§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what provisions he proposes to include in the proposed Broadcasting Bill to ensure that the Broadcasting Standards Council or the Independent754W Television Commission have adequate powers to enforce representation of deaf people and to monitor and enforce standards for hard of hearing and deaf people;
(2) what provisions he will include in his proposed Broadcasting Bill to ensure access to television viewing for deaf viewers through subtitling or sign language and for the monitoring of sound quality.
§ Mr. MellorThe arrangements we propose in relation to subtitling for the deaf and hard of hearing were set out in a reply given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd) to my hon. Friend the Member for Devizes (Sir C. Morrison) on 26 July. The Independent Television Commission (ITC) will be empowered to require Channel 3 and 5 licensees and Channel 4 to provide services of a high technical standard, including high sound quality.
The ITC will act as a licensing and regulatory body. Its members will be chosen on the basis of their experience and knowledge but will not represent specific interest groups. The Broadcasting Standards Council was set up to deal with matters of taste and decency on television and radio. Since these issues affect all viewers and listeners, it would not be appropriate to appoint a member solely concerned with the needs of people who are deaf.