§ 8. Mr. Paul Keetch (Hereford)What assessment he has made of the BBC World Service's role in conflict prevention in third-world countries; and if he will make a statement. [129547]
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Peter Hain)The objectivity that is the hallmark of BBC World Service broadcasts plays a crucial role in areas of tension and conflict. The BBC World Service also plays an important role in carrying out media training predominantly funded by the Government, where local media bias may be a contributing factor to conflict.
§ Mr. KeetchDoes the Minister agree that the BBC remains the premier and most impartial international news organisation? Will he pay tribute to the World Service, not just at Bush house and elsewhere in Britain, but to its training programmes in places such as the Balkans, Indonesia, Sierra Leone and Afghanistan? Will he assure the House that, in the Chancellor's announcement which is to follow this Question Time, the World Service will be given the additional resources that it needs to upgrade its transmitters and relay stations and keep pace with modern technology?
§ Mr. HainThe hon. Gentleman will not expect me to respond to his request to anticipate the Chancellor. The Government are strongly committed to the BBC World Service, which is booming. Since last year, the number of its listeners has risen by 8 million to a record 151 million, and we have put in an additional £44 million during the current three-year period. That is a sign of our commitment. We want to see the BBC World Service and BBC world television extend their coverage throughout the world.
§ Mr. Tom Clarke (Coatbridge and Chryston)Does my hon. Friend accept that many of us welcome the positive comments that he has just made about BBC radio and television internationally? Will he take this opportunity to congratulate it on its balanced coverage in a difficult situation during the recent elections in Peru?
§ Mr. HainI agree with my hon. Friend that the coverage was very good, as it almost always—if not always—is throughout the world. Travelling throughout the world as my colleagues and I do, we continually hear praise heaped upon the BBC World Service, as one of the few objective sources of information in far too many countries.
§ Mr. Martin Bell (Tatton)Does the Minister share my view that the BBC World Service in radio and television is Britain's greatest diplomatic asset?