HL Deb 26 February 1998 vol 586 cc794-6

3.26 p.m.

Lord Thomson of Monifieth

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What discussions they are having with the broadcasting authorities regarding the adequacy of the reporting of the proceedings in Parliament.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My Lords, while I recognise that the noble Lord's Question refers to broadcasting authorities generally I have taken his focus in raising this matter to be the BBC's current consultation on its proposals to alter arrangements for its parliamentary programming. Noble Lords may have noted that the BBC has been examined on the proposals this morning by the Select Committee in another place. The BBC consultation has been copied to the noble Lord and other noble Lords who have taken part in previous discussions on this matter. There is no direct role for the Government as such in regulating matters of broadcasting content, and the Government are not discussing the proposals with the BBC. However, parliamentarians will be given a number of opportunities to question the BBC on its proposals which have already been influenced by previous parliamentary debate before they are finalised in mid-March. The BBC chairman will make himself available to discuss them with noble Lords and Members of another place on 12th March, and the All-Party Media Group will also question the BBC on this matter on 10th March.

Lord Thomson of Monifieth

My Lords, while thanking the Minister for his very full reply, does he recall the outrage before Christmas when the BBC made proposals to stop "Yesterday in Parliament" and downgrade its reporting of Parliament? Is he aware that the consultation paper to which he refers, while recording a retreat on those proposals, is still quite inadequate? Is he aware they would mean that "Yesterday in Parliament" would be available only to those who listened on long wave? Is he also aware that instead of "A Week in Parliament" being broadcast at prime time on Saturday morning it is to be broadcast on Thursday evening? A week in Parliament seems to end mid-week as far as Broadcasting House is concerned. Does the Minister agree that the BBC, with its Royal Charter obligations in respect of the reporting of Parliament and its licence fee that we all have to pay, has a moral duty to report Parliament adequately, as distinct from commercial broadcasters, and should fulfil those responsibilities without one eye on ratings? Finally, given that the parliamentary cable channel which gives total coverage of Parliament appears to be facing extinction, will the Government use its influence so that the BBC carries on the parliamentary cable channel as part of its public service responsibilities?

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My Lords, I have already made it clear that as a parliamentarian and a distinguished expert in this area the noble Lord will have ample opportunity to make known his views to the BBC. As to changes in parliamentary coverage, the noble Lord accurately reflects what the consultation paper says, but the final result of this is a net increase in parliamentary coverage of 55 hours a year on radio and 24 hours a year on television.

As regards the cable parliamentary channel, the consultation paper makes it clear that the BBC is considering taking the channel on its own services.

Lord Tebbit

My Lords, does the Minister agree that, in view of the fact that the Government tend to make announcements outside Parliament rather than inside and that Parliament has less control and the European authorities have more over the affairs of the people of this country, perhaps the BBC are merely getting with it?

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My Lords, while I disagree with both premises of the noble Lord's question, I must adhere to my previous answer that in the end it is a matter for the BBC.

Lord Renton

My Lords, is the Minister aware that the consultation paper suggests that there should be a radio broadcast fairly early on a Thursday evening on the week in Parliament? However, in both Houses important decisions are sometimes made late on a Thursday evening. Therefore, should not the consultation paper be taken with a grain of salt and pushed into a more suitable state later?

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My Lords, the noble Lord has ample opportunity to make those views known to the BBC.

Baroness Rawlings

My Lords, does the Minister agree that the proposed extension of "Yesterday in Parliament" on long wave from 14 to 23 minutes is a good idea, but that it would be an error to discontinue the broadcast on FM? Surely, it is in the public interest to give serious daily coverage of Parliament, especially as so few newspapers no longer carry a parliamentary column? Could the Minister encourage Sir Christopher Bland to maintain the reporting of Parliament on both bands?

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My Lords, the noble Baroness, as a parliamentarian, has an opportunity to do that just as I do.