§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department's broadcasting division made any representations to the British Broadcasting Corporation about the television programme, "Red Herrings", due to have been shown on 23 January; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe broadcasting department made no representations to the BBC about this programme. I understand that the BBC withdrew the programme because advertisements encouraging people to watch it had been placed in the press by interested parties in advance of the broadcast. It is a long-standing policy of the BBC not to show programmes in such circumstances, in order to avoid the dangers of political or commercial manipulation.