HC Deb 23 February 1966 vol 725 c389
2. Mr. Brewis

asked the Postmaster-General when television reception in the Stranraer area will be improved.

20. Mr. Kitson

asked the Postmaster-General if he will have discussions with the British Broadcasting Corporation to improve the reception of television in Swaledale and Wensleydale.

Mr. Joseph Slater

Measures to improve the quality of television reception are a matter for the B.B.C. and the I.T.A. in the first place. Both have put to us proposals for building V.H.F. relay stations to extend the coverage and improve the reception of their television services; and as soon as he has examined these proposals my right hon. Friend will make an announcement.

Mr. Brewis

Can the Assistant Postmaster-General not give any indication of date? Should not his Department, like other Government Departments, give priority to development districts? Why should people in an important town like Stranraer pay a full licence fee when they are getting very bad reception as against people in the city who are getting two or three different channels to choose from?

Mr. Slater

I would ask the hon. Member to await my right hon. Friend's announcement. I believe that the right course is to present the plan as a whole and not to comment on individual localities beforehand.