The Scottish Government has chastised the BBC following a ‘factual inaccuracy’ on last week’s episode of Question Time.
The long-running chat show was in Paisley last Thursday, with host Fiona Bruce chairing a panel of Stephen Flynn, Anas Sarwar, Russell Findlay, Angela Haggerty and Lord Malcolm Offord.
Among other topics, panelists discussed a recent Telegraph article which revealed that around 30% of students in Glasgow ‘speak English as an additional language’.
However, a Question Time graphic framed the question as: “Does it matter that 1 in 3 kids in Glasgow don’t speak fluent English?”
In a letter to Tim Davie, the outgoing director general of the BBC, Culture Secretary Angus Robertson expressed his concern over the ‘inaccuracy'.
Robertson wrote: “I am writing in regard to last week’s episode of Question Time, and the factual inaccuracy in the caption displayed during the segment about schoolchildren in Glasgow.
“While I am aware that you have noted the loss of nuance between the question as asked and the caption displayed on screen, I believe that this error should be corrected, and a clarification issued to ensure that the public are aware of the facts of the matter."
However, according to Scottish Government statistics viewed by The Herald, around 28% of students in Glasgow are classed as 'not fluent' in English.
Of 71,957 total pupils, 20,717 have English as an Additional Language.
20,088 of these pupils (97%) are classed as not fluent in English, while around 600 (about 3%) are.
Read more:
- Scottish Government urged to foot repair bill after shock bridge collapse
- 'Extreme concerns' for Glasgow man as police urge public help to find him
- 'Heartbroken' Biffy Clyro bassist to step away over mental health & addiction issues
The SNP MSP added: “As you have made clear in your Annual Report and elsewhere, it is a core part of the BBC’s role to pursue truth with no agenda, and to provide accurate, impartial news and information which audiences can trust.
“In this instance, the caption displayed on screen has not met that standard. Glasgow is a diverse city, and it is a source of pride that so many young people are multi-lingual.
"I hope that this can be better reflected in future, and that this inaccuracy can be addressed as a matter of urgency.”
The BBC has since issued a correction.
The broadcaster noted: "During an episode from Paisley an audience member asked: 'Reportedly 1 in 3 school children in Glasgow don’t speak English as their first language, why does this matter?'
"The audience and panel took part in a debate based on the full-length question above, but during that an on-screen caption read: "Does it matter that 1 in 3 kids in Glasgow don’t speak fluent English?".
"To be clear, this caption was an incorrect summary of the original question.
"Official figures show that in Glasgow around 3 per cent of pupils for whom English is an additional language are also fluent in English.
"We acknowledge we should have used the original wording of the question in the caption."
Share