HL Deb 29 July 1980 vol 412 cc720-2

2.44 p.m.

Baroness VICKERS

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 they will arrange with the BBC to include the weather conditions and travel reports in Eire when making daily announcements concerning Britain and other EEC countries.

The PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY of STATE, HOME OFFICE (Lord Belstead)

My Lords, subject to the general law and the BBC's Royal Charter and Licence and Agreement, it is for the corporation to determine the content of its programme services. This is not a matter in which the Government should seek to intervene.

Baroness VICKERS

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord how we are to get the matter changed? It seems to me so foolish that even on the television we cannot get the weather forecast for Eire, which after all is now in the EEC.

Lord BELSTEAD

My Lords, anyone wanting to make a journey across the Irish Sea will of course have the weather forecasts for that shipping area, which I think are important if one is planning a journey, but I repeat that so far as the forecasts for the Republic of Ireland are concerned, it is entirely a matter for the broadcasting authorities to decide what is included in their forecasts.

Lord CLEDWYN of PENRHOS

My Lords, can the noble Lord be a little more forthcoming? Is he aware that the Irish tourist traffic is very important to the Welsh ports of Holyhead, Fishguard and Swansea as well as to Liverpool? It would be helpful if the BBC were a little more constructive in their forecasts. There is no earthly reason why they should not include Ireland if they include other EEC countries, and I think the noble Baroness and I would be grateful to the noble Lord if he would make representations to the BBC so that they could extend their forecasts.

Lord BELSTEAD

My Lords, I will not make recommendations, for the reasons which I gave in my original reply, but I will certainly draw to the attention of the chairmen of the IBA and the BBC the exchange which has taken place in your Lordships' House.

Lord MOYNE

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that the Irish Ambassador has been good enough to tell me that he considered the proposal a very useful one and thought it would be widely welcomed in the Republic?

Lord BELSTEAD

My Lords, I was not aware of that but I am grateful to my noble friend for making me aware of it.

Lord BLEASE

My Lords, does the Minister not agree that it would be to the mutual advantage of both the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic if there were this suggested wider coverage of weather reporting throughout these islands? Does he not also agree that it is largely a question of agreement between the meteorological offices of the United Kingdom and of the Republic? And, as I think he has already to some degree offered, will he use his good offices to bring about appropriate consultations about the wider coverage of weather reporting?

Lord BELSTEAD

My Lords, the question of whether consultation should take place and the desirability of what the noble Lord is asking is really a matter for the broadcasting authorities.

Lord LEONARD

My Lords, will the Minister confirm the rumour which prevails that the "little people" in the Republic of Ireland have put a curse on the weather in Great Britain, and will lift it when their weather gets BBC coverage, in keeping with other EEC countries?

Lord BELSTEAD

My Lords, I am finding it extremely difficult to follow the width of the questions. I should like to reveal to your Lordships that when my noble friend first tabled her Question I was credibly informed in the department in which I work that it referred to France; when I finally discovered that it referred to the Republic of Ireland I felt like the person who complained Oh Mr. Porter, what shall I do? I wanted to go to Birmingham and they took me on to Crewe".

Baroness VICKERS

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether he did not have plenty of time? The misprint was pointed out to me, and he has had over a week to think about this problem?

Lord BELSTEAD

My Lords, the trouble is that the noble Baroness asks such very difficult Questions.