§ Ms CoffeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the most recent developments in Phase II of the Creative Industries Task Force Television Inquiry. [142683]
§ Mr. Chris SmithThe Inquiry has been completed and the consultant's report will be published on my Department's website today: www.culture.gov.uk—click on 'CREATIVE, MEDIA & ARTS', then click on 'FORMS AND DOCUMENTS'. A hard copy Executive Summary of the report will also be published, sent to interested parties and made available by my Department on request. I will also arrange for copies of the Executive Summary to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses in due course.
The consultants, David Graham and Associates, were asked to report on how the UK television programmes supply market could best be adapted to realise the potential of UK creative talent to satisfy the growing audio-visual economy.
Their report addresses outstanding issues from Phase I of the Inquiry, highlights important and interesting data about recent trends in the broadcasting industry and 72W updates information provided by the consultants in their 1999 research "The Economics of the TV Supply Chain". It concludes by making recommendations for establishing the conditions necessary for each element of the programme supply chain to compete and prosper in the digital age.
Findings have informed the joint DTI/DCMS Communications White Paper, and the Government will continue to work closely with the television industry in formulating policy that is intended to meet future challenges.