Televising of the Chamber (Hansard, 8 November 1989)

§ The Chairman of Committees (Lord Aberdare)
My Lords, the broadcasting authorities intend to return to the House regularly on the day of the State Opening of Parliament, 21st November 1989.
I understand that BBC2 intends to broadcast a programme called "Westminster" daily from Monday to Friday at 8.15 p.m. lasting for a quarter of an hour on Mondays and half an hour on Tuesday 711 to Friday. Starting in the New Year BBC2 will also broadcast "Westminster Week" between 12 noon and 1 p.m. on Sundays. Both this and the daily programme will cover the proceedings of both Houses of Parliament. There will also be a live programme on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons concerned mainly with another place.
I understand that Channel 4 proposes to broadcast "The Parliament Programme" daily from Tuesday to Friday at 12 noon for half an hour and "A Week in Politics" each Sunday at 10 a.m. for an hour. Both programmes will cover both Houses.

§ Lord Carter
My Lords, I am sure that the House is grateful to the noble Lord the Chairman of Committees for that helpful Answer. Can he confirm that the televising of the proceedings of this House will not be subject to the restrictions that have been placed on the televising of those in another place? We must assume that the coverage of the proceedings of this House will be diminished. Therefore can the noble Lord explain the criteria for deciding which of our proceedings will be televised?

§ The Chairman of Committees
My Lords, there will be no restrictions on the broadcasters in this House other than those which previously existed. They will retain the same freedom which they have used with great responsibility. It will be the responsibility of the broadcasters to decide the way in which they produce their programmes and which proceedings in this House are included.

§ Lord Boyd-Carpenter
My Lords, is my noble friend aware that many of us heard the first part of his Answer with great pleasure because we feel that during the past Session the broadcasting authorities behaved most properly and did a great deal to build up the public estimation of themselves and of this House?

§ The Chairman of Committees
My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord and I am sure that the broadcasters have heard his comments. The cameras happen to be present today.

§ Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that we are grateful to him and other noble Lords who are members of his committee for looking after our interests in this matter since the House was first televised almost five years ago? Can he advise us about the position of commercial advertising? Is he aware that many noble Lords on all sides of the House would find difficulty in accepting the possibility that parliamentary proceedings will be interrupted by commercial breaks?

§ The Chairman of Committees
My Lords, I am grateful for the kind opening remarks from the noble Lord the Leader of the Opposition. The Broadcasting Committee is anxious to hear your Lordships' views of the new programmes and will welcome any information. At present live broadcasting of parliamentary proceedings on Independent 712 Television is constrained by a rule which prevents advertising breaks during such broadcasts. The IBA is seeking to have the rule revoked and has proposed a set of stringent guidelines to govern the juxtaposition of advertisements and parliamentary proceedings.

§ Lord Harmar-Nicholls
My Lords, despite the self-congratulation for the supposed great success, are we being fair to the other place? We are partners in working Parliament, and its Members, who went into greater detail than we did —

Noble Lords
No, no!

§ Lord Harmar-Nicholls
They decided upon something quite different. Ought we not to keep in mind the fact that the only reason the cameras are present in this House, with their powers to sweep round and so forth, is that we were being used as a Trojan horse in order to get the cameras where they really wanted them?

Noble Lords
No, no!

§ Lord Harmar-Nicholls
The other place is well aware of the dangers which we do not have but which it should take into account. Are we being fair in our supposed laudatory evidence about the correctness of having the cameras present.

§ The Chairman of Committees
My Lords, I do not believe that I or any other noble Lord who has spoken on the Question have cast aspersions on the other place. It has its own arrangements and it is conducting its own experiment.

§ Lord Tordoff
My Lords, from looking at today's Order Paper, can the noble Lord assist us and tell us which particular issue has brought the cameras into this Chamber for the first time since the Recess? Could it be something like Passenger and Goods Vehicles (Recording Equipment) Regulations or, indeed, the important matters contained in the Children Bill, or could it perhaps be this Question?

§ The Chairman of Committees
My Lords, it is quite coincidental. It is to enable the broadcasters to check a number of technical details before they begin broadcasting regularly.

§ Lord Mayhew
My Lords, will separate ratings be published measuring relative popularity?

§ Lord Hatch of Lusby
My Lords, will the noble Lord say something more about a very important issue which he slipped in; namely, that the IBA is contemplating reversing the rule which has applied so far that there shall not be advertisements within a parliamentary programme? Am I correct in understanding him to say that? If that is the case, what would be the balance between the IBA's view and the view of the Broadcasting Committee of this House?

§ The Chairman of Committees
My Lords, I believe that the IBA would be in certain difficulties if it 713 came to live broadcasting. It probably concerns another place rather more than this House. However, the IBA has put forward suggestions and proposals which will obviously have to be considered both by the Home Secretary, who I believe has a responsibility, and by the Broadcasting Committees of both Houses.

§ Lord Carter
My Lords, there is still one point which is not clear. I understand that the proceedings of the committees of another place are to be televised. Will that also apply to the proceedings in Committee of this House?

§ The Chairman of Committees
Yes, my Lords. It always has.