§ 3.4 p.m.
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (EARL DE LA WARR)My Lords, with your Lordships' permission, I should like to make a statement about radio licences. As a result of certain recent developments, doubt has arisen as to the legality of charges made for certain classes of licence under the Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1904,including broadcast receiving licences and mobile radio licences. The Government propose to remove any doubt there may be by introducing legislation to validate charges made on all licences under the 1904 Act. For future and current licences, the matter has been clarified in the Wireless Telegraph Act, 1949.
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELMy Lords, I am sure the House will be grateful to the noble Earl for that statement. Your Lordships will agree that it is essential that the Government should have the power to collect money for licences issued for the use of wireless apparatus, and if there is the slightest doubt whether or not they have this power—and there appears to be doubt, judging from what the noble Earl has said—then it should be removed by fresh legislation at the earliest possible moment. May I ask the noble Earl whether the legislation which he has foreshadowed will cover wireless transmitters as well as wireless receiving sets? I would add this: that subject, of course, to careful study of his statement, we shall certainly support the action which the noble Earl has proposed.
§ EARL DE LA WARRMy Lords, I thank the noble Earl for his very helpful remarks. With regard to the question of transmitters, yes—the legislation would cover them.