Just got this from the BBC, relating to fees for radio writing:

'If a narrative comedy script is commissioned for broadcast, the rate is £51 per minute for a beginner which covers two broadcasts. If it’s for a pilot, a one broadcast fee is paid, which is £30 per minute. (In 2004 the department received 284 unsolicited scripts, all of which were read, though none was commissioned.) The quickie rate is currently £11. If a sketch is broadcast, a beginner gets £30 per minute.'

Interesting that there are so few scripts sent in and that none of them were taken up. Either the BBC is reneging on its brief to find new talent or the competition is really poor.

Or, which is possible, none of the ones sent were commissioned, but some of those writers may have been contacted and kept in the loop, or asked to produce something else.