§ Mr. Iain Millsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the cost of providing programmes through the BBC in the Welsh language, with particular reference to the responsibility and funding of costs.
§ Mr. BrittanThe cost to the BBC of providing Welsh language programmes has been taken into account by successive Governments in assessing the level of the television licence fee. This will continue to be the case both for radio programmes which will remain on the BBC's own channels and for television programmes which will, once the fourth television channel is in operation, be broadcast on that channel in Wales. It is for the BBC to determine the precise proportion of its resources to be devoted to programmes in Welsh, in consultation in future in the case of television with the Welsh Fourth Channel Authority.