HL Deb 09 March 2004 vol 658 c164WA
Lord Greaves

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether in regions which will have all-postal ballots for the European and local elections on 10 June, arrangements will be made for all party political broadcasts to be transmitted on a regional basis before the date of despatch of the ballot papers. [HL1561]

Lord Filkin

This is a matter for the broadcasting authorities to decide.

Broadcasters must, by statute, have regard to the Electoral Commission's views when determining their rules or policy for election broadcasts.

The Electoral Commission considered this aspect in making its recommendations for pilot regions. It stated that "Given the difficulties that would be faced by any suggestion to tailor party election broadcast schedules to the pilot scheme timetable, the commission does not consider this to be a factor that should be given particular weight."