§ 20. Mr. Ness Edwardsasked the Postmaster-General whether he is prepared to allocate to the British Broadcasting Corporation one of the available channels in Band III for the West of 408 England, so avoiding the splitting of home time between Bristol and South Wales.
§ Mr. BevinsI have received many suggestions for allocating the remaining channels in Band III, but I am afraid they must await review in the light of the report of the Television Advisory Committee on the technical developments in television.
§ Mr. Ness EdwardsIs not the right hon. Gentleman aware that he has the facilities available? Here in South Wales and in the West of England we have this conflict of the use of the same channel, when the right hon. Gentleman has an idle channel. Why does he not bring this into use, instead of letting it stand idle?
§ Mr. BevinsI have a great deal of sympathy with the right hon. Gentleman and his colleagues in Wales, but the difficulty is that if, in due time, a decision is made to adopt higher line definition, we might well need all the uncommitted channels in Band III, as well as those in Bands IV and V, in order to effect the change-over.
§ Mr. Ness EdwardsWith due respect to the right hon. Gentleman, may I ask if he is not aware that the definition question relates to Bands IV and V, whereas I am talking about Band III, in which he has an available channel and could let it be used?
§ Mr. BevinsI do not think the right hon. Gentleman has quite appreciated that if there is an improvement in the standard line definition, and if also it is decided that there should be a further programme, we shall need not only Bands IV and V, but the uncommitted channels in Band III.