Contributions
676 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD BBC FundingI ran a school in Africa for a year and I understand the value of the BBC World Service, because I was a listener for a whole 12 months. Having lived in Africa and run a school…17 Jan 2022HANSARD BBC FundingThat vital role of the BBC moving forward is one of the issues that we have to ensure we protect, along with the British content that we make, as I have said. The fact is that the…17 Jan 2022HANSARD BBC FundingBusinesses across the UK are having to tighten their belts. Households across the UK are facing inflationary pressures and having to tighten their belts. The two-year freeze on…17 Jan 2022HANSARD BBC FundingS4C’s settlement will consolidate S4C’s current £74.5 million licence funding with its current £6.8 million annual DCMS grant income. On the real-terms cut to the overall BBC that…17 Jan 2022HANSARD BBC FundingThank you. I look forward to that.17 Jan 2022HANSARD BBC FundingWell, it is not for me to decide, so we have to— [ Interruption. ] It is not for me to decide until I have all the information and all the evidence.17 Jan 2022HANSARD BBC FundingBoth I and my predecessor have been negotiating with the BBC for a considerable period, and the BBC will be meeting its mission and core purpose. The most important impact…17 Jan 2022HANSARD BBC FundingI have made no announcement other than to say that we are starting a discussion about the future funding of the BBC. I am here to make a statement on the licence fee settlement,…17 Jan 2022HANSARD BBC FundingS4C will receive a further £7.5 million per annum from the licence fee to support its digital investment. In total, S4C will be provided with approximately £88 million in…17 Jan 2022HANSARD BBC FundingIncreasing access to private equity was one of the first steps towards doing that.17 Jan 2022HANSARD BBC FundingThere is no policy; we are just starting a discussion and a debate. This is not based on whether people can achieve streaming or not, but 100% of households achieving superfast…17 Jan 2022HANSARD BBC FundingNo.17 Jan 2022HANSARD BBC FundingThat is the point of discussion. I have said again and again that this is about how we protect the BBC and how we ensure that, under the present agreement and settlement, it can…17 Jan 2022HANSARD BBC FundingI did not hear the second part of the hon. Gentleman’s question, but what I would say is: what is wrong with playing “God Save the Queen”? [Hon. Members: “Hear, hear!”] What is…17 Jan 2022HANSARD BBC FundingI do not set the budgets for the BBC’s investigative programmes; the BBC does.17 Jan 2022HANSARD BBC FundingThis is about increasing and reforming services across the BBC, to ensure that the BBC is there in the future and able to service the hon. Gentleman’s constituents, by adopting a…17 Jan 2022HANSARD BBC FundingThe licence fee settlement ensures that the BBC can continue to meet its mission and its purposes, and it will continue to receive billions of pounds of funding—£23 billion over…17 Jan 2022HANSARD BBC FundingThe Prime Minister is a huge fan of the BBC and of “Today”. The discussions that we are having are to help protect the BBC, because if anyone sitting here thinks that we could go…17 Jan 2022HANSARD BBC FundingI thank my hon. Friend for that contribution and for his contribution to the Department when he was there. He is absolutely right: it is not about whether we have our great…17 Jan 2022HANSARD BBC FundingThat is a very important point. Everything needs to be considered in the round: all the elements of the BBC’s reach, everything that it does and everything that it achieves. That…17 Jan 2022