In her new role as the Shadow spokesperson for Culture, Media and Sport Helen has given her perspective on cuts to BBC Local Radio, and has raised the issue of BBC cuts in County Durham with BBC Director General Mark Thompson. Read more »
Helen challenges Government over local BBC Radio cuts
Helen joined 50 Members of Parliament to express her concern about the cuts to BBC local radio that BBC Management are currently proposing, and asked the BBC trust to think again.
MPs, especially from the Northern and Western regions pointed out that their stations were suffering particularly large cuts. Helen noted that in the North East, BBC Tees is having to cut around 20% from its budget, which she fears will harm local services.
She said “For 2 million people, this is their only contact with the BBC, and their listeners tend to be older and on lower incomes, especially in the North East. Their interests of people in our region should not be overlooked.”
Helen, in her capacity as Labour’s spokesperson for Media, pointed out that there were for key areas that would be lost if these cuts to local services were to go ahead:
•Democratic accountability of local authorities and regional bodies
•Local cultural identity
•Local sporting interest
•Public information in times of crisis.
There was also widespread concern that local and regional newsgathering would be lost.
At the end of the debate, Helen asked the Minister for Culture, Media and Sport Ed Vaizey , “What the real terms cut for the BBC would be now that inflation is running higher than when the decision was taken to freeze the licence fee for six years”.
Helen discusses UK educational achievement in Ukraine
During her recent visit to Kiev, Helen was welcomed to the Ukrainian Ministry of Education to discuss how the UK and the Ukraine can co-operate to provide better education for young people in both countries.
During the meeting, Helen praised the British education system for its recent successes through early intervention programmes such as SureStart. Helen said, “We have introduced new standards for school and preschool education. My main concern in the government was to ensure equal access to education for children living in poverty.”
Helen was also very interested to learn of the new Ukrainian programme to reorganise their education system to provide equal access to quality education.
A report on Helen’s meeting has been posted on the Ukrainian Ministry of Education’s website which can be seen here.
Helen joins the Culture, Media and Sport Team
Helen has been appointed as the Labour Party’s Shadow Spokesperson on Media following the Party’s reshuffle earlier this month.
In her new role, Helen will be responsible for:
•The BBC and the licence fee
•Telecoms and Broadband
•The Digital television switchover
•Media regulation and reform
•Accountability and Transparency
Helen’s former post at Prisons and Probation has been taken over by fellow County Durham MP Jenny Chapman. For more information on this role, please call Helen’s Westminster office on 0207 219 4346
Surgery Postponed
The Surgery advertised for Friday 1st July has been postponed to Friday 8th July, still 5pm – 6pm and will take place in my office on Cockton Hill Road, Bishop Auckland.
If you have any urgent issues and would like to speak to Helen’s caseworker in the meantime then please do not hesitate to telephone the constituency office on 01388 603075
