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Actor Rhys Ifans is among more than 40 celebrities and academics to sign an open letter to the Prime Minister calling for powers over broadcasting to be devolved to Wales.

The letter comes ahead of the expected publication of an independent review into S4C later this month. It has been considering, among other issues, whether responsibility for the Welsh language TV channel should be devolved to the Assembly from Westminster.

A petition bearing more than a 1,000 names calling for powers to be moved from London to Cardiff was presented during the review.

In 2013 the Silk Commission - a cross-party body commissioned by the UK Government - concluded that control over the UK Minister’s financial contribution to S4C should be transferred to the Welsh Government.

At present, more than 50 people are refusing to pay for their TV licence as part of the campaign to devolve broadcasting.

The prominent figures who have signed the letter include Professor Richard Wyn Jones, actress Sharon Morgan, Eisteddfod Bards Professor Christine James, Osian Rhys Jones and T James Jones, former chief legal adviser to the Welsh Government Professor Thomas Glyn Watkin, singer Gwenno Saunders and former Chair of Ofcom Wales Ian Clarke.

Their letter states: “We believe that we need many more opportunities for us in Wales as a nation, as a people, to speak to each other, to have discussions and to debate: discussions which are inclusive of the whole diversity of Welsh experience and placed in the context of our history as a nation. At present, those opportunities are very limited because powers over broadcasting are retained by Westminster.

“The present situation is not healthy for our local or Welsh democracy, nor for the flourishing of the Welsh language

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(Image: Richard Swingler.)

“We are concerned by the significant fall in the number of broadcasting hours from ITV Wales over the last 20 years, as well as the 36% cut to the budget of S4C since 2010 and the present uncertainty about its financial situation.

“Furthermore, we are concerned by the drop in local and Welsh language provision by commercial radio and the very fragile provision of local and Welsh language content by local television stations. In 2013, the Silk Commission recognised the increasing desire to see broadcasting powers devolved to the Senedd.

"The Commission recommended a transfer of responsibility for the funding that goes directly to S4C from the UK Government to the Welsh Government. However, the Government has not even taken this small step forward.

“There is strong support among the public for this change, with a recent opinion poll showing that 65% of people in Wales support the devolution of broadcasting to the Senedd. We call on you now to do the right thing for Wales and devolve powers over broadcasting to the National Assembly for Wales.”

The UK Government argues it is inappropriate to devolve powers over broadcasting to the devolved nations.