"Airbase" Television Programme (Hansard, 15 March 1988)

The Minister of State, Home Office (Earl Ferrers)
My Lords, responsibility for the content of programmes rests with the broadcasting authorities. The Government have not made any representations to the BBC about the programme, but I understand that a number of people, including Members of Parliament, have done so.

§ Lord Chalfont
My Lords, I thank the Minister for that Answer. However, is it not true that under Clause 20 of the Royal Charter of the BBC the Home Secretary has direct responsibility for ensuring that the conditions of the charter and the licence and agreement granted by the Home Secretary are observed? Has anyone in the Home Department seen this film and recommended to the Home Secretary whether or not the BBC is in breach of its charter?

Earl Ferrers
My Lords, the matter has been investigated. We are not aware of any information which would suggest to us that the Royal Charter has been breached.

Lord Home of the Hirsel
My Lords, is my noble friend aware that this was the most debasing and degrading programme that it is possible to imagine? 1031 When directed at a unit of the allied forces serving in this country it was really inexcusable. In the circumstances, is it not right that the Government should make some representations?

Earl Ferrers
; My Lords, I quite understand the concern that my noble friend has expressed, and I accept it. Programme content is a matter for the BBC. It is not a matter for the Government to interfere in.

§ Lord Kennet
My Lords, do the Government agree that, if the BBC had reason to believe that the American F-111 pilots stationed in this country were a lot of junkies operating in a junkie culture, it should have informed the British authorities of those reasons; and if it had no reason to believe so, it was playing, in the most disgraceful manner, upon the natural fears of the people in suggesting, and even asserting, that it was so?

Earl Ferrers
My Lords, I understand the concern which the noble Lord expresses. As I understand it, the programme was a piece of fiction and was not depicting everyday life.

§ Lord Renton
My Lords, is my noble friend aware that for the past 30 years there has been one of the largest American airbases near my home? During the 1960s and 1970s I used to visit it frequently and have met hundreds of American airmen of all ranks. Will be accept my assurance that, contrary to what is said in the film, they are splendid men to whom we owe a great deal for their preservation of world peace?

Earl Ferrers
My Lords, I accept entirely my noble friend's reflections on the United States Air Force and the way that its members have helped not only this country but NATO. It is a matter of regret if programme contents, of whatever nature, are such as to depict facts which do not occur. I repeat that as I understand it this programme was a work of fiction. I know that your Lordships will understand if I say that it is not the problem or the duty of the Government to interfere in the content of BBC programmes. If noble Lords are concerned the correct person to write to about this is the chairman of the BBC.

Lord Winstanley
My Lords, irrespective of the merits or otherwise of this programme, is the noble Earl aware that many of us are of the opinion that Her Majesty's Government have made too many recommendations to the BBC regarding programmes and we have no wish at all for them to add to that number?

Earl Ferrers
My Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Lord for that supplementary question, but I am not quite certain whether it was helpful or unhelpful.

§ Lord Orr-Ewing
My Lords, is my noble friend aware that at this very moment that despicable programme, which sows dissent among our loyal allies and shows considerable discrimination in referring to them, is being shown on breakfast TV on 1032 the NBC network throughout America? It has a vast audience and the whole theme of the programme that is shown there is this: this is a message of how our young people are received today in Britain. Could we perhaps put out from all quarters of the Chamber that this is totally unrepresentative of the way US servicemen in this country are being received. It is despicable and I hope that high, wide and handsome apologies will be made by the BBC not only in this country but also in the United States of America.

Earl Ferrers
My Lords, what the United States puts on its television screens is a matter for the United States. What is put in BBC television programmes in the United Kingdom is a matter for the BBC. The concern, which I absolutely understand and which quite rightly has been expressed in your Lordships' House today on this subject, is such that it might be helpful if I were to draw your Lordships' remarks to the attention of the chairman of the British Broadcasting Corporation.

§ Baroness Birk
My Lords, the Minister said that this was a work of fiction. Does he not agree that there are other works of fiction—this was a drama—which refer to all sorts of groups of people within the population? Nobody believes that such a production has any connection with reality at all and therefore it should be treated in that way.

Earl Ferrers
The problem is, my Lords, that some people considered that it was related to reality. Programme content must be a matter for others and for one's personal interpretation.

Lord Home of the Hirsel
My Lords, I started looking at the programme and thought that it must be fiction, although of the most deplorable kind, but as one went through it it appeared that it was directly related to the American forces serving in this country and there was no mistaking that aim. I hope that my noble friend and the Government will make some representations to the BBC.

Earl Ferrers
My Lords, I do not seek, nor is it my duty, to defend a programme which was put on by the British Broadcasting Corporation. As I said, it is not the duty of government to interfere with what is shown. However, I shall draw your Lordships' remarks to the attention of the chairman of the BBC.

§ Lord Parry
My Lords, does the House accept that the anger that has been expressed this afternoon in the House will be reiterated in the General Advisory Council of the BBC, which meets monthly and which has a very broad representation? Fears that the BBC might be pressurised too much and fears that it might not be pressurised enough are put forward there month by month in the interests of all the people in this country.

Earl Ferrers
My Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Lord for making that point. It is helpful to know that the BBC will be informed of both sides of the argument by that council.

§ Lord Chalfont
My Lords, is the noble Earl aware of two matters that arise from his answers? The first concerns his assertion that the programme was a work of fiction. If he refers to the Radio Times in the week in which it appeared he will see an article which says that it was very close to fact indeed. On the second point which he raised—that the correct person to whom these matters should be referred is the chairman of the BBC—will he please refer to Clause 20 of the Royal Charter, which states quite distinctly that representations on matters concerning the BBC's adherence to its charter are to be made to the Secretary of State for the Home Department? I am now making that representation.

Earl Ferrers
I shall certainly take into account the representation which the noble Lord has made. With regard to the article in the Radio Times, I accept entirely that when reading it it was difficult to determine whether it was fact or fiction—the article, let alone the programme. It is an article produced by a publication of the BBC and it is not for the Government to comment upon it.

§ Baroness Phillips
My Lords, is the noble Earl aware that the splendid publicity awarded to this item, which I have not seen, will now result in most of your Lordships and a number of people outside this Chamber viewing it?

Earl Ferrers
My Lords, that is one of the troubles when one draws attention to something that is undesirable. Many noble Lords have expressed the view that this programme was undesirable and I should not dissent from their expressing that view. However, it is not right for the Government to bring pressure to bear upon a broadcasting authority to determine what should or should not go into its programmes.