§ 2.48 p.m.
§ LORD BETHELLMy 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 they will take steps to reinstate the Albanian Service of the B.B.C., which was discontinued in 1967 to provide an estimated annual saving of £15,000 to public funds.
EARL FERRERSMy Lords, Her Majesty's Government do not consider that an Albanian Service of the B.B.C. is really necessary to promote British interests, and therefore have no plans to reinstate the service.
§ LORD BETHELLMy Lords, is my noble friend aware of the very large number of people who listen to the B.B.C. broadcasts in foreign languages, particularly in countries like Russia, Poland and Czechoslovakia, where freedom of expression is severely restricted? Does it not seem likely that in a country like Albania, also a Socialist country, the same type of audience existed and the same respect for B.B.C. impartiality was held when the service existed? Could it not be restored at a very small cost and provide a beneficial service?
EARL FERRERSMy Lords, of course people in those countries still have the B.B.C. World Service in English available to them. While my noble friend asks whether it would be possible to restore this service at a minimal cost, I can tell him that a half hour programme daily would cost at least £25,000 a year.
§ THE EARL OF LAUDERDALEMy Lords, would not my noble friend agree that increasing Soviet interest in the Mediterranean should enhance rather than diminish British interest in the Adriatic and the Balkans?
EARL FERRERSMy Lords, of course we have interests there, but when deciding how much money shall be allocated to the external services of the B.B.C. Her Majesty's Government obviously have to determine how the resources can best be spent.
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, the noble Lord's reply, if I understood it correctly, was that an Albanian Service was not in the national interest. How does he distinguish between the British interest in regard to Albania and the British interest in regard to Czechoslovakia? Are Governments of all colours not simply mean in this direction?
EARL FERRERSMy Lords, I do not think so. Obviously in allocating British funds to external services Her Majesty's Government have to consider, among other things, the British interests involved. It is our opinion that expenditure of this nature on the Albanian Service is not the best way to spend money on external services.
§ LORD BURNTWOODMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that Albania has had closed frontiers for a long time now? This may not be permanent. Only a little distance to the North there has been a curious development of Western civilisation in another Communist country; namely, Yugoslavia, which has an American gambling venture, together with other amenities. For all we know, Albania may not be so closed to outside influences in future. Perhaps this question, ought to be kept open.
§ THE EARL OF DUNDEEMy Lords, does my noble friend agree that British broadcasts in the languages of the countries to which they go out are well known to be the only available broadcasts telling the truth? For that reason they are of considerable value to British foreign policy and interests—unless it is considered that no one has a means of receiving them.
EARL FERRERSMy Lords, that is perfectly true; I accept entirely what my noble friend says. It is for that reason that one has to decide on the priorities. While the process of reviewing the external services of the B.B.C. is a continuing one, I could not give an undertaking that there is very much likelihood of the present decision on the Albanian Service being reversed.
§ THE EARL or LAUDERDALEMy Lords, would my noble friend give an assurance that in the continuing review which he says takes place, the situation of the Balkans is recognised to be not static but dynamic?
§ LORD MAELORMy Lords, can the Minister tell me whether Her Majesty's Government will take steps, not to reinstate, but to instate the Welsh Service of the B.B.C., which has been discontinued ever since it started? Three-quarters of the people of Wales cannot receive B.B.C. 2, for instance.