§ 4.12 p.m.
THE EARL OF HOMEMy Lords, with the permission of the House I should now like to make a short statement on the proposal for the televising of the State Opening of Parliament. Her Majesty's Government have been considering requests that facilities should be granted this year for televising the ceremony. They have decided in principle that such facilities should be granted, and the Queen has been graciously pleased to give her consent. To avoid undue disturbance, the facilities will be given only to one operator. The British Broadcasting Corporation will prepare the broadcast, but they will make the results available to the Independent Television Authority. The necessary arrangements will now be concerted with the Lord Great Chamberlain. It is intended that inside the Palace of Westminster the television should be confined to the Royal Gallery and the House of Lords Chamber.
I should like to make it clear that the Government regard this ceremony as a State occasion, quite distinct from the day-to-day work of Parliament, and they have no intention of proposing that facilities to televise those day-to-day proceedings should be allowed.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEMy Lords, as I put the Question originally, may I thank the noble Earl for his statement?
THE EARL OF HOMEI am much obliged. The noble Viscount has had some time to wait, but I hope that he is satisfied.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHI am sure the Answer which has been given by the noble Earl will be received in the country with very great interest. There is only one point that has been raised on this question, to my knowledge, and that is whether or not, 595 with this kind of broadcast, there may be some confusion, not in all minds but in some minds, as to the content of the Queen's Speech. Could arrangements be made prior to the broadcast to make it quite clear that the Speech from the Throne—which is, in effect, the Government's presentation of a programme or case to the country—is the Government's and not the Crown's? I appreciate that many people know that, but many others do not. If it is now going to be a question of a physical broadcast like this I think it may be as well to take the necessary steps to make the position quite clear.
THE EARL OF HOMEMy Lords, the noble Viscount is quite right. I think this point does need to be explained to the country, and steps will be taken to ask the B.B.C. to give adequate explanations. It may indeed be that this television broadcast will help the country to understand our constitutional processes and the way Parliament works, as well as its relationship to the Sovereign: it may be a valuable way of educating the people.
LORD REAMy Lords, arising from the answer, may I ask the noble Earl whether he will endeavour to see that steps are taken to ensure that such technical fixtures as will have to be made will not spoil the atmosphere of this traditional ceremony, the State Opening of Parliament, and that their Lordships will not be blinded, as mere puppets on a stage, but will have as much opportunity of witnessing the ceremony as before?
THE EARL OF HOMEYes. There was a suggestion made at one time that a colour film might be taken of the ceremony, but I am afraid that the intensity of lighting required made that almost impossible. So far as the television apparatus is concerned. I think the cameras can be confined in quite a small place, and the lighting will not have to be excessive in any way. I think I can reassure the noble Lord on that point.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEMy Lords, may I ask the noble Earl whether it would not be possible to have a film made of this ceremony, with a view to its distribution throughout the Commonwealth, and also to foreign countries?
THE EARL OF HOMEI think there is no difficulty in making a film from the television cameras, but the noble Viscount 596 will understand that it will be in black and white, and not in colour. I was talking about the difficulty of making a colour film.
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, following on that answer, would the noble Earl the Leader ask the B.B.C. whether they will make these films available to the Commonwealth?