§ 34. Mr. Michael Morrisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the Government's policy on the allocation of an independent local radio station to those towns given to the BBC local radio but for which there is no evidence of BBC presence or interest.
§ Mr. WhitelawIt is the Government's policy that local radio should be brought to as much of the United Kingdom as possible, as soon as possible. Within this general policy the Government intend that areas which do not have a local radio service should, in general, be given priority over areas which have a service, or for which a station has been approved.
Once approval in principle has been given to a station its subsequent implementation is a matter for the appropriate broadcasting authority. So far as the nine stations for which the BBC was given approval in principle last year are concerned, the BBC has indicated that it hopes to open two of these in 1980 but it cannot give a precise timetable for the other seven stations until it has concluded its discussions with the Government about finance.
I shall, however, keep the position under review.