§ Mr. G. Darlingasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will give an estimate of the sum that would be needed to provide in 1956–57 the range of programmes broadcast in the British Broadcasting Corporation's Overseas and European Services in 1950.
§ Mr. Ian HarveyI have been in touch with the British Broadcasting Corporation which has made an estimate amounting to £5,700,000 revenue expenditure. This, however, postulates a static pattern of services. Factors such as the rise in costs and the redeployment which have taken place since 1950 make the figure theoretical and somewhat arbitrary.
§ Mr. G. Darlingasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many of the British Broadcasting Corporation's programmes are broadcast to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Rumania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Finland, Sweden, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Egypt, respectively, each week; and the types of programme and their duration.
§ Mr. Ian HarveyThe number of programme hours broadcast weekly in the appropriate foreign Language to the countries mentioned are:
Hours. Minutes. U.S.S.R. … 15 45 Poland … 14 00 Czechoslovakia … 12 15 Rumania … 12 15 Hungary … 14 00 Bulgaria … 10 30 Finland … 7 45 Sweden … 3 30 Turkey … 7 00 Iran … 7 00 Israel … 3 30 The British Broadcasting Corporation's service in Arabic (33¼ hours per week) is transmitted to Iraq, Syria, the Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt as well as other parts of the Arabic speaking world.
The General Overseas Service in English can also be heard in these countries, as well as, in the case of certain European countries, the British Broadcasting Corporation's European Service in English.
All the services listed above contain news and commentary on current events.