HL Deb 30 June 1987 vol 488 cc124-6

2.58 p.m.

Lord Orr-Ewing

My 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 are satisfied that during the election campaign the broadcasting authorities fulfilled their obligations to provide entertainment in view of the large increase in political programmes.

The Minister of State, Home Office (The Earl of Caithness)

My Lords, the broadcasting authorities are expected to provide programmes of information, education and entertainment. It is for them to decide how to fulfil this obligation at all times.

Lord Orr-Ewing

My Lords, was not the balance of programmes, which is imposed by the Broadcasting Act, somewhat upset by the enormous increase in the number of political programmes, in that they were more than doubled as compared with 1979? As half the viewers appear to have switched off those programmes after 15 minutes, would it not be wise for the broadcasting authorities to carry out an opinion poll to discover whether the electorate—and, incidentally, the licence payers—would not prefer rather less politics and rather more entertainment in the future?

The Earl of Caithness

My Lords, it is of course up to the broadcasting authorities to determine if that is the case. But since 1979 there has been the introduction of breakfast-time television and Channel 4, and the figures for 1983 to 1987 are perhaps the more reliable. They have increased, but not to such an extent as from 1979 to the present time.

Lord Mellish

My Lords, is the Minister aware that some of us thought that the political programmes that were shown were hilarious and very entertaining?

The Earl of Caithness

My Lords, I am glad to note that the noble Lord thought some were hilarious. I thought that some were quite serious too.

Lord Broxbourne

My Lords, following upon the supplementary question of my noble friend Lord Orr-Ewing, could the Minister say whether he considers there is any necessary incompatibility or even dichotomy between politics and entertainment?

The Earl of Caithness

My Lords, if the noble Lord thinks that, the noble Lord is entitled to his thoughts.

Baroness Birk

My Lords, does the Minister agree that a general election is a special event of great importance in a democracy and that public service broadcasters regard it as their duty to provide adequate coverage? Is he also aware that the BBC scrupulously scheduled its programmes to ensure that there was always an alternative to the political programme on the other channel and that ITV attempted to do the same although its were more dispersed?

The Earl of Caithness

My Lords, as a general election comes round only every four or five years I think that the broadcasting authorities would have been failing in their duty if they had not given it sufficient coverage.

Lord Boyd-Carpenter

My Lords, following the question of the noble Lord, Lord Mellish, was not one of the funniest and most entertaining aspects the comic turn put on by the two Davids?

The Earl of Caithness

My Lords, it appears that their performances did not do them much good with the electorate.

Lord Jenkins of Putney

My Lords, is the Minister aware that in Australia no political broadcasting whatsoever is allowed during the election period? I myself, happening to be there during the last Australian election, was prevented from speaking on a non-political subject like nuclear disarmament. Could we not follow a similar plan and devote the whole of the period of the election to an entertaining programme? It seems that whatever happens in the campaign the result at the beginning of the campaign and at the end of the campaign is precisely the same.

The Earl of Caithness

My Lords, I always thought that the result came at the end of the campaign.