§ 2.39 p.m.
§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
[The Question was as follows:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will arrange for the opening of the new television transmitter at Wenvoe to take place during the meeting this year of the Royal National Eisteddfod of Wales.]
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (EARL DE LA WARR)My Lords, this is entirely a matter for the B.B.C., but I have gone as far as I can to see whether it would be possible to advance the opening date for the new television station at Wenvoe. The Corporation inform me that even if the station were opened during the meeting of the Royal National Eisteddfod it would not be technically possible to transmit any programmes from Aberystwyth to Wenvoe, and in all the circumstances the Corporation propose to open on August 15, as already announced.
§ LORD OGMOREI thank the noble Earl for giving me an answer, but I must say that I am most disappointed. Has the noble Earl himself tried to persuade the Corporation to co-operate in this way? Is it not a fact that the real reason why the Corporation are not prepared to co-operate is that they have taken umbrage because this suggestion was made in the Western Mail? What I want to ask the noble Earl is this: Is he satisfied that, for any technical reason, it is impossible to open this station during the course of the National Eisteddfod, and does he not think that it is absurd, however much we appreciate the Scots, to open a Welsh station with a Scottish national programme?
§ EARL DE LA WARRMy Lords, I think there is complete agreement in all parts of the House that it is very undesirable for Ministers—and the Postmaster General particularly—to attempt to interfere with the day-to-day running of the Corporation. I am quite sure that the reason given by the noble Lord—that the B.B.C. have taken umbrage—is quite unfair to the Corporation. They have informed me that there are sound technical reasons why they cannot open a week earlier. I regret that I cannot say any more.
§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, I am afraid I must press this point, because the decision is causing some dismay in Wales. In the noble Earl's opinion, is there any technical reason why it is not possible to open earlier, and would it not be possible to have a film of the Eisteddfod? I quite agree that it might be very expensive to have a live transmission from Aberystwyth, but is there any reason why a film should not be shown during the Eisteddfod week when the new transmitter is opened? This is a matter of rather more than the ordinary day-to-day running of the Corporation. This is the first time that there has been a television station in Wales, and I think it is a matter upon which the Postmaster General could make his views felt.
§ EARL DE LA WARRMy Lords, I fully appreciate the feeling of the noble Lord and of those who live in Wales. I only wish that it were possible to meet their desires, but I must repeat that it would be most regrettable, even with such a good and sound cause as this, if I were to break the principle of not interfering in the affairs of the B.B.C. I can assure noble Lords that I know that the B.B.C. have gone into the matter carefully—if I may answer the particular point the noble Lord put to me—not only because they wish to meet the views of the Welsh public, but at my personal request. They assure me that there are sound reasons why they will not be ready in time.
§ LORD CALVERLEYMy Lords, may I respectfully press the noble Earl to do his best, because usually all the musical prizes at this Eisteddfod are carried away by Yorkshire and Lancashire, and we should love to see our singers as well as listen to them?