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TERMS OF RENEWAL OF THE CHARTER

12. The Government think that the practice of granting a Charter for a limage pebo is be continued because agahahgehat may be expected to accompany the development of the higher frequencies, and they feel that a ten-year term would be appropriate for the next Charter. If the Charter is limited to this period, the Government see no need to provide specifically for the holding of periodic reviews on the lines proposed by the Broadcasting Committee in relation to a Charter without a specific time limit.

13. The Government agree with the Broadcasting Committee that the Charter should specifically require the Corporation to take such steps as may appear to them necessary to meet certain prescribed aims. Provision will be made in the Charter requiring the Corporation to keep their work under constant and effective examination (see also paragraph 36 below).

14. The Charter will also require the Corporation to give the staff a means of discussing by representative organisations questions about their terms and conditions of employment, matters affecting their safety, health and welfare, and other matters of mutual interest, including efficiency in the operation of the Corporation's services. The Government understand that, since the Broadcasting Committee reported, the Corporation and the B.B.C. Staff Association have accepted the Broadcasting Committee's Recommenda- tion Number 93. The Corporation have been in consultation with the Trades Union Congress and some of the individual unions concerned, and negotiations are continuing. The Government hope that a satisfactory solution to this complex and difficult problem will soon be achieved.

15. The new Charter will require the Corporation to delegate to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and to the English Regions powers which will afford them a reasonable measure of independence and greater variety and initiative in respect of programmes. The Charter will make it clear that it is a duty of the Corporation to develop their television service with due regard to its special problems and to develop higher frequency sound broadcasting. The rate of development must, necessarily, take account of the national economic situation and the many calls upon resources, both now and in the future.

16. On minor issues affecting the Charter and Licence the Government accept the recommendations of the Broadcasting Committee on the following points:-

(i) that the Corporation should no longer be bound by the opinion of their auditors as to the provision to be made for depreciation-the Government would, however, expect that auditors would be consulted in the matter;

(ii) that freer delegation of power to sign documents on behalf of the

Corporation should be permitted;

(iii) that Advisory Councils or Committees appointed by the B.B.C. or by the Broadcasting Councils (see paragraph 21 below) should be empowered to appoint sub-committees;

(iv) that the Postmaster General's approval should continue to be required to the organising by the Corporation of public concerts or other public entertainments, the word public being defined in this connexion as relating to audiences paying for admission.

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The Government propose to amend the Licence in respect of the power of Government departments to require the B.B.C. to broadcast " any announce- ment or other matter." The power respecting announcements would continue as at present but would be understood to include an image of a