Select committee: Welsh Affairs Committee
Recommendation 18
Fifth Report - Broadcasting in Wales
Published 27 Oct 2023
Paragraph 110
Addressed to Wales Office
Welsh Affairs Committee Broadcasting in Wales All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
Community radio plays a vital role in serving local people, and we welcome the growth in this sector. However, we are concerned with the current levels of funding for the sector in Wales. Funding available through the UK Government’s Community Radio Fund has not kept pace with inflation. We recommend that the Government increases the Community Radio Fund to match the current demand, as well as linking it to inflation for future years.
From: Welsh Affairs Committee, Fifth Report - Broadcasting in Wales (HC 620), paragraph 110, 27 October 2023
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 22 January 2024 (deadline 11 January 2024).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government welcomes the report and points to its Media Bill, while declining several recommendations, including a full review of the listed events list and a formal review of the Apprenticeship Levy.
- On the BBC and S4C partnership, it says it "would not be appropriate for the Government to oversee individual partnerships", but "agrees" they should maintain one suited to the evolving landscape. Through the Media Bill it is legislating so that fewer than 10 hours may be agreed, and if no agreement is reached "the current requirement of 10 hours will continue".
- On listed sporting events, it states it has "no plans to undertake a full review of the list" and does not think it "appropriate for Ofcom to have the ability to amend the list of events".
- On community radio funding, it says any increase to the base level of the Fund "will need to be considered in the context of wider economic conditions at the next Spending Review". It considers that retaining a focus on long-term sustainability "remains appropriate" for how the Fund is spent.
- On the licence fee, the government is "launching a review of the licence fee funding model", led by DCMS, which "will also consider the funding arrangements of Welsh and other Minority Language Broadcasting provided by the BBC".