§ 2.52 p.m.
§ Lord Harris of GreenwichMy 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 what action they propose to take concerning the practice of some local authorities of declining to advertise in local newspapers for political reasons, despite the fact that those newspapers have the largest circulation in the area concerned.
§ The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Lord Elton)My Lords, Her Majesty's Government are aware of this problem and share the noble Lord's concern. The evidence which my department and others gave to the Widdicombe Inquiry drew particular attention to decisions taken by some authorities to withdraw their custom or facilities from local newspapers for political reasons. We shall consider the need for action in the light of the inquiry's report, which we expect shortly.
§ Lord Harris of GreenwichMy Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for his reply. Is he aware—to take one example—that in the case of the local authority in Islington, an advertising boycott is directed at the local weekly newspaper, the Islington Gazette? Is he aware that that behaviour by the local authority has been 415 condemned by both the Press Council and the local government ombudsman and that despite that the local authority is continuing its spiteful boycott against a small local weekly newspaper?
§ Lord EltonMy Lords, as I have said, Her Majesty's Government are aware of an increasing tendency for some authorities to apply political tests and conditions in their commercial judgments in decision taking. We regret that development and we look to the Widdicombe Report to give a clear exposition of the alternative options open to us.