HL Deb 31 January 1968 vol 288 cc776-8

2.37 p.m.

THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (LORD SHACKLETON)

My Lords, it may be for the convenience of the House if I remind your Lordships briefly of the arrangements which the House has agreed for the closed-circuit broadcasting experiments next week and the week after. During the coming weekend the Broadcasting authorities will be installing their equipment in the House, and on Monday they will rehearse—that is to say, they will have a "dry" run on their own—while the House is sitting. The results of this rehearsal will not, however, be seen by the House. From Tuesday to Thursday your Lordships' proceedings will be continuously televised, and during this period it will be possible for Peers to watch live television relays of the proceedings in the Moses Room, while they will be able to hear a live sound relay in the Queen's Ante-room.

It is perhaps worth while reminding your Lordships that during the course of these experiments a certain amount of inconvenience from bulky cameras and rather bright lighting is inevitable. However, as your Lordships will remember, the Committee have pointed out in their Report that in any subsequent televising of proceedings of the House, miniaturised remote-control cameras would be used, and that this would obviate the problems of large cameras and bright lighting, and indeed the presence of camera-men in the Chamber. Since one of the principal purposes of the experiments is to provide the Broadcasting authorities with as representative a sample of the proceedings of the House as possible, I am sure that it is unnecessary to remind your Lordships that it is important that the television cameras are not focused on empty Benches while the Moses Room is full of your Lordships looking at the screens. Unfortunately, it would not be possible for your Lordships to be in both places at the same time. I am sure that your Lordships will be able to stagger your viewing of the proceedings during this first week in order to avoid this difficulty, particularly on Tuesday, the first day of continuous broadcasting, when the maximum self-control is demanded of us all.

In the week beginning the 12th February there will be play-backs of edited television and radio programmes, starting at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, 13th, Wednesday, 14th, and Thursday, 15th February. The edited television programmes can be seen in the Moses Room and the radio programmes heard in the Queen's Anteroom. In case any visitors from another place come down to hear the proceedings, I should mention that arrangements have been made for Members of another place to see and to hear the experiments in their own part of the Palace. A summary of these plans will be circulated with to-day's Minutes.

EARL JELLICOE

My Lords, I am sure we are all grateful to the noble Lord the Leader of the House for preparing us for this ordeal to come, pleasant for some, perhaps less pleasant for others. I can assure the noble Lord that we on these Benches will do our best to "stagger" as best we can.

LORD BOOTHBY

My Lords, may I make a final appeal to the Leader of the House to put a stop to all this nonsense? It can do no good at all; it can do nothing but damage to this House; it is absolute rubbish, and the Government should withdraw it now.

LORD BYERS

My Lords, before coming to a conclusion, would it not be better first to look at this closed-circuit television? I would remind the House that this will be closed-circuit and not open to the public.

LORD MITCHISON

My Lords, will first-aid be made available?

LORD SHACKLETON

My Lords, before your Lordships get completely out of hand in advance of the broadcast, may I say to the noble Lord, Lord Boothby, that what is now about to happen is by a decision of your Lordships and it is no use appealing to me. I think we all await with great interest this broadcast, and as it gets nearer we approach it with a sort of horrified fascination. The noble Lord, Lord Boothby, is much more familiar with this sort of experience and therefore it is rather "old hat" so far as he is concerned. May I say to my noble friend Lord Mitchison that he will be able to receive all the assistance he requires, but he does not often need much. I should like to thank the noble Lord, the Leader of the Liberal Party in this House, for what he said.