§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Zambian broadcasts are monitored by Her Majesty's Government or by any other party which makes them available to Her Majesty's Government.]
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS (LORD SHEPHERD)My Lords, the British Broadcasting Corporation's Monitoring Service monitors a limited number of Zambian broadcasts and its reports are made available to Her Majesty's Government.
LORD SALTOUNMy Lords, I should like to thank the noble Lord for that Answer. May those reports be made available in the Library of the House?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, I will certainly see whether that will be possible, and I will communicate with the noble Lord.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether these broadcasts are indicative of incitements to violence against Rhodesia?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, the Question on the Order Paper is whether we monitor Zambian broadcasts. In fact, the British Broadcasting Corporation service monitors a limited number of the three news bulletins in the English daily broadcasts. There have been sug- 256 gestions that Zambia radio has incited violence to Rhodesia. The last instance was in April. The views of Her Majesty's Government are well known to the Zambian authorities.
LORD SALTOUNMy Lords, there is one further question I would ask. I take it that most of the broadcasts are in Swahili and are translated. Is that correct?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, the noble Lord is quite correct. This is why, at present, we are monitoring only the British service, because there would be a very high cost if we were to monitor the local Swahili language service.
§ THE EARL OF DUNDEEMy Lords, can the noble Lord say whether these broadcasts are transmitted from a powerful station in Africa or elsewhere, or whether they come from London?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, the Question refers to Zambian broadcasts, not to the British Broadcasting Corporation.