§ Mr. R. Morganasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Information whether, in view of the vital importance of expanding the output and the area of reception of the foreign language news services of the British Broadcasting Corporation, and the impossibility, in view of security, of increasing the number of British Broadcasting Corporation's transmitters operating in this country, arrangements can be made for the corporation to lease time on available Continental stations for this purpose?
§ Sir E. GriggThe Ministry of Information and the B.B.C. are in regular consultation as to possibilities of increasing the output and the area of reception of the corporation's foreign language news services. Very recently steps have been taken to augment both the services in question, which are now provided in 15 foreign languages as against seven before the outbreak of war, and the areas in which they can be received. My hon. Friend's suggestion will be borne in mind, but, as he is no doubt aware, the number of Continental stations in a position to lease time has been severely curtailed by war-time control.