BBC 'Big Beasts' give evidence
17 May 2011
Sir David Attenborough and Professor Brian Cox appeared before the House of Lords Communications Committee as part of its inquiry into the BBC Trust on Tuesday 17 May. Culture Secretary, Jeremy Hunt also gave evidence.
Witnesses
From 3.30 pm the committee heard from the Culture Secretary. Questioning included:
- the role and accountability of the BBC
- how the BBC might meet the 16% budget reduction
- overlaps between the BBC Trust and Ofcom regulations.
From 4.30 pm the committee heard from David Attenborough and Brian Cox. They were asked about their experiences of the compliance processes in place at the BBC and how these processes have affected programmes they have been involved in. They were also asked questions about science reporting and issues of impartiality.
Further information
The inquiry into the governance and regulation of the BBC comes five years since the establishment of the BBC Trust and follows the 2005 House of Lords' Review of the BBC Charter.
The meetings took place at 3.30 pm on Tuesday 17 May in Committee Room 2 of the House of Lords.
Public committee sessions are open to everyone, including the press, to watch proceedings. Visitors should arrive as early as possible; space is limited and places cannot be booked in advance.