§ Mr. MacDonaldTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture. Media and Sport how many hours of Gaelic programmes per year are required of(a) the BBC, (b) Grampian Television and (c) Scottish Television under the Multiplex Licence (Broadcasting of Programmes in Gaelic) Order 1996; and how many hours have been provided by each of the above broadcasters in (i) 1997, (ii) 1998, (iii) 1999, (iv) 2000, (v) 2001 and (vi) 2002. [57891]
§ Dr. HowellsThe Multiplex Licence (Broadcasting of Programmes in Gaelic) Order 1996 requires the holder of the multiplex licence under which Channel 5 and S4C Digital are broadcast (SDN) to broadcast at least 30 minutes of Gaelic programming every day in Scotland during peak evening viewing time. In complying with this requirement SDN must broadcast at least 30 hours of Gaelic programmes per year supplied by each of the BBC, Scottish Television and Grampian Television. Under section 32(3) of the Broadcasting Act 1996, the BBC, Scottish Television 517W and Grampian Television are required to provide SDN, free of charge, with such programmes in Gaelic as have been broadcast by the supplier as the holder may request.
In practice, programmes from the BBC, Scottish Television and Grampian Television are provided to SDN indirectly via the Gaelic Broadcasting Committee (CCG). I understand that, of the programmes supplied to SDN by the CCG, the following hours had previously been broadcast on the BBC, Scottish Television and Grampian Television (the Gaelic service (TeleG) on SDN did not begin broadcasting until 31 October 1999):
Hours BBC STV GTV 1999 14.5 19.5 6.0 2000 38 120.5 56 2001 31.5 161 41.5 20021 13.5 37.5 20.5 1 To 30 April 2002.