Charles Dickens: Bicentenary

Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall Excerpts

Thursday 9th February 2012 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Rawlings]

My Lords, my noble friend Lady Bonham-Carter brings up a very good point. We are committed to encouraging wider reading. I am sure that we will include in the culture education review that is about to come out the various points that she brought up. The Secretary of State for Education has talked frequently about the importance of encouraging children to read books. It is often said that those who read well-written books usually achieve better standards. Dare I quote from Dickens, as everyone has done?

“No one who can read, ever looks at a book, even unopened on a shelf, like one who cannot”.

That is from Our Mutual Friend.

[Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall]

My Lords, would the Minister agree with me that the film and television industries, which have developed in the past 100 years, would have been pretty stuck for content, had it not been for the works of Charles Dickens? Would she encourage her ministerial colleagues to put some pressure on BAFTA to nominate Charles Dickens for a posthumous fellowship?

[Baroness Rawlings]

My Lords, I am sure that that is a good idea, but I have a feeling that BAFTA is probably an independent body. We will put that forward, and hope that BAFTA reads the noble Baroness’s suggestion in Hansard.