HC Deb 28 June 1972 vol 839 cc1434-5
36. Mr. Evelyn King

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many Government Departments have submitted complaints to the British Broadcasting Corporation Programmes Complaints Commission.

Mr. Kenneth Baker

None, Sir.

Mr. King

Is my hon. Friend aware that that is hardly surprising as the terms of reference of the Complaints Commission are so narrow that at the last count out of 38 complaints that were made 36 were ruled as being beyond the terms of reference? Does not that make the Complaints Commission something of a farce? Will he use his influence in the Government to try to persuade them to follow the rest of Europe by setting up the sort of commission in which the public can have confidence, in which frustration is not evident and through which they can make complaints along reasonable lines and feel that their complaints will receive reasonable replies?

Mr. Baker

This Commission was set up by the BBC to deal with complaints from individuals among the public. In this Question, I am concerned only from the point of view of whether various Departments have complained to the commission. I personally do not think that is it a very appropriate commission for Ministers or Departments to complain to if they feel they are being treated less than fairly by one of the media. I think they can look after themselves.

Mr. David Steel

Will the hon. Gentleman accept that some of us still think that the people responsible for dealing with complaints should be the chairman and the Board of Governors of the BBC and that we welcome the vigorous way in which the Chairman of the BBC has dealt with complaints?

Mr. Baker

I will draw the remarks of the hon. Member to the attention of my right hon. Friend who has responsibility in these matters.

Mr. Kenneth Lewis

Does not my hon. Friend agree that the commission does exist and that if not many complaints come into it there cannot be any suggestion that if it were changed there would be any more complaints?

Mr. Baker

I will draw my hon. Friend's comments to the attention of my right hon. Friend responsible for these matters. My responsibility in the matter concerns whether individual Government Departments happen to complain to the commission. I am not concerned with the terms of reference or method of operation of the commission.