BBC Royal Charter

Lord Stevenson of Balmacara Excerpts

Tuesday 19th April 2016 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Neville-Rolfe]

The length of time that the charter lasts will be one of the key issues that we address in the White Paper in May.

[Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Lab)]

My Lords, may I press the Minister on two points? First, she did not specifically answer the Question originally posed by the noble Lord, Lord Fowler, about whether the debates that she has promised will allow both Houses to approve the proposal to be made by the Government. Can she say yes or no to that, bearing in mind that when the debates were held the last time round an approval Motion was put down in the Commons? Secondly, on the timing, we heard last week in a debate in the other place that a draft White Paper had been sighted, and indeed may even have been read. Does that mean that we will in fact receive this in May, as promised?

[Baroness Neville-Rolfe]

Our plan and hope is that we will publish it in May, which was the original timing. In relation to votes, the Government will of course want to listen to the debate on the draft charter and respond accordingly, but I do not think that I can promise a vote.