§ Mr. Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to announce his decision on the franchise for Rutland community radio; and what are the reasons for the failure to announce it already.
§ Mr. Clayasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to complete his consideration of the recommendations made by the advisory panel on community radio.
§ Mr. Giles ShawSince receiving the report of the Advisory Panel on Community Radio in February we have been giving careful consideration to the applications and to the issues raised for the planning and conduct of the community radio experiment. My right hon. Friend hopes to announce his conclusions soon. The Government decided to start the experiment to test the viability and effect of new services extending the range of radio broadcasting and so broadening consumer choice. We are therefore keen to see the experiment proceed and to provide useful results. We also have a responsibility, however, before any licences are awarded, to ensure both that the experiment strikes a fair balance between the different kinds of services to be provided and is set up in such a way as to provide a fair test, with suitable safeguards, of the extent to which they meet the needs of the communities concerned, so as to provide a sound basis for the future of community radio. This has involved further discussions with the chairman of the advisory board.
We understand the natural wish of the applicants to know the outcome. Letters have therefore been sent to all applicants explaining how matters stand.