§ 17. Mr. Fowlerasked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications whether he will make a further statement on the effect that the introduction of commercial radio in Great Britain will have on local and national newspapers.
§ Mr. ChatawayI know of no reason to change my previous assessment which I outlined during the Second Reading debate on the Sound Broadcasting Bill on 11th November last.—[Vol. 825, c. 1263.]
§ Mr. FowlerI thank my right hon. Friend for that reply. Will he make it crystal clear that any consortium bidding for a local radio commercial licence will have to show the capability and the aim of providing a good news service? Does he agree that local newspapers are in a particularly strong position to do this?
§ Mr. ChatawayI entirely agree. I believe that local newspapers will have a very valuable contribution to make to the new service.
§ Mr. KaufmanDoes the Minister regard the late lamented Clause 7 of the Sound Broadcasting Bill as a phoenix or a lame duck?
§ Mr. ChatawayIt has been made clear during the somewhat lengthy course of the Sound Broadcasting Bill that in the absence of any worth while, substantial, positive ideas of their own, the Opposition are prepared to support any Amendments which come from the Government side.