§ Mr. GrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make arrangements to allow England rugby and football matches to be watched on the British Forces Broadcasting Service. [86902]
§ Dr. MoonieThe British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) is provided through a contract let by the Ministry of Defence with the Services Sound and Vision Corporation (SSVC), which is an independent limited company with charitable status. The service provides, subject to practicality and affordability, radio and television broadcasts to most locations overseas where significant numbers of British forces are stationed, such as Germany and Cyprus, together with areas of deployed operation such as Afghanistan. There are currently two radio and two television channels, although the second TV channel, which is specifically aimed at the 18–30 age group, is at present only available to deployed operational areas, eg Balkans, Middle-East, Afghanistan.
Authority to transmit any particular television or radio programme or sporting vent rests with the Rights Holder for the programme or event concerned and all broadcasters, including SSVC, must negotiate accordingly with Rights Holders for licences to broadcast.
SSVC already provides live television coverage of all England (and other Home Nation) international rugby and football matches, subject to scheduling practicalities where fixtures clash, and makes arrangements to do so with the Rights Holders through the primary broadcaster, eg the BBC, ITV etc.
SSVC and the Ministry of Defence are working to further develop the BFBS with a view to providing additional television channels including, in due course, a dedicated sports channel.