HC Deb 11 July 1956 vol 556 cc379-80
11. Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

asked the Postmaster-General what requests for financial aid he has received from the Independent Television Authority; and what action he is taking.

Dr. Hill

I have received a request from the Authority for a grant under Section 11 of the Television Act. The request is being considered.

Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

Was it not the idea of the Government and the will of Parliament that the I.T.A. should have up to £750,000 a year so as to be independent of commercial interests? Is he not aware that a refusal or unwillingness to give effect to this Section of the Act must be regarded, for the time being anyhow, as a breach of faith, and that it puts the I.T.A. in the hands of advertising interests?

Dr. Hill

I am aware that Section 11 of the Act empowers me, with the agreement of the Treasury, to make a grant up to £750,000 a year. An application has been received and is now being considered.

Mr. Ness Edwards

Could the right hon. Gentleman tell us for what purpose the grant has been sought, how much, and whether it is to be an annual grant or just one grant-in-aid?

Dr. Hill

Section 11 relates to an annual grant, so that it may be taken that the application is in respect of a sum of money for the current year. The application was for the full sum of money for the current year. The application is in rather general terms, but the right hon. Gentleman can take it that behind it is a desire to affect the balance of the I.T.A. programmes—to improve, in the view of the I.T.A., the balance of such programmes.

Mr. Ness Edwards

Does this reflect the opinion of the I.T.A. that the programme contractors are not providing balanced programmes and are, therefore, contradicting the terms of the Act?

Dr. Hill

There is no question of a contradiction of the terms of the Act. The application has come from the Independent Television Authority, and the right hon. Gentleman can infer what he likes from that.

Mr. H. Morrison

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether this indicates that there is a deficit commercially on I.T.A working, and that that is the reason for the request for this money, or is it wanted merely for fun or for pocket money?

Dr. Hill

The application which has been received in no way relates to or refers to the general financial position of the programme companies. The case is not put upon any such basis.