HC Deb 09 August 1972 vol 842 cc1703-4
5. Mr. Frank Allaun

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications if he will seek to amend the Sound Broadcasting Act to exclude consortia, whose chairmen are, or have been, national officers of political parties, from eligibility for the franchise of commercial radio stations.

Sir J. Eden

No, Sir.

Mr. Allaun

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that a consortium including the Manchester Evening News and business firms, with Baron Hewlett as its chairman, has applied for the Manchester station? While this applies to leaders of all political parties, does the right hon. Gentleman think it proper that a man who for six years has been chairman of the National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations should be given such an influential position as this?

Sir J. Eden

I do not follow the point that the hon. Gentleman is making. Section 3(1)(e) of the Television Act, which applies to sound broadcasting, imposes a duty on the authority as far as possible to ensure due impartiality in controversial programmes. The hon. Gentleman referred to an application in connection with Manchester. He will know that although the gentleman to whom he referred is to be chairman of the consortium, Alderman Bernard Langton, a former Labour lord mayor, is to be a member of it. I think this is a reasonable balance.

Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg

Is there no way of protecting people from the smears which are so frequently cast at them by the hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Frank Allaun)?

Sir J. Eden

Only by discouraging the sort of observation which was made by the hon. Member for Salford, East.

Mr. Allaun

Mr. Speaker, I do not think it is fair to regard as a smear a remark pointing out that a man holds top office in the Conservative Party.

Mr. Kaufman

Would not the right hon. Gentleman agree that all these difficulties, whether smears or worries about political influences, could easily be avoided if he were to withdraw the wretched Act which makes these abominable stations possible?

Sir J. Eden

I think that is a rather futile question.