A SCOTS MP has reportedly claimed that an independent Scotland would result in a higher TV licence fee, fewer programmes and fewer channels.
Anas Sarwar – Labour MP for Glasgow Central – was presenting to MPs in Westminster Hall yesterday.
He was speaking in the wake of a proposal in August by First Minister, Alex Salmond, to break up the BBC, so that a Scottish Broadcasting Corporation could be created.
Says The Scotsman newspaper, Sarwar believes that although some £300million, or thereabouts, might be raised from the TV licence fee from Scotland, the BBC as a whole has a budget ten times that, the fruits of which are enjoyed by Scots.
He is quoted, as saying: “It is inconceivable that the quality, quantity and breadth of output could be maintained with just ten per cent of the current resource.”
Meanwhile, SNP MP, Pete Wishart, is quoted arguing: “The BBC raises £325million in revenue from Scottish licence fee payers, but spends only £176million on production and infrastructure costs in Scotland…An independent Scotland will be able to use this £149million bonus for investment in more programmes and more channels, providing more jobs in broadcasting in Scotland.”
