B.B.C. TELEVISION (MEDICAL PROGRAMMES) (Hansard, 7 March 1958)

§ The Postmaster-General (Mr. Ernest Marples)

Mr. Speaker with your permission, and that of the House, I would like to make a statement.

At Question Time on 26th February, 1958, I referred to the B.B.C.'s consultation with medical authorities about the programme "Your Life in Their Hands." This seems to have given rise to some misunderstanding. I would like to clear up this misunderstanding.

I am informed by the B.B.C. that the Corporation had had wide and detailed discussions with medical, surgical and nursing staffs both on the subject matter of the programmes as well as their method of presentation. Before the first broadcast, the B.B.C. held a conference. At this conference, representatives of the Royal College of Surgeons and the Royal College of Physicians and members of the College of General Practitioners were present, together with other interested medical men and representatives of the medical Press.

1578 Nothing occurred as a result of this informal consultation to suggest to the B.B.C. that its programmes would meet with opposition from the bodies concerned or that the Corporation ought not to proceed with its plans. Correspondence after the first broadcast from members of the medical profession and others confirmed the B.B.C. in this view.

I regret that the information I previously passed on to the House implied a more formal degree of consultation between the B.B.C. and the medical bodies mentioned as well as a formal expression of their subsequent appreciation of the programme. This appears to have arisen from a misunderstanding between my Department and the Corporation.

I am glad to have had this opportunity of explaining more fully the degree of consultation between the B.B.C. and the medical bodies concerned before the programme began.