§ Mr. Ernest Daviesasked the Minister of Information why, on 12th October the B.B.C. refused to carry out a request from the Minister of Labour, to broadcast in the Home Service a statement by Mr. J. Donovan, national secretary of the docker's section of the Transport and General Workers' Union; and what action he proposes to take, in view of the B.B.C.'s failure to fulfil the terms of its licence which provides that it broadcasts any matter which any Department of His Majesty's Government requires to be broadcast.
§ Mr. E. J. WilliamsOn 12th October the B.B.C. were asked by the Transport and General Workers' Union that Mr. Donovan should be allowed to broadcast a report of the meeting of the National Delegates Conference which had taken place that day. This was discussed with the B.B.C, who stated that they were required to maintain absolute impartiality in regard to controversial issues and could not fairly allow such a broadcast from one side in a dispute without giving the other side an opportunity to reply. A full report of the Conference was, however, included in all the news bulletins. No request was made to the B.B.C. in terms of Clause 4 (ii) of the licence, and the last part of the Question therefore does not arise.