HC Deb 08 July 1981 vol 8 c139W
Mr. Lyell

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many hours of broadcasting of programmes of current affairs, magazine items, editorial comment and drama have been sold to each of the following areas Africa, Asia, the Indian Ocean, ASEAN countries, Australasia, Central and South America, and the remainder of the Third world by the BBC transcription service in each of the past five years; and at what cost to his department in each year.

Mr. Luce

Programmes of this sort have been sold to all the areas listed. A detailed breakdown of these sales by subject and area is not immediately available. I shall let my hon. Friend have the information when it has been prepared. Actual expenditure on these spoken word programmes from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Grant in Aid, including all direct costs for all areas of the world, was:

£
1976–77 490,000
1977–78 489,000
1978–79 534,000
1979–80 686,000
1980–81 791,000