§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on when the Radio Authority is expected to announce the successful bid for the Mid-Essex local radio licence applications. [32038]
§ Mr. Fisher[holding answer 2 March 1998]: Decisions on the award of licences to operate commercial radio stations, including the timing of announcement of such decisions, are wholly a matter for the Radio Authority. However, I understand that the Radio Authority expect to announce their decision on the award of a small-scale independent local radio licence within Mid-Essex on Thursday 5 March 1998.