Committee publication · Correspondence · 15 April 2026 · HC 443

Correspondence with Screen Scotland regarding The Traitors, dated 25 March 9 April 2026

Inquiry: The work of the BBC in Scotland

Summary

Screen Scotland responds to the Scottish Affairs Committee's inquiry about BBC Scotland's use of Scotland-based professionals and production spend. Screen Scotland argues that while the BBC meets Ofcom quota obligations on paper, it does so primarily by commissioning London-based suppliers who displace minimal production to Scotland, undermining genuine economic benefit and creative sector growth in Scotland.

Key findings

Oliver & Ohlbaum research (2024) found that 80% of BBC-commissioned episodes from the top 15 'Scottish' producers were from London-headquartered companies, compared to 43% for Channel 4, despite identical Ofcom criteria.
Current Ofcom quota regime permits BBC compliance through 'substantive base' alone—a single person in a Scottish office—without requiring spend or talent to be in Scotland.
BBC acknowledged in May 2025 that shows can qualify as Scottish solely on office location, though it committed to 70% local budget spend; Screen Scotland argues this still allows London-supplier focus.
Screen Scotland recommends BBC redistribution: moving commissioning roles, senior management, and governance from London to UK clusters to create sustainable, IP-rich production sectors outside London.
Screen Scotland calls for accompanying Ofcom 'Nations & Regions' quota reform alongside BBC Charter Renewal to ensure spirit as well as letter of public service obligations are met.

Tone

Critical

Topics

broadcastingpublic-service-mediacreative-industriesregional-developmentcorporate-governance

Key actors

Screen Scotland, BBC Scotland, Patricia Ferguson MP, Isabel Davis, Ofcom, Oliver & Ohlbaum, Channel 4, David Smith

Notable line

“The BBC is a vital, shared national asset and its investment in our culture, communities, and democracy will be more equitable …”

Key Quotes

“… the current Ofcom quota regime allows the BBC to fully comply with its Scottish quota obligations for volume (hours) and value (spend) while commissioning projects which provide limited employment in Scotland, have little economic impact within the Scottish economy”
— David Smith, Director, Screen Scotland · describing structural flaw in BBC compliance approach

“… a publicly owned Public Service Broadcaster, such as the BBC, should work to deliver the spirit of its quota obligations and Public Purposes, not just their letter”
— David Smith, Director, Screen Scotland · on fundamental principle of public service broadcasting

“Only two of the 11 suppliers mainly used by the BBC in the Top 15 "Scottish" producers, were companies formed and headquartered in Scotland, compared with three out of four that mainly supplied Channel”
— Oliver & Ohlbaum research cited by Screen Scotland · comparing BBC and Channel 4 commissioning patterns 2014-2022

“80% of the total episodes made by the Top 15 for the BBC were commissioned from producers headquartered in London, compared to only 43% of the total episodes commissioned by Channel”
— David Smith, Director, Screen Scotland · quantifying disparity in London-dependency between BBC and Channel 4

“This approach to BBC commissioning against its Out of London quotas was not restricted to the BBC's commissioning against its Scottish output quotas, and it is a major factor in why London remains the UK's only IP rich TV/media cluster of scale in”
— David Smith, Director, Screen Scotland · explaining systemic BBC concentration effect on UK creative geography

“… a show could be categorised as being Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish under the Ofcom criteria solely on account of the location of its production office (even though most of its budget may be spent in other UK regions)”
— BBC, cited in Screen Scotland response · BBC's own May 2025 acknowledgment of loophole in Ofcom definitions

View original document →

Source · parliament.uk record ↗