§ 6. Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning the implications of digital terrestrial television on the future of S4C and the Welsh language. [37833]
§ Mr. RichardsSeveral.
§ Mr. WigleyMay I ask the Minister to repress his natural modesty and congratulate S4C, on whose programmes he has been an all too familiar face, on its tremendous success? Does he agree that a success of the establishment of the channel was that it enabled Welsh, language programmes to be viewed at peak viewing times without denying people in the non-Welsh speaking parts of Wales access to BBC 1 and HTV, on which Welsh language programmes had previously been seen? Will he therefore ensure in any forthcoming discussions on the future of those television services that the Welsh language programmes will be at peak time and that paragraph 2.44 of the White Paper, which suggests that the programmes could be rescheduled, will not lead to that conclusion?
§ Mr. RichardsI am delighted to hear the hon. Gentleman say what a great success S4C has been because it was the Conservative Government who set it up.
On the hon. Gentleman's more serious point, I am aware that many people are concerned about peak viewing hours for the Welsh language. Those fears are entirely unfounded. The Government are determined to ensure that both S4C Welsh language programmes and Channel 4 programmes will be made available during peak times in as many parts of Wales as is technically feasible.
§ Mr. StephenIs my hon. Friend aware that Cardiff is a centre of excellence in the film animation industry and that some of its cartoon characters are world famous? Does he join me in regretting that so many of them end up as Labour Members of Parliament?
§ Mr. RichardsOne of those cartoon characters—the hon. Member for Cardiff, West—is sitting on the Labour Front Bench. We have become accustomed to his antics. My hon. Friend makes a valid point.
§ Mr. HainWill the Minister clarify his statement that both Channel 4 and S4C will be available? The current proposals, as I understand them, are for a shared channel, yet digitisation provides the opportunity for up to 18 channels. There seems to be no technical reason why the whole of Wales could not have both S4C and Channel 4 through digitisation. Will the Minister make sure that that happens?
§ Mr. RichardsI am surprised that the hon. Gentleman asks a question. I thought that his silence had been bought.
I can assure the hon. Gentleman that S4C Welsh language programmes will be made available at peak viewing times in Wales and that, where it is technically feasible so to do, Channel 4 will also be available.