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Tessa Jowell: I thank the hon. Gentleman for his generosity.
During the development of the White Paper, the central debate was about the nature of regulation of the BBC. As the hon. Gentleman will know, at least four options have been widely canvassed and widely debated. As I have made clear, Labour Members believe that the BBC Trust is equipped with the necessary powers to be close enough to the BBC to know what is going on, but strong and independent enough to make tough decisions that are in the interests of the licence fee payer. It has a duty and an accountability to the licence fee payer, and as it develops and matures it will be its responsibility to determine the way in which mechanisms for accountability are defined.
The hon. Gentleman and I disagree on switchover and switchover costs. He will see from the regulatory impact assessment that the additional costs that are likely to fall on the BBC are the switchover costs. Throughout the next charter period, the National Audit Office will oversee the self-help programme when the level of the licence fee is eventually determined. I think that that is an important statement of accountability.
The hon. Gentleman and I differ on how the switchover costs should be funded. The principles relating to spectrum charging were agreed in the Communications Act 2003, as the first chapter in this episode of digital switchover. The costs of switchover are broadcasting costs, and historically broadcasting costs that have matched periods of rapid change have always been borne by the BBC. We believe that that should continue.
The hon. Gentleman raised an important point about concessions. Again, I am happy to consider representations on ways in which the existing list of concessions might be altered or amended, although ultimately someone will have to pay for the cost of those concessions. I shall, however, be happy to ensure that the hon. Gentleman's comments receive a response as part of the debate on the charter.
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I am glad that the hon. Gentleman welcomes so much of the White Paper. The differences between us are clear, but Labour Members believe that the proposals on which we differ are in the interests of the continuation of universal free-to-view broadcasting and the licence fee payer.
Madam Deputy Speaker (Sylvia Heal): Order. Many Members are hoping to catch my eye. Accordingly, I make a plea for brief questions and answers.
Mr. Dennis Skinner (Bolsover) (Lab): Is the Secretary of State aware that some of us who have been ardent defenders of the public sector in all its forms have supported the BBC for many years, and have heard many statements like the one that she has delivered today? It is all about jam tomorrow: things are going to be different. Does she agree that the BBC has wasted wonderful opportunities in the past 10 to 15 years? With the advent of all these television stations, it could have been a giant in the field. Sadly, that has not happened. I hope that when the move to Manchester takes place, some changes will be made and that we do not have a repeat of what we have had recently: groups of people from the Murdoch empire running the BBC and its political programmes and following a Daily Mail agenda. One of them has had more transplants than Michael Jackson. I hope that some changes will be made and that the BBC will be more representative of the whole of the political spectrum, and not just the Tories.
Tessa Jowell: Public support for the BBC is not reflected in "jam tomorrow"; it is reflected in the polling and consultation that we have conducted over two years. My hon. Friend makes an important point about, first, value for money and maintaining the confidence of the licence fee payer and, secondly, the importance of accuracy and impartiality in BBC news and current affairs broadcasting. That will be a charter responsibility and I know it is a responsibility that the BBC takes extremely seriously. If at any time any Member of Parliament feels that those principles have been breached, the complaints procedure is available to him or her.
Mr. Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley) (Con): How independent will the trust be from the BBC? Does she agree that it is always better to have an independent body investigating an executive?
Tessa Jowell: The trust will be structurally separate from the executive and, as I have said on a number of occasions, will have a different accountability to the licence fee payer. There will be oversight and scrutiny of the way in which it discharges its competition functions by Ofcom, and value for money scrutiny will be provided through the joint studies that the trust will conduct with the National Audit Office. The House can have confidence in the independence of the trust, but it is a new body with a reputation that has to be earned and that will make or break the likelihood of its long-term continuation.
Alan Keen (Feltham and Heston) (Lab/Co-op):
I congratulate my right hon. Friend on ensuring that the
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BBC maintains its uniqueness. In order to help it reach the 25 per cent. minimum of external production, may I suggest that she contact the BBC and say that we should have a parliamentary version of "The Office"? Would she support me in saying that there could be nobody better to write the script, and even play the main part, than the shadow Secretary of State, based on his performance this afternoon?
Tessa Jowell: I thank my hon. Friend and pay tribute to him for his work on the Select Committee. He is a little harsh on the hon. Member for East Devon (Mr. Swire).
Mr. Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry) (DUP): The fourth of the six new purposes mentions reflecting the identity of the nations and regions of the United Kingdom. How will that be done? For example, how will BBC Northern Ireland be represented on the trust and the executive board? What assurance can she give that the two bodies will not increase, rather than decrease, the bureaucracy that many believe exists within the BBC?
Tessa Jowell: A governor will have responsibility for Northern Ireland, and value for money will be a discipline that will apply throughout everything the BBC does.
Janet Anderson (Rossendale and Darwen) (Lab): My right hon. Friend will be aware of the support in the north-west region for the BBC's proposals to move a significant amount of its production to Manchester, which will enhance the creative economy of the region and constituencies such as my own. Is my right hon. Friend confident that the move will go ahead?
Tessa Jowell: I thank my hon. Friend for that question. This proposal has widespread support in the House and I urge Members with a constituency or regional interest to make their views well known to the BBC. The impact of such an approach on the economy of the north-west and Greater Manchester is well demonstrated, and there are many reasons why the BBC should rise to the challenge of spreading venture capital for creativity way beyond the M25.
Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin) (Con): What extra funding will be given to the BBC in the regions, and does the Secretary of State agree that the BBC in the regions does an excellent job? I am thinking of news-gathering organisations such as BBC Midlands Today and—last, but not least—BBC Radio Shropshire.
Tessa Jowell: I am sure that I can commend all the BBC regional television stations and the excellence of BBC Radio Shropshire.
Miss Anne Begg (Aberdeen, South) (Lab):
Does my right hon. Friend agree that the White Paper and her comments today should give BBC viewers and listeners no reason to fear for the BBC's future? In fact, what has been mapped out suggests a strengthening of the BBC's uniqueness and its role not just in the United Kingdom, but across the world. However, they should
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be afraid—very afraid—of the comments that we heard today from the shadow Secretary of State, the hon. Member for East Devon (Mr. Swire).
Tessa Jowell: I agree with everything that my hon. Friend says.
Philip Davies (Shipley) (Con): The Secretary of State referred to a targeted assistance programme for the poorest people, in order to offset the cost of digital switchover. Does she believe that that is a welfare cost that should be picked up by central Government, or a broadcasting cost that should be picked up by the licence fee payer?
Tessa Jowell: The Government's view is that it is a broadcasting cost, so it should be met by the licence fee.
Mr. Michael Wills (North Swindon) (Lab): I should first declare an interest, having worked for the BBC. As an independent producer, I both benefited from BBC commissions and suffered because of the way in which they were managed. I congratulate my right hon. Friend on a far-reaching and important statement, but I should be grateful for her reassurance that the new commissioning system will not damage the BBC's ability to retain a significant production base. That base has always been the key training house for the British television industry; indeed, it has been responsible for much that is excellent in that industry. I am particularly concerned about analytical current affairs, which there is a dire need for, as the recent Power report showed.
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