BBC Charter and Agreement (Hansard, 24 January 1996)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of National Heritage (Lord Inglewood)

We have now had an opportunity to consider fully the contributions made by your Lordships in the debate on 9 January. It is clear that the general approach which we adopted following extensive consultation, and set out in the White PaperThe Future of the BBC, continues to command wide support. Some Peers expressed general concerns about the future structure and operations of the BBC and we have carefully considered whether these suggest that the draft Charter and Agreement require amendment. We have concluded that the new framework we have proposed is robust and will deliver a structure for the BBC which will enable the Chairman and the Governors to operate effectively in the public interest, in line with the majority of views expressed in parliamentary and wider debate; and that the documents would not be materially improved by the various textual amendments proposed. Other proposals raised in debate have already been examined in depth during preparation of the White Paper and do not enjoy such a level of support as to warrant a change of policy. We have therefore decided that the Agreement should go forward to another place for approval and be considered in conjunction with the draft Charter. The new Agreement would come into effect only if approved in that place and is contingent on the grant of a new Royal Charter and issue of the relevant wireless telegraphy licences. We shall therefore have an opportunity to consider the position further in the light of that debate.

I have today written to all those who contributed to the debate explaining our decision and responding to specific points which I was unable to answer in debate owing to the lateness of the hour.