HC Deb 07 July 1954 vol 529 cc2136-7
8. Mr. Ness Edwards

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General the date on which the British Broadcasting Corporation submitted its 10-year development plan to the Government.

Mr. Gammans

April, 1953, but I should make it clear that it was not submitted for specific approval but as an outline of the Corporation's long-term plans.

Mr. Ness Edwards

As the Government have given many repeated assurances about not hamstringing the B.B.C., why has it taken all this time to give consent for this programme.

Mr. Gammans

Because the B.B.C. has an enormous programme development on hand. In any case, it would not be able to start a second programme until 1957, even if it were approved.

9. Mr. Ness Edwards

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General when a decision can be expected from the Government as to the date on which the British Broadcasting Corporation can be permitted to start on its television expansion programme.

Mr. Gammans

The British Broadcasting Corporation is already fully engaged on the substantial expansion of its television service in Band I. As regards a second B.B.C. programme, in Band III, I cannot at present add to my reply to the hon. Member for Keighley (Mr. Hobson) on 30th June.

Mr. Ness Edwards

Surely the B.B.C. has made its application, the matter was fixed, as I thought, at the Stockholm Conference, after the hon. Gentleman took office, and I should have thought that it should have been given permission long before this. How long are the Government to take even yet to let the B.B.C. start on a second programme?

Mr. Gammans

The B.B.C. is at present developing stations at Aberdeen, Belfast, the Isle of Wight, Plymouth, Pontop Pike, Crystal Palace, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, Dover, Inverness, Londonderry, Towyn and Carlisle. I would suggest that the B.B.C. has quite enough on at the moment.

Mr. Ness Edwards

Do I now understand that the hon. Gentleman takes it upon himself to decide how much the B.B.C. can tackle? It has made application for these frequencies. When are the Government going to give the B.B.C. an answer?

Mr. Gammans

All the B.B.C. has done is to say that it would like certain frequencies reserved for it if and when the Government are prepared to sanction a second programme.

Forward to