Communications Act 2003

1 (1) It shall be the duty of the BBC to secure that, in each year, not less than 25 per cent. of the total amount of time allocated to the broadcasting of qualifying programmes included in the television broadcasting services provided by the BBC is allocated to the broadcasting of a range and diversity of independent productions. U.K.

(2) In this paragraph—

(a) a reference to qualifying programmes is a reference to programmes of such description as the Secretary of State may by order specify as describing the programmes that are to be qualifying programmes for the purposes of this paragraph;

(b) a reference to independent productions is a reference to programmes of such description as the Secretary of State may by order specify as describing the programmes that are to be independent productions for the purposes of this paragraph; and

(c) a reference to a range of independent productions is a reference to a range of such productions in terms of cost of acquisition as well as in terms of the types of programme involved.

(3) The Secretary of State may by order amend sub-paragraph (1) by substituting a different percentage for the percentage for the time being specified in that sub-paragraph.

(4) The Secretary of State may also by order provide for the BBC to have the duty set out in sub-paragraph (5), either instead of or as well as the one set out in sub-paragraph (1).

(5) That duty is a duty to secure that, in each year, not less than the percentage specified in the order of the programming budget for that year for the television broadcasting services provided by the BBC is applied in the acquisition of independent productions.

(6) The power to make an order under sub-paragraph (4) includes power to provide that the BBC are again to be subject to a duty to which they have previously ceased to be subject by virtue of such an order, in addition to or instead of the duty to which they are subject (apart from the exercise of that power) by virtue of this paragraph.

(7) The Secretary of State is not to make an order for the BBC to be or to cease to be subject to the duty mentioned in sub-paragraph (1) or (5) unless—

(a) OFCOM have made a recommendation to him that the BBC should be subject to that duty, or should cease to be subject to it; and

(b) the order gives effect to that recommendation.

(8) Where television broadcasting services are designated by or under the BBC Charter and Agreement—

(a) as services that must be treated separately for the purposes of the duty imposed by sub-paragraph (1) or a duty imposed under sub-paragraph (4), or

(b) as services that must be included in a group of services that must be taken together for the purposes of such a duty,

that duty is to have effect in accordance with sub-paragraph (9).

(9) A duty having effect in accordance with this sub-paragraph is to have effect as if (instead of applying to all the television broadcasting services provided by the BBC, taken together) it applied separately—

(a) in relation to each service that is required to be treated separately; and

(b) in relation to each group of services that are required to be taken together.

(10) The BBC must comply with directions given to them by OFCOM for the purpose of—

(a) carrying forward to one or more subsequent years determined in accordance with the direction any shortfall for any year in their compliance with the duties imposed by virtue of sub-paragraph (1) or (4); and

(b) thereby increasing the percentage applicable for the purposes of those duties to the subsequent year or years.

(11) For the purposes of this paragraph—

(a) the amount of the programming budget for a year, and

(b) the means of determining the amount of that budget that is applied for any purpose,

are to be computed in accordance with such provision as may be set out in an order made by the Secretary of State, or as may be determined by OFCOM in accordance with such an order.

(12) Before making an order under this paragraph the Secretary of State must consult OFCOM and the BBC.

(13) No order is to be made containing provision authorised by this paragraph unless a draft of the order has been laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House.

(14) In this paragraph—

• “acquisition”, in relation to a programme, includes commissioning and acquiring a right to include it in a service or to have it broadcast; and

• “programming budget” means the budget for the production and acquisition of qualifying programmes.

Commencement Information

I1 Sch. 12 para. 1 in force at 29.12.2003 by S.I. 2003/3142, art. 3(1), Sch. 1 (with art. 11)