Committee publication · Correspondence · 18 March 2026 · HC 443
Correspondence with BBC Scotland following up from 26 January session, dated 3 February, 2 March & 4 March 2026
From: Scottish Affairs Committee
Inquiry: The work of the BBC in Scotland
Summary
The Scottish Affairs Committee corresponds with BBC Scotland's Director over three months (February–March 2026) following an evidence session on 26 January. The committee requests detailed workforce composition data for The Traitors and related productions, including pay-band distribution, Scotland-based versus non-Scotland-based staff ratios, and comparative figures across series and spin-offs, to scrutinise claims about local employment and economic impact.
Key findings
- BBC Scotland reported The Traitors series 4 employed 'just over 20%' Scotland-based individuals; committee seeks pay-band breakdown to assess equality of employment
- The Traitors has generated £21.8 million in GVA for Scotland's economy since filming began in 2022, with a multiplier effect of £6.84 per £1 of direct GVA
- Committee demands comparative workforce data for The Traitors series 1–3, Celebrity Traitors, and other 'made in Scotland' network productions (e.g. Shetland) for benchmarking purposes
- Committee seeks information on Scotland/non-Scotland and Ireland/non-Ireland splits in core production teams for US and Irish versions of The Traitors
- Committee accepts invitation to visit BBC Scotland's Pacific Quay headquarters to inspect operations across content and services
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Patricia Ferguson MP (Chair, Scottish Affairs Committee), Hayley Valentine (Director, BBC Scotland), BBC Scotland, Scottish Affairs Committee
Notable line
“For every £1 of GVA created directly by the production, £6.84 is added to the Scottish economy overall.”
Key Quotes
“Further to your letter, I would be grateful if you could provide the following information: • The distribution of pay bands/grades within the "just over 20%" of Scotland based individuals who worked on The Traitors series four …”
“Since filming began in 2022, The Traitors has generated £21.8 million in GVA for Scotland's economy.”
“The Committee would be very welcome to visit our BBC Scotland headquarters at Pacific Quay in Glasgow to see the work of teams across the range of content and services we provide.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗