Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Broadcasting: Scotland

Wednesday 9 July 2025 · 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

  • Ministerial discussions with Scottish broadcasting representatives are regular and ongoing.
  • The Secretary of State and Minister support the flourishing of the broadcasting sector in Scotland.
  • Co-productions throughout the UK nations and regions are encouraged to promote excellence and best practice.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Torcuil Crichton Lab Na h-Eileanan an Iar
Scotland Culture, Media & Sport
Context

Following a recent engagement co-hosted by the Scotland Office and MG Alba, where the importance of Gaelic broadcasting was discussed.

Question

What recent discussions has the Minister had with representatives of the broadcasting sector in Scotland? The islanders have always been international ambassadors, and some Lewis chess pieces are going to France, symbolizing a bit of Gaelic Scotland. 'An t-Eilean', MG Alba’s detective series, was watched by 1.8 million viewers globally. Can we see a Scotland-wide growth deal for Gaelic broadcasting, cultural heritage items like the Lewis chess pieces, and childcare to grow social infrastructure?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Kirsty McNeill)

The Secretary of State and I are committed to supporting a flourishing broadcasting sector in Scotland. We regularly meet its representatives, and my hon. Friend the Member for Na h-Eileanan an Iar was part of a recent engagement that we co-hosted with MG Alba where he spoke passionately about Gaelic broadcasting. The objective of growth deals is to enable people to live well in their communities. UK Government have delivered a historic spending review for Scotland, including ambitious local growth plans for national renewal. We will continue to engage on these matters.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific requests for a Scotland-wide growth deal for Gaelic, cultural heritage items like the Lewis chess pieces, and childcare were not directly addressed.

How: Working With Partners, Focusing On Local Growth

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Q2 Gregory Campbell DUP East Londonderry
Northern Ireland Scotland Culture, Media & Sport
Context

There have been a number of co-productions between BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Scotland.

Question

Does the Minister agree that we should develop and promote co-productions throughout the nations and regions of the UK to see excellence and best practice everywhere?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Kirsty McNeill)

I do agree that we should be cooperating as far as possible. Steps have been taken to preserve home-grown content and talent through initiatives such as the UK Government’s independent film tax credit and high-end tax relief, which provide opportunities for industry growth. I would like to discuss how industries in Scotland and Northern Ireland could cooperate more effectively.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific request for developing co-productions throughout the UK was not directly answered with a commitment.

How: Agreeing With Principle, Discussing Further Cooperation

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