INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEWS COVERAGE

Early day motion 166, tabled 24 November 2004 by Tony Baldry (Conservative). Signed by 101 members.

That this House congratulates the BBC on the publication of Building Public Value; believes that in a globalised world, the success of these efforts will require the provision of information, education and entertainment relating to international issues and connecting to the lives of people in the rest of the world; notes that while its international news coverage is excellent, other factual programming about developing countries on BBC One and BBC Two fell to historic low levels in 2003; and urges the Government and the BBC to commit the Corporation to an international strategy under the next Charter, designed to integrate international themes fully into its mainstream domestic services.

Signatures by party: Conservative 44, Labour 28, Liberal Democrat 18, Labour/Co-operative 4, DUP 2, Plaid Cymru 2, Independent 1, Independent Conservative 1, UUP 1.