Tax report strays from real issue I write to congratulate the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee on its seemingly exquisite timing. At a time when the BBC is laid low as a result of repeated government attacks on its funding, the PAC releases a report claiming the Corporation hands out 25,000 contracts a year that potentially allow these employees to limit their tax liabilities. The view of the MPs is that the BBC has a duty to "maintain the highest standards of propriety" if it is "to show leadership in the fight against tax avoidance". This is not then to camouflage the fact that the BBC as we know it, our BBC, is at risk of being privatised as a result of repeated attacks on its funding? Not least to hoodwink the Corporation's millions of listeners and viewers, who are being kept in the dark? Skulduggery apart, my view is that MPs have a duty to maintain the highest standards of propriety and show leadership in the fight against total BBC meltdown. I write on behalf of thousands of actors, musicians, journalists and writers and technical staff who are deeply concerned for the future of the BBC if cuts of 20% are made to its budgets, as proposed. Quality journalism and creative programming are already under threat. The BBC's news and programmes are being disproportionately hit. Watching or listening to the BBC's news even now, you will see or hear packages and reports repeated with ever greater frequency -- the same