§ Dr. HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what criteria he uses in considering whether S4C is proving a satisfactory service to the people of Wales and whether S4C is being managed effectively and in a satisfactory manner. [22827]
§ Mr. DorrellThe Welsh Fourth Channel Authority has the duty under the Broadcasting Act 1990 to ensure that S4C provides a satisfactory service. My Department needs to be satisfied that S4C has suitable arrangements in place to ensure that its financial systems are sufficient to safeguard public funds and that voted expenditure is being used for the purposes set out in the Act.
§ Dr. HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will place in the Library copies of the S4C's corporate strategy and its most recent operational plan. [22823]
§ Mr. DorrellI am arranging for copies of S4C's 1995 business plan to be placed in the Library of the House.
§ Dr. HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list all discussions or correspondence with S4C, at ministerial or official level, since 31 March 1994, concerning staffing levels, remuneration and staff grading. [22824]
§ Mr. DorrellStaffing levels, remuneration and staff grading are matters for S4C which reports to Parliament each year through its annual report and accounts. I have had no discussions or correspondence on these topics.
§ Dr. HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what discussions he has had with S4C on the implications for S4C of the recent Welsh Office social survey on television viewing habits; and if he will make a statement. [22826]
§ Mr. DorrellI have had no such discussions with S4C. It is for S4C, if it wishes, to draw any lessons for the Welsh Office social survey to inform their programming decisions.
§ Dr. HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will inquire into the relationship between S4C and Teledwyr Annibynnol Cymru to assess whether the arrangements for funding TAC and its training and sponsorship affiliates are an appropriate use of S4C's programme funds. [22817]
§ Mr. DorrellThe financial and other relationships between S4C and Teledwyr Annibynnol Cymru form part of the terms of reference of the study my Department has commissioned from Mr. John Beastall.
§ Dr. HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage on how many occasions in the last year he has formally met the chairman of S4C to discuss the affairs of the authority. [22637]
§ Mr. DorrellI have formally met the chairman of S4C once in the last year.
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§ Dr. HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list all meetings between his Department and officials of S4C since January 1994. [22635]
§ Mr. DorrellSince January 1994, my Department has held formal meetings with S4C on three occasions: 16 March 1994, 1 July 1994 and 8 March 1995. My officials responsible for broadcasting matters are, of course, in regular contact with S4C.
§ Dr. HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list by grade those of his officials whose duties are related solely to S4C. [22638]
§ Mr. DorrellI have no officials whose duties are related solely to S4C.
§ Dr. HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list by grade the staff in his Department whose duties involve S4C who are able to conduct their responsibilities through the medium of Welsh. [22636]
§ Mr. DorrellI have no staff whose duties involve S4C who are able to conduct their responsibilities through the medium of Welsh.
§ Dr. HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what consultation(a) his Department and (b) the Welsh Language Board had with the S4C Authority before S4C's service provision was split; and what was the statutory basis of the decision. [22650]
§ Mr. DorrellThe Welsh Fourth Channel Authority was established under the Broadcasting Act 1980, and now operates as S4C under the Broadcasting Act 1990. The Government undertook wide consultation prior to the introduction of legislation on both occasions. One of the S4C's statutory duties is to ensure that a substantial proportion of the programmes that it broadcasts are in Welsh and the programmes broadcast between 6.30pm and 1 Opm each day consist mainly of programmes in Welsh. How it carries out this remit is an editorial matter for S4C.
§ Dr. HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what were the staffing levels of S4C at 31 March in each year since 1991 and on 31 December 1994. [22825]
§ Mr. DorrellS4C publishes figures for the average number of employees in each calender year in its annual report and accounts, copies of which are laid before Parliament and are in the Library of the House. Figures for the last four years are as follows
- 1991: 116
- 1992: 108
- 1993: 199
- 1994: 127
The 1994 annual report and accounts have not yet been published.