5. What importance does the Welsh Government place on broadcasters in receipt of public money, providing high levels of original programming? OAQ(5)0201(FM)

We believe that they should properly portray the diverse communities and culture of Wales. We did ensure that the new BBC charter included a much stronger public purpose to deliver that content.

Thank you for that answer, First Minister. The chief executive of S4C, giving evidence to the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee last week, stated that 57 per cent of its programmes had been shown before compared to a target of 20 per cent when S4C was launched in 1982. Funding from the BBC licence fee for S4C will remain at £74.5 million a year until 2022, and S4C has also received £7 million from the UK Government. So, what actions can the Welsh Government take to underscore the importance of original, universal programming, when programmes such as the successful, bilingual ‘Hinterland’ are universally applauded and when my constituents are concerned at the lack of representation of English language or bilingual Welsh lives across the public sector network?

As we are reviewing the charter, the BBC will be obliged to reflect the diverse communities of Wales and the other nations and regions of the UK. It will now have to set out how it will develop upon those new duties, including improving services for Wales. It’ll be required to report in detail on how it’s doing that. That is a new development and one that we believe will help to stem and, indeed, reverse the slow decline in English-language programming made in Wales.

Bearing in mind the Brexit vote, and the need emerging from that to improve the information available to the people of Wales as to what happens in this place and what happens in Wales, and the portrayal of Wales and what exactly we in this Assembly can do and what we can’t do, what discussions have you had with the hierarchy of the BBC and others on the dire need to improve the portrayal of Wales both within Wales and outwith Wales?

There is a problem in some parts of the BBC where there isn’t a great deal of understanding of Wales. One of the things that we have discussed with the BBC is whether we should have our own ‘News at Six’ and also our own ‘News at Ten’. This is something that we’ll have to consider ultimately as to whether this is something we would wish to see and how that should be done. It’s true to say, of course, that there is a lack of knowledge and information amongst the people of Wales about what happens here and what we do, and, of course, what happens in Wales itself. So, we must try to ensure that more news is available for the people of Wales that’s appropriate to the people of Wales.

First Minister, the draft charter provides an opportunity for further scrutiny of the BBC, to include the appointment of a non-executive director to be agreed by the UK and Welsh Governments. Amid concerns that the National Assembly for Wales will not be afforded, however, the same weighting as the House of Commons and the House of Lords, what representations are you making on behalf of this Assembly to ensure that we are part of that decision-making process as regards the appointment of a non-executive director and also the further workings of the BBC?

It’s an important point that the Member raises. It is something that we’re considering at the moment. What I can say is that the Assembly will now have powers to scrutinise the BBC—it’s not happened before, of course—to call it to appear before the Assembly and to hold it directly to account, which puts it on a par with the UK Parliament.

In terms of the issue that the Member raises, it is something that is still, as I say, under discussion in terms of the ability and the role of the National Assembly as part of that process.