HL Deb 24 January 1977 vol 379 cc225-7

2.47 p.m.

Lord GRIDLEY

My 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 the proposed cut of £312,000 to the BBC's External Services in April 1977, to be increased by £229,000, making a total of £541,000, can be justified in the interests of stability in addition to a defence cut of £100 million in the year 1977–78.

Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS

My Lords, Her Majesty's Government continue to believe that the long-term interests of Britain are served by maintaining the BBC External Services at a high level. In consultation with the BBC, we are seeking to achieve the necessary savings with the least effect on the level of operations.

Lord GRIDLEY

My Lords, while thanking the Minister for his reply, which in some respects I hardly find reassuring, may I ask him whether he is aware that the objective, impartial, informative broad-casts in many languages of the External Services are trusted by millions of overseas listeners who value this service to the exclusion of any other foreign broadcast? Is he further aware of the immense influence for peace, stability, trade and culture, in the interests of this country and world peace, emanating from these broadcasts which are disliked by the Russians who attack the qualities of the BBC in these overseas broadcasts? Will Her Majesty's Government think again? Is this action really wise?

Several noble Lords

Order!

Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS

My Lords, I myself hesitated to intervene in what I regarded as an excellent contribution. We entirely agree on the excellent contribution, past, present and, I am sure, in the future of the BBC External Services. The Government have decided that in the light of the economic circumstances of the time no service and no Department should totally escape cuts. However, we have discussed with the BBC such cuts as are found to be necessary in regard to this excellent service. Reluctantly, but nevertheless most cooperatively, they have helped to identify the areas where the deficiencies should be met. I see that the economies which have been agreed with the BBC External Services are to be made in the engineering division, in accommodation development plans in London, together with contributions from administrative services; no cuts in transmission hours, including to Eastern European countries, are planned.

Lord HILL of LUTON

My Lords, will the Minister explain why, whenever there is a need to cut public expenditure, as indeed there is now, the Government of the day always seem to seek a disproportionate cut in the service to which he paid great tribute and which yields great dividends to this country for a very modest expenditure?

Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS

My Lords, with all personal respect to my noble friend, I am not sure whether I would entirely go along with him. I see that in 1973/74 we made available the sum of £17.8 million for this service. In 1974/75 that amount went up to £22.3 million; in 1975–76 it went up to £28 million. The forecast total for 1976–77—that is, last year—was £34.3 million, and I find that the estimated total for 1977–78 is £36.7 million. So in four years the outlay has rather more than doubled. Even if we take into consideration the ravages of inflation, considerable as they have been in those years, I think that these cuts, which have unfortunately been found necessary, could not properly be described as disproportionate or discriminatory.