HL Deb 17 March 2000 vol 610 cc235-6WA
Baroness Anelay of St Johns

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 16 December 1999 (WA 54), what meetings have been held by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in 2000 with employers in film and broadcasting to determine what should be done to encourage greater involvement of people from ethnic minorities in programme-making; and what action has been taken by both industry and government as a direct consequence of those meetings. [HL1353]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport joined senior television industry representatives on 8 February for the first meeting of the Culture, Diversity Network. He very much welcomed the establishment of the network, which is a cross television industry response to concerns about the adequacy of the representation of our multicultural society on and behind the screen. Members of the network are currently considering objectives in key areas and plan to agree a specific programme of action in the near future. The Secretary of State will monitor progress of the network and that of a separate group which he has asked the British Screen Advisory Council to establish to look at similar issues in film.