§ Mr. FisherTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who will be responsible for setting the cost of transmission facilities for broadcasters on Channels 3 and 5.
§ Mr. RentonThe Government envisage that the UHF transmission system will move progressively into the private sector. The precise arrangements for setting transmission charges, both after privatisation and in the interim period before then, will depend on wider questions about the future of the transmission system on which the Government have yet to take a view. We will be consulting the BBC, the IBA and other interested parties about these matters.
§ Mr. FisherTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what sanctions will he available to the Independent Television Commission in the event of the owner of a Channel 3 franchise failing to meet his target of 25 per cent. production by independent companies.
§ Mr. RentonParagraph 6.19 of the White Paper "Broadcasting in the 90s" proposes that the ITC should have power to issue a formal warning—a yellow card—and one year later to remove a licensee—a red card. The Government are considering whether, as an additional sanction, the ITC should be able to impose financial penalties.
§ Mr. FisherTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Independent Television Commission will have the power to preview programmes to be broadcast on Channels 3, 4 and 5.
§ Mr. RentonThe ITC will not have the IBA's responsibility for detailed approval of scheduling or prior clearance of particular programmes, but the Government are considering further whether there are any circum stances in respect of which the ITC should have a reserve power to preview programmes.
§ Mr. FisherTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make it his policy to leave to the discretion of the Independent Television Commission the decision on when, in relation to the financial bids for franchising, to review assurances of programme quality.
§ Mr. RentonParagraph 6.17 of the White Paper "Broadcasting in the 90s" proposes that the ITC should operate a two-stage procedure. In the first stage applicants for licences would have to pass a quality threshold, including satisfying the ITC that they would meet consumer protection and positive programme requirements. In the second stage applicants who pass this quality threshold would be invited to offer financial tenders for the licence.
§ Mr. FisherTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) further to his White Paper on 143W broadcasting, whether the Independent Television Commission will have the power to limit the number of minutes of advertising broadcast each hour on Channels 3, 4 and 5;
(2) whether the Independent Television Commission will have the power to limit the number of advertising breaks per broadcast on Channels 3, 4 and 5;
(3) further to his White Paper on broadcasting, whether the Independent Television Commission will have the powers to ensure that advertising is sold only at rates specified on the rate card;
(4) further to his White Paper on broadcasting, whether the Independent Television Commission will require commercial broadcasting companies to submit advertising rate cards for approval.
§ Mr. RentonParagraph 6.47 of the White Paper envisages that the ITC will have a duty to draw up and enforce a code on advertising, and that any maximum limits on advertising minutage should be subject to Government approval. The Government will consider the formulation of legislative provisions affecting advertising regulation in the light of comments on the White Paper, and of progress in finalising the detail of the Council of Europe convention on transfrontier broadcasting.
§ Mr. FisherTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what percentage of viewers will be able to receive Channel 5;
(2) whether he will list the geographic areas in which viewers will need to instal new aerials to receive Channel 5.
§ Mr. RentonCurrent assessments are that 65 to 70 per Cent. of the population will be able to receive Channel 5. Most viewers will require a new or additional external aerial.