§ 8. Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications if, in the light of the interview conducted on "24 Hours" with a felon convicted of spying in Dorset and of the anger caused to loyal Portland people, he will under Clause 13(4) direct that the British Broadcasting Corporation does not publicise or reward spies at a time when they are trying to sell their memoirs.
§ Sir J. EdenNo, Sir. Clause 13(4) of the Licence and Agreement is a general reserve power. It would not be appropriate to use it in the case of a particular programme. The content of this or any other programme is solely the responsibility of the board of governors.
§ Mr. KingIs my right hon. Friend aware that loyal Portland dockyard workers, some of whom are at present in the Lobby, have been offered by the Government a wage rise of £1.50 a week? Is it not surprising that other Portland dockyard workers, among whom this spy worked, are indignant that he receives a large reward for his memoirs and that thereafter in peak hours the British Broadcasting Corporation advertises and publicises those memoirs? Does not this cause indignation? Why should the British Broadcasting Corporation advertise treachery? Does my right hon. Friend share that indignation?
§ Sir J. EdenThe first part of my hon. Friend's supplementary question is a matter for my hon. Friend the Minister for the Civil Service. With regard to the expression of views about the individual concerned in the Question, I wholeheartedly share the castigations that my hon. Friend directed against him. I think that everyone in the House will be hostile towards a man who has already sold his conscience to a foreign Power and now seems to be trying to make capital out of it. But the matter of programme content is not for me.
§ Mr. DempseyIs not the Minister aware that the time is overdue when the 597 British Broadcasting Corporation should be told to stop upgrading such notorious rascality, which it is doing in a case such as this? Is it not time that the BBC was told that it existed because it is maintained by decent British taxpayers and that the media should not be used for morbid sensationalism, in which the BBC indulges at present?
§ Sir J. EdenI am sure that the BBC will not fail to notice the firm expression of view by the hon. Gentleman and by my hon. Friend. No doubt it is shared by all hon. Members.
§ Miss FookesWould it not be more to the point if it were forbidden for anyone to gain from such advertising of his misdeeds at the source rather than to put the onus on the BBC or the Press?
§ Sir J. EdenThere is the fact that a certain publication was reviewed in the newspapers and media other than the BBC. What my hon. Friend asks raises much wider issues.
§ Mr. Gregor MackenzieWill the Minister accept that whilst we on this side of the House do not like the notion of people such as the man mentioned appearing—or, indeed, others such as leaders of the IRA; some of us do not like that either—nevertheless it is the responsibilty of the broadcasting authority and it is certainly not a power that we would wish the Minister to use?
§ 31. Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications whether he will, under Article 18(2) of the British Broadcasting Corporation Charter, direct the British Broadcasting Corporation to publish in its annual reports particulars of the financial rewards paid by the corporation to convicted persons for services to the corporation connected with their crimes.
§ Sir J. EdenNo, Sir.
§ Mr. KingIf my right hon. Friend cannot direct, could he not, with that tact and discretion which always distinguishes him, represent to the governors that if sums are to continue to be paid out to spies and criminals—and many of us think that such payments are against the public interest—those of us who pay the the licence fee should at least know how much is paid?
§ Sir J. EdenIt would not be necessary for me to take the action my hon. Friend enjoins upon me, because I understand that the board of governors are assiduous readers of Hansard.