§ 1. Sir Ian Fraserasked the Postmaster-General what arrangements are contemplated to cover the North-West of England, including such towns as Barrow-in-Furness, Blackpool, Kendal, Lancaster, Morecambe, Preston and Ulverston, with television broadcasting.
§ The Postmaster-General (Mr. Wilfred Paling)The B.B.C. hopes that its television station at Holme Moss, near Huddersfield, will be opened during 1951 and will give a good service in Blackpool, Blackburn and Preston. In Barrow-in-Furness, Kendal, Lancaster, Morecambe and Ulverston, the Corporation considers that a fair service will be given to viewers who are favourably situated for receiving the television wavelength.
§ Sir I. FraserIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the proposed transmitter is on the other side of the Pennines and that it is very doubtful whether these waves will cross that range; and can he tell the House whether the distribution of television and the methods of financing it are subjects for the consideration of the present committee of inquiry?
§ Mr. PalingI think that the last part of the hon. Gentleman's supplementary is another question. I realise that there will be some difficulty in places like Kendal, which are very mountainous, and that it may be difficult to get television in some of those places. However, we shall have to judge what can be done in the future after we have had some experience.
§ Sir Wavell WakefieldCan the Postmaster-General say what practical steps are being taken in the near future because the population is very large in that part of the world? There must be some method of overcoming the difficulty.
§ Mr. PalingI have already said that 10 stations are contemplated to cover about 80 per cent. of the population.
§ Sir I. FraserWould it be open to hon. Members of this House or to citizens generally to bring their needs to the notice of the present committee of inquiry?
§ Mr. PalingI would like to have notice of that question.