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21|11|06

Minutes of Advisory Committee for Scotland - Meeting held in Sutherland House on 21 November 2006

Present:

Thomas Prag – Chair ACS
Joyce Taylor – Ofcom Content Board Member for Scotland
Fiona Ballantyne Ofcom Consumer Panel
Selma Rahman – ACS
Julie Ramage – ACS
Susan Neal – ACS
Philip Schlesinger – ACS
Jim Hunter ACS
Representatives of ACOD

1. Apologies for absence

1.1 Apologies were received from Andrew Muir and Martin Robertson.

2. Minutes of meeting held on 21 September

2.1 Minutes were approved.

3. Matters Arising

3.1 Under para 3.3, Digital Dividend Review was not on the agenda as the Consultation document has not been released. ACS may want to consider holding a special meeting to discuss this. Under 3.4 the SME Event hosted by Ofcom in Scotland had yielded a good discussion despite low attendance rates.

3.2 The Consumer Outcomes Event mentioned under 4.1 had been cancelled and invitees will be offered a one to one briefing. The possibility of speaking at the next Festival of Politics was being pursued.

3.3 The Chair invited an update from the GMS on progress towards the Gaelic digital channel. Overall things were going reasonably well.

4. Director’s Report

4.1 The date of December for the DDR consultation was provisional. Some ACS members had attended a strategy day in London where the importance of media literacy as workstream had been highlighted. The event provided a useful forum for information exchange and the possibility of a regular Chairs meeting was discussed. A member expressed concern over statistics within the Director’s Report regarding DSO and equipment upgrade. ACS acknowledged this as another major issue for DUK.

4.2 A number of projects using wireless broadband and IPTV in rural areas were discussed. One is in Dumfries and Galloway and another in Kirklees. ACS would like to keep up to date with developments in this area.

4.3 ACS would submit a view on the Radio discussion paper.

4.4 There was a positive view from the ACS on the possibility of a Cross Party Group on Communications in the Scottish Parliament. ACS was keen to see input to the Cultural Entitlements Bill and would like to be updated on its progress.

4.5 ACS recruitment was progressing and it was hoped that new members would be in place for the June 2008 meeting

5. Meeting with ACOD

5.1 ACS were briefed on the remit and focus of ACOD and their responsibility to ensure Ofcom gives regard to the needs of the UK’s 10 million disabled people and 11 million older people. ACS were keen to maintain links with ACOD and to offer any advice if required.

6. Draft Annual Plan

The ACS was briefed on the draft Annual Plan and tabled a paper detailing priorities. The draft Annual Plan consultation will open on 12 December with a closing date of 20 February 2006. ACS will consider and make a submission.

7. THUS – Activities in Scotland

Representatives of Thus presented a briefing on the two pathfinder projects in North and South Scotland.

8. Mobile Review

The ACS was briefed on the mobile review and provided input.

9. Consumer Outcomes Report

The ACS was briefed on what is hoped to be an annual report of the consumer experience. It is intended that in future ACS will be more closely involved. It was agreed that Ofcom Scotland team would distribute the document. ACS feedback would be welcomed.

10. Content Board

Joyce Taylor, Content Board Member for Scotland reported on the main issues under discussion by the Content Board. With regard to RSL licences, ACS requested that National Offices be kept more aware of applications. JT advised that the Content Board is keen to receive comments from ACS on the licence application process.

11. Consumer Panel

Fiona Ballantyne updated ACS on the Consumer Panel’s future priorities i.e. digital dividend; digital switchover; consumer anxiety; communication services; enforcement; digital inclusion. Consumer Panel had met with Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to discuss digital switchover.

12. Revised Expenses Policy

Graham Howell, Board Secretary presented a paper on the new expense policy.

13. Meeting with BBC Audience Panel

A lunch would be held with the BBC Audience Panel on 28 February 2006 in Glasgow – venue to be confirmed. Accommodation will be booked by Ofcom Scotland. Items for discussion were discussed.

14. Ofcom Contact Centre Information

ACS were presented with a paper on complaints for the last period. Overall trends are on a par with earlier in the year. With regard to broadcasting, ACS were made aware of a high number of complaints about allegations of anti-Irish comments. ACS were updated on the broadband issue in the Kingswells area of Aberdeen.

15. AOB

An information paper on higher power limits for licence-exempt devices was available for any interested ACS members. ACS were advised that research carried out by the Economic Social Research Council for the British Film Institute had shown that terrestrial and BBC digital channels are totally disengaged with the UK indigenous ethnic minority population. BFI intended to try to engage with those communities not connecting with mainstream television and film.

16. Date of Next Meeting and Schedule for 2007:

28 February 2007 (Consumer Panel 27 February 2007)
18 June 2007
11 September 2007
19 December 2007