§ Mr. Maginnisasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will introduce similar measures to those in use in the Irish Republic to prevent Provisional Sinn Fein propagandists and advocates of terrorism from appearing on television.
§ Mr. Brittan[pursuant to the reply, 25 July 1984]: I have been asked to reply.
It is a long-standing principle of the broadcasting arrangements in the United Kingdom that the broadcasting authorities have editorial responsibility for the content of their programmes. One of their duties (Statutory, in the case of the IBA; self-imposed under the royal charter and licence in the case of the BBC) is not to include in their programmes material likely to encourage or incite to crime or lead to disorder, or be offensive to public feeling.
Local Authority Relevant Expenditure in Wales*† £ million 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 Current expenditure (as defined in table 2.18.1) 746.0 870.7 1,035.1 1,172.9 1,265.0 1,405.6 1,428.1 Relevant current expenditure 698.4 815.5 974.8 1,078.6 1,154.5 1,230.4 1,252.9 Revenue contributions to capital 42.8 50.4 62.0 54.7 70.8 46.0 44.0 Loan charges met from rate fund 77.9 91.1 101.8 112.5 118.7 137.2 154.0 Rate fund contribution to housing revenue accounts 6.1 11.7 14.0 11.9 12.5 9.0 5.0 Interest receipts -14.9 -26.1 -21.1 -24.2 -28.9 -22.8 ‡-16.0 Total relevant expenditure 810.3 942.6 1,131.5 1,233.4 1,327.6 1,399.9 1,440.0 Totals may not add because of rounding. Notes:
* Outturn data except for 1983–84 (revised estimates, except for current expenditure, which is based on budgets) and 1984–85 (provision). 1983–84 figures are not directly comparable with budget figures, published in table 2.18.2 of Cmnd 9143, because of the adjustments for housing benefit changes
138WAgainst this background successive Governments, though conscious of the prohibitions imposed by law in the Republic of Ireland, have not been persuaded that a similar approach should be adopted in the United Kingdom.
It is for those responsible for deciding whether to institute prosecutions for a criminal offence to examine, as appropriate, statements made on television or elsewhere by spokesmen of Provisional Sinn Fein and others who may support terrorism.