We move on to the next item, which is a statement by the Minister for Lifelong Learning and Welsh Language on broadcasting in Wales and I call on the Minister, Alun Davies.

This is undoubtedly a crucial period for broadcasting in Wales. In the coming weeks and months there are key decisions to be taken relating to broadcasting and regulatory arrangements. With this in mind, the Welsh Government will establish a new independent media forum for Wales. This was one of the recommendations of the communities committee in its report on the BBC charter review. I will provide further details about the new forum in due course. I will focus primarily today on the urgent issue of the BBC charter review but will also refer briefly to other key broadcasting issues.

Lywydd, drwy ein memorandwm cyd-ddealltwriaeth â Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig ac â'r BBC, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi bod, a bydd yn parhau i fod, yn rhan lawn o’r broses o adolygu’r siarter. Mae siarter ddrafft yn debygol o gael ei chyhoeddi yn ystod yr haf, a bydd dadl yn cael ei chynnal yn y Cyfarfod Llawn yn syth ar ôl toriad yr haf. Rwyf yn bwriadu cwrdd â'r Ysgrifennydd Gwladol dros Ddiwylliant, y Cyfryngau a Chwaraeon cyn toriad yr haf i drafod hyn a materion eraill sy’n ymwneud â darlledu.

Ar 12 Mai, cyhoeddodd Llywodraeth y DU Bapur Gwyn ar siarter y BBC. Ar yr un diwrnod, ysgrifennodd yr Arglwydd Hall, cyfarwyddwr cyffredinol y BBC, at y Prif Weinidog i roi adroddiad cynnydd ar ddarpariaeth y BBC yn y gwledydd datganoledig, ac mae'r Prif Weinidog wedi ymateb iddo yr wythnos hon.

Yn gyffredinol, rydym yn falch bod yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol dros Ddiwylliant, y Cyfryngau a Chwaraeon wedi ystyried nifer o'r materion a godwyd gennym, yn ein hymateb manwl i'r ymgynghoriad ar y Papur Gwyrdd ac mewn trafodaethau rhwng swyddogion a Gweinidogion drwy gydol y broses o adolygu’r siarter. Mae angen rhagor o fanylion am nifer o’r cynigion a amlinellwyd yn y Papur Gwyn, er bod rhai o'r rhain yn cael sylw yn llythyr y cyfarwyddwr cyffredinol i'r Prif Weinidog.

Mae'n galonogol, Lywydd, fod y BBC yn bwriadu diogelu gwariant yn y gwledydd datganoledig yn gymharol ag ardaloedd eraill ac mae bellach yn ymrwymo i neilltuo cyllid ychwanegol ar gyfer ei gwasanaethau penodol yn y gwledydd hynny. Fodd bynnag, mae angen eglurder ar frys ynglŷn â beth y mae hyn yn ei olygu o ran cymorth ariannol a pha effaith ymarferol y bydd hyn yn ei chael ar gwmpas y gwasanaethau y mae’r BBC yn eu darparu i Gymru. Nid ydym yn ystyried datblygu Caerdydd fel canolfan bwysig ar gyfer cynyrchiadau rhwydwaith yn gyfiawnhad o fath yn y byd dros leihau buddsoddiad y BBC mewn gwasanaethau eraill. Dylai adnoddau ychwanegol gael eu clustnodi ar gyfer rhaglenni o safon uchel fel dramâu, a fydd yn gwella rhaglenni Saesneg i gynulleidfaoedd yng Nghymru. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi galw o'r blaen ar y BBC i fuddsoddi arian ychwanegol sylweddol yn y rhaglenni Cymraeg. Rydym yn croesawu’r ffaith bod Tony Hall yn cydnabod bod yn rhaid gwella'r ffordd y caiff Cymru a'r gwledydd datganoledig eraill eu portreadu a bod y BBC yn bwriadu gosod amcanion portreadu i’r comisiynwyr. Mae'n rhaid i bob un o’r darlledwyr gwasanaeth cyhoeddus gydnabod bod yn rhaid cynrychioli diwylliannau amrywiol ei gwledydd a'i rhanbarthau yn well er mwyn cynrychioli amrywiaeth lawn y DU yn briodol, ac mae hynny'n cynnwys Cymru. Rydym hefyd yn cefnogi'r bwriad i gael golygydd comisiynu drama sy'n gyfrifol am bob un o’r gwledydd hyn. Mae'n hanfodol bod yr unigolyn hwn yn gweithio yng Nghymru, a bod penderfyniadau comisiynu ar gyfer Cymru yn cael eu gwneud yma hefyd. Dylid gwneud mwy i sicrhau bod gweithgarwch cynhyrchu wedi’i ddosbarthu’n decach y tu allan i Lundain ac yng ngwledydd a rhanbarthau'r Deyrnas Unedig. Rydym yn cydnabod bod rhai gwelliannau wedi'u gwneud, ond, serch hynny, mae gormod o benderfyniadau yn dal i gael eu gwneud y tu mewn i'r M25.

Yn y bôn, mae angen newid diwylliant yn y BBC. Rydym yn cydnabod y rôl allweddol sydd gan y BBC fel darparwr darllediadau newyddion am Gymru ac i bobl Cymru. Y BBC yw’r darparwr mwyaf o hyd o ran newyddion teledu nad yw ar y rhwydwaith a rhaglenni materion cyfoes yng Nghymru. Rydym yn cydnabod bod y BBC wedi bod yn brif ysgogwr o ran gwella’r sylw a roddir i faterion gwleidyddol datganoledig yng Nghymru. Fodd bynnag, mae Cymru yn parhau i fod heb gynrychiolaeth ddigonol, hyd yn oed pan fo straeon yn berthnasol ledled y DU. Mae enghreifftiau o adroddiadau gwael ac annigonol yn cynnwys yr anghydfod cytundebol diweddar rhwng Llywodraeth y DU a meddygon iau yn Lloegr, ac, yn fy marn i, roedd sylw’r rhwydwaith i etholiad y Cynulliad yn ddiweddar hefyd yn annigonol.

Rydym yn cydnabod y ffaith y bydd Cymru'n cael ei chynrychioli ar fwrdd unedol newydd y BBC—rydym wedi pwyso’n galed am hynny. Rydym yn edrych ymlaen at gael rhagor o fanylion am y cynnig i greu is-bwyllgor o’r bwrdd ar gyfer pob un o’r gwledydd. Rydym hefyd yn croesawu'r bwriad i greu trwydded gwasanaeth ar gyfer Cymru, sy'n adlewyrchu ein galwad ninnau am gompact i Gymru yn y siarter newydd. Mae'n rhaid i'r drwydded gwasanaeth ddiffinio'n glir yr hyn sydd ei angen ar Gymru a'r hyn y mae gan y BBC ddyletswydd i’w gyflawni yng nghyfnod nesaf y siarter. Mae'n destun siom nad oes unrhyw fanylion ynghylch sut y bydd Ofcom yn datblygu ac yn darparu’r drwydded gwasanaeth newydd hon. Roeddem yn glir bod angen adolygiad llawn o ddibenion cyhoeddus y BBC ar frys, fel sail ar gyfer cytundeb siarter newydd. Pe byddai’r adolygiad hwnnw wedi'i gynnal, byddem mewn gwell sefyllfa i nodi’r gofynion ar gyfer trwydded gwasanaeth i Gymru sy’n addas at ei diben.

Presiding Officer, we also welcome reference in the White Paper to ensuring the independence of S4C. It is vital that S4C has sufficient funding, as well as having editorial and managerial independence. We welcome the UK Government’s intention to carry out a comprehensive review of S4C, something that we have continually pushed for and was originally promised in 2010. However, this should take place in parallel with the BBC charter review rather than after it. It should also be part of a broader, more fundamental review of the public service broadcasting needs of Wales. We expect to be fully involved in the review of S4C, including the development of the terms of reference.

Mae sicrhau lluosogrwydd teledu Saesneg yng Nghymru yn hanfodol, o ran newyddion a hefyd o ran rhaglenni cyffredinol ar gyfer gwylwyr yng Nghymru. Felly, mae gan ITV Cymru Wales ran hanfodol i'w chwarae fel dewis arall yn hytrach na’r BBC ar gyfer newyddion a rhaglenni nad ydynt yn rhai newyddion. Nid ydym yn ystyried bod lefel bresennol y ddarpariaeth ar drwydded sianel 3 yn briodol, na hyd yn oed yn ddigonol. Dylid cynyddu’r ddarpariaeth, yn enwedig o ystyried sefyllfa ariannol iach ITV. Os yw Channel 4 yn derbyn adnoddau cyhoeddus, yna dylai fod yn ofynnol iddi o leiaf gynhyrchu cyfran yn ôl poblogaeth o raglenni comisiwn ar y rhwydwaith yn y gwledydd a'r rhanbarthau. Roeddem yn siomedig nad oedd Ofcom yn cytuno â'n barn y dylai cwota Channel 4 ar gyfer cynyrchiadau y tu allan i Lundain gael ei weithredu erbyn 2016 yn hytrach na 2020. Mae record Channel 4 o ran comisiynu cynnwys o Gymru wedi bod yn isel iawn yn hanesyddol; mae ei gwariant yng Nghymru yn dal i fod yn is nag 1 y cant o gyfanswm ei gwariant ar gynnwys ac nid oes gan y darlledwr ddim staff comisiynu sydd wedi eu lleoli yng Nghymru.

Rwyf yn falch bod consensws trawsbleidiol ynglŷn â’r rhan fwyaf o’r materion darlledu. Adlewyrchwyd hyn yn adroddiad y pwyllgor ar adolygiad y siarter ychydig fisoedd yn ôl, yn y llythyr a anfonwyd yr wythnos diwethaf gan Aelodau'r Cynulliad at Tony Hall, a hefyd yn adroddiad Pwyllgor Materion Cymreig Tŷ'r Cyffredin, a gyhoeddwyd yr wythnos diwethaf. Lywydd, fel Llywodraeth, byddwn yn parhau i sicrhau bod buddiannau pobl Cymru yn cael eu cydnabod ac yn cael sylw wrth i'r siarter ddrafft gael ei datblygu. Rydym hefyd am bwysleisio y dylai’r ymrwymiadau y mae'r BBC bellach wedi eu gwneud i wella gwasanaethau i Gymru a’r gwledydd eraill gael eu gorfodi yn y siarter ei hun.

Thank you, Minister, for your statement. While you may be happy to know that I won’t be shadowing you from here on in, considering the work that I’ve done and with yourself and others previously, I felt it incumbent on me to speak today in terms of the work that we have done but also the work we need to do. Because, obviously, you sat on our committee with us previously, in the last Assembly, and many of the recommendations from that report are in your statement, I’m pleased to see, and are becoming a priority for the Welsh Government in this sense. For example, I’d be curious to know, you mentioned that you’re going to give us details on the independent broadcasting forum, but I would like to know how you intend to see the make-up of the committee, because, of course, previously the Institute of Welsh Affairs had to do a freedom of information request on the Welsh Government to find out what had happened to the advisory panel. We don’t want to be in that position again; we want to have a firm and robust independent grouping of people, not only the usual suspects but people who are able to perhaps give a new perspective to the media in Wales, so that that group can inform you and Assembly Members, and that scrutiny can be improved as a consequence. So, I’d like to know some more detail as to how it will report, how they will be chosen for this group and how they will be tasked with their work going forward.

We note that you’re going to be meeting with the UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. I’m sure you’ll be making the case to him about the financial situation needed in terms of enhancing that financial support to English language provision in Wales, as has been clarified by Assembly Members across this Chamber only recently in a letter to Tony Hall. So, could you clarify exactly what you’ll be saying, and will you be pressing for that £300 million annual additional funding for the BBC in Wales?

The other question I had was: I totally agree that you’re calling for a drama commissioning editor to be based in Wales, but I would like to see that sort of network or team around that commissioning process coming to Wales also, because, as you will know from sitting on the committee, we heard from Equity who said to us that actors are still having to go to London for auditions for programmes that are made in Wales. I mean, it’s absurd that they’re all convening on trains going to London when they—actors—could be having those auditions here in Wales. So, not only do we need the drama commissioning here in Wales, we need the production teams around those processes as well.

I note in your report—your statement, sorry—that provision should be increased for ITV Cymru Wales, especially considering their healthy financial position. I wonder what more you can tell us about how or in what way that provision should be increased.

I’d have to declare an interest in relation to Channel 4 as my brother’s a journalist for Channel 4 News, but I do think that it’s incumbent on us all as AMs to be trying to encourage them to see merit in stories here in Wales based in Wales, as opposed to, perhaps, centring on England as quite often they do. I won’t be winning any brownie points with him by saying that—sorry. [Laughter.]

Also, I’d like to hear your thoughts on the committee structures for the Assembly. I think it’s important we hear from the Government Minister, because how do you see your role, then, in being held to account by this institution in relation to the media in Wales, because we want to show that even though we don’t have the powers over broadcasting, we’ve shown that we have got the status and the backing to be able to hold various broadcasters to account.

And my final question would be on S4C. I think it’s important that we have to reiterate that they should retain their independence, and to ensure that that is always part of any discussion that you have with them as a Minister.

Thank you very much, and thank you for your kind words at the beginning of your remarks. Can I say, Bethan, that I enjoyed the conversations that we had in committee earlier this year, and last year as well? I think we’ve always found a great deal of consensus in different parts of this Chamber on broadcasting and on the media in general, and how this place would like to address those issues. I remember when I chaired the Broadcasting Committee in a previous Assembly, there was a great deal of consensus amongst, I think, the four or five of us on that committee about the way forward, and that consensus has continued through to the report that was published by Christine Chapman just before our last election.

Can I say this? I very much welcome proposals to establish a committee of this place to investigate these matters and to hold not only myself as a Minister to account, but also broadcasters, and to ensure that the debates and the discussions, which all too often happen behind closed doors, happen in public. We need to ensure that there’s a correct balance in place between the Government placing what could be, or would be, seen as undue pressure on broadcasters to act in a particular way and a democratic institution holding those same broadcasters to account. So, I think there’s a very important role for this place to play in that level of accountability. I’ve never found it difficult to ensure that, within the overall structures of the United Kingdom, where broadcasting is not devolved, broadcasters recognise that they should be accountable to the Parliaments of the United Kingdom for portrayal issues and issues of content, because of the wider cultural issues that are referred to there and also the wider issues of the United Kingdom where this Parliament and other Parliaments have a right and proper interest. So, I hope that as a Minister, where I will pursue the programme of the Government, I will be not only held to account by the committees of this place, but also that we will work in a more cohesive manner in holding others to account for what they deliver to Wales.

In terms of the independent media forum—and I say it’s a media forum rather than simply a broadcasting forum—it’s important that we do have independent voices that speak with authority, with knowledge, and speak openly about the advice that they provide to me as a Minister. I would invite all Members this afternoon to write to me with any ideas that they might have for how that forum would operate and perhaps even people they might wish to see on it—I don’t know, that’s a matter for you. But, certainly, it is my intention that this would operate in a wholly open and transparent way. This is not meant to be a forum that avoids difficult decisions or a forum that provides advice that would only be seen by a Minister subject to FOI request. I don’t want to go down that road. What I want to see is a more open, transparent and informed debate about the future of the media in Wales.

One of the things that we’ve seen, where many of us have discussed the role of the media in recent events and particularly in conjunction with the referendum taking place later this week—I believe that the media has an absolutely fundamental role to play in a modern, open, informed and democratic society. That means that as politicians and as electoral representatives, we have a responsibility, but also those who exercise power through the media also have responsibilities, and they need to recognise that they need to be accountable for the actions and decisions that they take.

I look forward to my meeting with John Whittingdale, as Secretary of State. I will be making the points that you have outlined, and in meeting the BBC as well. I think the BBC do need to recognise that it’s one thing to say that they want to increase the English language provision in Wales, but that has to be met then with the funding that ensures that that programming is delivered and that production values are enhanced and not reduced as a consequence of those financial decisions.

I would probably go a little further than perhaps you’ve suggested in terms of some of the structural changes that are needed for the management within the BBC. Clearly, these issues are matters for the BBC and not for politicians, but I would like to see BBC Wales having levels of authority and accountability that enable decisions to be taken about the shape of BBC services in Wales and serving Wales. That doesn’t simply mean deciding which programme competes with ‘Coronation Street’; it affects the shape of the schedule but also the schedule itself. That is the sort of managerial decision that I would like to see, but I would also like to see a change of culture within the BBC, which I think is absolutely essential.

You’ve mentioned ITV, Channel 4 and S4C. The points that we make about the BBC are equally true for all public service broadcasters, and it’s particularly disappointing—. Your brother’s, of course, a much respected, excellent journalist working for Channel 4, but we don’t see much of him in Wales, unfortunately, and we would like to see more of him in Wales. Channel 4 produces some excellent news coverage, which doesn’t have a regular place on mainstream broadcasting all too often, particularly on the international agenda and development issues around global development issues. But that does not mean it does not have a responsibility to the taxpayers of the United Kingdom and Wales.

Minister, can I warmly welcome both the tone and the content of your statement? I think it’s high time that we as a National Assembly take a far more muscular approach to the way that the broadcasters treat Wales. I know it’s certainly been said in the years since devolution that, when directors general go to meet a Scottish Government, they get a roasting and when they come and meet Welsh Ministers they get a nice cup of tea and a polite response. I think we’ve seen that the result of that is that Scotland’s demands are taken far more seriously than ours. I was very pleased last week when two thirds of Assembly Members wrote a letter to Tony Hall asking for further details on the commitments that he had made.

Your commitment to setting up a new independent media forum is also warmly welcomed and I look forward to hearing the details of that. In my previous incarnation as the director of the Institute of Welsh Affairs I was involved in the media policy group and had, I must confess, some role in putting in freedom of information requests to find out what was going on in the Welsh Government. The IWA, as a very small independent think tank, has had to shoulder the burden of shining a spotlight on this very important area, and I’d like to see Welsh universities take a far greater role in doing that because they are doing work in this area, but it’s not co-ordinated and it’s not properly focused on practical benefits. So, I hope that you’d fully involve all the Welsh university ministers in that forum.

You mentioned the letter that Tony Hall sent to the First Minister, in which he said that he would protect spending for Wales relative to other areas. Of course, that doesn’t take into account that, in the last 10 years, there has been a 25 per cent cut in the spending of the BBC in Wales and a 25 per cent reduction in English language television hours. I should say that figure relates to English language spending, where there’s been a quarter cut. So, it’s welcome that he’ll protect the spending for Wales, and, of course, we must recognise that the BBC has been put through the ringer by the Conservative Government in Westminster and is facing significant cuts. But simply protecting an already diminished budget isn’t good enough, and his letter is full of policy commitment and we’ve heard policy commitments from the BBC before. What we need are operational manifestations of that that make a difference to their audiences, which they have fully recognised have not been served well in recent years by the BBC.

Just finally, to touch on a point that Bethan Jenkins has made and you have made around drama production in Wales, it is, as you say, very welcome that drama production has been moved into Wales, and our creative economy has benefited from that, but the portrayal of Wales in drama to the whole of the UK is also essential and has not been improved by the production of network programmes in Wales. Tony Hall says in his letter to the First Minister that he is considering a drama commissioner for Wales, working as part of the commissioning team to try and nurture and bring along talent because it takes time to develop these commissions. However, unless budgets are associated with that, it could simply be a sop where the BBC’s commissioning person in Cardiff is simply being turned down all the time. So, we do need to put pressure on to make sure that those high-level policy commitments are reflected also in spending decisions. Thank you.

Thank you very much. I’m grateful, also, for your very kind remarks. I’m not usually associated with a muscular approach to any particular policy field. I’m more usually associated with a cup of tea and a cake, but I certainly hope that we will be able to have a conversation with the BBC that is intelligent and based upon respect for their charter commitments and their mission, but also respect for licence fee payers in Wales and the BBC’s commitment to the whole of the United Kingdom. In many ways, clearly, as a Parliament in this place, we talk about these matters in relation to Wales, but it is my concern that the BBC represents the whole of the United Kingdom and is a British broadcaster, and is not simply a broadcaster for the middle classes within the M25. I say that very clearly, because, although we are concerned here with the portrayal of Wales and spending in Wales, many of the issues that we will raise here might also be raised by licence fee payers elsewhere in England, Scotland or Northern Ireland. That’s why I do say repeatedly that the BBC, sometimes, does need to recognise that a change of culture within the BBC is necessary, not simply to move facilities out of London, but to move minds out of London as well, and I hope that that will happen and there will be a recognition of that.

The work, Lee, that you carried out with the IWA, I thought, was groundbreaking and I thought contributed hugely to the work that Bethan referred to—the work that we did as a committee—and also enabled us to have the sorts of conversations that we were able to have in that committee. I would hope that a media forum that we could create within Government would provide a similar sort of role and a similar sort of contribution to the debate that we need to have in the future in Wales. There is no limitation, if you like, on the sort of people we would like to have within this forum, and, certainly, I agree with you that the universities do play an important role and need to play an important role in this conversation and debate in the future.

The points—I’ll just finish on this remark here—that you make about spending are absolutely fundamental to delivering what we would like to see. It is a matter of celebration that we have Roath Lock opposite us here in Cardiff Bay, that we see drama production here in Wales, funded by the BBC and supported by the BBC. However—however—as a constituent part of the United Kingdom, it is totally unacceptable that the BBC does not portray life in modern Wales as a part of its schedule, year after year after year after year. It is entirely unacceptable. The BBC have recognised that it’s unacceptable, and it is a matter now for the BBC to put that right. In doing so, the BBC also has to ensure that the funding is available to do that and that there is funding in Wales to make programming for the Welsh audience, but also that decisions are made and funding is available to make programming in Wales for UK audiences as well. What we want to see is the BBC living up to its role as a British broadcaster and one that represents and recognises life across these islands today.

Can I also thank the Minister for his statement and also, formally, welcome him to his new role and say I look forward to working with him again as well? Now, I would join with you, Minister, in welcoming the UK Government’s White Paper, which provides the BBC with long-term stability and an explicit commitment, of course, to providing a stronger voice for Wales, within Wales and through greater opportunities for portraying Wales across the UK—I know you alluded to this in your last answer—but especially of course in UK news coverage. I know that the regeneration investment fund for Wales scandal, for example, would have been a UK headline had it happened in England, and I think the performance of devolved nations seems to, sometimes, escape attention.

It is, I think, the very least we should expect that the new unitary board of the BBC will have representation from Wales and that the continued partnership between the BBC and S4C will be protected after a united approach, I think, from this Assembly in supporting the Welsh language broadcaster. S4C is, of course, mainly funded by public money, but it is its ambition—. It’s got ambition, it wants improvement, and I would, therefore, be interested in hearing from the Minister what steps he intends to take to ensure that S4C is fully encouraged and supported in finding extra income streams so that it can and is able to contribute to its long-term financial future.

The inclusion in the White Paper of portrayal objectives across all areas of network commissioning and a commitment to increase investment in English language tv programmes are promising. I should say that I agree with the Minister that it will now be necessary to put some meat on the bones and outline how this translates into concrete financial commitments towards programming for Wales, in addition to network programming. As I think the Minister rightly implies, in spite of the BBC’s dominance in Wales, it cannot be treated in isolation. In stark contrast to the situation in Scotland, where the ITV service has increased its output specifically for Scotland, ITV Wales’s performance and programming objectives have declined by 40 per cent since 2009, with little sign of there being an increase in the foreseeable future. I would therefore be grateful if the Minister could perhaps outline what discussions he’s had with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Office of Communications and others to define enhanced commissioning commitments to Wales from other broadcasters, including the BBC and ITV, both of whom have a role in providing much-needed plurality in a media landscape that is dominated, of course, by the BBC.

Finally, I wonder whether the Minister could outline how he intends to ensure that all public service broadcasters, and the regulator, are required to report and give evidence to the National Assembly for Wales on devolved matters during the fifth Assembly. Equally important is how reports from those evidence sessions will be weighted by the UK Government and parliamentary colleagues who remain largely responsible for broadcasting, of course, as a non-devolved area. Can I ask, perhaps, what progress has been made on protocols to ensure that due weight is given to recommendations from this place to the UK Government regarding those matters where public service broadcasters’ roles affect and enter into certain devolved areas?

Thank you. I’m very grateful to the Conservatives’ spokesperson for his kind remarks. I look forward to our conversations over the coming period on this and, I’m sure, other matters as well. I’ll start, if I could, by answering your last question first. The Member will be aware that there is a memorandum of understanding in place between the Welsh Government and the BBC and DCMS that will describe many of the processes and lines of accountability that he has outlined. But, I would prefer to focus not so much on the hard lines, which he has described, but on a debate and a discussion that is a much richer debate and discussion than perhaps we’ve had in the past on the nature of broadcasting and the media and how it affects the lives of people here in Wales and elsewhere. He’s absolutely right to describe broadcasting as being a non-devolved subject, but much of the matters that broadcasting affects, of course, are devolved. I’ve always seen broadcasting as being much more of a shared responsibility, whereby much of the economic regulation should and would clearly best take place in either the United Kingdom or, in some cases, at a European level. But, many of the cultural issues that are affected by broadcasting, and democratic issues affected by broadcasting, should rightly lie here in this place. So, it has always been an area where there has been a shared interest. The Member’s also aware that broadcasting has a much greater political salience in Wales than in many other parts of the United Kingdom for some of the very clear and obvious historical and cultural reasons.

So, people in Wales will expect this place to take a full and active part in the debate over broadcasting. We have put in place the structures that will enable us to do so. It is my expectation that the BBC, other public service broadcasters and Ofcom will play a full part in those lines of accountability, which will be both hard lines, which are set out in policy and sometimes in law, but at the same time will want to participate in a much wider debate about the evolving nature of the media in our society.

One of those debates is about the news values that the Member referred to in his opening remarks. I’ve found it difficult sometimes to accept that the news values that should drive and guide decision making within the BBC always represent what is of importance to people throughout the whole of the United Kingdom. Decisions taken by this place are decisions that affect much of the lives of people in Wales and yet the proceedings of this place are rarely covered by network programming and network news in the UK by the BBC. I think that’s a significant failure and I think it’s an ongoing failure, and I’m glad that the BBC have at times recognised that failure. What is necessary are structures to ensure that this doesn’t happen, but also the cultural change that will enable the BBC to better fulfil its obligations and its mission in the future. I hope that is what we will achieve by way of the debate that we are having through this charter renewal process.

The Conservative spokesperson, Llywydd, spoke about the partnership between the BBC and S4C. I know that this is all too often seen as a threat to S4C. I do not see it in those terms. I believe that a partnership between two of our key public service broadcasters can bring great benefits to people in Wales and can ensure that we maximise the investment that takes place in the creation of Welsh language content, and enabling that Welsh language content to reach viewers and users both in Wales and elsewhere. I want to see S4C maintain its independence—its operational independence, its editorial independence. However, that does not mean that there needs to be a very great gulf between the interests of S4C and the interests of the BBC, and we would expect and anticipate that both broadcasters work closely together. The current partnership arrangement that is in place is something that I believe is succeeding and is enabling us to deliver high-quality content, but to do so at a cost to the licence-fee payer that is both reasonable and that will sustain S4C into the future. What I want to see is to ensure that we do have the structures in place at the moment that ensure that S4C is able to produce programming to the highest production values, and I am not convinced that the current UK Government is committed to that. I want to see the current UK Government move away from the position where it was a few years ago, where it was, frankly, bullying S4C. We need to ensure that the BBC, in taking decisions over funding S4C, takes decisions that enable S4C to continue to produce high-quality Welsh language programming. I hope that the financial commitments that I’ve described in answer to other questions will also provide the sort of certainty that you’re looking for.

I’ll now call three more Members, as long as the questions and the answers are concise. Rhianon Passmore.

Thank you, Llywydd. Firstly, I wish to add my support for the statement and for the Minister for his strong work in this regard. I look forward to and very much welcome the opportunity for increased oversight and mandate of the Senedd pertaining to our wider Wales media scrutiny. I also welcome the pledged Plenary debate on the draft charter and the new service licence for Wales that has been pledged, and, as a former member of the BBC broadcasting council for Wales during the last charter review, and Hutton, I was proud to be party to the commissioning of ‘Doctor Who’, amongst many, and the legacy programming that followed has firmly cemented the quality drama agenda within Wales to a global market. However, such high-quality drama, almost like steel, is something that we will strategically continue to propagate, I am sure, in Wales, with universal bilingual programmes such as ‘Hinterland’. So, would the Minister agree with me that we must continue to work to strengthen the draft charter in a number of areas—and I’ll be brief—to develop further the universality of programming and consequent distribution in the regions and globally, that Wales does indeed need a drama commissioner-editor with teeth and the funds to go with it, that he will continue to lobby for no reductions to BBC investment in local services, and also, as has been said by many in the Chamber today, that the portrayal of Wales has to be improved—on, as many have referenced, that we actually do exist within the UK, that we are a nation of outstanding talents, arts, music, literature, comedy, amazing communities, fantastic landscapes, as well as amazing football, and Wales is not a basket case of benefit cheats and scroungers, as is portrayed nationally, and, further, that the overall coverage of political content, events and campaigns—and he’s mentioned the EU referendum—can be vastly improved?

I stand here today, as many do, wearing a white rose in memory of a mother of two and a wife, a campaigner for social cohesion, and the country’s mood is set within a politically harsh landscape, and that’s increasingly one of division, lack of cohesion, and racial hate crime. So, the media does have a critical role here, and I don’t understand how an exact replica of Nazi propaganda is acceptable for public broadcast, especially at a time of charter review, and is being purveyed around. When did the BBC public service mandate of political balance and Ofcom become so overly ridden with caution? Is it over-powerful lawyers, I ask myself? So, I’m sure the Minister is determined, post Leveson, that any future public service charter mandate will regain any perceived loss of teeth and our journalists will continue to investigate and seek the truth. Because the media does have a key role and I, for one, wish to continue to see high-quality political coverage in Wales strengthen and develop and become accessible to all the people of Wales.

I didn’t quite get a concise question there, but I’m hoping for a concise answer now from the Minister.

Llywydd, you’re very kind.

I want to see high-quality investigative journalism that’s well funded. I think the work of Michael Crick on Channel 4 recently over the past few months is a great example of how investigative journalism can hold politicians to account. It’s the role, I hope, of a strong, effective, independent media in our society to hold Government and to hold political representatives to account. That has to be guaranteed within any charter or with any new system of regulation. In terms of the policy approach that we take, clearly, I agree with the points that the Member has made about high-quality drama—production both within Wales and from Wales—and that we need to ensure that we have a charter that recognises the place of Wales and has a service agreement in Wales for Wales that will ensure that we are seen on the screens, as we should be.

Just a few words from me and a question, as one who was an employee with the BBC for 20 years, and that’s just to remind us of what our broadcasters should be providing to the Welsh audience. S4C, of course, carries out two jobs in a way. First of all, it broadcasts through the medium of Welsh to an audience that wants to view Welsh language programming, but, in so doing, it broadcasts about Wales to the people of Wales and that’s what’s missing in the English language, of course. We got it by accident at one point in the last years of analogue, through BBC Choice and BBC 2W, where you had two BBC2s running concurrently. I remember, as a young broadcaster, taking part in programmes that filled those peak hours and that was programming about Wales. I do hope that the Minister will give a commitment that he will push, in future, to get us back to that situation where we can have two channels—one Welsh and one English—for Welsh audiences.

I endorse what was said about the film and drama industries in Wales. We have been very successful in developing the drama industry in Wales, but we haven’t been particularly successful in developing a Welsh drama industry, and I hope that the Minister would agree that that should be the next step forward. I will also welcome the Minister’s commitment to press the BBC in London on a new attitude to what exactly its function is in Wales and on a budget to ensure that that ambition can be achieved.

Thank you very much. I do agree with the points that the Member has made and the initial point that he made is an exceptionally important one, because, when we talk about broadcasting from Wales and about Wales, we’re not just talking about reporting to the people of Wales what’s happening in Wales, but we’re also talking about looking at the world through Welsh eyes, and that is entirely different and very different to looking at the world through London eyes. That’s very important—that our voice is heard and that we are looking at the world and discussing the world as we see it. I very much hope that we will be able to do that and do that more during the next few years.

I do think that this is important—not just for us here in Wales, but it’s important for the whole of Britain. It is important that people in London and in England do see how we live and how we view the world, and that the broadcasting environment for the future will be one that reflects the culture of the United Kingdom as a whole. I do want to see a more independent, fresh news output that looks at what happens here and ensures that there is more discussion within our society and within our communities about the important issues facing us.

And, finally, Julie Morgan.

Thank you very much. Just a few quick points. I was pleased to sign Lee Waters’s letter, and I hope that that will get a result. ‘Casualty’ is being filmed up on the Gabalfa estate next week, so everybody’s very thrilled about that, but I just reiterate the points that people have made that it could be filmed anywhere in terms of portraying anything, really, about Welsh life and how Wales is seen. Obviously, this is a point that’s made strongly in the Welsh Affairs Committee report that’s just been published. So, I don’t know if he’s got a comment about whether there’s anything we can actually do about that. That was the first point.

Secondly, I just wanted to raise the issue about how people actually get their news in Wales. I think the BBC reckons, doesn’t it, that they reach about 60 per cent of people in Wales with Radio Cymru, Radio Wales and all the other news programmes. What about that other 40 per cent, and what can we do to reach them so that they do get some Welsh current affairs news, which will help, really, to make the public in Wales more informed for the elections and for the referendum and having specifically Welsh related issues?

I’m grateful to the Member for the points that she makes. She is right to refer to the House of Commons Welsh Affairs Committee and their report published last week. I think it demonstrates the depth, as well as the breadth, of consensus, not only in this Chamber, but elsewhere, about many of the challenges that we face. The point about ‘Casualty’ is well made, and it’s a similar point, of course, with ‘Doctor Who’ and others, where you have high-quality drama being made in Wales, which is something we welcome and it’s something that we very strongly wish to see continue, but it doesn’t equate to the portrayal of Wales as a country, as a nation, and as a community. It’s not too much—. I think the days of us saying we want to have both are gone; we need to have. As a constituent part of the United Kingdom, we shouldn’t even be needing to make these points in the way that we repeatedly do. The BBC has a duty to represent the United Kingdom as the United Kingdom is today, and that means that the screens reflect the lives that we lead, and that means that we do see Gabalfa or Blackwood or Tredegar or Llanelli or—[Interruption.] Or Grangetown, yes, or even Anglesey. And, without wishing to go around the Chamber—I know Mike Hedges will make a point about ‘Match of the Day’. But it is an important point that our lives are reflected by our public broadcaster, and that is what we expect to see.

The point about the news environment is hugely important. I’ll finish on this, without trying your patience any further, Presiding Officer. The way that people access news is changing, and changing rapidly. We all know that the news environment is as influenced by social media and Facebook as it is by the 10 o’clock bulletin, and we need to recognise that. It’s certainly one of the reasons why we have a media forum and not simply a broadcasting forum, and it’s one of the things that we need to look at. But all broadcasters have an absolute responsibility to ensure that, at the time that we’re facing at the moment—we’re facing a huge decision on Thursday—the people who will be voting on Thursday are well informed and not misled as to the issues that they are discussing and voting upon, and that is something that I would like to see in the run-up to the next Welsh parliamentary election as well. Thank you.

Thank you to the Minister.