, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence Session
Such as?
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence Session
I don't have any disagreement with that. I understand that. But the legislation, of course, allows you to do a lot more. And I recognise the force of the commitment made by the Counsel General, but, as somebody once said, Ministers come and Ministers go. If…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence Session
But the legislation, of course, gives you the right to do far more than that single pilot.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence Session
I appreciate that, Counsel General, and I'm grateful to you for that response, but, in terms of how these technical matters, as you describe them, are taken forward, might it not be useful for us to understand on the face of the Bill how you expect to…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence Session
Could I look at the question of the delegated powers that you are taking in this legislation? Since it's your Bill, Minister, I assume that you're content with the balance that exists in the Bill as published.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Papers to note
Yes, entirely agree.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Papers to note
I agree with Llyr, as it happens. In terms of the issue that the letter outlines, and also the nature of the letter, the way that it's written, indeed, I agree with that. And as somebody who banks with HSBC, what would be more important for me is being able…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: evidence session with BBC
Okay. I think we're not going to get any further there this morning.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: evidence session with BBC
That wasn't my question, was it?
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: evidence session with BBC
Of course you don't, and I'm not pretending—
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: evidence session with BBC
It's the reductions I'm talking about.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: evidence session with BBC
—over successive years, and when I think back to—. And I don't want to get too rose-eyed specs about this, but when I think back to the old days, there was a HTV that was an absolutely rock-solid Welsh broadcaster, and it was incontestable. Now, we have an…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: evidence session with BBC
It hasn't worked overly effectively, though, has it? Because you've made the cuts to regional funding, to regional programming, in the way we discussed earlier, so I can understand you saying—and I don't disagree, actually, about the mixed economy; I don't…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: evidence session with BBC
It'll take some time to decipher that for a while. [Laughter.] Can I take you on, though, in that conversation, because we're going to be debating in the next few years the future of the BBC licence fee? Now, ITV may or may not have a view on that, and I…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: evidence session with BBC
[Inaudible.]—any other outlet in the ITV family?
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: evidence session with BBC
I accept that.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: evidence session with BBC
But that person sitting in front of that screen in a region of England doesn't have decisions on public services, for example, and governance taken in that region. So, I think there are particular issues in Wales and Scotland about the delivery of—. For…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: evidence session with BBC
But those are two different issues, aren't they? And I accept that, by the way, and I make no criticism of ITV's output in terms of the global output. I think the numbers demonstrate that people actually enjoy what ITV produces. I've got no issue with any of…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: evidence session with BBC
Yes, but my nation is Wales.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: evidence session with BBC
Look, I don't make any criticism of the programming in terms of what is produced. I enjoy watching it as a consumer. Every so often, I even make an appearance to frighten your viewers. [Laughter.] I've got no issue with any of that, and the quality that is…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: evidence session with BBC
We know that.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: evidence session with BBC
Yes. There's no debate about this.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: evidence session with BBC
And it's why we would support you having it, quite frankly. We've got no issue with that, but I think we would probably say it generates a significant value in its own right. And that's interesting, because, the content, the expenditure in Wales has been…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: evidence session with BBC
—which is why you want it.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: evidence session with BBC
But it has value to it—
