§ Mr. K. Lewisasked the Postmaster-General what were the towns in the United Kingdom for whom his Department applied for frequencies to be allocated for local broadcasting at the European Conference on Very High Frequency and Ultra High Frequency broadcasting at Stockholm in 1961; and which applications were agreed to by the Conference.
§ Mr. BevinsFrequency provision was sought for 142 towns, or groups of adjacent towns, having populations totalling 50,000 or more. In the event, the Conference decided to plan only for the higher-powered broadcasting stations, and as a result, only 75 of these towns figured in the Conference list. I will give my hon. Friend further details if he wishes.
I should emphasise that the inclusion of United Kingdom broadcasting stations in the Conference Plans does not carry with it the obligation to establish such stations, nor does the inclusion of 91W stations in frequency bands, not at present available in the United Kingdom for broadcasting, necessarily imply that those bands will become available for broadcasting. In brief, the Stockholm Agreement has not committed the United Kingdom irrevocably to follow any particular pattern for the development of broadcasting services, but permits considerable freedom of action for such services to develop in accordance with whatever policy may eventually be decided by the Government.