HC Deb 27 February 1969 vol 778 cc1910-1
29. Mr. Gwynfor Evans

asked the Postmaster General how many hours weekly the British Broadcasting Corporation broadcasts in Arabic, Hebrew and Welsh.

Mr. Stonehouse

Arabic, 70 hours in the External Services; Hebrew nil, Welsh 19 hours in the Home Service.

Mr. Evans

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the first duty of the B.B.C. is to use languages spoken in the countries of the United Kingdom? There is great resentment in Wales that the Government spend so much money subsidising services in foreign languages, at a time when the ancient language of the Welsh nation gets such a raw deal on the mass media.

Mr. Stonehouse

The hon. Gentleman is making a very narrow political point. The External Services are designed for British external relations, and should not be confused with the Home Service. The number of Welsh hours, at 19, is a very fair proportion.

Mr Henig

Given the object of improving external relations through the B.B.C.'s external services, is not it rather surprising that the Hebrew service, which was most successful, has been closed down? Has the right hon. Gentleman anything to say about that?

Mr. Stonehouse

I will draw the question to the attention of those concerned.