Cuts In Funding To Gaelic Television Fund

EDM number 274 in 1993-94, proposed by Ray Michie on 15/12/1993.

That this House condemns the actions of the Secretary of State for Scotland in reducing the Scottish Office contribution to the Gaelic Television Fund by ú1 million for 1994-95; notes that this is a very small amount in terms of the overall Scottish Office budget but will have a significant effect on the production of Gaelic programmes; recognises that with such a reduction in funding the fund may be unable to finance 200 hours of programmes in 1995 and that this may fall to 160 hours; accepts that without increased funding the fund will not be able to invest in infrastructure and may find difficulty in maintaining the range and quality of service the Broadcasting Act 1990 charges them to finance; appreciates that the actions of the Secretary of State may do incalculable damage to the morale of those working in Gaelic television and may threaten the development of Gaelic in other fields; further notes that the decrease is unacceptable and difficult to comprehend in light of the success of the Committee's activities in economic and cultural terms in the past two years; welcomes the contribution that CTG has made to the promotion and appreciation of Gaelic broadcasting and culture and in the creation of jobs throughout Scotland for Gaelic and non Gaelic speakers; and urges the Secretary of State to take a more relistic view of funding Gaelic broadcasting.

This motion has been signed by a total of 19 MPs.