Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Young Audiences Content Fund

Wednesday 9 February 2022 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Minister committed to a full evaluation of the young audiences content fund's impact on public service broadcasting for young people, including Welsh language content.
  • S4C will receive 88.8 million a year for the first two years of the licence fee settlement, rising with inflation thereafter.
  • The Minister offered to meet Ben Lake to discuss the issue of the young audiences content fund, approaching the matter with an open mind.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Ben Lake PC Ceredigion Preseli
Wales Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The Welsh language broadcasting community is concerned about the potential impact of closing the young audiences content fund on programming for children in Welsh.

Question

What assessment has been made of the potential impact of closing the young audiences content fund on Welsh language broadcasting? The fund's 5% target for content in indigenous languages has supported programmes such as an upcoming mental health drama series and new episodes of “Sali Mali”. Mike Young, a prominent producer, stated that without state support, beloved children's shows like “Sam Tan” would not have been made. Will the Minister meet to discuss this issue?

Answer from David Davies

There will be a full evaluation of the fund's impact on public service broadcasting for young people, including Welsh language content. S4C will receive £88.8 million a year for the first two years of the licence fee settlement, rising in line with inflation thereafter. The Minister would be delighted to meet the hon. Gentleman to discuss the issue.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not commit to securing original children's content specifically but agreed to a meeting where this could be discussed.

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Q2 Ben Lake PC Ceredigion Preseli
Wales Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The closure of the young audiences content fund is concerning for Welsh language broadcasting as it has supported valuable children's programming. Mike Young, a prominent producer, stated that beloved shows would not exist without state support.

Question

Diolch, Mr Speaker. The fund's 5% target for content in the indigenous languages has been invaluable to producers of Welsh language children's programmes such as an upcoming drama series about children's mental health and, of course, the production of new episodes of “Sali Mali”. Mike Young, the producer of “Sam Tan” and the creator of “SuperTed”, has previously stated that those much-loved favourites would not have been made without state support. Will the Minister agree to meet me to discuss the impact of the fund's closure and ways we can secure the future of original children's content in the Welsh language?

Answer from David Davies

I would be delighted to meet the hon. Gentleman to discuss that issue. I would approach it with an open mind. I will perhaps remind the hon. Gentleman that it was a Conservative Government who established S4C and introduced the Welsh Language Act 1993, allowing Welsh to be spoken in Select Committee hearings.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Discussed historical context but did not commit to securing original children's content specifically.

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