Meetings

5.2.1 The paper was noted by the Committee.

NDM6009 Christine Chapman (Cynon Valley)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the report of the Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee on the inquiry into the BBC Charter Review, which was laid in the Table Office on 2 March 2016; and

2. Agrees that the BBC, if it accepts the committee's recommendation, should lay before the Assembly annual reports and audited statements of accounts.

Supporting Document:

Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee's report

The item started at 16.46

NDM6009 Christine Chapman (Cynon Valley)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the report of the Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee on the inquiry into the BBC Charter Review, which was laid in the Table Office on 2 March 2016; and

2. Agrees that the BBC, if it accepts the committee's recommendation, should lay before the Assembly annual reports and audited statements of accounts.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

PAC(4)-08-16 Paper 7

5.1 Members noted and welcomed the draft revised Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) relating to the BBC Charter Review.

5.2 It was agreed that the Chair would write to the Welsh Government thanking them for inviting the Committee to consider the MoU and also advising that the Committee’s Legacy Report will include a recommendation that its successor Committee considers including the BBC’s accounts as part of its annual account scrutiny work.

2.1 The Committee agreed the draft report in view of a few minor changes.

8.1 The Committee discussed its approach to considering the draft revised Memorandum.

7.1 The Committee discussed the draft report.

Curon Davies, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg

Colin Nosworthy, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg

Aled Powell, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg

2.1 The Committee received evidence from:

• Curon Davies, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg
• Colin Nosworthy, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg
• Aled Powell, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg

2.2 Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg agreed to provide

·         further information on a new multi-platform broadcaster and the introduction of a levy for alternative sources of funding;

·         details of how a Welsh regulatory system would work in practice.

5.1 The Committee discussed the key issues for inclusion in its report.

Lord Hall of Birkenhead CBE, Director-General, BBC

Rhodri Talfan Davies, Director, BBC Cymru Wales

3.1 The Committee received evidence from:

·         Lord Hall of Birkenhead CBE, Director-General, BBC

·         Rhodri Talfan Davies, Director, BBC Cymru Wales

3.2 Rhodri Talfan Davies agreed to provide the Committee with details of BBC Cymru Wales’s tracking surveys which monitor overall media consumption in Wales.

6.1 The Committee discussed the evidence received in item 3.

6.1 The Committee discussed the evidence received under items 2 and 3.

Dr Ruth McElroy, University of South Wales

Dr John Geraint, Green Bay Media

Angela Graham, Institute of Welsh Affairs (IWA)

Professor Tom O’Malley, Aberystwyth University

3.1 The Committee received evidence from:

·         Dr Ruth McElroy, University of South Wales

·         Dr John Geraint, Green Bay Media

·         Angela Graham, Institute of Welsh Affairs (IWA)

·         Professor Tom O’Malley, Aberystwyth University

Ken Skates AM, Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism

Natasha Hale, Deputy Director of Sectors & Business, Welsh Government

2.1 The Committee received evidence from:

·         Ken Skates AM, Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism

·         Natasha Hale, Deputy Director of Sectors & Business, Welsh Government

The Deputy Minister agreed to provide the Committee with the following information;

·         The Welsh Government’s views on whether the BBC has responded adequately to the King Report recommendations;

·         details of the work of, and outputs from, the Welsh Government’s Broadcasting Advisory Panel;

·         the correspondence relating to the Welsh Government’s call for S4C’s budget to be protected;

·         the funding for BBC Alba and its comparison with funding for S4C;

·         figures relating to the production companies and supply chains that have benefited from moving production out of London to Wales;

·         the representations the Welsh Government has made in respect of the proposed changes to the Terms of Trade between public service broadcasters and independent producers;

the correspondence relating to the Welsh Government’s concerns regarding the July 2015 licence fee changes

6.1 The Committee discussed the evidence received under items 2 and 3.

Iestyn Garlick, Teledwyr Annibynnol Cymru (TAC)

Gareth Williams, Teledwyr Annibynnol Cymru (TAC)

John McVay, Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television (PACT)

3.1 The Committee received evidence from:

·         Iestyn Garlick, Teledwyr Annibynnol Cymru (TAC)

·         Gareth Williams, Teledwyr Annibynnol Cymru (TAC)

·         John McVay, Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television (PACT)

3.2 TAC agreed to seek to provide the Committee with further information on BBC Alba’s funding and whether S4C and BBC Alba will be treated comparably in the future.

Rona Fairhead, Chairman, BBC Trust

Elan Closs Stephens, National Trustee for Wales, BBC Trust

2.1 The Committee received evidence from:

·         Rona Fairhead, Chairman, BBC Trust

·         Elan Closs Stephens, National Trustee for Wales, BBC Trust

2.2 The Trust agreed to provide the Committee with the Trust’s monitoring reports, or a precis of the reports, which assess the progress made in relation to the June 2008 King Report.

6.1 The Committee discussed the evidence received.

Simon Curtis, Equity

David Donovan, BECTU

Paul Siegert, National Union of Journalists (NUJ)

    3.1 The Committee received evidence from:

·         Simon Curtis, Equity

·         David Donovan, BECTU

·         Paul Siegert, National Union of Journalists (NUJ)

·         Huw Jones, Chairman, S4C

·         Ian Jones, Chief Executive, S4C

2.1 The Committee received evidence from:

·         Huw Jones, Chairman, S4C

·         Ian Jones, Chief Executive, S4C

2.2 Alun Davies AM declared the following relevant interest under Standing Order 17.24A:

·         He is a former employee of S4C.

2.3 S4C agreed to provide the Committee with a copy of their document ‘S4C: Looking to the Future’.

4.1 The Committee considered further details regarding the inquiry into the BBC Charter Review and agreed to invite additional people/organisations to provide evidence.

9.1 The Committee discussed the inquiry into the BBC Charter Review.