Annual Reports (Hansard, 27 June 2000)

§ Mr. Rendel
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost of producing the annual report of(a) his Department and (b) English Heritage was in each of the two most recent years in which they were published. [127845]

§ Mr. Chris Smith
[holding answer 26 June 2000]: (a) The costs incurred producing the Annual Report in each of the last two years were:

£000

1999 64.6

2000 66.2

This includes the cost of buying back copies for free distribution from The Stationery Office, who are responsible for printing the reports and putting them on sale around the country.
(b) The cost incurred by English Heritage producing their 1999 Annual Report was £85,000.
I will publish the results of their 1998 Annual Report as soon as they have provided it to me.

§ Mr. Sedgemore
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the review of the transparency of the BBC's financial reporting will commence; and if he will make a statement. [128140]

§ Mr. Chris Smith
In their response to the Davies panel's report on the future funding of the BBC, the Government announced that they would appoint independent consultants to examine the transparency of the BBC's financial reporting culminating in the publication of the Corporation's Annual Report and Accounts. The BBC's Annual Report and Accounts was published on 21 June and I have today appointed Pannell Kerr Forster to carry out a detailed review ofthe level of information provided in the BBC's "Annual Report and Accounts"; how far the reporting meets the requirements of the Royal Charter and the Government's conclusions on the outcome of the Davies review; the process that leads up to the disclosure of information in the "Annual Report and Accounts", including the extent to which the Governors are made aware of the issues; existing correspondence from stakeholders to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the BBC about the financial information produced; and existing mechanisms employed by the BBC to ensure transparency, including use of focus groups.
The review will commence immediately and will be concluded by the end of July. I will publish Pannell Kerr Forster's findings. Copies of the terms of reference for the review have been placed in the Library of the House.