Digital Switchover (Disclosure of Information) Bill

I understand and support the reasoning behind the amendment. However, for the reasons I shall give, I believe that the amendment is not necessary. It is our intention that the digital switchover should be established under the BBC charter and agreement. Clause 39 of the agreement says that the BBC must comply with a help scheme agreed with the Secretary of State. Once a scheme has been established under the agreement, I readily accept that it is very important that the BBC, in the form of the trust, should report on the operation of the help scheme. That is why clause 41 of the agreement deals with annual progress reports and provides that the trust must provide the Secretary of State with an annual report on what the BBC has done in respect of the help scheme, and indeed all its activities in respect of digital switchover. It is our intention that this report should be laid before Parliament as a matter of course. While I sympathise with the intention behind the amendment, I suggest that the provisions of the BBC charter and agreement make it unnecessary. We also believe that as a matter of policy and good law making, it is not desirable to include in statute provisions that are unnecessary or otiose. Apart from anything else, it would imply that the provisions of the charter and agreement are not binding on the BBC, and consequently call into question the nature of all the other requirements in the charter and agreement. That would not be helpful. I hope that the noble Lord has been reassured by what I say, and I should be grateful if he would withdraw the amendment.