The Communications and Digital Committee is a select committee of the House of Lords with the broad remit to "consider the media, digital and creative industries".
History
The first report of the House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee, about the BBC was issued on 25 July 2007. Previous to this, there had been ad hoc committees reporting on other topics.[1]
Scope and activities
The remit of the committee is to "consider the media, digital and creative industries".[2]
Between 2006 and 2010, the Committee has held inquiries into the Chairmanship of the BBC, the focus and structure of Government communications with the public and the media, ownership of news media outlets, and the digital television and radio switchovers.[3][4][5][1]
A Creative Future
In October–November 2022, the committee conducted an inquiry into the future of creative industries in the UK, called "A creative future", also referred to as "Creative Futures".[6][7] It received many submissions, including from the Creative Industries Policy Evidence Centre,[8] the National Foundation for Educational Research,[7] the life-size AI robot artist Ai-Da, Equity, and The Publishers Association.[9] Its report was published in January 2023 covering text and data mining; securing performers' rights; intellectual property and international trade; and AI and jobs.[10]
Membership
As of January 2026[update], the membership of the committee is as follows:[11]
| Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|
| Baroness Keeley(Chair) | Labour | |
| Baroness Caine of Kentish Town | Labour | |
| Viscount Colville of Culross | Crossbench | |
| Baroness Elliott of Whitburn Bay | Labour | |
| Baroness Fleet | Conservative | |
| Lord Holmes of Richmond | Conservative | |
| Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate | Conservative | |
| Lord Knight of Weymouth | Labour | |
| Lord McNally | Liberal Democrat | |
| Baroness Owen of Alderley Edge | Conservative | |
| Lord Storey | Liberal Democrat | |
| Lord Tarassenko | Crossbench | |
| Lord Bishop of Winchester | Bishops | |
References
- ^ a b "Communications - First Report". The House of Lords Communications Committee. 25 July 2007. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
This is the first report of the Select Committee on Communications. It deals with the selection, terms of employment and role of the Chairman of the BBC. It follows the work of the House of Lords Select Committee on BBC Charter Review which was an ad hoc committee established in 2005 to scrutinise the Government's plans for the future of the BBC.
- ^ "Communications and Digital Committee". UK Parliament. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
- ^ "Pre-2010 publications". Committees. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
- ^ "Second Report: Digital switchover of television and radio in the United Kingdom". House of Lords Communications Committee. 18 March 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
- ^ "Second Report: Public service broadcasting: short-term crisis, long-term future?". House of Lords Communications Committee. 18 March 2009. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
- ^ "A creative future". Committees. 28 July 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
- ^ a b "A Creative Future". NFER. 19 June 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
- ^ "House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee Inquiry: Creative Futures 2022" (PDF). Creative Industries Policy Evidence Centre. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
- ^ "Select Committees, Creative Future Inquiry". BBC. 14 October 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
- ^ "At risk: our creative future". Communications and Digital Committee. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
- ^ "Communications Committee − membership". UK Parliament.
