§ Mr. Masonasked the Postmaster-General if he will list the illegal broadcasting transmissions that have been made by various organisations during the past six months, naming the organisations and the areas of transmission.
§ Mr. BevinsThe illegal broadcasts to which the hon. Gentleman refers have purported to be on behalf of the Scottish and Welsh Nationalists movements, and in support of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. They have been made from various places in Scotland, Wales and Greater London. No detailed record of particular broadcasts is held, but I am collating the available information and I will write to the hon. Member.
§ Mr. Masonasked the Postmaster-General if he will give an estimate of the time that has been spent by Post Office engineers tracking down illegal broadcasting stations; what steps they are taking to jam such broadcasts; and whether he will now authorise special steps to be taken to catch offenders.
§ Mr. BevinsI am sorry that detailed information is not available of time spent on particular investigations and it is not possible to give a reliable estimate. No steps have been taken to jam the broadcasts. As I said in my Answer to the hon. Gentleman's Question on 16th May, there are severe practical difficulties involved in catching the offenders.