§ 22. Mr. Ian Gilmourasked the Postmaster-General what plans he has to reorganise the British Broadcasting Corporation and the Independent Television Authority; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Edward ShortThe instruments under which the two organisations are constituted run until 1976. I have no present plans to reorganise the B.B.C. and the I.T.A.
§ Mr. GilmourWhile welcoming that assurance, may I ask the Postmaster-General to give a further assurance that, despite the possible implications of his otherwise very interesting speech, there is no intention whatever at any date of reimposing the B.B.C.'s television monopoly?
§ Mr. ShortI would not be prepared to give an undertaking about anything of the kind. I would like to leave whatever Government is in office in 1976 quite free to deal with the problem. What I did in my speech at Edinburgh was to point out the basic problems which lie at the heart of our broadcasting organisation in this country.
§ Mr. MaxwellWhile agreeing with my right hon. Friend that reorganisation of the B.B.C. and I.T.A. may not be necessary, could he tell the House whether he is satisfied with their present performance on educational television and with the use of television and the radio networks for industrial training purposes? Can he say what steps he proposes in order to improve them?
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. This is a question about reorganisation.