To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will have discussions with the BBC on reports of its plans to reduce the budget for Songs of Praise.

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will have discussions with the BBC on reports of its plans to reduce the budget for Songs of Praise.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the BBC Trust on the BBC's exercise of its responsibilities to provide religious broadcasting.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the BBC Trust on the BBC's exercise of its responsibilities to provide religious broadcasting.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of Channel 4’s decision to broadcast the Muslim call to prayer every day during the month of Ramadan, and of the effect this may have on community relations in the United Kingdom. [HL1312]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of Channel 4’s decision to broadcast the Muslim call to prayer every day during the month of Ramadan, and of the effect this may have on community relations in the United Kingdom. [HL1312]

Lords debate on motion to call attention to the future of the BBC. Motion withdrawn.

Lords debate on motion to call attention to the future of the BBC. Motion withdrawn.

It is not just noble Lords here who have reservations and opposition to the trust. Surely the most significant thing is that the Secretary of State himself has said that this is not a sustainable model. That is the point that the Minister must answer.

It is not just noble Lords here who have reservations and opposition to the trust. Surely the most significant thing is that the Secretary of State himself has said that this is not a sustainable model. That is the point that the Minister must answer.

My Lords, I am grateful to all noble Lords who have spoken in the debate. I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Fowler, on his good fortune in introducing yet another debate on broadcasting when we also have a Bill on related areas before us on which we will spend a...

My Lords, I am grateful to all noble Lords who have spoken in the debate. I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Fowler, on his good fortune in introducing yet another debate on broadcasting when we also have a Bill on related areas before us on which we will spend a...

My Lords, those things do not supply our entertainment in the same way as the BBC. Any money which is taken compulsorily from a citizen of this country is a form of taxation, whatever guise it comes under. In the 19th century there was a debate over whether some of...

My Lords, those things do not supply our entertainment in the same way as the BBC. Any money which is taken compulsorily from a citizen of this country is a form of taxation, whatever guise it comes under. In the 19th century there was a debate over whether some of...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for giving way. As he is calling the licence fee a tax, could he explain why he does not apply the same principles to the other taxes that we pay, those which are used to fund the police, the Army and to rescue...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for giving way. As he is calling the licence fee a tax, could he explain why he does not apply the same principles to the other taxes that we pay, those which are used to fund the police, the Army and to rescue...

My Lords, the Minister has done his best to defend the indefensible in the form of the Government’s arrangements. I admired the ingenuity of his argument, but we will come to that some other time. This has been an extremely good debate, and I thank everyone who has taken part...

My Lords, the Minister has done his best to defend the indefensible in the form of the Government’s arrangements. I admired the ingenuity of his argument, but we will come to that some other time. This has been an extremely good debate, and I thank everyone who has taken part...

I was coming to that, my Lords. The Secretary of State has identified aspects of the BBC that he thinks should be looked at in the charter review. He is not advocating significant and important change at this point. He is indicating to the BBC that he has reservations about...

I was coming to that, my Lords. The Secretary of State has identified aspects of the BBC that he thinks should be looked at in the charter review. He is not advocating significant and important change at this point. He is indicating to the BBC that he has reservations about...

My Lords, I join in thanking my noble friend Lord Fowler for introducing this debate. Two main issues when considering the future of the BBC are content and how far the activities of the BBC should be extended beyond its historical television role. Where content is concerned, is the justification...

My Lords, I join in thanking my noble friend Lord Fowler for introducing this debate. Two main issues when considering the future of the BBC are content and how far the activities of the BBC should be extended beyond its historical television role. Where content is concerned, is the justification...

My Lords, I say to the noble Lord, Lord Haskel, what must have been said to him 16 years ago: I hope we will hear much more from you in the future. It is only 14 years since I first addressed the House. At that time I was being mentored...

My Lords, I say to the noble Lord, Lord Haskel, what must have been said to him 16 years ago: I hope we will hear much more from you in the future. It is only 14 years since I first addressed the House. At that time I was being mentored...

My Lords, today is the 16th anniversary of my maiden speech in your Lordships' House. During that time, I have spoken on matters about which I have known something and on matters on which I have been briefed—that is certainly not the same thing. I have also spoken on matters...

My Lords, today is the 16th anniversary of my maiden speech in your Lordships' House. During that time, I have spoken on matters about which I have known something and on matters on which I have been briefed—that is certainly not the same thing. I have also spoken on matters...

My Lords, I join in thanking the noble Lord, Lord Fowler, for introducing this debate. I also thank him for his chairmanship of the Communications Committee. I have served under him on the previous and current BBC committees. We always get on but we do not always agree. However, I...

My Lords, I join in thanking the noble Lord, Lord Fowler, for introducing this debate. I also thank him for his chairmanship of the Communications Committee. I have served under him on the previous and current BBC committees. We always get on but we do not always agree. However, I...

Moved By To call attention to the future of the BBC; and to move for papers.

Moved By To call attention to the future of the BBC; and to move for papers.

My Lords, I, too, associate myself with all the appreciation that has been expressed to the noble Lord, Lord Fowler, for his initiative and leadership in this whole area. I also associate myself with my noble friend the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Southwark in declaring an interest. Like...

My Lords, I, too, associate myself with all the appreciation that has been expressed to the noble Lord, Lord Fowler, for his initiative and leadership in this whole area. I also associate myself with my noble friend the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Southwark in declaring an interest. Like...

My Lords, I, too, welcome the opportunity kindly afforded to us by the noble Lord, Lord Fowler, to discuss this important topic. I declare an interest as a former governor of the BBC—indeed, one of the very last—and in having a close family member working for the BBC. It is...

My Lords, I, too, welcome the opportunity kindly afforded to us by the noble Lord, Lord Fowler, to discuss this important topic. I declare an interest as a former governor of the BBC—indeed, one of the very last—and in having a close family member working for the BBC. It is...

My Lords, I, too, thank the noble Lord, Lord Fowler, for enabling the House to address important issues on the future of the BBC and for the report on public service broadcasting from the Select Committee, which he chairs and of which my friend the right reverend Prelate the Bishop...

My Lords, I, too, thank the noble Lord, Lord Fowler, for enabling the House to address important issues on the future of the BBC and for the report on public service broadcasting from the Select Committee, which he chairs and of which my friend the right reverend Prelate the Bishop...

My Lords, first, I give many thanks to the noble Lord, Lord Fowler, for securing this important debate. He has covered the ground in detail. I intend to be more general. The BBC is unique. I believe that that is worth emphasising at the outset. In any other country it...

My Lords, first, I give many thanks to the noble Lord, Lord Fowler, for securing this important debate. He has covered the ground in detail. I intend to be more general. The BBC is unique. I believe that that is worth emphasising at the outset. In any other country it...

My Lords, you can go for months in this House without there being a debate on the media and then, rather like buses, two come along at the same time—the digital economy yesterday and the future of the BBC today. As the House knows, I am chairman of the Select...

My Lords, you can go for months in this House without there being a debate on the media and then, rather like buses, two come along at the same time—the digital economy yesterday and the future of the BBC today. As the House knows, I am chairman of the Select...