§ Mr. David Nicholson (Taunton)I have a petition from 500 of my constituents in Taunton and in the surrounding area on the subject of broadcasting for the deaf. The petition was organised by my constituent, Mrs. Rita DeGaetano, who writes that the petitioners received great help from
the wonderful organization, the Deaf Broadcasting Council.She adds:I have not participated in anything like this before and I can only say it has brought home to me what a great country we live in, with such decent and caring people.The petition reads:Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your Honourable House will ensure that legislation be passed to place an obligation on television channel operators to make their programmes more accessible to deaf people by using teletext subtitles, sign language or other means, and to reach complete coverage by a fixed date. And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, etc.
§ To lie upon the Table.
555 11.46 pm§ Mr. Anthony Beaumont-Dark (Birmingham, Selly Oak)This is an excellent time to present a petition signed by 280 of my constituents, who feel with no sense of mockery that the broadcasting media are deaf to their ears. If it is so that there are 4 million people with severely impaired hearing, all of whom pay equally for the services that we all enjoy, they have a right to be heard, so that they can see—and in that sense make their lives better and fuller. The response from the BBC and from the other television companies has been so depressing that this is the right time for such petitions to be presented. The petition prays that the House will see that they are heard, and that they will be able to hear by seeing.
§ To lie upon the Table.
11.47 pm§ Mr. Keith Vaz (Leicester, East)I present a petition on behalf of Frank and Pamela Sly of 61 Havencrest drive, Leicester and 700 of my other constituents. The petitioners asked me to supplement my speech with sign language.
Broadcasters are not providing access for deaf television viewers by means of subtitles and sign language. The number of viewers affected is 4 million. Deaf television viewers, as equal members of the general public, are entitled to equal access to television programmes. The petition reads:
Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your Honourable House will ensure that legislation be passed by placing an obligation on television channel operators to make their programmes more accessible to deaf people by using teletext subtitles, sign language or other means, and to reach complete coverage by a fixed date.
§ To lie upon the Table.