§ Dr. Summerskillasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received an application from the Independent Broadcasting Authority to split the frequencies to enable the present local independent radio stations to offer separate services on medium wave and VHF; and, if so, whether he will make a statement about this matter.
§ Mr. BrittanEach BBC and IBA local radio service is broadcast on VHF and MF so that the same programme material is available on both frequencies. The IBA has sought our agreement to some experimentation with broadcasting different programmes from time to time on the two frequencies. The matter is under consideration.
§ Dr. Summerskillasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department 'whether he has received an application from the Independent Broadcasting Authority to operate a national commercial radio network; and if so, whether he will publish in the Official Report precise details of the application and the terms of his reply to the application.
§ Mr. BrittanNo, but the authority has indicated to us that it considers that later in the decade there may be a case 23W for at least one national independent radio service. The scope for additional sound broadcasting channels, and how these might be used, will be considered in the first instance in the context of preparations for the regional administrative radio conference, which is to take place in 1982–1983, to plan sound broadcasting in the 87.5–108 MHz band.