§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list the occasions on which each Scottish Office Minister, in each of the past 12 months, has required the Scottish information office to make representations about alleged programme bias to BBC Scotland;
(2) if he will make a statement on recent correspondence between BBC Scotland and the Scottish Office concerning alleged editorial bias;
(3) what representations he has made to BBC Scotland concerning the integrity of coverage accorded to his Department by it; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RifkindThe Scottish Office has had need to make various representations to the BBC on these matters. So far as alleged programme bias is concerned, it is essential that the BBC charter is applied throughout the United Kingdom in a consistent manner.
§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what distribution was given to recent correspondence between Mr. Jack Regan of BBC Scotland, and Mr. Donald Stewart, of the Scottish information office.
§ Mr. RifkindAs with all correspondence, it was distributed to those within the Scottish Office who appeared to have an interest.