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normally make his duties to the Corporation his first interest. The present pradigundeg which Governor is specifically appoinged Figoghairman will continue. The Government see no good reason for departing from the present term of office of five years. Reappointments will be provided for, but no Governor will be regarded as having a prescriptive right to be reappointed. The dates of retirement of the members of the Board will, as at present, be staggered. The existing salaries of the Governors will be retained; namely, Chairman, £3,000 a year; Vice-Chairman £1,000; other

ordinary" Governors, £600.

Governors, £600. Those Governors who are also Chairmen of the Broadcasting Councils in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will receive £1,000 a year. The initial salaries will be specified in the Charter, but a power of variation will be taken.

BROADCASTING COUNCILS

21. The Government agree with their predecessors about the importance attaching to the greatest possible devolution to all areas of authority on programme policy and other matters. This applies particularly to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland with their own distinctive national characteristics. The Government agree in principle with the Broadcasting Committee's recommendation that there should be "national" bodies, and the Charter will establish Broadcasting Councils for the three countries, provided that the Government of Northern Ireland agree so far as that country is concerned. As recommended by the Broadcasting Committee, the Government will leave to the Corporation the detailed definition of the powers to be delegated to the national bodies. Subject, however, to such reservations as may be made by the Governors for the purpose of ensuring co-ordination and smooth administration of the machine, the primary functions of the councils will be to control the policy and content of their Home Service programmes within any obligations imposed on the B.B.C. by the Charter and Licence and the arrangements made for party political broadcasts. The Councils will be responsible for the appointment of staff wholly employed in connection with the Home Service programmes. Overall responsibility for finance and the control of capital development will rest with the Corporation, and in these matters the functions of the Councils will be advisory.

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22. The composition of the Broadcasting Councils has aroused consider- able Parliamentary and public interest. The Government favour medium-sized Councils and propose that under the Chairmanship of the "national Governors there should be eight members formally appointed by the Corpora- tion but selected for appointment by a panel of the B.B.C. General Advisory Council nominated by that body. Three of the members of the Broadcasting Councils for Scotland and Wales would be drawn from panels representative of local authorities; the remaining five would be appointed after con- sultation with representative cultural, religious and other bodies. The Government of Northern Ireland will be consulted about the arrangements there. The members of the Councils would be unpaid. As the appointment of a General Advisory Council is not at present obligatory, the new Charter would lay an obligation on the Corporation to appoint a Council of a representative character of not less than thirty and not more than fifty

members.

23. The Government accept the Broadcasting Committee's recommenda- tion that the Advisory Councils for the English Regions should continue to be appointed by the B.B.C.; they understand that the Corporation are giving effect to the recommendation that these Councils should be made more representative and should have power to appoint sub-committees. The