§ Sir John WheelerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received following his announcement on 4 December 1990 about his proposed supplementary broadcasting ownership rules; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerI have received a number of representations from hon. Members and others about the proposals in my announcement on 4 December relating to dual ownership of Channel 3 licences. Some of those who wrote to me supported these proposals, but a number urged me to consider restricting co-ownership of licences for adjacent areas. I have now decided that, in addition to the proposals that I set out in that announcement, it will initially not be possible for a single person to control two 371W licence areas that are contiguous. Two licence areas will be deemed to be contiguous if they are adjacent with a significant land border between them. This restriction will last only until the beginning of 1992. Between then and the end of 1993 all takeovers of Channel 3 licences will, by virtue of section 21 of the Broadcasting Act 1990, be prohibited unless they have the prior approval of the Independent Television Commission. Thereafter, it will be possible for a licensee to acquire a contiguous neighbour through takeover, provided that the two licences in question were not both in respect of areas designated as large.