BBC: Licence Fee

Earl of Clancarty Excerpts

Monday 7th November 2011 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Rawlings]

My noble friend Lord Roberts asks an important question regarding fees, which obviously come from throughout the United Kingdom. The proposed S4C/BBC partnership arrangements are a success for Welsh language broadcasting. The arrangements make certain that S4C’s editorial and managerial independence will offer a reassuring level of financial security for the next five years. The partnership offers the stability and certainty that S4C needs so that it can go from strength to strength under the management of its new chairman and new chief executive.

[The Earl of Clancarty]

My Lords, given that sound quality is an important part of the BBC’s service, could the Minister say whether there is a future for FM radio, in view of Ed Vaizey’s recent admission that there is “truth” in the criticism of the UK’s DAB system, which many listeners—and, indeed, other countries—now regard as inferior and outmoded?

[Baroness Rawlings]

The noble Earl, Lord Clancarty, asks a very valid question. We are worried about the transfer. It worked with television but we are not sure yet what is going to happen with radio. However, the licence fee settlement stated that the BBC will commit to funding the rollout of the national DAB multiplexes. We trust and hope that this will work out properly.