HC Deb 21 January 1998 vol 304 cc539-40W
Mr. St. Aubyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is his estimate of the cost to his Department of providing Welsh language television in the latest year for which figures are available. [21988]

Mr. Fisher

The Welsh Fourth Channel Authority (S4C), is funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The grant is paid on a calendar year basis and, for 1998, it is £74.895 million. The level of the grant is determined by a statutory formula set out in the Broadcasting Act 1996.