HC Deb 01 March 1983 vol 38 c134W
Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether local authorities will have the power to franchise cable operators

Mr. Mellor

My right hon. Friend announced during the debate on cable systems on 2 December—[Vol. 33, c. 417–94]—that the Government accepted the recommendation of the Hunt inquiry that a new statutory cable authority should be set up to consider applications to cable, to award franchises to cable operators and to exercise supervision over their services.