Broadcasting (Hansard, 6 December 1988)

§ Mr. Fisher
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, following his White Paper, "Broadcasting in the '90s," it is his intention to require applicants for Channel 3 franchises to make specific commitments about the production and broadcasting of religious programmes.

§ Mr. Renton
No.

§ Mr. Fisher
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimates he has of the market for(a) video rental and (b) pre-recorded video tapes referred to in paragraph 2.4 of his White Paper, "Broadcasting in the '90s," Cm. 517.

§ Mr. Renton
According to a study on subscription television commissioned by the Home Office from Communications Studies and Planning International Limited, published in May 1987, a total of between £550 million and £600 million was spent on video software in 1986. Two thirds of the expenditure was on pre-recorded software, while the remainder was spent on blank cassettes. This is the equivalent of each household with a VCR buying or renting about one cassette a week. The study estimated that the market for pre-recorded VCR software would expand from £470 million in 1987 to £625 million in 1990. The equivalent estimates for expenditure on VCR rentals were £667 million in 1987 and £772 million in 1990.

§ Mr. Fisher
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with manufacturers about the development of technology for pay-per-view subscription referred to in paragraph 2.4 of his White Paper, "Broadcasting in the '90s," Cm. 517; and whether those manufacturers are British.

§ Mr. Renton
The subject of pay-per-view technology is one of a number of issues which has been discussed in the Government's day-to-day contact with the electronics industry. The choice of manufacturers for reception equipment is one for the broadcasters themselves to make.
A variety of subscription and pay-per-view payment methods are being developed in Europe and the United States. Some satellite television services are expected to be subscription based, and British Satellite Broadcasting plans to introduce a pay-per-view system.

§ Mr. Fisher
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has commissioned any research into the production costs of(a) news, (b) current affairs, (c) dramas, (d) documentaries, (e) children's programmes, (f) religious programmes and (g) educational programmes in (i) BBC, (ii) ITV, (iii) independent production and (iv) other countries.

§ Mr. Renton
The study of subscription television prepared for the Home Office by Booz Allen and Hamilton and published in May 1987 contains information about production costs. Such information is also available to the Home Office from other sources.