Broadcasting Act 1981

17 National advisory committees for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. U.K.

(1) In addition to the committees which are to be, or may be, appointed under section 16, the Authority shall appoint—

(a) an advisory committee for Scotland;

(b) an advisory committee for Wales; and

(c) an advisory committee for Northern Ireland.

(2) The person for the time being holding office as the member of the Authority appointed pursuant to paragraph 1(2) of Schedule 1 to make the interests of Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, as the case may be, his special care shall be the chairman of the advisory committee appointed under this section for the part of the United Kingdom with which he is specially concerned.

(3) Subject to subsection (2), each advisory committee appointed under this section (in this section referred to as a “national committee”)—

(a) shall be so constituted, and

(b) shall consist of persons selected by reference to such qualifications,

as in the opinion of the Authority would be appropriate for reflecting, so far as is reasonably practicable, the range of tastes and interests of persons residing in the part of the United Kingdom for which the committee is appointed (in this section referred to, in relation to a national committee, as its area).

(4) Before appointing a person to be a member of a national committee the Authority shall satisfy themselves that he—

(a) will have no financial or other interest in any advertising agency, and

(b) will have no such other financial or other interest in advertising as is in the opinion of the Authority likely to prejudice his independence as a member of that committee;

and the Authority shall also satisfy themselves from time to time that each member of a national committee has no such interest as is described in paragraph (a) or (b) of this subsection.

(5) The function of a national committee shall be—

(a) to give to the Authority, with respect to the conduct of their television broadcasting services for the area of the committee, such advice as in the opinion of the committee would be appropriate for reflecting, so far as is reasonably practicable, the range of tastes and interests of persons residing in that area; and

(b) to give to the Authority advice on such matters relating to the conduct of their local sound broadcasting services in that area as the Authority may from time to time specify.