DRAFT COMMUNICATIONS BILL

That this House notes that factual coverage of overseas development on BBC, Channel 4, and ITV fell 50 per cent. between 1989 and 1999; further notes that according to a recent survey by DfID 85 per cent. of people cite their primary source of information on developing countries as television; therefore calls on the Government to ensure that under relaxed regulation of the Draft Communications Bill there is still a formal benchmark on coverage of overseas development against which broadcasters should perform to help avoid the current decline in coverage; and therefore hopes the Government will reconsider making it a requirement for broadcasters to include international programmes, as it has with religious, arts, sport and leisure programmes, under Tier 3 of the Draft Communications Bill on non-news factual programming to bring it in line with the previous White Paper's commitment.