§ 10. Mr. Dudley Smithasked the Postmaster-General what steps he proposes to take to achieve the early establishment of a colour television service in this country.
§ Mr. BennThis is one of a number of questions which the Government have to study in reviewing broadcasting policy generally, and on which its conclusions will be announced as soon as they are reached.
§ Mr. SmithCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether the hints which appeared in the Press this morning that the Government intend to hold up the introduction of colour television are true, and whether he had a hand in inspiring these rumours? Is the Postmaster-General aware that we had undertaken, if we had won the General Election, to introduce colour television at least by 1967? In those circumstances, will he look at the matter again, because if there is ally holdup it will be a severe blow to the electronics industry?
§ Mr. BennI have had some opportunity of assessing the value of hon. Gentlemen's election pledges in my own Department. In view of the rising deficit that would confront the B.B.C., I very strongly doubt whether it would have been possible to have done that. The answer that I have given is the correct one. We are reviewing this. The standards are being studied in April, and we hope that a decision will be reached in April. After that it is a question of what degree of priority we give to this as against other possible demands on our resources in broadcasting.