HL Deb 17 November 1954 vol 189 cc1634-6WA
LORD CALVERLEY

asked Her Majesty's Government whether—

(1) the £750,000 granted to the Independent Television Authority is a gift or a loan;

(2) the Independent Television Authority is to have the use of plant and aerials belonging to the B.B.C. if so, at which B.B.C. stations and under what conditions;

(3) it is a fact that the Independent Television Authority cannot give viewers a provincial service until 1956; if so, whether Her Majesty's Government will repay the one pound extra now charged on viewers' licences:

(4) they will state what is the cost of television licences in the U.S.A.;

(5) Members of this House will be able to put questions on policy to the Independent Television Authority;

(6) the Postmaster General or the Lord Layton will be responsible for replying.

EARL DE LA WARR

Following are the answers to the noble Lord's Questions:

(1) There is no gift or loan of £750,000 to the Authority. Under Section 11 of the Television Act a sum, within a maximum of £750,000, may, subject to the approval of Parliament, be granted each year to the Authority.

(2) It is expected that arrangements for sharing plant and masts at the transmitting stations will be made where this is technically possible. For technical reasons the conditions may not be uniform at the first three stations—London, Birmingham and South Lancashire—but these are matters for settlement direct between the British Broadcasting Corporation and the Authority.

(3) It is too early to fix firm dates, but the Authority hope to begin broadcasting from the Birmingham and South Lancashire stations by late-1955. The second part of this Question does not arise, since the increase of £1 in the combined sound and television licence fee was not made because of the establishment of the Authority.

(4) In the United States, television services are financed by advertisements and there is no system of viewers' licences comparable to that in the United Kingdom.

(5) and (6) The Postmaster General will of course be ready to answer Questions in your Lordships' House regarding the exercise of his responsibilities under the Television Act,

House adjourned at seven minutes past six o'clock.