§ Captain FRASER (by Private Notice)asked the Prime Minister whether he can now state what decision has been arrived at by the Government regarding the broadcast of controversial matter?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe Government have reviewed the decision, taken at the time of the constitution of the British Broadcasting Corporation, under which the corporation has been prohibited from broadcasting—
The Government have decided that the first of these prohibitions, i.e., that on the issue of "Editorial" pronouncements, must be maintained; but that the second shall be withdrawn forthwith. The Corporation has been informed that the Government expect them to use the discretionary power thus experimentally entrusted to them strictly in accordance with the spirit of the Crawford Committee's Report, and that it is their responsibility to see that this is done.
- (a) Expressions of opinion by the corporation on matters of public policy, and
- (b) Statements involving matters of political, religious or industrial controversy.