Calls rejected for Senedd to have say on S4C chair

THE UK Government has rejected cross-party calls for the Senedd to have a formal say in appointing the chairman of S4C.

- CHRIS HAINES

Delyth Jewell MS

Ian Murray, the UK media minister, resisted the Senedd culture committee's calls to address an “anomaly” that powers over the Welsh-language broadcaster do not reside in Wales.

Mr Murray confirmed the UK Government has “no plans to change current appointment processes, making the case for a single, UK-wide regulatory regime for broadcasting.

In a letter to the committee, the minister wrote: “The UK-wide approach to broadcasting generates significant economies of scale that support Welsh broadcasting and production.”

Mr Murray said powers over broadcasting remain reserved to Westminster but he stressed the UK Government is committed to ensuring the interests of all nations are reflected.

He told the committee the Welsh Government was asked to suggest potential candidates, and had a representative on an advisory assessment panel, before being consulted on May’s final appointment of Delyth Evans as S4C chairman.

‘The minister wrote: “Our experience... was that these arrangements worked well and there was effective collaboration and consultation”