§ 3.48 p.m.
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (EARL DE LA WARR)My Lords, with your Lordships' permission, I should like to interrupt the debate for a few minutes in order to make the same statement as the Prime Minister is making in another place concerning the Board of Governors of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The statement is as follows.
| Name and Office | Date of first appointment | Date of expiry of appointment | Approximate total term of office |
| The Rt. Hon. Sir Alexander Cadogan, Chairman | August 1, 1952 | June 30, 1957 | 5 years |
| Marshal of the Royal Air Force, Lord Tedder, Vice Chairman | January 1, 1950 | June 30, 1954 | 4½ years |
| The Rt. Hon. Lord Clydesmuir, National Governor, Scotland | January 1, 1950 | June 30, 1955 | 5½ years |
| The Rt. Hon. Lard Macdonald of Gwaenysgor, National Governor, Wales | August 1, 1952 | June 30, 1957 | 5 years |
| The Rt. Hon. Sir Harry Mulholland, National Governor, Northern Ireland | August 1, 1952 | June 30, 1957 | 5 years |
| Professor Barbara Wootton | January 1, 1950 | June 30, 1954 | 4½years |
| Mr. I. A. R. Stedeford | January 1, 1951 | June 30, 1955 | 4½ years |
| Sir Philip Morris | August 1, 1952 | June 30, 1956 | 4 years |
| Lady Rhys-Williams | August 1, 1952 | June 30, 1956 | 4 years |
§ The Chairman and Governors who were in office when the new Charter was granted on 1st July consented to continue in office until a new Board could be appointed. The Government consider that the new Board should take office at an early date and the Queen has been pleased to approve the following appointments as from 1st August:
- Sir Alexander Cadogan, to be Chairman until 30th June, 1957.
- Marshal of the Royal Air Force Lord Tedder, who is the present Vice-Chairman, to continue in that office until 30th June, 1954.
- Lord Clydesmuir, who is at present a Governor, to be reappointed until 30th June, 1955, and to be designated National Governor for Scotland.
- Lord Macdonald of Gwaenysgor to be National Governor for Wales until 30th June, 1957.
- Sir Harry Mulholland to be National Governor for Northern Ireland until 30th June, 1957.
- Professor Barbara Wootton to be reappointed Governor until the 30th June, 1954, and
- Mr. Stedeford to be reappointed Governor until the 30th June, 1955.
- Sir Philip Morris and,
- Lady Rhys-Williams to be Governors until 30th June, 1956.
§ In accordance with previous practice the periods of appointment have been varied so that all the Governors will not retire together. I will circulate details with the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Your Lordships will, I am sure, wish to join me in thanking Lord Simon of Wythenshawe and his retiring colleagues for their services.
§ Following are the details referred to in the statement:
267§ VISCOUNT HALLMy Lords, in the absence of my noble and learned friend the Leader of the Opposition, I should like, on behalf of my colleagues on this side of the House, to express to the noble Earl, the Postmaster General, thanks for making this statement. The comment which I should like to make is that I think the Government have been very fortunate in securing the services of Sir Alexander Cadogan as the Chairman of this Board. Those of us who have had the pleasure of working with him, as I have, know and appreciate his great ability, his understanding and his common sense. I have no doubt that under his chairmanship the Board—which I consider a very good one—will have a successful period of office. I think the same can be said with regard to the National Governors who have been appointed. If Scotland is as satisfied with the noble Lord, Lord Clydesmuir, as we in Wales shall be with the appointment of our colleague, Lord Macdonald of Gwaenysgor, then there will be no dissatisfaction whatsoever. Indeed, on this occasion Wales is very fortunate in having two representatives, in the persons of my noble friend and Lady RhysWilliams. I hope that the B.B.C. will now be a little more tolerant of Welsh requirements and Welsh culture than it has been in the past. On behalf of my colleagues and myself, I should like to join with the noble Earl in an expression of praise for Lord Simon of Wythenshawe and his colleagues for the work which they have done during their period of office. It has not been an easy period, but I think it can be said of them that there has been very little grousing and that they deserve the most generous expression of appreciation which can be given to them.
LORD STRABOLGIMay I put a question to the noble Earl regarding the new appointments? Did I hear only one woman governor named?
§ EARL DE LA WARRNo, there are two: Professor Barbara Wootton and Lady Rhys-Williams.
§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, while welcoming the names of the Welsh members, may I ask the Postmaster General whether this body will be any more sympathetic to Welsh opinion than the last one was? May I remind him that Wales 268 was greatly disappointed—I know that we had the noble Earl's sympathy—over the opening of the Wenvoe station. Unless Welsh culture and the Welsh way of life are to be properly safeguarded, I shall regard it as most unfortunate that there should be any television in Wales at all.
§ LORD MANCROFTIs there any chance of us having a National Governor for England?