§ 7 and 8. Mr. Charles Greyasked the Assistant Postmaster-General (1) if he will consider transferring the present low-power transmitter from Kirk o'Shotts to Pontop Pike as soon as the high-power transmitter has been installed at Kirk o'Shotts; and if he will make a statement thereon;
(2) if he will consider transferring the low-power transmitter from Wenvoe to Pontop Pike when the high-power transmitter has been installed; and if he will make a statement thereon.
§ Mr. GammansThe difficulty of establishing a television service from Pontop Pike does not lie in the provision of a low-power transmitter, since one could be made available in due course from one of the high-powered stations. The other capital investment involved such as a suitable building, a high mast and other equipment, cannot yet be approved and I regret, therefore, that I cannot add anything at present to the statement I made in reply to the hon. Member on 2nd April.
§ 22. Mr. J. Hallasked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will give an estimate of the cost of the transfer of a redundant low-power television transmitter from Wenvoe or Kirk o'Shotts to Pontop Pike.
§ Mr. GammansThe cost of dismantling and reassembling a low-power 2717 television transmitter would be about £3,000, but this would be only a comparatively small part of the total cost in erecting a transmitter station.
§ Mr. George ChetwyndIs the hon. Gentleman aware that when he provides television equipment for the North-East, he will get considerably more revenue from it than he seems to be getting from Scotland?
§ Mr. WoodburnIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the low-power transmission is already giving very great satisfaction in Scotland? Can he give any idea when this will become redundant through the introduction of the new transmitter?
§ Mr. GammansThe trouble is not the actual transmitter but what goes with it. It requires a steel mast, it requires buildings and it requires a lot of other things as well as television receiving sets. These are the factors which prevent us from putting up this transmitting set, and not the cost of the low-power transmitter itself or the cost of removing it from somewhere else.
§ 23. Mr. J. Hallasked the Assistant Postmaster-General what practical difficulties prevent the transfer of a redundant low-power television transmitter to Pontop Pike.
§ Mr. GammansThere would be no practical difficulty in transferring a redundant transmitter to Pontop Pike when it is possible to undertake the other work required to provide a television service.
§ Mr. HallTaking into account the small amount of money involved, and the satisfaction which would be given to a great number of people, does not the Minister think it would be better if he could change his mind?
§ Mr. GammansNothing would give me greater pleasure, but it is not a small amount of money which is involved. The transmitter itself is a very small part of the total cost.
§ Captain L. P. S. OrrIn view of the fact that Northern Ireland is the only region which has no television coverage whatever, will my hon. Friend resist these voluble and vocal attempts of other places to jump the queue?
§ Mr. GammansA pledge has been given to the North-East Coast, and that pledge will be honoured.