§ 1. Mr. Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam)What his Department's policy is for increasing the proportion of television programmes that are subtitled. [114851]
§ The Minister for Tourism, Film and Broadcasting (Janet Anderson)The Government's aim is to ensure the provision of the maximum practicable amount of subtitling of television programmes. We are encouraging all broadcasters to respond positively to the Royal National Institute for Deaf People's initiative for a voluntary charter on broadcast subtitling, the foreword for which was provided by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.
§ Mr. BurstowI am grateful to the Minister for reconfirming the Government's commitment to extending subtitling and other means of improving access to broadcasting for deaf people. I have two requests of the 2 Government. First, will the Minister explore further ways of improving the publicity for subtitling with the Independent Television Commission and the BBC? As well as advertisements for "EastEnders" and other programmes, there should be advertisements for this valuable service. Secondly, will she discuss with the Director General of the BBC the fact that the BBC has a lower percentage of subtitled broadcasts than Channel 4 and ITV? That is not acceptable for our public service broadcaster, which should be taking the lead. Will she encourage the BBC to do so?
§ Janet AndersonI assure the hon. Gentleman that the BBC's policy is at least to match the targets set for any other broadcaster. The BBC has recently increased its targets for the subtitling of new digital services to 50 per cent. within five years and 100 per cent. within 10 years. In the early summer, we shall begin a review of the statutory target for the subtitling of digital terrestrial television services. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I will continue a dialogue with the RNID on these important issues.
§ Miss Anne Begg (Aberdeen, South)There is a generation of deaf people for whom signing is their only language. They find reading difficult. Will my hon. Friend encourage broadcasters to put out more programmes with signing as an integral part, particularly current affairs programmes?
§ Janet AndersonI assure my hon. Friend that we will take every opportunity to raise that with the appropriate bodies. My right hon. Friend and I are very concerned to ensure that access to those services should be as wide as possible.