HC Deb 30 June 1965 vol 715 cc601-3
22. Sir G. Wills

asked the Postmaster-General what are the reasons for the delay in implementing measures to combat the effect of interference by foreign stations on British Broadcasting Corporation television reception; and what steps he is taking internationally to deal with this problem.

Mr. Benn

The B.B.C. tells me that there is no general delay in implementing the measures it is taking to improve the reception of its television services in areas where interference from continental stations is specially severe. The assignment of the scarce frequencies available for television is already most carefully planned internationally to combine the greatest use with the least interference.

Sir G. Wills

Does the Postmaster-General realise that intense annoyance is caused to thousands of people in the West Country and many other places by this interference on B.B.C. programmes which, in spite of what has been said quite a number of people still wish to see and hear? They wonder why the interference is not caused on I.T.V.? Could not the Postmaster-General do something internationally to stop this interference which is of great annoyance, over a prolonged period, to a very large number of people?

Mr. Benn

The allocation of frequencies, as the hon. Gentleman knows, is internationally agreed to order to maximise the use and minimise the interference. This is, in part, a seasonal problem. At this time of the year interference is more serious. As far as remedies are concerned, the B.B.C. has completed 36 relays, and 30 more will be completed in 1965 and 1966. For the high power Band-III transmissions there will be five transmitters. Two of them are open and three more are to come. This is a problem which can only be tackled where it is acute by the provision of more relay stations. I assure the hon. Gentleman that international reallocation would not solve the problem.

Sir G. Wills

If the B.B.C. is in trouble, could not the Postmaster-General help it and get it to provide the relay stations more quickly?

Mr. Benn

When the B.B.C. gave me its latest plan for relay stations I invited it to prepare another one to deal with the areas badly affected, and a new stage of its relay scheme is in course of preparation.

Mr. Farr

When the right hon. Gentleman is looking into this matter, could he also look into reception of both B.B.C. 1 and B.B.C. 2 in the London area, which is exceptionally bad compared with I.T.V. reception?

Mr. Benn

If the hon. Gentleman has any particular point he would like to bring to my attention in this respect I will see that the engineers look at it. It depends very much on areas, and certainly in the area where I live reception is affected by overhead jet aircraft. Good aerials can perhaps eliminate trouble, even in the centre of big cities.