§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list(a) broadcasting companies and (b) other organisations to which her Department has recently written consulting about the definition of public service broadcasting; and if she will place a copy of the consultation letter in the Library. [30010]
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§ Dr. HowellsMy officials had informal discussions with ITV Network Ltd., SMG Television, Granada Media Group, Carlton Television, Channel 4 Television Corporation and Channel 5 Broadcasting Ltd., as the leading commercially funded public service broadcasting organisations and companies, about implementation of the proposals on self regulation and backstop powers set out in Chapter 5 of a New Future for Communications. I shall develop my proposals on these matters, to be published in the forthcoming draft Communications Bill, in the light of these and other discussions. I am arranging for copies of the letters to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses in advance of these discussions.