To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how her Department plans to support the BBC in growing the North East’s creative economy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact on economic growth in the North East generated by the creative industries following the BBC’s recent announcement of a cut of £500m in its budget and 2,000 job losses.

The BBC is a vital national institution and an engine of the nations and regions, including the North East of England. In that context, this news is concerning for the BBC workforce who are facing significant uncertainty, and for the sector as a whole. The BBC is delivering significant savings, which requires difficult decisions to be made independent of the Government. The BBC have stated that there will be more information on their plans later this year. Looking ahead, the Charter Review aims to deliver a BBC that is sustainably funded in a way that sets the BBC on a path to thrive until well into the latter half of this century. The Charter Review will consider how the BBC can support the creative economy and drive growth across the UK.