Select committee: Communications and Digital Committee
Conclusion 13
1st Report - Licence to change: BBC future funding
Published 18 Jul 2022
Paragraph 102
Communications and Digital Committee BBC future funding All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
The licence fee is one option for funding the BBC. But it is not the only option. Our evidence was clear that many of the apparent advantages of the licence fee are under threat, and it has several drawbacks. Making the licence fee more progressive would be an improvement, as fees could be raised without disproportionately targeting those least able to afford them. But this should not preclude a comprehensive assessment of alternative funding options.
From: Communications and Digital Committee, 1st Report - Licence to change: BBC future funding, paragraph 102, 18 July 2022
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 26 October 2022 (deadline 13 October 2022).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The Government welcomes the Committee's report and says it "remain[s] committed to conducting a review of the funding model", with further details to be set out "in due course".
- It agrees with the Committee's view that the licence fee's drawbacks are becoming more salient and that a comprehensive review is "a necessity", and says it will take the Committee's proposed core principles into account as it prepares to launch a review.
- On independent market impact studies, it says it "will consider" the recommendation, and the potential for commissioning and publishing them, "as planning for the review progresses".
- On the three funding models the Committee does not recommend (recommendations 9, 10 and 12), it says it "will set out its position" "following the review", and on radio behind a paywall it does "not want to rule out options at this stage".
- On public engagement, it expects the review to "engage widely with stakeholders" and says the Charter Review will follow the requirement to consult the public and Parliament; it does not commit to a separate plan or citizens' assemblies.