§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Prime Minister what indications were given by her office to the BBC prior to her visit to the Falkland Islands that it would be worth while to extend the stay in the islands of their film crew which was already there.
§ The Prime MinisterNone. The Ministry of Defence, which made the detailed arrangements, suggested to the BBC, without elaboration, that it might be worth while for its TV team to remain in the Falklands for a few more days.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Prime Minister whether Mr. Bernard Ingham told Mr. Alan Protheroe of the British Broadcasting Corporation that the consequences of the corporation's failure to pool the film of her visit to the Falkland Islands would be incalculable; and whether this was said with her authority.
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§ The Prime MinisterWe have no exact record of Mr. Ingham's conversation with Mr. Protheroe, but Mr. Ingham has no recollection of having made such a remark.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Prime Minister, pursuant to her answer of 27 January, Official Report, c. 495, what progress has been made in the investigation into the circumstances in which telephone calls from Mr. Bernard Ingham to 10 Downing Street were intercepted and recorded by a radio ham.
§ The Prime MinisterI have nothing further to add at present.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Prime Minister whether any prior indication was given to the British Broadcasting Corporation that film taken by it during her visit to the Falkland Islands should be pooled.
§ The Prime MinisterNo prior notice was given.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Prime Minister what was the nature of the risk of keeping British Broadcasting Corporation personnel on the Falkland Islands which was referred to by Mr. Bernard Ingham in his conversation with Mr. Alan Protheroe of the British Broadcasting Corporation.
§ The Prime MinisterThe risk was that it would cause speculation or a leak of information about my impending visit.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Prime Minister whether, in his conversation with Mr. Protheroe of the British Broadcasting Corporation, Mr. Bernard Ingham threatened to prevent any of the corporation's film leaving the Falkland Islands unless the corporation agreed to pool it with Independent Television News and Independent Radio News; and whether this was done with her authority.
§ The Prime MinisterWith my authority, my chief press secretary indicated to Mr. Protheroe that no Government facilities would be made available to return the BBC's film to the United Kingdom unless it was made available to the ITN and IRN in the interests of fair play.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Prime Minister if, in the light of the statements made by General Juan Guglialinelli, director of the War College and Institute of Higher Military Studies in Argentina until July 1982, that planning for the invasion of the Falkland Islands began in December 1981, she will reconstitute the Franks committee.
§ The Prime MinisterNo.