Lord Chelwoodasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether it is by accident or design that the BBC's World Service can be clearly received in the United Kingdom; and whether they will give an assurance that the increasing numbers that regularly listen to this service will be able to do so after the modernisation programme has been completed.
§ Lord CarringtonThe BBC World Service is designed for overseas reception. To broadcast it deliberately to the United Kindom would raise legal and financial difficulties. At present, listeners in Central and Southern England can hear the World Service on medium wave and those in Southern England on short wave. Audibility on medium wave may be confined to the South-East when a new medium wave transmitter replaces that at Crowborough later this year, but the position will not be known until transmissions begin. Short wave services will not be affected.