Commons Select Committee announces inquiry into the BBC Charter Renewal

24 Jul 2015 01:16 PM

This inquiry will examine the Government’s Green Paper and the BBC Executive’s and Trust’s own position papers and the subsequent White Paper that will follow.

The Committee has stated its interested to receive written submissions in response to the Green Paper highlighting any significant views or concerns. In particular, the Committee invites views on the points and areas listed below:

• The argument that the BBC should become smaller and more focussed on a narrower, core set of broadcasting and online services.
• The effectiveness of public consultation on BBC services and content choices to meet the needs of audiences, and how these consultation mechanisms might be strengthened.
• The possible scaling back of BBC production capabilities and any impact this would have on content overall, and on free-to-air content.
• The possible replacement of the licence fee with a universal household levy; and a longer-term possibility of a move to a degree of subscription for BBC services.
• The recently published Perry review into TV licence enforcement.
• The process for setting the level of funding for public service broadcasting and the availability of funds offered on a contestable basis to others for the production of PSB content.
• The substance and process of the financial settlement so far announced, including the withdrawal of the broadband top-slice and the transfer of responsibility for covering the cost of free TV licences for over 75s to the BBC from 2018.
• The position of BBC Worldwide, the BBC's commercial arm, and the suggestion that it might be reformed or sold.
• The governance of the BBC and mechanisms for holding the Corporation to account for the public money it receives and spends in line with the expectations of those who fund it.
• The BBC's own organisation and management.
• The balance of national and regional investment and spending by the BBC.
• The importance of the BBC's role in training and technical innovation and its support to the UK creative economy overall.
• The wider relationship between the BBC, the general public and Parliament. Respondents may of course wish to comment on other aspects relevant to Charter review.

Commenting on the inquiry, CMS Committee Chair Jesse Norman said:

"BBC Charter Review is a topic which directly or indirectly touches us all. That is why it is essential that the arguments made both by the BBC and by the Government be given full and rigorous scrutiny by Parliament, in the public interest."

techUK are active in building a response to the BBC Charter review in collaboration with our membership and key stakeholders.