Chairman of the BBC (Hansard, 26 November 1973)

§ 20. Dr. Miller
asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications if he will advise the dismissal of the Chairman of the BBC.

§ Sir J. Eden
No, Sir.

§ Dr. Miller
Will the right hon. Gentleman accept that I am not surprised at that answer, since I too have nothing against the Chairman of the BBC—except that he continues to have in his employ the Director-General, and it is only by this method that I can voice my strenuous disapproval of the policies that that gentleman has been pursuing? There is a strong indication that the BBC has departed from what we have previously considered to be its unbiased and unprejudiced opinions. Does not the right hon. Gentleman agree that in this respect the Complants Commission of the BBC is much too limited in scope and that one would imagine from what has been happening in the BBC that the BBC is open to external pressures either from the Government or from other sources?

§ Sir J. Eden
The Complaints Commission is a matter solely for the BBC. There is no pressure from the Government. On the hon. Gentleman's main point, I believe that he has already had correspondence with the Director-General. I am sure that he emphasised by that means the views he holds so strongly.