Community Radio (Hansard, 17 February 1986)

§ Dr. McDonald
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is now in a position to announce the successful applicants for experimental community radio licences; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Giles Shaw
No. My right hon. Friend has just received the report of the advisory panel on community radio and will make an announcement when he has had time to study it.

§ Dr. McDonald
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he expects any community radio stations funded by the BBC to be funded through advertising; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Giles Shaw
None of the applications for licences under the forthcoming experiment comtemplates a community radio station being financed in whole or in part by the BBC.

§ Dr. McDonald
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, when he receives the report from the advisory panel on community radio, he will place a copy in the Library.

§ Mr. Giles Shaw
No. This would not be sensible. The panel prepared its report on the basis that it would not be published.

§ Dr. McDonald
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to ensure that applicants for community radio licences do not have an interest in more than one station, are not groups in which independent television or local radio companies have a majority interest, or are not groups of which political parties or overtly political organisations are part, joint or full owners.

§ Mr. Giles Shaw
The criteria for community radio outlined by my right hon. and learned Friend the then Home Secretary on 25 July 1985, at columns670–71, precluded the issue of licences to individuals or groups who have an interest in more than one station, to groups in which independent television or local radio companies 50W have a majority interest, or to groups of which local authorities or political parties are part, joint or full owners. The advisory panel on community radio has had these prohibitions in mind in considering the applications for experimental community radio licences.