HL Deb 10 April 1963 vol 248 cc970-1
LORD STRANG

My Lords, I beg leave 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 the statement by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in this House on March 26, 1963, that in its external services the British Broadcasting Corporation "co-operates with the Government in producing the features which we agree will best carry out the aims of British policy and the needs of the Free World". is to be interpreted as modifying in any way the "independence of programme content" enjoyed by the Corporation, as reaffirmed in paragraph 9 of the White Paper on Overseas Information Services of July, 1957 (Cmnd. 225) in conformity with Clause 15(5) of the Corporation's licence.]

THE EARL OF DUNDEE

My Lords, when I spoke of the production by the B.B.C. of features which carry out the aims of British policy, I had in mind the great value of the External Services of the B.B.C. as supporting the needs of the Free World, and the aims of British policy. I did not intend to imply that, there had been any change in the relationship between the B.B.C. and Her Majesty's Government. So far as the B.B.C External Services are concerned, that relationship remains as set out in Clause 15(5) of the Corporation's licence, as reaffirmed in the White Paper to which my noble friend refers.

LORD STRANG

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Earl for that reassuring reply.

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, may I ask the noble Earl whether it is a fact that the B.B.C. receive certain funds from the Exchequer for the External Services? Would not the noble Earl also agree that it is of considerable benefit for the Free World that the B.B.C. programmes should appear to be independent of any basic Government policy or dictate? Would the Government not consider some other arrangement by which the B.B.C. could finance this very essential service which would clearly take it away from any suspicion that it is an instrument of Government propaganda or policy?

THE EARL OF DUNDEE

I will certainly consider that, my Lords. The first part of the noble Lord's question, which is entirely correct, was a reason for the distinction which I tried to make in my speech between External and Internal Services.