
uin	45155
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/09/2021 answer text <p>The government has recently consulted 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 there is a wealth of evidence - including Ofcom’s recent report - on the future challenges facing our traditional 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>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 channel’s wider economic and social contributions, its role in the creative economies of the nations and regions, and its remit are among the issues we have consulted on.</p><p>The consultation opened on 6 July, running for 10 weeks, before closing on 14 September. We are currently analysing responses to our consultation, and evidence received through it, to inform our policy-making decisions.Once we have answered the questions set out in the consultation, we will know what specific impacts to assess and will therefore be in a position to carry out an impact assessment.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Worcestershire answering member printed Nigel Huddleston question first answered 16/09/2021 16:15:26 question first ministerially corrected 28/09/2021 10:52:26 answering member 4407 label Biography information for Nigel Huddleston previous answer version 21988 answering member constituency Mid Worcestershire answering member printed Nigel Huddleston answering member 4407 label Biography information for Nigel Huddleston
tabling member	4415 label Biography information for John Nicolson

1227041

registered interest
date	21/07/2020
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	Arts: Coronavirus
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 extended financial support available for freelancers in the arts sector when the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme and Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme end to respond to venues not being (a) permitted to open as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased and (b) able to offer contracts of employment to freelancers in that sector.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, West Derby
tabling member printed	Ian Byrne
uin	77843
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/09/2020 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">On 5 July, the Government announced a major £1.57 billion support package for key cultural organisations to help them through the coronavirus pandemic. Guidance has been published by Arts Council England, the British Film Institute, Historic England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund for applicants to the Culture Recovery Grants application rounds, and by Arts Council England for applicants to the Repayable Finance Scheme. Further details on eligibility and application processes are available in the published guidance.</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">This funding will provide targeted support to organisations across a range of sectors, with one of our core objectives being to support the cultural organisations that are crucial to places across the whole country. We will ensure that funding is distributed fairly, and that smaller organisations and cultural venues that are at the centre of their communities are protected.</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">We also recognise the crucial role that individuals play in making our arts and creative industries world-leading. As a result of these grants and loans, organisations will be more able to resume cultural activity, albeit in a socially distanced way, which will increase employment opportunities for freelancers.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">&quot;DCMS recognise that these are extremely challenging times for freelancers, and understand the crucial role they play in making our arts and creative industries world-leading. We are working hard to ensure that we help to provide financial support to freelancers during this period.</ins></p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">On 5 July, DCMS announced a major £1.57 billion support package for key cultural organisations to help them through the coronavirus pandemic. This funding will provide targeted support to organisations across a range of sectors, including performing arts and theatres, museums and galleries, heritage sites, live music venues and independent cinema.</ins></p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">As a result of these grants and loans, organisations will be more able to resume cultural activity, albeit in a socially distanced way, which will increase employment opportunities for freelancers. Each organisation that receives money will know what best they can do to support their workforce, including their freelance workforce. </ins></p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme has also been extended with applications opening in August for a second and final grant. The grant will operate in the same way as the existing scheme with self-employed workers eligible for a single payment covering three months, at a level of 70% of average monthly earnings up to a maximum of £6,570 (i.e. down from 80% and a maximum of £7,500).</ins></p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">Alongside this funding, ACE have announced £95m of additional support for individuals, which can include freelancers. This involves things such as an additional £75m in project grants. These will be focused on applications that maximise employment opportunities and those from under-represented groups and freelancers are eligible to apply to this directly. National Portfolio Organisations can also apply to create new work with bids that create employment opportunities prioritised. A further round of the ACE programme ‘Discover Your Creative Practice’ will also open in the autumn, which will make approximately £18m available for individuals looking to develop new creative skills that will help them to further develop their career. ACE will also be adding £2m into relevant benevolent funds to support those less well supported by the programmes outlined above, including stage managers and technicians</ins></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage question first answered 07/09/2020 13:44:21 question first ministerially corrected 08/09/2020 15:50:10 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage previous answer version 44674 answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
tabling member	4831 label Biography information for Ian Byrne

1354862

registered interest
date	13/09/2021
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, if he will publish an impact assessment ahead of the consultation on the privatisation of Channel 4; and what the evidential basis is that the privatisation will lead to more content investment and more jobs.
tabling member constituency	Brent Central
tabling member printed	Dawn Butler
uin	48162
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/09/2021 answer text <p>The government has recently consulted 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 there is a wealth of evidence - including Ofcom’s recent report - on the future challenges facing our traditional 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>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. A thriving, sustainable Channel 4 could offer the best prospects for long-term job creation and support to the wider creative economy.</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 consultation opened on 6 July, running for 10 weeks, before closing on 14 September. We are currently analysing responses to our consultation, and evidence received through it, to inform our policy-making decisions. Once we have answered the questions set out in the consultation, we will know what specific impacts to assess and will therefore be in a position to carry out an impact assessment.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 21/09/2021 15:55:41 question first ministerially corrected 28/09/2021 10:52:34 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez previous answer version 22726 answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	1489 label Biography information for Dawn Butler