§ 27. Mr. Hobsonasked the Assistant Postmaster-General the main centres of population for which commercial television licences have been applied; and the number of applications for each main centre of population.
§ Mr. GammansLondon 19 applications; Birmingham 14; South Lancashire 14; Central Scotland 11; the Bristol-Cardiff area 11; and applications for 26 stations outside these main centres.
§ Mr. NicholsonWill my hon. Friend publish the names?
§ Mr. GammansThis matter has already been brought up, and until firm applications are asked for, the Government are not prepared to publish the names.
§ 34. Mr. E. Fletcherasked the Assistant Postmaster-General what answers he is giving to applicants for commercial television licences now that the first Report of the Television Advisory Committee has been published.
§ Mr. GammansThe same answer as before, namely, that no information can yet be given about the date or the terms and 366 conditions on which competitive television would be permitted to operate.
§ Mr. FletcherIn fairness to these applicants for commercial television licences, in view of the technical difficulties revealed by this Committee, and in view of the mounting opposition to commercial television, will the hon. Gentleman not make it clear that commercial television in this country is as dead as the dodo and buried for all time?
§ Mr. GammansI think the hon. Gentleman is most unwise to make any such assumption, and so are the people who have made applications. They, like the House of Commons, must await the publication of the Government White Paper in the autumn.