Jackie Doyle-Price MP Says BBC should remember its responsibility to Licence Fee-Payers

Media Release

 

Date :    10^th January 2014

From:   Jackie Doyle-Price Member of Parliament for Thurrock

 

Jackie Doyle-Price MP Says BBC should remember its responsibility to Licence Fee-Payers

 

After telephone number payouts and £96m wasted on the Digital Media Initiative, The Member of Parliament for Thurrock, Jackie Doyle-Price, has attacked the ‘culture of complacency’ at the BBC during a recent Public Accounts Committee hearing on the BBC’s Digital Media Initiative.   She accused the BBC of ‘practices which are, frankly, arrogant towards taxpayers.’                

 

After the hearing, Jackie said “In recent months I have sat through hours of meetings with senior management at the BBC.  I have concluded that the culture is poor, that internal governance is broken and that there is an absence of leadership and accountability at the top of the organisation which has been more interested in looking after its own instead of honouring its obligations to licence fee-payers to use their money wisely.  In the case of the Digital Media Initiative, this was a project which cost hundreds of millions of pounds but there was no effective oversight by managers.  This comes on top of the telephone number payoffs which have shown a cavalier approach to public money.  This has to change.  The BBC is our public service broadcaster and should reflect the values of public service and value for money.”

 

During the hearing Jackie received assurances that lessons had been learned and that the new Director-General Tony Hall was changing the management culture and improving leadership throughout the organisation.  The BBC also presented the committee with evidence that changes were being made to improve oversight by the Trust.  The Committee will be looking at further evidence of change and improvement at future hearings 

 

ENDS

 

Notes to Editors

 

-           On Monday 3 February 2014 the Public Accounts Committee heard evidence from Mark Thompson, Caroline Thomson, Zarin Patel, Anthony Fry and Dominic Coles of the BBC or formerly employees of the BBC.   Caroline Thomson walked away from the BBC with £670,000 pay off, failed to work any notice and £2m added to her pension pot.

-           The BBC’s Digital Media Initiative was launched in 2008, it was designed to modernise the Corporation’s archiving and production methods.

-           Dominic Coles of the BBC was answering questions from Jackie Doyle-Price

-           Attached is an uncorrected transcript of the hearing 

 

Jackie can be contacted by 01268 200430 – 0207 219 7171 or mark.coxshall@parliament.uk

 

           

Mark Coxshall

 

Office of Jackie Doyle Price and Stephen Metcalfe

Members of Parliament for Thurrock and South Basildon & East Thurrock

 

Office:                  01268 200430

Westminster:    0207 219 7171

Mobile:                07850 005630

 

 

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