§ 2.46 p.m.
§ Lord Jenkins of PutneyMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether in its annual report and accounts for 1980–81, the Independent Broadcasting Authority met the assurances given to the House on 15th October (col. 1367) and 3rd November (col. 904) by Lord Belstead that the IBA would list within that report the total amount of secondary rental due to the IBA from the commercial radio contractors, the amounts it had collected, the amounts the radio contractors had been allowed to retain and details of how the contractors had spent that money.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Belstead)My Lords, Section 27(5) of the Broadcasting Act 1980 (now Section 43(3)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1981) required the Independent Broadcasting Authority to include in its annual reports and accounts an account of how it has exercised its powers to make grants to local radio contractors out of secondary rental. That provision came into force on 1st October last year and did not therefore apply to the authority's annual report and accounts for 1980–81, which were published last July. I know that the authority intends, in accordance with the requirements of that provision, to provide full information about grants to local radio contractors in its next annual report and accounts.
§ Lord Jenkins of PutneyMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that the latter part of his Answer will be warmly welcomed? But is it not rather unfortunate that by its failure to give full information in its current report, the authority has, in fact, invalidated the undertaking which the Minister himself gave at an earlier date?
§ Lord BelsteadMy Lords, I do not accept that. The press releases of the Independent Broadcasting Authority which were given out in September of both 1980 and 1981 had a good deal of information about 361 the secondary rental system. I know that, in accordance with the requirements of the Broadcasting Act, the IBA intends to provide full information about these grants in its next annual report and accounts.
§ Baroness Lane-FoxMy Lords, is my noble friend the Minister aware that from secondary rental the leading independent radio contractor, Capital Radio, has set up the very important National Broadcasting School and that, for instance, Capital spends further substantial funds on projects such as Operation Drake and Help Line?
§ Lord BelsteadMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness for making that point. I should have thought that it was common ground throughout the House that the objectives and uses of secondary rental are beneficial to the independent local radio system, which, of course, is still making its way and expanding. Do not let us forget, too, that it is a condition of secondary rental grants that the programmes so funded should be offered free to the rest of the ILR networks.
§ Lord Jenkins of PutneyMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that in general his answers to this Question are extremely satisfactory? Is he further aware that, although it is known that the use of this money is generally, and is intended to be, devoted to good works, it is desirable from everybody's point of view that full details of those good works should be widely and generally known?
§ Lord BelsteadMy Lords, I take the noble Lord's point. My reply really is, in essence, that think a very great deal of detail has been put in the two press reports which the IBA have sent out in the last two years. I assure the noble Lord that full information will, however, be provided in the annual report and accounts for next year.