PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
RING-FENCING FUNDING FOR 10 HOURS WEEKLY OF GAELIC BROADCASTING IN THE BBC ROYAL CHARTER AND AGREEMENT (4 September 2016)

That this House notes that BBC ALBA, the Scottish Gaelic language television channel, reaches 74 per cent of the Scottish Gaelic audience 15 per cent of the national Scottish audience and has over 100,000 plays on BBC iPlayer every week; further notes that BBC ALBA is the first and only BBC broadcast service delivered in partnership; notes that BBC ALBA works with over 20 independent production companies, provides about half of all independently produced television hours in Scotland and supports at least 100 highly skilled jobs in the Highlands and Island of Scotland; notes that at present, the BBC is required by statute to provide 10 hours of programmes each week to Welsh-language channel S4C; notes that the level of funding to BBC ALBA restricts its output resulting in three in every four programmes aired being repeats; urges an increase in financial contribution to the channel to allow BBC ALBA to make more high quality and diverse Gaelic programmes, by ring-fencing funding for 10 hours of Gaelic broadcasting in the forthcoming Royal Charter and Agreement and enabling the BBC to fulfil its commitment to public service broadcasting; and further urges that such funding should be part of a consistent, supportive policy towards the UK’s minority languages.

Sponsored by:
Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party)