Public Service Broadcasting

Viscount Colville of Culross Excerpts

Monday 15th June 2015 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Neville-Rolfe]

The noble Lord is right: these areas are very important. The interests concerned will be taken into account in the wide-ranging charter review once it gets under way.

[Viscount Colville of Culross (CB)]

I declare an interest as a producer at the BBC. During the period of the present BBC charter, more than £1 billion has been top-sliced for spending on purposes other than content provision. Does the Minister agree with the Culture Select Committee’s suggestion regarding the next charter that income from the licence fee or the broadcasting levy be used only for the purpose of the broadcasting or production of public service content?

[Baroness Neville-Rolfe]

My Lords, as we know from discussion in this House, there are different views about what the money from the licence fee should be used for. That is why we are planning a wide-ranging review of the charter. These interests, along with others, will of course be taken into account and we will no doubt have many opportunities to debate the results.