HC Deb 13 May 1953 vol 515 cc1228-31
19. Mr. Popplewell

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General for an assurance that the provision of a separate wavelength for the North-East will take precedence over a wavelength allocation for sponsored television.

Mr. Gammans

I would suggest the hon. Gentleman should await the first report of the Television Advisory Committee and the decisions taken on it, but I see no reason why there should be any competition between sound and television broadcasting.

Mr. Popplewell

Can the hon. Gentleman say when he expects that report to be published? Will he also be a little more specific, because there is great feeling in the North-East on this matter? They desire an adequate wavelength to serve their purposes and are much more interested in that service being provided first before sponsored television.

Mr. Gammans

The report is in the hands of the printers. So far as I can gather there will be ample space on different bands for television whether commercial or B.B.C. programmes and also v.h.f. broadcasting.

Mr. Ness Edwards

Is not this a matter of the allocation of resources, and surely my hon. Friend's Question is a reasonable one? He asks that the allocation of resources to the provision of a separate wavelength should take precedence over commercial television.

Mr. Gammans

What the hon. Gentleman has asked is that the provision of a separate wavelength for v.h.f. broadcasting shall not be interfered with by sponsored television. I think I can give him that assurance.

Mr. C. I. Orr-Ewing

Would my hon. Friend consider laying a copy of the report of the Television Advisory Committee in the Library, if there is to be delay in the printing of the report.

Mr. Gammans

If there is likely to be any unreasonable delay I will consider that.

20. Mr. Popplewell

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether the British Broadcasting Corporation has yet made any proposal for a very high frequency scheme whereby the present bad reception areas will be assured of adequate sound radio reception.

Mr. Gammans

The B.B.C. have made tentative proposals: firm plans for v.h.f. broadcasting must await the decisions ultimately taken on the question of modulation after the Television Advisory Committee has reported.

Mr. Popplewell

When does the Minister expect that report to be to hand?

Mr. Gammans

That is the second report of the Television Advisory Committee. They are now considering that technical question as a matter of urgency.

Mr. Popplewell

Can the Minister indicate when he hopes the Committee will arrive at some decision?

Mr. Gammans

I would not like to be definite, but we hope it will be before very long.

Mr. Ness Edwards

Is it not a fact that this is a very serious matter? There cannot be any development of v.h.f. until the type of modulation is determined, and unless we get that very quickly, this promise about commercial television is far from being implemented.

Mr. Gammans

I do not anticipate that there will be any undue delay. The right hon. Gentleman the Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Ness Edwards) is quite right. The first thing to be decided is which type of modulation shall be used.

21. Mr. C. Hughes

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if, when national re- sources allow, he will give precedence to the provision of very high frequency sound broadcasting for bad reception areas such as Anglesey over the licensing of commercial television.

Mr. Gammans

I cannot at present add anything to the Government's statements in its White Paper on Broadcasting (Cmd. 8550), and in the debates on the subject.

Mr. Hughes

Is the Minister aware that sound reception in many parts of Wales. including Anglesey, is very bad indeed? Will he consult now with his engineers to see if there is any improvement which can be effected?

Mr. Gammans

There are many parts of the country in which reception is not good. It is due to a variety of reasons. One is interference from abroad.

Mr. Bowen

Would the hon. Gentleman agree that there is no technical reason why this problem cannot be solved if it is tackled with a will to solve it?

Mr. Gammans

There is no technical reason why all sorts of problems should not be solved. One of the difficulties in this and other directions is the amount of our capital resources we are prepared to devote to the subject.

Mr. Ede

Can the hon. Gentleman say which foreign station interferes with Anglesey?

Mr. Gammans

I should require notice of that question.

22. Mr. R. E. Winterbottom

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what estimate the British Broadcasting Corporation has made of the capital cost of providing adequate sound radio reception over the whole of the United Kingdom, including a separate wavelength for each region.

Mr. Gammans

I presume the hon. Member is referring to the use of very high frequencies. The B.B.C. has not yet sent to my noble Friend any reliable estimate of the cost of providing V.H.F. stations for those parts of the country where reception is unsatisfactory nor will they be asked to do so until the Television Advisory Committee has recommended the type of modulation which in their opinion should be adopted, and a final decision has been taken on this matter.

Mr. Winterbottom

Will the Assistant Postmaster-General agree that adequate sound broadcasting should be provided for every region in the country in preference to any attempt to provide sponsored broadcasting?

Mr. Gammans

The plans of the Government on that matter have been set out specifically in Command Paper 8590.

Captain Orr

Can my hon. Friend say, on a technical point, whether his mind is moving on amplitude or frequency modulation lines?

Mr. Gammans

My mind does not propose to move on either line until the Television Advisory Committee has given its technical advice.