§ Mr. G. MACDONALDasked the Secretary of State for India what is the present position concerning the organisation of wireless broadcasting in India; whether the assets of the former Indian Broadcasting Company are still in possession of the Government of India; and the number of licences held in India for wireless reception?
§ Sir S. HOAREIn 1930, the Government of India acquired the assets of the Indian Broadcasting Company by purchase and continued the service from the Bombay and Calcutta stations for an experimental period of two years and at a considerable annual loss. They have now decided to maintain the service, but to take steps to put it on a self-supporting basis. I have no information as to the number of sets licensed at present, but understand that there were some 9,000 such sets when the Broadcasting Company closed down.