§ Mr. Kenneth Carlisleasked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future of the British Forces Broadcasting Service; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BlakerThe British Forces Broadcasting Service, presently part of the Ministry of Defence, will be merged with the Services Kinema Corporation on 1 April 1982 to form a new organisation to be known as the Services Sound and Vision Corporation. The new corporation will provide radio, television and cinema entertainment for the Service man and his family and will supply the Ministry of Defence with films and services in the field of training support. The present high standard of service will be provided at no extra cost; indeed, the Government see the merger as an opportunity for achieving savings by a rationalisation of the related activities.
The constitution of the new corporation will be similar to that of the present SKC in that it will be incorporated under the Companies Acts and have charitable status. Its policy and activities will be controlled by a council and a board of management appointed by the Ministry of Defence.
The present staff of BFBS, who are civil servants, will be loaned to the new corporation in the first instance but will be offered suitable contracts of employment, after discussions with staff and their trade union representatives, during the course of the year.
Mr. John Grist, formerly with the BBC, is being appointed the Managing Director. Last year, Mr. Grist was asked by my department to conduct a study into the feasibility of a merger and his report formed the basis for the decision to merge the two organisations. I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House.