§ 6. Mr. Anthony Greenwoodasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has for the development of British broadcasting services in the Middle East.
Dr. HillThe hon. Member will recall that, as forecast in the White Paper (Cmnd. 225), the B.B.C. service in Arabic is now transmitted for an increased number of hours daily and expanded services in Swahili and Somali have begun. But more needs to be done particularly in strengthening the signal by relay, in shaping the presentation and approach of the programmes so as to achieve maximum impact, and in providing help in various ways to local broadcasting services. Measures to these ends are now being worked out.
§ Mr. Anthony GreenwoodThe right hon. Gentleman will recall that on one occasion he said that what was needed in the Middle East was the voice of the bazaar. Are we to take it that he is now going to say that the voice of the bazaar is being heard, and, if so, can we take it that the Government now have a policy for the Middle East?
Dr. HillI suggest that the hon. Gentleman meant the voice "in" the bazaar. It is clearly part of any efficient broadcasting service that the broadcasting is appropriate to, and is effective in, the bazaar.
§ Colonel BeamishWill my right hon. Friend give an assurance that because of 583 the importance of the Middle East at the moment other parts of the world are not being neglected, particularly Latin America, broadcasting to which was cancelled, and which was a most retrograde step?
Dr. HillThis answer refers in the main to the Middle East and to the Horn of Africa, but I can give my hon. and gallant Friend the assurance that other areas are not being neglected.