Government has ‘no intention of ending the BBC’

The minister for digital, media, culture and sport, Julia Lopez, today told the shadow minister, Lucy Powell that there is “no intention of ending the BBC”.

Powell had asked the minister how the levelling up white paper would coexist with her “plans to sell of Channel 4 and end the BBC as we know it”. Lopez said that a “decision had not been made” on the sale of Channel 4.

Later in the debate, Powell questioned Lopez on the government’s broadband targets, which had “each been weaker than the last”. Lopez confirmed that the target for nationwide gigabit capability was “85% plus by 2025”.