BBC: Funding

Debate between Baroness Williams of Trafford and Lord Grade of Yarmouth

Wednesday 17th January 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford (Con)]

My Lords, purely in terms of fairness, shall we hear from my noble friend Lord Grade?

[Lord Grade of Yarmouth (Non-Afl)]

My Lords, I may have to change my name to Tina. I declare my interests as set out in the register. I have no opinions to offer on the future of the BBC or its funding. My concern is to stress to the Minister that one of the greatest economic success stories—one of the very few in this country in the last two decades—has been the creative industries, and at the heart of that are all our public service broadcasters: the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. Without them we would not have had “Mr Bates vs The Post Office”, “Line of Duty” or “Happy Valley”. I would love to hear some warm words from the Minister about how the future of the creative industries and the important part it plays in sustaining investment in British production, which the BBC is a big part of, will very much be in the Government’s thinking.

Historic Sexual Offences: Investigations

Debate between Baroness Williams of Trafford and Lord Grade of Yarmouth

Wednesday 4th March 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

I think that the noble Lord knows that I agree with him.

[Lord Grade of Yarmouth (Con)]

My Lords, in view of the life-changing and career-ruining result of some of these accusations, is it not time that people were not named until charged? I wonder what the Government’s attitude is to that. It would be a great remedy in future to protect public figures from ruination by glib accusations.