Local Government: Newspaper Press
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the policy paper entitled Amplify: The Local Media Action Plan, published 17 March 2026, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposals to review statutory notices on the financial viability of local and regional newspapers.
Answered by Ian Murray
The Local Media Action Plan sets out our plans for a review of statutory notices, including a consultation on whether changes are needed to better ensure that communities have access to journalistic scrutiny of local decisionmaking.
Our review will take into account factors including the financial viability of local and regional newspapers, and will be informed by the following principles, that we:
continue to drive transparency and accountability in local governance
serve all audiences
help ensure value for money to the local authorities and others required to publicise the information contained within statutory notices
maintain a link to journalistic scrutiny
foster innovation in the local media ecosystem and do not unfairly disadvantage local news outlets with a proven track record in public interest journalism regardless of whether they operate in print, online or both.
We will publish our planned timetable in the coming weeks.
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