Lord Fowler
Main Page: Lord Fowler (Crossbench - Life peer)
Lord Fowler
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have plans to review the BBC licence fee.
Baroness Rawlings
My Lords, the Government have no immediate plans to review the cost of the BBC licence fee. Under the terms of the October 2010 current licence fee settlement, the Government are committed to providing a full financial settlement to the end of the year 2016-17. No new financial requirements or fresh obligations of any kind will be placed on the BBC and/or licence fee revenues in this period except by mutual agreement.
Lord Fowler
My Lords, does my noble friend agree that there is significant public concern today that a single media company should not have disproportionate influence? That is normally said about News International, but is it not the case that in national radio news and accompanying radio programmes such as the “World at One”, “Today” and “PM”, the BBC has an overwhelmingly strong position? Will the Government therefore give consideration for future policy on how outside competitors may be introduced, possibly by earmarking a small part of the licence fee for that purpose?
Baroness Rawlings
My Lords, my noble friend makes a very valid point, which I would expect from him with all his knowledge and consistent interest in broadcasting. The Question clearly addresses the next stage from his previous Question in your Lordships' House on the licence fee in October 2010. Following the phone hacking issue, he is right that plurality continues to be on the agenda. That needs to include all media and I understand his wish for more independent radio providers. Indeed, local commercial radio stations provide a wide range of national and local news—around 8 million minutes of news every year. We believe, too, that there are a number of ways of supporting such news provision and we will consider these in the forthcoming communications review.