§ 13. Mr. Scott-Hopkinsasked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications if he will allocate to the Post Office additional public funds to enable the acceleration of the building programme of booster television relay 625-line stations.
§ Mr. ChatawayThe construction of television stations is the responsibility of the B.B.C. and I.T.A. and not that of the Post Office. As I told my hon. Friend on 19th April, progress depends on technical as well as financial resources.—[Vol. 815, c. 328.]
§ Mr. Scott-HopkinsIs my right hon. Friend aware that there is growing concern in areas such as Derbyshire, where there is great need for a booster station for 625-line television for colour transmissions and B.B.C.2 and we shall not be receiving it until late 1973–74? Is it 403 not intolerable that people who are paying the full licence fee should continue to have such appalling reception and have to accept at the same time that there seems to be no possibility of the building programme, which is not very expensive, being accelerated? Will my right hon. Friend do what he can to accelerate it?
§ Mr. ChatawayI am sure that every effort will be made to accelerate it, and note will be taken of the strength of feeling in his constituency to which my hon. Friend refers. I am afraid that this is a very large programme which, in all, must take some time to implement.