Gaelic/Welsh Language Broadcasting

Culture Media and Sport written question – answered at on 7 June 2005.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Danny Alexander Danny Alexander Shadow Spokesperson (Work and Pensions)

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding the Department plans to provide for (a) Gaelic language broadcasting in Scotland and (b) Welsh language broadcasting in Wales in financial years (i) 2005–06, (ii) 2006–07 and (iii) 2007–08.

Photo of James Purnell James Purnell Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Media and Tourism), Department for Culture, Media & Sport

Gaelic language broadcasting is provided by the BBC on radio and television and are a statutory requirement on ITV1 in Scotland; production is funded by the broadcasters and by the Gaelic Media Service (GMS); the funding of £8.5 million for the GMS was transferred from the Secretary of State for Scotland to the Scottish Executive as part of the devolution settlement in 1999. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has also offered a contribution of £250,000 directly from DCMS budgets in 2005–06 as part of the strategy for securing a Gaelic television channel.

Welsh language broadcasting is provided by the BBC on radio and the Welsh Fourth Channel Authority on S4C television. Funding for S4C continues to fall within my Department's budget and is determined according to a statutory formula: provision is currently set at £92.217 million for 2005–06 and 2006–07 and £92.817 million for 2007–08.

Does this answer the above question?

Yes5 people think so

No0 people think not

Would you like to ask a question like this yourself? Use our Freedom of Information site.