BBC Local Radio

It is a pleasure to be speaking under your chairmanship, Mr Turner. I thank Mr Speaker for granting this important debate on BBC local radio. I should declare an interest: I used to work for the BBC, although not in the field of broadcasting. I also thank the 66 Members of Parliament who have signed early-day motion 1593 on the topic. I appreciate that not all Members of the House choose to sign early-day motions, and some have a policy of not doing so, but I assure you, Mr Turner, that the support I have had from Members of all parties has been extraordinary in the desire to keep what is special about the BBC—that, firmly, is local radio. The BBC spends about £600 million on radio—just under a fifth of the licence fee income—of which about £137 million is spent on local radio in England. That equates to about 3.2p per user hour, half that for Radio 3 and less than for Radio Scotland, Radio Wales, Radio Ulster and Radio Foyle. I am not complaining about the amount of money spent on Radio 3 or the nations' radio stations, but I reflect that BBC local radio in England is rather good value, reaching the number of listeners that it does. BBC local radio reaches about 7.4 million listeners across its various stations, including—for the particular attention of Members—2.5 million people who do not listen to any other BBC radio station. It is reaching out to that 40% of listeners who do not listen to Radios 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, and it is important to remember that. The remit of BBC local radio is deliberately focused on two areas. The first is to ensure that the breakfast and drive-time shows are 100% chat and news-driven, which is what they do, and rather well, especially Radio Suffolk. At other times, a minimum of 60% chat is required. That leaves space for commercial radio to have distinctive programming, in particular music-driven, which brings in attractive advertising slots that reach a younger demographic. The 55-plus generation like to listen to music, but perhaps not the type that drives all advertising on local radio. The second important point about the people reached by BBC local radio is that it captures not only the 2.5 million who do not listen to other BBC radio services but a substantial number of the C2, D and E social groups, broadening the BBC's reach, in contrast perhaps to the national radio stations. One of the six values of the BBC is to celebrate community moments—““national moments”” as the BBC calls them. That is where local radio truly excels, such as the Proms at the Albert hall being taken to the local celebration party, or the royal wedding coming up on 29 April. I cannot tell you how many wedding parties there will be in Suffolk, but they will be covered by people from Radio Suffolk and there will be the opportunity to phone in to our day-time programmes, which are under threat. At the moment, distinctive radio is broadcast outside the breakfast and drive-time shows. That can vary, such as local sports coverage. How can I put it? Leiston FC probably would not get commentary on Radio 5 Live, even though they are about to win their championship and get promoted into the Ryman league premier division, but somehow I think that only matters to the people of Suffolk who express an interest in sport. Other examples include the local phone-in programmes—we can talk about post office issues relevant to the local area. There are so many examples, which I am sure that many colleagues will offer today. BBC local radio has done some things of which I think it could do more, such as reducing the content of the website. There is space for local media to expand, in particular in Suffolk. I might surprise colleagues when I tell them that I have three daily papers covering my constituency, which can do that because they are local and focus on local stories. There are also opportunities to expand the training to community radio stations which, again, all Members value in their constituencies, but they are not a substitute for the excellent output we all enjoy from BBC local radio. I am sure Members are not surprised that I will now focus on BBC Radio Suffolk. One of the important things to say is that there is a 22% reach to adults throughout the county. More important, Radio Suffolk is truly fulfilling the 50-plus generation remit, because it now covers one in three adults listening to that radio station. Running through some of the presenters, Mark Murphy in the morning is a must-listen for anyone and everyone. I am sure he will send an ugly mug to anyone who name-checks him today, but, importantly, he has a lead role in campaigning for BBC Suffolk. I have already mentioned in the House, to the Prime Minister, how BBC Suffolk was behind a great campaign in which the people of Suffolk raised more than £3 million to build a children's hospice, very much helped by the radio station. Other, more pertinent local issues include ““Bin a Blade””: in the first three weeks of the BBC publicising the campaign and working with the local police, more than 1,000 knives were put into safe bins. That is the reach of the BBC in motivating people and getting that conversation going about some real local issues. James Hazell is, I believe, the second most popular radio show on BBC Suffolk, but he is in the very time slot that the BBC wishes—is considering, I should say—to move to Radio 5. That would be a big mistake, because on the local phone-in, James Hazell—our equivalent of Victoria Derbyshire—really hits the issues that matter for Suffolk. Lesley Dolphin in the afternoon goes the extra mile. She might have been following Chris Moyles, but she also went up Kilimanjaro and raised more than £60,000 for charity. She continues to have that light touch that people enjoy listening to, perhaps while gardening or doing their crossword. Stephen Foster is a non-miss; he does the news round-up in the evening. My friend, Rob Dunger, would kill me if I did not mention him, but his business breakfasts on Saturday mornings really bring to the listener who is up and about important news of the day and that friendly chat. Many good examples of BBC local radio will be given today, but the reason I wanted the debate was to stand up for the licence fee payer. One of the things that worries me about the BBC's review process is that the licence fee payers have not been asked for their opinions or thoughts. By contrast, the Arts Council, which has made difficult choices in the past week, set out open and transparent criteria and the process by which it would make choices on which organisations it would fund. I have not seen any of that from the BBC so far, and I should have. I am not one to make cheap political points about choices, and talent on the BBC deserves to be paid well, just as it would be in the commercial market, but the BBC needs to look at some of the more sensitive issues it faces in London with some of its talent, such as flying production teams from Scotland to London to accommodate a presenter, or how it manages its staff and talent. A report in The Guardian talked about how the BBC misses out on £80 million a year because of how it manages staff. I went on a training course for human resources. This was no secret, but was said to everyone in the BBC who attended that course: unfortunately, due to poor controls, the BBC paid out more than £6 million to fixed-term contractors who no longer worked at the corporation but who, for some reason, had never had their contract stopped on the payroll. The BBC corrected that—I commend it—and I thought I would never bring the issue up, but that is half the budget of BBC local radio. There are opportunities for the BBC to look at its internal bureaucracy to understand where the money is going. It found one source, and was able to turn off the tap of funds, which was well done, but even on my last day at the BBC, I was arguing with another project manager about a three-week delay, because that team had not got their act together, and they were trying to block our project going ahead. I was challenging them and saying, ““You cannot make this decision. We need someone senior to make this decision, because your delay will cost the BBC £12 million.”” I know many programme-makers who would give their right arm for £12 million to spend on programmes at the BBC, including many radio stations throughout the country. It is important that the BBC makes savings—I know that, I get that. I am a member of the party in government and I realise that not every decision will be popular, but one of the BBC's core values is to reflect what its audiences want. I call on it to look hard, think hard, and speak to licence fee payers. That is why it has audience councils. I am not aware that they have been consulted on some of the ideas, or come forward with their own, but it is important that the BBC continues to listen. It is a wonderful institution and something I cherish. I thoroughly enjoyed my time working for the BBC. It sometimes frustrates me, but it is wonderful and it needs to keep what is special. What is special, especially to the people of Suffolk, is BBC local radio.