§ 80. Mr. DAYasked the Postmaster-General what proposals are now under consideration for an alteration in the present system of deriving revenue from 535 wireless licences and the allocation of such revenue to the British Broadcasting Corporation; and will he make a statement?
§ The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Ormsby-Gore)No alterations are proposed.
§ Mr. DAYAre the Post Office considering the desirability, as is stated in reports, of allowing advertising to be broadcast?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GORENo, not at all.
§ 81. Sir JOHN FERGUSONasked the Postmaster-General if he will consider arranging for quarterly payments for wireless licences instead of annual payments as at present, in order to meet the desire of people who find the single demand difficult to meet?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREThere are at present more than 3,750,000 wireless licences in force; and the cost of collecting and accounting for the fees and securing the renewal of the licences is already considerable. The substitution of quarterly for annual licences would practically quadruple this work; and the additional expense would, I think, be out of proportion to the benefit derived by the public.