§ Baroness Burton of CoventryMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will draw the attention of the Committee on Financing the BBC (the Peacock Committee) to the fact that the report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission (The British Broadcasting Corporation and Independent Television Publications Limited) published in September 1985 states there can be no doubt that the relevant policies and practices of the BBC and ITV do in fact prevent or restrict competition in a number of ways (par. 6.4).
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Glenarthur)My Lords, we doubt whether the report is central to the matters which the committee is addressing and therefore do not propose to draw it to their attention. It is of course entirely open to the noble Baroness to do so herself.
§ Baroness Burton of CoventryMy Lords, while regretting that unhelpful Answer, may I ask the Minister whether he is aware that I have here a copy of a Government press notice dated 11th September, a copy of which I hope is also in his brief, in which the commission put forward five suggestions supported by the Government? Can the Minister tell the House what progress has been made with those five suggestions and with the discussions with the broadcasting organisations which the Government, in that press statement, undertook to have?
§ Lord GlenarthurMy Lords, I regret that I do not have a copy of that particular press notice with me. However, I can tell the noble Baroness that the Government have said that they agree with the Monopolies and Mergers Commission that the BBC and independent television companies should in their journals be responsive to public requirements. We have written to the BBC and to Independent Television Publications Limited asking for their reaction to the commission's report. We have not yet received their reaction.
§ Baroness Burton of CoventryMy Lords, I do not wish to appear rude, but I suggest that a copy of the release should have been in the Minister's brief. Will he ask the department to provide him with a copy of the press release from his own Government dated 11th September? Will he then examine the five suggestions put forward by the commission, which are supported 970 by the Government in that statement, and note that one of them suggests that consideration be given to the possibility of waiving copyright in weekly schedules at times of industrial dispute? To save the time of the House and to save my time—not to mention that of the noble Lord—will the Minister give me a Written Answer in Hansard, so that we may all know the present position?
§ Lord GlenarthurMy Lords, it was because of the concern which we felt that we wrote to the BBC and to Independent Television Publications. When we receive their answers we shall be in a position to give the information which the noble Baroness seeks. If she will put down a specific Question for Written Answer, I shall be delighted to answer it.
§ Baroness Burton of CoventryMy Lords, I am sorry, but I have asked the Minister a very simple question. Will he please read the Government press notice dated 11th September when a copy is in his possession? When he has read it, will he be kind enough to answer my question in the light of it?
§ Lord GlenarthurMy Lords, I shall of course study the press notice with great care. However, I cannot give a Written Answer without the noble Baroness tabling a specific Question. If the noble Baroness wishes me to write to her, of course I will do so and a copy will be placed in the Library in the usual way.
§ Lord MishconMy Lords, if I may revert to the original Question, is it not also fair to say that the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, while pointing out anti-competition practices in various instances, decided that those practices were not contrary to the public interest? Should not that be made perfectly clear in any Answer to this Question? Furthermore, can the noble Lord the Minister enlighten the House as to when it is likely that the Peacock Committee will be reporting?
§ Lord GlenarthurMy Lords, the noble Lord is quite right when he says that the conclusion was that the practices in question were not contrary to the public interest. So far as the Peacock Committee is concerned, I can say only that it will be reporting round about the summer. I cannot be more specific than that.