§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Government appointees are on the board of the Independent Broadcasting Authority; what are the criteria for the selection; and if he will publish the list of appointees in theOfficial Report.
§ Mr. RentonThe Broadcasting Act 1981 provides for the members of the IBA, including the chairman and deputy chairman, to be appointed by the Home Secretary. The Home Secretary, with a view to enabling the authority to continue to fulfil its responsibility for safeguarding the public interest in broadcasting matters, wishes to ensure that the members of the authority combine personal distinction with a wide and balanced range of interests and experience. The present membership of the IBA is:
- Lord Thomson of Monifieth, Chairman
- Sir Donald Maitland, Deputy Chairman
- Mr. G. R. Peregrine, Member for Wales
- Professor J. F. Fulton, Member for Northern Ireland
- Mr. J. R. Purvis, Member for Scotland
- Mr. R. A. Grantham, Member
- Mrs. P. Ridley, Member
- Professor A. L. Cullen, Member
- Sir Anthony Jolliffe, Member
- Mr. M. H. Caine, Member
- Lady Popplewell, Member
- Mr. Ranjit Sondhi, Member.
§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has issued any guidelines to the Independent Broadcasting Authority concerning the production of politically sensitive material; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. RentonThe Broadcasting Act 1981 places a duty on the IBA to satisfy itself, as far as possible, that due impartiality is preserved on the part of the persons providing programmes as respects matters of political or industrial controversy or relating to current public policy. For this purpose a series of programmes may be considered as a whole. Relevant guidance is contained in the IBA's "Television Programme Guidelines". It is for the IBA, not the Government, to interpret and enforce its statutory obigations.