§ 3.9 p.m.
§ Lord ORR-EWINGMy 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 now license further IBA local broadcasting stations.
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICHMy Lords, the future of independent local radio is one of the matters which the Committee on the Future of Broadcasting, under the chairmanship of the noble Lord, Lord Annan, has under review. The Government do not think it would be right to authorise any further local radio stations until they have had the opportunity to consider the recommendations of that Committee.
§ Lord ORR-EWINGMy Lords, is it not undesirable that all progress in broadcasting should stop when a committee is looking into these matters? The Annan Committee was set up in April 1974, and it may well be three years from the setting up of that Committee. Since independent local broadcasting stations have proved themselves popular, serving local communities with advantage, would it not be sensible to allow people to go ahead and risk their money in entertaining other people, rather than have to wait years while Governments are deliberating the outcome of committees?
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICHMy Lords, it would seem to me rather strange, when we are approaching the eve of the publication of this report, to make a number of decisions of the kind which the noble Lord urges upon us. The Government took the view that it was right to set up a committee. I think it was warmly welcomed generally, and I believe it would be right for the Government to make their decisions in the light of the Committee's report.
§ Lord BOSTON of FAVERSHAMMy Lords, would my noble friend agree that there have been notable achievements, both by the BBC and by commercial radio, in the sphere of local broadcasting in recent years? If any expansion in commercial stations were to take place, does he not feel that it should certainly, at the very least, be very closely borne in mind that there would also be a need for that to be matched by an expansion in the BBC's local radio stations, or those of 136 anybody by whom the BBC might be succeeded?
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICHMy Lords, clearly this is one of the matters to which the Government will have to turn their attention when they have received the report of the Annan Committee. I quite agree with my noble friend. I think that local radio, both BBC and commercial, is involved in interesting and important work, and for that reason I very much look forward to reading the recommendations of the Annan Committee in this area of its activities.
§ Lord ORR-EWINGMy Lords, would the noble Lord bear in mind that there are those who take a contrary view, that it is not the task of the BBC to indulge in local broadcasting of a very local content, and that it is more important for them to spend their money on national networks, television networks and regional broadcasts, rather than on very small local stations?
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICHMy Lords, I think that the exchanges this afternoon demonstrate how much we can all look forward to the debate on the Annan Committee.