§ Mr. Lathamasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he intends to make a statement about arrangements for direct satellite broadcasting; and when he intends to permit members of the public to buy reception equipment to receive existing programmes being broadcast in neighbouring countries in the English language.
§ Mr. ButcherResponsibility for the development of direct broadcasting by satellite lies with my right hon. Friend the Secretay of State for the Home Department. Members of the public who wish to operate equipment to receive programmes broadcast for direct reception by satellite from neighbouring countries are free to do so under the terms of their existing television licences, although there are at present no such programmes being broadcast. As stated in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr. Smith) on 18 April, the Government are urgently considering their policy towards the licensing of new master antennae television systems which can receive non-DBS services and hope to make its conclusions known shortly.