§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to encourage the BBC to allow increased access by academics and other scholars to the BBC's archive material. [51648]
§ Mr. FisherThe obligations placed on the BBC in respect of its archives are set out in the Royal Charter and Agreement. These include broad requirements to establish and maintain archives containing material relevant to the objects of the Corporation, and to make reasonable arrangements for public access to the archives, with or without charge. How the BBC chooses to meet these obligations is a matter for the Corporation itself.