Policy

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer has said she is examining a "variety" of alternative sources for the funding of the BBC amid a review into the corporation’s funding arrangements.

Appearing on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, she said that the licence fee "isn’t the only way” to fund the BBC.

“We are reviewing the licence fee. I’ve started that review,” she said. “We will be looking very closely at its funding arrangement. I do think it might need to look at a variety of sources for its funding.”

Under former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, the licence fee was frozen at £159 until April 2024. Dorries said she wanted to find a new funding model before 2027, when the current deal expires, calling the existing model “completely outdated”.  

Speaking separately on Sky’s Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme, Frazer also dismissed calls to remove political interference from the appointment of a new BBC Chair.

She said that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will appoint the “best candidate”, regardless of any political ties, to replace Richard Sharp.

Sharp recently resigned as Chair after failing to disclose that he had helped to secure former Prime Minister Boris Johnson an £800,000 loan.

Frazer spoke after opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer said that Labour would replace the government’s power to appoint the chair with an independent process.

“We will be looking for the best candidate,” Frazer said. “I strongly believe that we should not disqualify people from public office who put themselves forward, who are capable of doing the job, because they happen to have in the past supported a political party.”
 

Hull theatre company Middle Child is implementing a four-day week.

The company announced the move, which it says has been done to improve work-life balance for staff, alongside revealing its 2023 programme.

It becomes the latest in a line of arts organisations to announce four-day weeks. Last week, Manchester’s Contact theatre announced plans for a trial, while Flatpack Festival adopted the schedule permanently.

Middle Child is also set to pilot a new “financial access rider” scheme over the next 12 months, which will see them ask freelancers they work with what adjustments can be made around payment schedules, to make theatre more accessible to people from lower socio-economic background.

Artistic Director Paul Smith said the switch to a four-day week follows a successful pilot at the company.

“We know first-hand that the theatre industry can be a demanding and often unsustainable workplace. By moving to a four-day week, we hope to create a more sustainable and equitable workplace for everyone we work with,” he added.
 
“Today we talk the big talk, but from tomorrow we start putting our plan into action and doing everything we can to make sure everyone’s story can be told and heard, breaking down barriers to accessing theatre for all.”

UK Music is urging Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to outline new support for the music sector as part of next week’s Budget.

The body has sent a letter to Hunt calling for the government to adopt an eight-point plan that aims to boost jobs and growth in the industry.

The plan includes calls for more support to venues, studios and music spaces hit by soaring energy bills, VAT on live events to be cut and business rates on live music venues and studios to be reduced.

It also calls for an extension to the 50% uplift of the Orchestra Tax Relief and a transitional support package to assist with the costs of touring in Europe post-Brexit.

UK Music Chief Executive Jamie Njoku-Goodwin says the without the right measures, there will be a real threat to the talent pipeline.

“The eight-point plan that UK Music and our members have drawn up spells out the huge opportunity the Chancellor has to help us drive jobs and growth and continue the success story of UK music,” he added.

The Chancellor's Budget will be announced on 15 March.