§ Mr. McCrindleasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he plans to seek further powers of control over the operation of satellites, satellite transmissions and the content of programmes broadcast; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Giles ShawA full regulatory regime for United Kingdom direct broadcasting by satellite is contained in part II of the Cable and Broadcasting Act 1984, although no such service exists at the present time. It is expected that services transmitted from low-powered satellites in the United Kingdom will continue to be aimed primarily at cable head ends and so their content will fall to be regulated by the Cable Authority under the powers of part I of the 1984 Act. However, as my hon. Friend the Minister of State Department of Trade and Industry explained in reply to a question from the hon. Member for Beaconsfield (Mr. Smith) on 23 May at columns489–90, if future services develop in this country which are intended exclusively for direct reception in the United Kingdom and clearly demonstrate the need for additional regulatory powers, the Government will consider what steps might be necessary to provide the appropriate regulation.
Satellite services transmitted from abroad fall under the regulatory control of the transmitting country. Services transmitted from member states of the Council of Europe will be subject to the general rules on advertising and programme content set out in Council of Europe recommendations No. R(84)3 and No. R(84)22, copies of which will be available shortly.