§ 2.38 p.m.
§ THE EARL OF SANDWICHMy 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 what facilities exist for broadcasting news and commentaries on British policy in Southern Arabia to Moslem countries; for how many hours per week programmes in Arabic are transmitted and what were the comparable figures in 1948 and 1956; where the transmitters are located; whether any have been abandoned since the war, and whether there are now any populated areas not covered by broadcasts.]
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE EARL OF DUNDEE)My Lords, the B.B.C. Arabic Service is broadcast for 84 hours a week with a full range of programmes, including news and commentaries which regularly contain a presentation of British 487 policy in the Middle East and in recent weeks have paid particular attention to the situation in Southern Arabia.
In 1948 the Service was on the air for 19 hours a week; at the end of 1956 the weekly figure was just over 33 hours. The Service is transmitted from the United Kingdom and there are relay transmitters in Malta, Cyprus and Aden. The relay station at Berbera, which was withdrawn in April 1963, is now being rebuilt in the Aden area.
All populated regions in the Arab world are fully covered by short-wave radio from this country, or by medium-wave broadcasts from the relay stations.
§ THE EARL OF SANDWICHMy Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for that most satisfactory reply.