Licence fee payers deserve their say over the BBC - Foster

6.13.09pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 17th Oct 2007

Commenting as the BBC Trust meets today to discuss cost-cutting measures, including possible redundancies, Bath's MP and Liberal Democrat Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, Don Foster said:

"The BBC is funded by the public and needs far more financial transparency and a more effective way of involving licence fee payers in decisions about the future of the corporation.

"Before any cuts are made licence fee payers deserve the right to have a say about how their money should be spent and which services should be prioritised.

"It's hardly surprising that drastic changes are necessary to cope with the funding black hole but it's vital that those services for which the BBC is renowned - factual programming, drama and news - don't suffer disproportionately.

"We should not forget the role Gordon Brown played in these swathing job cuts. As Chancellor, he not only presided over a below-inflation licence fee settlement but also demanded that the BBC foot the bill for digital switchover, despite the fact that the windfall from spectrum sales will go straight into Treasury coffers.

"The Government has made unreasonable demands on the BBC's resources. It now seems that it will be many of the services that the public value the most that will pay the price."