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Tag: Speeches

  • Peter Bottomley – 2023 Speech on Channel 4

    Peter Bottomley – 2023 Speech on Channel 4

    The speech made by Peter Bottomley, the Conservative MP for Worthing West and the Father of the House, in the House of Commons on 9 January 2023.

    Sir Peter Bottomley (Worthing West) (Con)

    I follow the hon. Member for Manchester Central (Lucy Powell) in saying that, over the last 13 years, Channel 4 has done better than ever before. If we want to congratulate Channel 4, we should also congratulate the Government on making that possible by not disturbing its arrangements.

    The Secretary of State is right to examine the proposals put forward a year or so ago. I would not have frozen the BBC licence fee, I would not have proposed the privatisation of Channel 4 and I would not have put pressure on Arts Council England to strangle the English National Opera, but there is more to be done to put them on the right path.

    Alex Mahon, the chief executive of Channel 4, spoke for me when she talked about Channel 4’s innovativeness in reaching audiences that others do not serve so well, and I think the publisher-producer split is worth preserving. I hope Channel 4 will not be forced to make too many programmes in-house, as it is vital that we keep the independent producers going. I hope we are back here in 10 years’ time with no more proposals to change the ownership of Channel 4, which is a good public broadcaster that successfully operates commercially.

    Michelle Donelan

    I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend that it is essential Channel 4 remains an incubator of the independent sector, which is why one measure we will be taking forward is increasing, from 25%, the proportion of content it has to take from the independent sector. Let us not forget that the package of measures announced today is about giving Channel 4 the tools to be viable in the long term. Of course, it is up to Channel 4 what it does with those tools. Nobody is forcing it to do anything.

  • Lucy Powell – 2023 Speech on Channel 4

    Lucy Powell – 2023 Speech on Channel 4

    The speech made by Lucy Powell, the Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, in the House of Commons on 9 January 2023.

    First, I want to congratulate the Secretary of State on her happy news and to thank you, Mr Speaker, for granting this urgent question. It is extraordinary that this matter of huge interest to Members across the House was leaked to the media during the recess with no attempt to make an oral statement. Of course I welcome this decision, having campaigned against this terrible Tory plan since it was announced. The Secretary of State has at least reached the conclusion that was staring her in the face: that the plans for the sell-off were bad for Britain, bad for our creative industries and bad for British broadcasters and advertisers. The plans would have likely seen this treasured institution, which has been responsible for some of Britain’s best-loved films and exports, sold to a US media giant.

    What a total waste of time and money this has been. At least £2 million has been spent, and there has been a huge opportunity cost not just for Channel 4, but across the creative industries, with the plans sucking the life out of all the important work that Ministers should have been getting on with. MPs on both sides of the House knew that the privatisation of Channel 4 was an act of cultural vandalism from a Government who simply did not like its news coverage. Can the Secretary of State give us her estimate of how much pursuing this flawed policy has cost the taxpayer, Channel 4 and our public sector broadcasters in lost opportunity?

    This is the second time in six years that the Government have proposed this privatisation. What guarantees can the Secretary of State give that privatisation is off the agenda for good? How is she going to ensure future financial sustainability without damaging our vibrant independent sector? Prominence reform is key to that, so when will she bring forward the long overdue media Bill? Does she agree that these plans have been a massive distraction and have already led to British broadcasters losing out to the global streaming giants?

    Finally, is it not the truth that after 13 years, this tired Government have run out of road and run out of ideas? They have no plan for growth to support our world-renowned creative economy; just infighting, time-wasting and petty vendettas.

    Michelle Donelan

    As the hon. Lady will know, we have outlined, including in today’s written ministerial statement, an ambitious plan to secure and safeguard the sustainability of Channel 4 so that it can thrive and survive. It is completely wrong to suggest that we are not doing anything, or that the money we have invested in looking at this proposal has been wasted.

    In fact, as I have already stated, Channel 4 has now committed to doubling its investment in skills across the country to £10 million. This is a new package, and the money we have invested in considering Channel 4’s sustainability is very clear and on the public record. It is important that we now work together to secure the future of Channel 4 and of our independent sector. As I outlined in my opening remarks, we will particularly safeguard small, innovative independents.

  • Michelle Donelan – 2023 Statement on Channel 4

    Michelle Donelan – 2023 Statement on Channel 4

    The statement made by Michelle Donelan, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 9 January 2023.

    Happy new year, Mr Speaker.

    Channel 4 is a great British success story. It was set up by Margaret Thatcher and it has done exactly what she wanted it to do: positively disrupting British broadcasting and driving an expansion in the UK’s independent production sector, which is now surging at £3 billion. However, in the last decade, the media landscape has been transformed by technology and the entry of new, rapidly growing streaming platforms. Channel 4, along with all public sector broadcasters, faces unprecedented competition for viewers in terms of both programming and talent.

    Channel 4 is uniquely constrained in its ability to respond to those challenges. There are limits on the broadcaster’s ability to raise capital and make its own content. Under current legislation, Channel 4 operates as a publisher-broadcaster, meaning that all its shows are commissioned or acquired from third parties, such as independent producers or other broadcasters, who typically retain the rights relating to those programmes.

    The challenges faced by Channel 4 are very real. That is why the previous Administration decided to proceed with the sale in order to free the broadcaster from the constraints that were holding it back under public ownership. Over the last few months, I have carried out my own examination of the business case for the sale of Channel 4. I have listened to stakeholders and taken a close look at the broadcaster’s long-term sustainability and the wider economic outlook, and I have decided that pursuing a sale is not the best option to ease the challenges facing Channel 4. However, doing nothing also carries a risk. Change is necessary if we want to ensure that the corporation can continue to grow, compete and keep supporting our thriving creative industries. Anyone who says otherwise is burying their head in the sand.

    After discussions with Channel 4, I am therefore announcing an ambitious package of interventions to boost the broadcaster’s sustainability. Under this agreement, Channel 4 will continue to play its own part in supporting the UK’s creative economy, doubling both the number of jobs outside London and its annual investment in the 4Skills training programme for young people. Meanwhile, we will introduce a statutory duty on Channel 4 to consider its sustainability as part of its decision making. We are working with Channel 4 to agree updated governance structures to support that long-term sustainability.

    We will provide Channel 4 with new commercial flexibilities, including by looking to relax the publisher-broadcaster restriction to enable it to make some of its own content. In doing so, we will work closely with the independent production sector to consider what steps are necessary to ensure that Channel 4 continues to drive investment in indies, particularly the newest, smallest and most innovative producers. That includes increasing the level of Channel 4’s independent production quota, which is currently set at 25% of programmes, and potentially introducing specific protections for smaller independent producers. Any changes will be introduced gradually and following consultation with the sector. Finally, we will make it easier and simpler for Channel 4 to draw down on its private £75 million credit facility.

    Alongside the changes to Channel 4, the media Bill will introduce a wide range of measures to modernise decades-old broadcasting regulations, including prominence reforms. Further details will be announced in due course.

  • Ellie Reeves – 2023 Parliamentary Question on Homes for Ukraine Scheme for Those at End of Placement

    Ellie Reeves – 2023 Parliamentary Question on Homes for Ukraine Scheme for Those at End of Placement

    The parliamentary question asked by Ellie Reeves, the Labour MP for Lewisham West and Penge, in the House of Commons on 9 January 2023.

    Ellie Reeves (Lewisham West and Penge) (Lab)

    Last month, 51,000 people came to the end of their placement under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, leaving them desperately needing somewhere to live. However, with the private rented sector unaffordable and council waiting lists already overwhelmed, families are having to choose between returning to a war zone and being homeless. What will the Government do about it?

    Felicity Buchan

    We are delighted to have welcomed more than 150,000 Ukrainians into this country. We thank all the sponsors. On homelessness, 1,720 homelessness duties were owed to households who arrived under the Homes for Ukraine scheme. That is a small fraction.

  • Andrew Mitchell – 2023 Statement on United Nations Security Council Resolution 2672 on Cross-border Aid to Syria

    Andrew Mitchell – 2023 Statement on United Nations Security Council Resolution 2672 on Cross-border Aid to Syria

    The statement made by Andrew Mitchell, the Minister of State for International Development, on 9 January 2023.

    The United Nations Security Council has today adopted Resolution 2672, allowing the delivery of UN cross-border aid into Syria to continue for a further six months. This is a welcome step, but more must be done to tackle the unprecedented humanitarian needs across the country. And we reiterate the importance of the mandate to align with the 12 month humanitarian programme cycle as the most effective way to deliver aid to people in need.

    Across Syria, more than 15 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance and 12 million are food insecure. Without a commitment to open more border crossings and uncertainty over aid delivery in the longer term, these terrifying levels of need will continue.

    For as long as there is conflict, cross-border aid access remains a tragic necessity. The UK will continue to support international efforts to avoid a further humanitarian crisis, as well as push for a credible political settlement, as the only way to bring an end to the conflict.

  • Claire Perry O’Neill – 2023 Article on Support for Keir Starmer

    Claire Perry O’Neill – 2023 Article on Support for Keir Starmer

    A section of the article written by Claire Perry O’Neill, the former Conservative Climate Minister, in The Times on 9 January 2023.

    My former party’s often cavalier approach to business and academia coupled with a post-Brexit reluctance to strategically engage with our European neighbours has damaged our ability to deliver the energy system we need and a full-scale reset of our domestic and international relationships, focused on calm, competent co-operation, is urgently needed.

    Some of the latest policy proposals from Labour, such as industrial support for key green technologies and a national low-carbon wealth fund, look exciting and can only help the UK benefit from the economic opportunity driven by this great global pivot to a low-carbon economic system (although working out where the gaps are that government action should and can fill will be crucial to their success).

    Even more important is their proposed focus on a new way of governing, focused on measurable outcomes not short-term shout-outs. Building a low-carbon, secure, affordable energy system for the UK is an immense challenge that needs sober, fact-driven, competent political leadership. I sense that is exactly what we will get should Labour win the next general election.

  • Jesse Norman – 2023 Statement on Precautionary and Temporary Measures to Improve COVID Surveillance from China

    Jesse Norman – 2023 Statement on Precautionary and Temporary Measures to Improve COVID Surveillance from China

    The statement made by Jesse Norman, the Minister of State in the Department for Transport, in the House of Commons on 9 January 2023.

    The government has taken action, under powers within the Public Health (Control of Diseases) Act 1984, to limit the risk of COVID-19 infections from travellers originating from China.

    The government has announced these precautionary and temporary measures to improve the UK’s ability to detect potential new variants of COVID-19 from China, following an increase in cases there and the easing of their border measures from 8 January.

    The decision has been taken due to a lack of comprehensive health information shared by China. The situation remains under review and if there are improvements in information sharing and greater transparency then the temporary measures will be amended.

    On 30 December 2022, the government announced that it would require people flying directly or indirectly from mainland China to England to provide proof of a negative pre-departure test, taken within 2 days of departure. This came into effect as of 4am on Thursday 5 January 2023. This applies to transiting passengers, as well as those whose final destination is England.

    In addition, we announced that the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) will launch surveillance which will see a sample of passengers from China, arriving at Heathrow airport only, undertaking PCR tests for COVID-19 on a voluntary basis. UKHSA activated this process on Sunday 8 January in readiness for the first flights arriving later this week. All positive samples will be sent for sequencing to enhance existing measures to monitor for new variants.

    The UK joins a growing list of countries across the world including the US, France, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Spain, Malaysia and India in announcing measures designed to help to detect and assess any new COVID-19 variants.

    Whilst public health is a devolved matter and these measures currently apply only in England, the government continues to work closely with the devolved administrations.

    The government recognises the impact that these temporary health measures may have on businesses and passengers. The situation remains under constant review and the UK is working with industry and closely monitoring the situation on the mainland while encouraging China to provide greater transparency on their COVID data.

  • Kemi Badenoch – 2023 Statement on the Gender Recognition Act (2004) Consultation

    Kemi Badenoch – 2023 Statement on the Gender Recognition Act (2004) Consultation

    The statement made by Kemi Badenoch, the Minister for Women and Equalities, in the House of Commons on 9 January 2023.

    I would like to notify the House of the progress we are making in implementing our 2020 response to the Gender Recognition Act (2004) consultation. In particular, the House will wish to be aware that I will be updating the list of approved overseas countries and territories (provided for under Section 1(1)(b) of the Gender Recognition Act) to make sure it does not compromise the integrity of the Gender Recognition Act. This follows previous periodic updates.

    The list of approved overseas countries and territories was last updated in 2011. A commitment was made to keeping the list under review.

    There are now some countries and territories on the list who have made changes to their systems since then and would not now be considered to have equivalently rigorous systems. It should not be possible for a person who would not satisfy the criteria to obtain UK legal gender recognition to use the overseas recognition route to obtain a UK Gender Recognition Certificate. This would damage the integrity and credibility of the process of the Gender Recognition Act.

    We are finalising details of overseas countries and territories to be removed from the list via an affirmative Statutory Instrument. These comprise countries and territories where there is a clear indication that the country now no longer has a system at least as rigorous as those in the Gender Recognition Act 2004. We are undertaking a thorough checking system to verify our understanding of each overseas system in question.

    I will formally engage with other colleagues and Ministers from devolved governments in advance of laying the Statutory Instrument. The Government is committed to ensuring that this outcome of the Gender Recognition Act consultation is followed through and upheld and the overseas list will be updated via Statutory Instrument more regularly in future.

  • Stephen Metcalfe – 2023 Parliamentary Question on Unsafe Cladding at Morello Quarter in Basildon

    Stephen Metcalfe – 2023 Parliamentary Question on Unsafe Cladding at Morello Quarter in Basildon

    The parliamentary question asked by Stephen Metcalfe, the Conservative MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, in the House of Commons on 9 January 2023.

    Stephen Metcalfe (South Basildon and East Thurrock) (Con)

    Will the Minister update the House on his discussions with developers about replacing unsafe cladding? What process is in place to resolve disagreements between residents and developers when a dispute arises about the level of remediation needed, as has happened at Morello Quarter in Basildon?

    The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (Lee Rowley)

    My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is working to bring forward the developer contract; it has been discussed and debated for several months and we hope to have progress on it shortly. We are very clear that building owners ultimately have the responsibility to remediate these properties and make sure that leaseholders can continue to live their lives as they should be able to.

  • Wera Hobhouse – 2023 Parliamentary Question on No-Fault Evictions

    Wera Hobhouse – 2023 Parliamentary Question on No-Fault Evictions

    The parliamentary question asked by Wera Hobhouse, the Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, in the House of Commons on 9 January 2023.

    Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD)

    I am pleased that the Government have committed to banning no-fault evictions, but the law on illegal eviction must be reformed at the same time to stop frustrated landlords taking unjustified action against their tenants. The current law on illegal eviction is very difficult to understand and is rarely enforced. Can the Minister confirm whether the Government intend to reform the law on illegal eviction alongside banning no-fault evictions? If not, will she meet me to discuss the matter?

    Felicity Buchan

    We have committed to taking a renters reform Bill through this Parliament. I am very happy to meet the hon. Member to discuss her particular issue.