HC Deb 06 July 1970 vol 803 cc314-5
23. Mr. William Hamilton

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what plans he has for the introduction of commercial radio; and what consultations he has had with interested parties, including local newspaper interests and the National Union of Journalists.

Mr. Chataway

I have already set in train an urgent study of the technical and other aspects of commercial radio and as it proceeds I shall, of course, undertake wide-ranging consultations, including those mentioned by the hon. Gentleman. All this will take some months. I will put my proposals before the House as soon as possible.

Mr. Hamilton

Would the right hon. Gentleman undertake to publish a White Paper before the legislation is introduced? Will he include in that White Paper the names of the backers of the 57 or so companies, thereby enabling us to get the names of those greedy backbench Members opposite who have already got their snouts in the gravy boat?

Mr. Chataway

I cannot give an undertaking or recognition to any of those arguments. I accept, however, that many of the arguments which were deployed in these terms before the introduction of commercial television will be heard again.

Mr. Braine

What consultations has my right hon. Friend had with hon. Members whose constituents have been affected quite seriously by the jamming which he defends? Is he aware, for example, that the jamming activities have been seriously interfering with normal radio reception in the Canewdon area of my constituency? By what authority do his engineers interefere with normal radio reception?

Mr. Chataway

The Government have authority, indeed a duty, to protect the frequency allocation, and it is as part of that duty that this jamming is undertaken. Interference with the reception of B.B.C.'s Radio 1 has been noted within a very narrow range of the transmitter, and I am looking into this. There has been a great deal of generalised complaint, stimulated by supporters of the pirates, which does not seem to be genuine. I am, however, willing to look at any specific complaints very carefully.

Mr. Stonehouse

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that my hon. Friends and I would regard the development of commercial radio as a retrograde step unlikely to be viable as a genuine community service and more likely to reduce broadcasting standards in Britain?

On the question of consulting interested parties, will the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that before any franchise for commercial radio is granted, he will consult the interested parties in any particular town and particularly the Press, which will be directly affected?

Mr. Chataway

I will certainly be having consultations with representatives of the Press.

Mr. Alfred Morris

Would the right hon. Gentleman now give a categorical asurance that he will in no way damage the stimulating experiment in local broadcasting which is being carried through by the B.B.C.? Is he aware of the estimate which has been made by the Newspaper Society to the effect that about 20 per cent. of local newspapers would go out of business if they were to lose only 10 per cent. of their advertising?

Mr. Chataway

I believe in competition, and I believe that the introduction of competition will be as beneficial to radio as it has been to television.