HC Deb 20 December 1972 vol 848 cc1307-10
7. Mr. Witehead

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications whether he will now announce the name of the new Chairman of the British Broadcasting Corporation.

6. Mr. William Price

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications whether he will now announce the new Chairman of the Governors of the British Broadcasting Corporation.

Sir J. Eden

The Prime Minister announced last week that the new Chairman of the BBC will be Sir Michael Swann.

Mr. Whitehead

I do not wish to pass judgment on Sir Michael's capacity for maintaining the integrity and independence of the BBC, and I welcome the reversion to the previous pattern of a part-time appointment. Will the Minister draw the attention of the new Chairman of the BBC to the BBC's regrettable decision to sack Mr. Charles Parker, a most distinguished radio producer and winner of the Italia Prize, whose main fault seems to be that he wishes to go on producing creative programmes rather than being a cog in a machine creating mass-produced ones, particularly bearing in mind that there is likely to be industrial action after Christmas by his fellow professionals, who feel very strongly about this dismissal?

Sir J. Eden

Appointments or replacements of the kind to which the hon. Gentleman refers are not a matter for me; they are entirely a matter for the BBC.

Several Hon. Members

rose—

Mr. Speaker

Order. I must follow the advice of the Select Committee. The Question simply asks whether the Minister will announce the name of the new Chairman, and I am not prepared to have other different questions hung on to it.

Later—

Mr. Buchan

On a point of order. May I revert to Question No. 7, Mr. Speaker?—not just your point that no more supplementaries should be allowed but the ruling that you gave at the time? As we understood your ruling, it was to the effect that since the answer—the name of the person involved—had been given, no further supplementaries would be in order, arising out of the Select Committee Report—

Mr. Speaker

Order. May I interrupt the hon. Gentleman? There was no question of a supplementary question being out of order. It is my discretion, which the House gives me.

Mr. Buchan

I made that clear, Mr. Speaker. We are not challenging your decision to refuse supplementaries. What I am talking about is the ruling which you added to that, and your explanation for stopping questioning at that point.

As we understood your explanation, it was that, since the name had been given—that is, the answer to that particular Question—you would take no more supplementaries. The question which has been posed related to the functions of the new Chairman, whose name has been given, in relation to the forthcoming strike over the sacking of Mr. Charles Parker.

In addition, I would have thought that, by analogy with the question whether a copy of a speech had been put in the Library, Questions relevant to the appointment of the Chairman would have been in order. We would therefore seek a reconsideration of the ruling that you gave.

Mr. Speaker

I try very hard to be patient with the House. I am constantly told to hurry up Question Time. The recent Report of the Select Committee said that I should restrict supplementaries when I could. Here was a Question which simply dealt with the announcement of a name. I exercised my discretion. I am at once criticised, and more time is wasted. All I would ask hon. Members who take the view that I should allow supplementaries ad infinitum is to say so when this matter is being debated. As the moment the Report of the Select Committee has been accepted by the House, and I do my best.

Mr. John Grant

On a point of order—

Mr. Speaker

Order. There can be no point of order about the exercise of my discretion.

Mr. Buchan

Further to my point of order. I feel that I must revert to this. No one is questioning your right to review supplementaries, Mr. Speaker. What we are asking about is the ruling that you gave in refusing them. We ask you to reconsider that ruling, because many regarded it as very serious.

Mr. Speaker

Of course I will reconsider anything at any time, and I will take each Question on its merit. This was a simple Question about a name. The name had been given I exercised my discretion, and no matter of order can arise.

8. Mr. Tinn

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications if he will consider varying the appointment of governors to the British Broadcasting Corporation so as to include representatives with specific responsibility for suitable geographical regions of England, bearing in mind population distribution as well as cultural and other factors, distinguishing the Northern Region among others.

Sir J. Eden

No, Sir.

Mr. Tinn

Is the Minister satisfied with a situation in which, for example, the North-Eastern region is still dominated by Manchester, although part of that region is further from Manchester than is Manchester from London? Is it not time for a bit of English nationalism, instead of endless pandering to the Celtic fringe?

Sir J. Eden

The position of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is different, and fully recognised to be so. The other appointments to the board of governors are designed to give the best possible comprehensive range of skills and qualities that can be brought together in such a body.