Profound concerns have been jointly expressed by the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government over the process to select the next Chair of Ofcom, and how it could have a detrimental impact on public service broadcasting in the UK.
In a letter to the UK Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Nadine Dorries, Ministers from both Scotland and Wales have asked to be included in the process and to be given a role that ensures the selected candidate is “someone who can work impartially and independently in the interests of all the nations.”
It has been signed by the Scottish Government’s Culture Secretary Angus Robertson and Finance and Economy Secretary Kate Forbes and the Welsh Government’s Deputy Minister for Arts Dawn Bowden and Deputy Minister for Climate Change Lee Waters.
It says both governments are “extremely concerned about the perceived lack of impartiality and transparency of the current appointment processes at Ofcom.”
The letter adds:
“Given the importance of public service broadcasting to our nations and the real impact for our nations of any decision on selecting the Ofcom Chair which is not transparent or impartial, we urge you to involve us fully in the process as is right to protect a system which is so important to the public in Scotland and Wales and all the UK.”
