HC Deb 06 January 2004 vol 416 cc305-6W
Miss Kirkbride

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many staff in her Department are working solely on the BBC Charter review process. [145461]

Tessa Jowell

[holding answer 5 January 2004]: The Department will have a core team of five people working solely on Charter review. However there are many others in DCMS and other Government Departments contributing significant amounts of their time to what is a complex, crosscutting programme of work.

Miss Kirkbride

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to ensure that the BBC meets its requirements with regard to the independent productions quotas. [145477]

Estelle Morris

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State recently agreed amendments to the formal Agreement with the BBC to enable OFCOM to enforce the quotas from 29 December 2003, with the power to impose fines on the Corporation for failing to meet the quotas or require any deficit to be made up in the subsequent year or years.

Miss Kirkbride

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had with the BBC about the BBC Charter review process; and if she will make a statement. [145478]

Tessa Jowell

My Department maintains regular contact with the BBC with frequent discussions on a wide range of issues including Charter review process.