03 Apr
Question
Free-to-air Events

The Question session in the House of Commons centered on whether the list of free-to-air events should be extended, with particular emphasis on preserving national football matches for public viewership without additional costs. Seamus Logan of the SNP raised the discussion, urging the government to consider safeguarding major sports events, specifically highlighting Scotland's participation in international football. The response from Stephanie Peacock reiterated that the current system is designed to strike a balance between accessibility and revenue needs of sports broadcasters, implying that changes were not forthcoming.

Outcome

The outcome indicated no immediate intentions from the government to alter the list of designated free-to-air events. The government maintained its stance that the existing framework was effective in balancing public access and the financial aspect of sports broadcasting.

Key Contributions

Seamus Logan
SNP (Scottish National Party)

Requested discussions on expanding the list of events that are free to air.

Stephanie Peacock

Emphasized that the current list of free-to-air events effectively balances accessibility and revenue opportunities for broadcasters.

Original Transcript
Seamus Logan
Aberdeenshire North and Moray East
SNP
Question
UIN: 903598

4. If she will have discussions with Ofcom on extending the list of events designated as free to air.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Stephanie Peacock
09:30

We believe the current list of events works well and strikes an appropriate balance between access and allowing sports to maximise broadcasting revenue. The Government have no plans to review the list at this time.

Seamus Logan
09:30

The BBC has secured an exclusive contract to broadcast live all of Scotland’s men’s international football matches in the run-up to the 2026 world cup. It is part of a wider deal agreed with the European governing body UEFA, which also includes matches for Northern Ireland and Wales.

On Friday night, the BBC will provide extensive live coverage on several platforms of Scotland’s women’s team playing Germany in the nations league at Tannadice stadium in Dundee.

I am sure the Minister will join me in wishing them well, but will she also consider taking steps to safeguard these events for free-to-air broadcasters, so that our nations can enjoy them without paying expensive subscriptions?

Stephanie Peacock

I join the hon. Member in wishing the team well. As I outlined in my first answer, the whole point of the regime is to strike a balance. We want sport to be accessible while recognising the importance that broadcasting revenue plays.

All content derived from official parliamentary records