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Television

Volume 487: debated on Wednesday 25 April 1951

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Relay Services

17.

asked the Postmaster-General what developments are taking place in television wire broadcasting; and whether he will allow licences for this kind of service to operate in the areas that felt the full effect of his recent announcement in respect of the erection of the five low-power stations.

Several applications for these licences have been received, and I am proposing to meet representatives of the industry to discuss how far the development of relay services will fit in with the demands of the re-armament programme.

While appreciating the steps being taken by my right hon. Friend, may I ask if he will give an assurance that when he meets the promoters of television wire broadcasting he will give serious consideration to their point of view?

Yes, Sir, but I am sure my hon. Friend will appreciate that the re-armament programme must come first.

Interference, North-West Area

26.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that television reception in the North-West area is subject to interference owing to defective pylons; and what steps he is proposing to take to remedy this matter.

I am aware that interference with television reception is caused, from time to time, by electricity supply lines. Interference with television reception in North-West England should, however, be appreciably reduced when the Holme Moss station commences operation.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that, meanwhile, it is practically impossible for people over a very wide industrial area in the North-West to receive television programmes at all for a considerable part of the time that the programme is running? Cannot he do something about it now?

The difficulty is that the area to which the hon. Gentleman refers is outside the viewing area. It was never intended that the present transmitter should cover that area. The Holme Moss station, when it comes into operation, will meet the needs of the area concerned.

Telephone Lines (Experiments)

30.

asked the Postmaster-General why no practical use is being made of the researches conducted by his Department to enable sound and television broadcasts to be available through the telephone line system to telephone subscribers.

The experiments have not proceeded beyond the laboratory stage, and a system for conveying television over telephone subscribers' lines has not yet been devised.

Can my right hon. Friend give an assurance that this valuable research, which, I understand, has been developed to a practical basis, will not be discouraged or stifled merely because it will make expensive wireless sets unnecessary in the home market, thus fitting in with the Government's re-armament programme?

The thing is not yet practicable. The very great difficulty we might be in if it were practicable would be the amount of capital required to develop it.

Can the Minister give an estimate of the cost in each district which has felt the full effect of his recent announcement in respect of the erection of the five low-power stations, if they were served by this medium of a telephone wire broadcasting system?

My hon. Friend is mixing two things. One is television relay and the other is a telephone line system.