Broadcasters’ pledge over disabled staff

BROADCASTERS AND Ministers have committed to doubling the number of disabled people involved in television by 2020 to make the industry “more inclusive”.

The BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky have backed plans to increase the percentage of disabled employees from the current 4.5 per cent.

The Government is supporting the scheme. The initiative has been pushed by the Creative Diversity Network. Research by the organisation found a proportionately low number of disabled people working in broadcasting.

Sarah Newton, Minister for Disabled People, said: “Broadcasters should represent their diverse audiences, not only as employers but also through improving representation on our screens.”

Broadcasters have committed to redressing the apparently low proportion of disabled people in UK networks.

Lord Hall, Director General of the BBC, said: “Diversity is vital to the BBC’s commitment to serve the whole of the UK.” THE WORLD needs to show the same ambition it has on climate change to protect global wildlife, Environment Secretary Michael Gove has said.

Speaking ahead of an international conference on tackling the illegal wildlife trade in London in October, Mr Gove said the loss of species was “a massive global problem” for both nature and humans. He said illegal fishing, competition for resources, intensive farming and climate change were all eroding habitats.

“Countries in the developing world have said to Britain that we have a key role as a leader, a convener in bringing nations both where animals are facing devastating pressures and also bringing together countries where there is still a demand for this trade,” he said.

The conference will look at species such as rhinos, elephants, pangolins and threatened trees exploited for timber, and will build momentum towards a two year global action plan. DISTRICT COUNCILLORS at a North Yorkshire authority have agreed a multi-million pound investment in the new Treadmills leisure and retail development in Northallerton.

As part of the authority’s commercial strategy, Hambleton District Council is buying the southern end of the scheme at the former prison site – which includes shops and the car park.

The council bought the old prison four years ago and has entered into a partnership with the developers Wykeland to bring it back into use with restaurants, a cinema and digital hub.