BBC: Funding

Debate between Baroness Williams of Trafford and Lord Grade of Yarmouth

Wednesday 17th January 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford (Con)]

My Lords, purely in terms of fairness, shall we hear from my noble friend Lord Grade?

[Lord Grade of Yarmouth (Non-Afl)]

My Lords, I may have to change my name to Tina. I declare my interests as set out in the register. I have no opinions to offer on the future of the BBC or its funding. My concern is to stress to the Minister that one of the greatest economic success stories—one of the very few in this country in the last two decades—has been the creative industries, and at the heart of that are all our public service broadcasters: the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. Without them we would not have had “Mr Bates vs The Post Office”, “Line of Duty” or “Happy Valley”. I would love to hear some warm words from the Minister about how the future of the creative industries and the important part it plays in sustaining investment in British production, which the BBC is a big part of, will very much be in the Government’s thinking.

Historic Sexual Offences: Investigations

Debate between Baroness Williams of Trafford and Lord Grade of Yarmouth

Wednesday 4th March 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

I think that the noble Lord knows that I agree with him.

[Lord Grade of Yarmouth (Con)]

My Lords, in view of the life-changing and career-ruining result of some of these accusations, is it not time that people were not named until charged? I wonder what the Government’s attitude is to that. It would be a great remedy in future to protect public figures from ruination by glib accusations.

Economy: High Street Trade

Debate between Baroness Williams of Trafford and Lord Grade of Yarmouth

Tuesday 10th May 2016 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

The noble Lord is absolutely right that the digital age has in many cases been to the high street’s advantage. I have mentioned click and collect. Our local high street businesses have to compete in the digital era and we have recently announced a digital pilot programme across Gloucestershire working with partners in the private sector including Argos, IBM and Cisco. This work was developed in close collaboration with the BIS retail unit.

[Lord Grade of Yarmouth]

Does my noble friend think that there is any connection between the lack of customers in the high street and the tyrannical and punitive parking arrangements that are imposed in our streets that make it impossible to go to the high street and spend money?

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My noble friend is absolutely right. The Government have recognised that some of the punitive practices on our high streets have prevented or discouraged people from going shopping on their local high streets and we have done something about it.