§ 11. Mr. Tilneyasked the Postmaster General whether he is satisfied that there are sufficient lines for the British Broadcasting Corporation Television in Manchester to take the programmes and interviews required from London; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Joseph SlaterThe B.B.C. decides how many lines it wants for television programmes and interviews at Manchester and elsewhere. We have provided all the lines asked for by the B.B.C. for Manchester.
§ Mr. TilneyHow do these facilities compare with those provided by Independent Television? Is the hon. Gentleman aware that at least one northern hon. Member was recently asked twice to comment on matters of considerable importance to the North and on each occasion no lines were available? Is this a case of further discrimination against the north?
§ Mr. SlaterThe Question is not concerned with I.T.V., but I will consider 422 what the hon. Gentleman has said and write to him.
To answer his general query, even at present 18 circuits can be used from Broadcasting House to the Post Office Tower. Two circuits connect the Tower to the Manchester terminal and there are seven circuits from the Manchester P.O. terminal to the B.B.C. Manchester studios. In the reverse direction, 12 circuits connect the Manchester studios to the Manchester P.O. control, there is one video circuit from there to the London P.O. Tower and then 16 circuits from the Tower to Broadcasting House.
§ Dr. WinstanleyIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the people of Manchester are not so much concerned with the lines from London to Manchester to bring programmes as with the availability of lines from Manchester to London? Will he do what he can to expedite the building of the new Manchester studios to replace the present wholly inadequate ones?
§ Mr. SlaterI have already made it clear that if an additional circuit is required for occasional use the Post Office will arrange for this to be provided on receipt of an order from the B.B.C. on an outside broadcast basis.