Opening of BBC Scotland's new headquarters at Pacific Quay, Glasgow

I am delighted so many of you are able to join us here at Pacific Quay. Today's formal opening of the BBC's new headquarters in Scotland is an important milestone not only for the BBC's work in Scotland, but for the future shape of the Corporation itself.  PQ represents both an achievement and a set of opportunities:

• an opportunity to ensure that the BBC understands and reflects the voices of all the different communities that make up the UK – communities of both place and interest;
• an opportunity to strengthen the BBC's already significant contribution to both Scottish and UK economies: developing skills, promoting creativity and – where appropriate – exporting its own creations;  and
• an opportunity to exploit developments in communications technology to improve the quality, impact and value of BBC programmes and other services.

It is important we seize all three.

2007 marks the beginning of a new era for the BBC: a new 10-year Charter, a new funding settlement, and a new system of governance.  And 2007 also marks a significant new era in UK broadcasting more widely, for the start of digital switchover is about to happen.

The BBC Trust was created by that new Charter.  Its role is to defend the independence of the BBC, to ensure that the Corporation meets its public purposes, and perhaps most important of all, to speak up for the interests of those who own the BBC and whose continuing support is reflected in this extraordinary new building.  I mean of course the licence fee payers: the audiences; the citizens of Scotland and the whole United Kingdom.

Our responsibility is to represent their interests in all their richness and diversity.  We are strengthened in that role by the appointment of energetic Trustees representing each of the three nations and the creation of Audience Councils made up of volunteers who give up their time to help us ensure we hear and respond to the different opinions and concerns in each nation.

Back in May, the Trust received its first report from Scotland's Audience Council on the main issues of interest to Scottish licence fee payers. These included:

• local news provision and network news coverage of devolved issues;
• the limited accessibility of the BBC's digital services in some parts of the country;
• indigenous language programming – including a possible new Gaelic language service which is already under consideration;
• and commissioning of programmes made in Scotland for the UK networks.

These are all areas the Trust will seek to address through its work to ensure that the licence fee is invested effectively to meet the needs and expectations of licence fee payers.

Next month the Trust will take decisions which will set the BBC's strategic direction for the next six years and we will draw on this input.

No one should underestimate the challenge the Trust has set for the BBC. Everyone who pays their licence fee has a right to expect value in return. And as the world becomes more complex, the BBC must work to reach under-served groups while keeping the support of traditional audiences. But it must only do what it can do well.

Our strategy is firmly focused on seeing the BBC sustain the quality, creativity and distinctive programming which the public tell us they value most.

New technology will of course play an important role in meeting audience demands for wider online services and greater choice over when programmes are seen and heard. It will also be crucial to delivering greater efficiency.

Which brings me back to Pacific Quay. Scotland's own "Communications Tardis". The potential of which we have only just begun to explore.  This new BBC Scotland headquarters is the only fully integrated end-to-end digital broadcast production facility in Europe and compares directly with the best in the world. It is a broadcasting ‘first’ and it is here in Scotland. The facilities present an extraordinary new opportunity for the people who will work here and a special platform from which to showcase and develop Scottish creative talent.

The BBC Trust is clear that the BBC continues to have a special mission contributing to the economic, social and cultural life of the UK. I have no doubt that PQ will play an important role in helping it meet that challenge.