§ Mr. HindTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will clarify the scope of his proposal to disqualify pirate radio broadcasters from holding radio authority licences.
§ Mr. Douglas HurdFor the reasons given in my answer of 2 November 1988, column652 to my hon. Friend the Member for Derby, North (Mr. Knight) we propose a provision making it a condition of all radio authority licences that the licensee neither has a conviction for any offence committed after 1 January 1989 under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 or the Marine Etc Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967 connected with the operation or running of an unlicensed broadcasting station within five years of the date of an application for such a licence, nor employs such a person in the activities covered by the licence. In the light of representations we have received we do not envisage that such a condition would apply to offences committed before 1 January 1989.