§ Mr. Beaumont-Darkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the operation of paragraph 8 of schedule 2 to the Independent Broadcasting Act 1981 in so far as it may restrict advertisers from advocating the purchase of British goods.
§ Mr. MellorParagraph 8 of schedule 2 to the Broadcasting Act 1981 prohibits the broadcasting on ITV and ILR of any advertisement
which is directed towards any religious or political end".The interpretation of this and other provisions in schedule 2 is primarily the responsibility of the IBA. I understand from the authority that there is no question of this provision imposing any restrictions on the advertising of British goods as such; the difficulty in a recent case arose not because the advertisement in question advocated the purchase of British goods, but because of the way in which the advertisement approached its theme.