§ Mrs. Chalkerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hours of television and radio time have been spent on (a) party political broadcasts for each political party and (b) public service broadcasting in the last financial year; and what was the cost of each.
§ Mr. John:The broadcasting authorities, which provide broadcasting time for party political broadcasts in accordance with arrangements made under the auspices of the Committee on Party Political Broadcasting chaired by my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House, have furnished the following information:
Television
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- Labour Party: 60 minutes.
- Conservative Party: 60 minutes.
- Liberal Party: 30 minutes.
- Scottish National Party: 40 minutes (in Scotland only).
- Plaid Cymru: 10 minutes (in Wales only).
Radio
- Labour Party: 25 minutes on Radio 4.
- Conservative Party: 30 minutes on Radio 4.
- Liberal Party: 15 minutes on Radio 4.
- Scottish National Party: 25 minutes in Scotland only.
- Plaid Cymru: 10 minutes in Wales only.
In addition, the Labour Party had 15 minutes' radio time on Radio 2, the Conservative Party 20 minutes and the Liberal Party five minutes.
Party political broadcasts are arranged on a calendar year basis and this accounts for any apparent discrepancy in the radio time made available to parties during the financial year.
The transmission costs to the BBC and the IBA of these broadcasts cannot readily be isolated. Costs are also incurred by the political parties in providing these programmes.
On the second part of the Question, I assume that it relates to broadcasts providing public information and my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Civil Service Department will write to the hon. Lady.