Mark Williams
Main Page: Mark Williams (Liberal Democrat - Ceredigion)Department Debates - View all Mark Williams's debates with the Wales Office
(8 years, 10 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Mr Mark Williams (Ceredigion) (LD)
1. What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on future funding of S4C.
Carolyn Harris (Swansea East) (Lab)
4. What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on future funding of S4C.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Alun Cairns)
The Secretary of State and I have regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues which provide opportunities to discuss a range of issues, including matters related to the funding of services across Wales such as the future funding of S4C.
Mr Williams
The Prime Minister said last week at the Dispatch Box that he wanted to
“meet…the wording and the spirit of our manifesto promise”,
on S4C, which stated:
“We would safeguard the funding and editorial independence of S4C.”
In the light of last week’s commitment, may I invite the Minister to make it clear that the Government will abandon the proposed cuts to the DCMS part of S4C’s budget and undertake a review of the future funding needs of S4C?
Alun Cairns
We will meet our manifesto commitment to
“safeguard the funding and editorial independence of S4C.”
The hon. Gentleman will have heard the Prime Minister say that we would
“meet…the wording and spirit of our manifesto commitment.”—[Official Report, 6 January 2016; Vol. 604, c. 281.]
He will also remember that on the evening before there was a debate proposed by my hon. Friend the Member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire (Simon Hart) to which the Minister for Culture and the Digital Economy responded by saying that he was looking at the arguments and keen to engage positively.