§ Lord Mason of Barnsleyasked the Chairman of Committees:
Who is responsible for the Parliamentary Broadcasting Unit (PARBUL); under what terms they provide video recordings of debates and speeches in the House of Lords; who determines the price of debates or individual speeches; and what was the range of prices charged during each of the past five years. [HL2055]
§ The Chairman of Committees (Lord Tordoff)The Parliamentary Broadcasting Unit Ltd (PARBUL) is a limited company set up jointly by Parliament and the major broadcasters to organise and fund the televising of Parliament. The board of directors comprises200WA representatives of the broadcaster shareholders matched in number by members and staff of both Houses, and chaired by the House of Commons Chairman of Ways and Means.
Recordings of proceedings of the House of Lords are archived by Parliament's own Parliamentary Recording Unit, which is managed by the Supervisor of Parliamentary broadcasting, an Officer of both Houses. Videotape copies of these recordings are made available to broadcasters, commercial and educational organisations and for the personal use of Peers, MPs and private individuals at rates which reflect the length of recording required, the complexity of compilation tapes and the use to which the footage will be put. The "rate card" was recently revised for the first time in seven years. Increases were kept below the rate of inflation over that period.
The rates charged in the five years to December 2000 ranged from a£10 minimum per videotape for Members to £120 an hour plus stock, management and licence fees for broadcasters. The current minimum cost for Members remains £10, with broadcaster rates set at a maximum of£100 plus VAT per 30 minutes. The broadcaster rate now includes stock and management fees but licence fees remain extra.