CURRENT AFFAIRS PROGRAMMES ON BBC1

Early day motion 1077, tabled 24 October 2000 by Austin Mitchell (Labour). Signed by 48 members.

That this House condemns the decision by BBC1 to move its flagship current affairs programme Panorama from Monday to Sunday and reduce the number of editions; expresses its concerns that there is now no serious current affairs programming on BBC1 in weekday peak time; further notes the concentration on soaps, drama and quiz shows in the new BBC1 schedule to the exclusion of serious public service programming; and calls on the BBC's Board of Governors to reverse this decision and return Panorama to weekday peak time on BBC1.

Signatures by party: Labour 25, Liberal Democrat 12, Conservative 5, Labour/Co-operative 3, Independent 1, Plaid Cymru 1, UUP 1.