Media: S4C

Lord Touhig Excerpts

Wednesday 5th October 2011 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Rawlings]

My Lords, my noble friend makes a very valid point. The Government are fully aware and have set out the funding levels for the period of the spending review, subject to the passage of the Bill, and are committed to making certain that S4C receives sufficient funding for the future. The Government have made clear that that 100 per cent of S4C’s commissioning budget will be spent in the independent sector, as now.

[Lord Touhig]

Do the Government understand that the statutory funding formula for S4C is not simply important in maintaining Welsh language television, it is very important to sustaining the creative industries in Wales?

[Baroness Rawlings]

The noble Lord is absolutely right. The Government understand that and are committed to the future of Welsh language programming and of S4C as a strong, independent Welsh television service. The best way to make certain that S4C has a strong and lasting future is through partnership with the BBC.