HC Deb 09 May 1990 vol 172 cc313-4

Amendment proposed: No. 673, in page 37, line 15, after `(1)', insert 'Subject to subsection (1A),'.—[Mr. Mellor.]

Mr. Deputy Speaker

With this it will be convenient to discuss Government amendment No. 674.

Mr. Rowlands

The amendments involve teletexting, and there are other aspects of subtitling. I apologise for raising yet another S4C point at this late hour, but there is the issue of subtitling in English from Welsh programmes.

I know that S4C has writen to the Minister to tell him that it will have a 75 per cent. subtitling programme, which is way beyond the statutory requirement. I suggest that the Minister considers the statutory requirement to ensure that, where there is a wish to subtitle in English when showing Welsh programmes, there will be no problems with monopolies, such as teletext, which makes expansion difficult. I think that the Minister and I agree that S4C should be able to expand English subtitling of Welsh-language programmes.

Mr. Mellor

Without notice, I cannot be as categorical as I would wish to be. What the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (Mr. Rowlands) has said sounds all right to me, but I shall check the position. As the hon. Gentleman knows, I have taken quite some trouble over these S4C matters. I shall drop him a note.

Mr. Simon Coombs

I pay tribute to my hon. and learned Friend the Minister for having responded to the campaign for the preservation of teletext on Channels 3 and 4. The issue led to a considerable argument in Committee, and it should not pass without comment on Report. The campaign will continue outside this place. I think that much was done in Committee to persuade my hon. and learned Friend that we needed to see an opportunity for the preservation of a teletext service on Channels 3 and 4, which may or may not be Oracle, for the many millions who benefit from it.

Amendment agreed to.

Amendments made: No. 514, in page 37, line 17, leave out 'assigned under section 59(1)' and insert 'falling within section 43(1)(a)'.

No. 674, in line 24, at end insert— '(1A) The Commission shall do all that they can to secure that a teletext service is provided on so much of the spare capacity available for the provision of additional services on—

  1. (a) frequencies on which Channel 3 services are provided, or
  2. (b) frequencies on which Channel 4 is provided, or both, as the Secretary of State may approve.'.

No. 515, in line 26, leave out 'on' and insert 'within'.

No. 516, in line 27, leave out 'on' and insert 'within'.

No. 127, in page 38, line 4, after 'facilities', insert reasonably'.

No. 128, in line 5, at end insert— '(5A) Any person who grants to any other person access to Facilities in accordance with conditions imposed under subsection (5) may require that other person to pay a reasonable charge in respect thereof; and any dispute as to the amount of any such charge shall be determined by the Commission.'.—[Mr. Mellor.]

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