§ 40. Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Lord President of the Council if he will seek powers to enable him to make preparations with a view to making possible an experimental television transmission of the House of Commons in the next Session of Parliament.
§ Mr. CrossmanI have given an undertaking that the question of televising our proceedings will not be dealt with again during this Session.
§ Mr. JenkinsWill my right hon. Friend look at the Question? Does he not realise that what he is being asked is to make preparations for next Session? Should he not take into consideration the interests of the electorate as well as those of Members of this House?
§ Mr. CrossmanYes, Sir. But as Leader of the House I have to consider very carefully the assurances I give to the House, and observe them. What I said to the House on the last occasion was:
After consultation through the usual channels, I do not propose to take any further steps this Session in the matter of television."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 11th December, 1967; Vol. 756, c. 94.]31 That statement precluded me from answering my hon. Friend affirmatively.
§ Sir A. V. HarveyWill the Lord President of the Council satisfy his hon. Friend by sending him to another place?
§ Mr. CrossmanI do not want to raise any false hopes in my hon. Friend's mind, but the question of whether another place can have television and us paying for it is, of course, open to question.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The "other place" was meant in a Parliamentary sense.
§ Mr. WellbelovedWill my right hon. Friend make it known that those who want to make an exhibition of themselves should have gone into the theatre rather than into Parliament?
§ Mr. CrossmanThe question which of us makes an exhibition of himself is, of course, a highly subjective one.