Contributions
1,036 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDBBCI agree with my right hon. Friend. Undoubtedly, there is scope for efficiencies and savings. One thing that the Government have done is fully open up the BBC to scrutiny by the…21 Jul 2020HANSARDBBCI share the hon. Lady’s admiration for “Inside Out”, which, as she said, did some extremely hard-hitting investigative programmes, which led to real change. I am encouraged that…21 Jul 2020HANSARDBBCAs I have said, the Government deeply regret the decision that was taken. I hope that the BBC will continue to consider it as we move into the next licence fee settlement.…21 Jul 2020HANSARDBBCMy right hon. Friend will know from the many times that he has stood here that being asked to do impossible, contradictory things is quite frequent. The point he makes is…21 Jul 2020HANSARDBBCThe hon. Lady raises a good point, in that some of the communications that the BBC had promised to carry out are now going to be impossible due to social distancing, so we will be…21 Jul 2020HANSARDBBCIt is not a devolved matter. However, I did have an extremely good conversation this morning with Rhodri Williams, the new chair of S4C, which of course also benefits from the…21 Jul 2020HANSARDBBCTo give the BBC some credit, it did hold quite a lengthy consultation in which it put forward a number of options as to the future of the exemption. In my view, some of those…21 Jul 2020HANSARDBBCI very much agree with my hon. Friend on that. The BBC’s obligation to be objective and impartial is absolutely at the core of its public purpose—it is written into its public…21 Jul 2020HANSARDBBCAs I say, the matter was extensively debated during the passage of the Digital Economy Act 2017, and it was Parliament that agreed that the responsibility should be transferred to…21 Jul 2020HANSARDBBCI agree with my hon. Friend. I have discussed the proposed reductions with the director for England and the director of nations and regions for the BBC. It is obviously a matter…21 Jul 2020HANSARDBBC Regional Politics CoverageI congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Tiverton and Honiton (Neil Parish) on holding this important debate. It is certainly one of the best attended Adjournment debates that…22 Jun 2020HANSARDBBC Regional Politics CoverageMy hon. Friend is right in that it has only been since the new charter was put in place that Ofcom has had the role as an external scrutineer of the BBC, and it is the role of…22 Jun 2020HANSARDBBC Regional Politics CoverageI fully understand why the hon. Gentleman regards that as a mistake by the BBC, and it is one that I personally would agree with him about. I will go on to set out why I think it…22 Jun 2020HANSARDBBC Regional Politics CoverageI agree with my hon. Friend, which is why I am grateful to him for having applied for and obtained this debate, because I have absolutely no doubt that the BBC will be watching it…22 Jun 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Online FraudThe Government are concerned about online fraud and are very much aware that criminals and fraudsters are attempting to exploit the concern around covid-19. My officials have been…04 Jun 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Online FraudI am happy to join my hon. Friend in congratulating the councillors in Tettenhall Regis on that initiative. It is absolutely right that during this crisis, more and more people…04 Jun 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Online FraudThe hon. Lady is absolutely right that online fraud is an increasing problem and there needs to be much more co-ordinated action to tackle it. However, a great deal has been done.…04 Jun 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Local and Regional News OrganisationsThe Government recognise the vital role that local and regional newspapers play in the provision of reliable, high-quality information during this time. We have already put in…27 Apr 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Local and Regional News OrganisationsI thank my hon. Friend for his question. I very much agree with him that community radio plays an essential part in the media landscape, and I am very conscious of the pressures…27 Apr 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Local and Regional News OrganisationsI agree with the hon. Gentleman that the independent community news sector is very important and plays an essential role in continuing to provide public information alongside the…27 Apr 2020