§ Mr. Geoffrey Johnson Smithasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is in a position to announce his decision in relation to any further applications for a licence to conduct a pilot scheme of subscription television over cable.
§ Mr. WhitelawIn reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South-West (Mr. Butcher) on 10 March 1981—[Vol. 1000, c. 285–86]—I said that I had decided to license five broadcast relay operators to provide subscription television services in 11 areas for an initial period of two years and that I was considering applications for services in London, Sheffield and Wellingborough I have now decided to license British Relay Ltd. to provide a service in parts of London. The subscription service will be available, to those able and wishing to subscribe it, in part of the City of London and in parts of north central, south central and south-east London. The BBC will be associated with British Relay Ltd. in providing most of the programme material for the service.
The application for a service in Sheffield has been withdrawn. The application for Wellingborough is still under consideration.