§ Mr. Roy Masonasked the Postmaster-General if he will have inquiries made by his Department into television sets designed to receive British Broadcasting Corporation Channel 2 next spring with a view to introducing legislation to ensure that they will receive this channel without costly conversion.
§ Mr. BevinsNo. Provided sets generally are satisfactory for the purpose for which they are designed and do not cause interference, their design is not really a matter for me. But I welcome this opportunity of removing any misunderstanding that may have arisen.
My understanding is that there are two kinds of television sets on sale: the "convertible" sets, designed to receive the present programmes transmitted in V.H.F. and on 405 lines, but capable of conversion so that they will then also receive the new programme transmitted in U.H.F. and on 625 lines; and the "switchable" sets, capable of receiving both 405-line pictures in V.H.F. and 625-line pictures in U.H.F. "Convertible" sets will, of course, need to be converted; it is the "switchable" set which already contains the 625-line/U.H.F. component and is, therefore, dearer to buy, but it should need little, if any, adjustment in order to receive B.B.C.2. Both kinds will, of course, need a U.H.F. aerial.