§ 42. Mr. Ness Edwardsasked the Postmaster-General if he will exercise his authority under Section 15 of the Television Act, 1954, to provide for more adequate information in the Statement of Accounts of the Independent Television Authority of the item, " Operating Income ".
§ Mr. MarplesNo, Sir.
§ Mr. Ness EdwardsDo I understand that the Postmaster-General has approved the present form of balance sheet issued by the I.T.A. in which all we get on the revenue side is one item, with no opportunity at all to see how much of this fabulous profit made by the programme contractors is due to undercharges made by I.T.A.?
§ Mr. MarplesThe accounts have been approved and they follow the ordinary commercial practice. I do not know of any commercial concern which publishes accounts divulging detailed payments made by individual customers, and I do not see why the I.T.A. should depart from ordinary commercial practice.
§ Mr. Ness EdwardsThe right hon. Gentleman is not asked to do that. He is asked to ensure that we get adequate information before the House about how moneys provided by Parliament are being treated by the Authority. I hope he will be more friendly in his reply, as his telephone operators are.
§ Mr. MarplesMy reply is perfectly friendly. The I.T.A. publishes on the income side of its income and expenditure account the same information as any commercial firm, and I do not see why an extra requirement should be laid on it.
Mr. JenningsWill my right hon. Friend consider ways and means of 194 diverting some of the profits of the independent television companies in order to reduce the television viewing fee paid by the general public?
§ Mr. MarplesThat is not a question for me. If anyone has a particular tax on profits to suggest, it is a matter for the Chancellor and not for me.
§ 43. Mr. Ness Edwardsasked the Postmaster-General the conditions on which net-working lines of communication are leased to the Independent Television Authority; and the annual revenue derived therefrom.
§ Mr. MarplesThese circuits are leased under agreements determinable after one year subject to payment of an indemnity if they are given up within 20 years. Rentals are related to cost, with a small margin of profit, and may be varied if costs alter. The amount payable by the I.T.A. in the coming year is likely to be around £ 450,000. Facilities for the B.B.C. are provided on precisely similar terms.
§ Mr. Ness EdwardsWill the right hon. Gentleman inform the House whether the increased charges placed on telephone subscribers for something of a similar nature have been imposed for the exclusive use of many of these communications?
§ Mr. MarplesThe figures for rentals, announced some considerable time ago, have no bearing on this matter. Here we charge the cost, plus a slight profit, and in the Post Office we treat all our customers alike.
§ Mr. Ness EdwardsIs not the right hon. Gentleman aware that because of the exclusive network facilities provided for these monopolies, fabulous profits are being made? Ought not some of the profits to find their way back to the Post Office?
§ Mr. MarplesThe Post Office is a public service. It would be quite wrong in principle for a public service to select certain customers and say -"You will pay a price greatly in excess of the price paid by anyone else." That would be an altogether wrong principle.
§ Mr. WoodburnIs the Postmaster-General aware that in Scotland the B.B.C. service is being starved of facilities compared with private enterprise which enjoys these profits? If he does not propose 195 to accept the suggestion of my right hon. Friend, will he allow the B.B.C. to retain some income so as to be able to develop along with the other bodies?
§ Mr. MarplesIt is not our business. The Post Office charges the I.T.A. for service, and charges it precisely the same as it charges the B.B.C.