BBC Local Radio

I am grateful to the hon. Member for Dudley North (Ian Austin) for those questions and to my hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk Coastal (Dr Coffey) for securing this debate. Many Members have used this as an opportunity to highlight the quality of their local BBC radio service. However, I will, if I may, make a brief correction. Each Member gave the impression that they had the best service in the country, but let me say that BBC Radio Oxford is, in fact, the best local BBC station in the country. Like many of the other stations that hon. Members have mentioned, BBC Radio Oxford was particularly prominent at a difficult time for its local area. In BBC Radio Oxford's case, that was when my own constituency suffered from flooding in 2007, and the station continues to provide a first-class service to my constituents and to other people living in Oxfordshire. In particular, there is Malcolm Boyden's excellent breakfast show and there is Bill Heine's show. Bill Heine is famous not only for being an excellent presenter, but for having a shark that comes out of his roof in Oxford. Obviously, I want to address the concerns that have been raised, particularly those raised by the hon. Member for Dudley North, as best I can in the short time remaining to me. First, however, having criticised hon. Members for trying to give the impression that their local BBC radio station was better than BBC Radio Oxford, let me say that I agree with them when they say that their voices should be heard by the BBC. It is a testament to the commitment to the BBC of hon. Members, and therefore a testament to the commitment to the BBC of their constituents, that so many of them have turned out for this morning's debate to make their contributions. The hon. Member for Penistone and Stocksbridge (Angela Smith) spoke about the importance of Radio Sheffield and she made the particularly good point that local radio offers an opportunity for emerging talent to hone its skills. My hon. Friend the Member for North Thanet (Mr Gale) talked about his vast experience in the media. Contributions were also made by the hon. Members for Liverpool, Walton (Steve Rotheram), for Scunthorpe (Nic Dakin) and for St Ives (Andrew George) and by my hon. Friend the Member for Colne Valley (Jason McCartney) and my hon. Friend the Member for Winchester (Mr Brine), who acknowledged that some change is not always to be opposed. My hon. Friend the Member for Worcester (Mr Walker), who is to be congratulated on his impending nuptials, also made a contribution. In fact, there is something about the BBC and marriage. I say that because when I participated in a debate on the BBC on Friday, such was the interest that I began reading Dods from cover to cover and discovered that the hon. Member for Chippenham (Duncan Hames) is also due to be married; I also extend my congratulations to him. Of course, I also congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Elmet and Rothwell (Alec Shelbrooke) on his contribution to the debate. As I say, all those hon. Members made their feelings known and I stress that what the BBC is apparently undertaking—I have not been briefed on this matter formally—is some kind of a consultation. However, hon. Members may recall the time that the BBC proposed to close BBC 6 Music. There was an outcry, many hon. Members became involved in the debate about that station, and the decision to close it was reversed by the BBC Trust. Therefore, if these apparent proposals by the BBC are firmed up, hon. Members will have a chance to lobby the BBC Trust and perhaps persuade its members that there are better ways to go forward.