asked the Postmaster-General whether his answer on 29th March, advocating the adoption of the National Television System Committee system of colour television, remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the Government's policy on colour television remains the same as in his anwer on 29th March; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Postmaster-General if, when he has studied the report of the Technical Advisory Committee recommendations, he will announce the date of introduction of colour television programmes in Great Britain.

I cannot add to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Brighton, Kemptown (Mr. Hobden) on 1st December: that is, that the Television Advisory Committee has recommended to me that colour television be introduced on 625 lines only, using the PAL system of transmission and I am considering this advice.

Cannot the right hon. Gentleman tell us more of what happened at the conference in Rome last week? Further, will he tell us what instructions he gave the British delegation which went to that conference?

The position is that at the Vienna conference earlier this year the Government recommended our delegation to put forward the N.T.S.C. system, in the hope of getting general agreement. Since then, we have reconsidered it in the light of the failure to get international agreement about a system. There is no firm decision yet on the PAL system, although the other recommendation about colour being on 625 lines is, of course, in line with the policy put out by the previous Government in their White Paper. Every other European country is in a similar difficulty to our own, and indeed at the E.B.U. conference yet another system was brought forward, I believe a Russian development of S.E.C.A.M. This is really a very intricate and difficult problem.

I regret that my right hon. Friend cannot give an opening date. Can he tell me whether the Technical Advisory Committee has estimated the number of sets capable of receiving the initial transmission? Can he also tell me whether the Television Advisory Committee report has any information as to set costs, maintenance and any necessary aerial adjustment?

The Television Advisory Committee's function was to recommend to us the best system that it thought we should adopt. The number of sets available would depend on the number of sets manufactured and cannot be estimated with any great degree of accuracy at this stage. There is no doubt that once we can get the firm decision that I am keen to get many of these other questions will be answered.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that over the last 12 months we have deliberately not pressed him on this subject knowing its complexity? As he now says that he hopes to come to a firm conclusion, will he tell us when he thinks this will be and whether he will be able to make the announcement in the House?

It will certainly be made in the House of Commons. I was hoping that the hon. Gentleman would comment on the fact that he had said that the announcement had already been made. It has not. This is tied up with the future of the Fourth Channel, as he knows, because of the interest of the I.T.A. in the Fourth Channel. It will, therefore, be announced when the conclusion of the broadcasting review is reached, which I hope will be early next year.

asked the Postmaster-General what decision has yet been reached by the Government on whether local sound broadcasting should be introduced into the United Kingdom.

asked the Postmaster-General what action he has taken to establish local sound radio; and if he will make a statement.

The Government are currently reviewing this and other aspects of broadcasting policy. As soon as the review is completed I will, of course, be reporting its outcome to the House.

Since there is an obvious demand for programmes other than those supplied by the B.B.C., would the right hon. Gentleman not be better occupied in licensing local radio stations and not indolently threatening the pirate radio stations which are merely meeting this demand?

Nobody disputes the popularity of local record programmes, which almost all members of the House and the general public like. The question is whether they should be provided at the expense of the enjoyment and rights of, and duties to, others. The question of local broadcasting, in which I am keenly interested, is one of the subjects of the review. That is why we are hoping that when the review comes out we shall be able to give a clear answer on this.

But when will the review come out and when will the decision be taken? All we have heard from the right hon. Gentleman so far, as my hon. Friend has said, are threats against pirate radios. We still have not heard any comments from him or his right hon. Friends about the setting up of a university of the air. When will these decisions be taken by the Post Office?

The hon. Gentleman knows that even the last Government promised a review of broadcasting policy at the end of last year. These are very complex questions and I hope, as I announced earlier, that we shall be able to publish a White Paper or make a statement early in the New Year. But I do not believe that these matters should be rushed as a result of pressure exercised in the way in which the present pressure group is seeking to exercise it.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will introduce legislation to set up an authority, similar to the Independent Television Authority, with power to control the content of British Broadcasting Corporation programmes.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will introduce legislation to establish an organisation similar to the Press Council which will have the authority to receive, select, consider and pronounce judgment on complaints in respect of all sound and television programmes, and authority to compel the broadcasting of its judgments when, in the opinion of the organisation, this is necessary.

asked the Postmaster-General if, in view of the growing number of obscene, blasphemous and indecent performances on television, he will make it a condition of renewing the Charter of the British Broadcasting Corporation that they appoint a censorship body as is done by the film industry; and if he will make a statement.

No, Sir. The governing bodies of both the B.B.C. and the I.T.A. are appointed as public corporations and are entrusted with responsibility for the programme content of their services. They are already under a duty to satisfy themselves that, so far as possible, their programmes do not offend against good taste or decency, nor are offensive to public feeling and they have full powers of control. Both bodies also have Advisory Councils.

Why not? Is the Postmaster-General aware of the very salutary effect which the I.T.A. has on commercial television? At present the Board of Governors of the B.B.C. are failing dismally in their duty. In view of public opinion in this matter, will he please change his mind?

I very well understand the strong feelings expressed by the hon. Member. For my part, I should greatly welcome an opportunity to debate this matter rather than just discuss it by exchange in this way across the Floor of the House. But with the Board of Governors exercising full responsibility, it is clearly not for me to intervene.

Mr. Dempsey.

On a point of order. In view of the unsatisfactory——

Order. The hon. Member may not take that step at this moment because Questions by other hon. Members were answered at the same time as his Question, and his giving notice would prevent them from putting a supplementary question.

Has my right hon. Friend forgotten that he also refused my request to establish a viewers' council? As the B.B.C. is obviously not exercising these controls, can my right hon. Friend suggest any ways and means to the House whereby the blasphemous, sexy and profane parts of television performances can be removed?

Being very well aware of this problem and of the strong feeling aroused by it, as I told the House I asked the B.B.C. and I.T.A. to make a point of bringing to the attention of their Boards of Governors comments made by hon. Members and reported in HANSARD about the quality of their programmes. A number of individual hon. Members and groups make representations. I think that this is the best way of doing it, although in the debate on 13th May, my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council said that the Government were considering proposals for a viewers' council, which is a suggestion which has been made.

My right hon. Friend said that there was a responsibility for seeing that there was nothing offensive to public taste. Does he not agree that the use of a crucifix as a pipe rack was offensive to public taste?

I fully recognise that the incident to which my hon. Friend referred gave very great offence.

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I give notice that I hope to raise the matter on the Adjournment as soon as possible.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps are being taken to improve the poor reception of television services in the Llanfyllin area of Montgomeryshire.

It is for the broadcasting authorities in the first place to consider what they can do to improve the reception and extend the coverage of their services. The I.T.A. have recently put to my right hon. Friend their plan to this end; and the B.B.C. are, I understand, about to refer to him Stage 5 of their plan for B.B.C. 1. As soon as he has considered these plans, he will make an announcement.

Is the hon. Member aware that the inhabitants of this area, as of many other areas in Mid-Wales, have been waiting patiently for years for a reasonable television reception even of one programme? Will he bring pressure to bear on the Department concerned.

I can appreciate the feelings of the hon. and learned Member about the position of his own constituents, but I must tell him that the claims of Llanfyllin will be considered along with those of other places where reception is poor or non-existent.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will take steps, under section 14(4) of the British Broadcasting Corporation's licence and agreement, to require the British Broadcasting Corporation to mark all programmes that are likely to be offensive to religious susceptibilities.

No, Sir. The B.B.C. is already under a general duty to satisfy itself, so far as is possible, that its programmes do not offend against good taste nor offend public feeling. It must remain a matter for its day-to-day judgment whether viewers' attention should be drawn to particular programmes in any way.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the programme to which reference has been made—in which a crucifix was used as a pipe rack—our Lord's words were also used in a pornographic joke? Is he aware that this gave great offence and that if it had affected a minority religion there would surely have been a great outburst? Should not such programmes be marked, "Only suitable for atheists and not ordinary people who believe in religion?"

As the hon. Gentleman knows, the B.B.C. does sometimes alert viewers to some of its programmes. Religious susceptibilities or feelings are strong, but not only between Christians and atheists. Sometimes strong feelings are aroused between members of different denominations. I am told, for example, that the Pope's broadcast from the United Nations caused great hostility among some other denominations, incredible though that may seem. It is difficult, therefore, to deal with this problem.

Apart from religious susceptibilities, would my right hon. Friend not agree that there is strong feeling in many quarters about many of the programmes for which the B.B.C. is responsible? Would it not be desirable, if this is not already done, for the B.B.C. to invite a delegation of hon. Members to discuss these matters with the Corporation?

I am well aware of what my right hon. Friend says about the strength of feeling on this issue—of which I know the B.B.C. is also well aware. As my right hon. Friend will know perhaps better than anyone, it is difficult to say almost anything worthwhile without offending somebody.

Would the Postmaster-General point out to the B.B.C. that scenes and acts which may be suitable for sophisticated audiences in small places like cabarets are unsuitable for general broadcasting to millions of the general public?

This is one of the difficulties of mass communication. If the B.B.C. and I.T.A. were limited in what they could broadcast generally to what was suitable for young people it would greatly limit their output. I know that this arouses very strong feeling and if the hon. Gentleman feels so strongly about it he should, as many hon. Members do, make representations to the B.B.C. and I.T.A. either directly or through me.

asked the Postmaster-General in view of the widespread dissatisfaction about the present standards of television programmes, if he will introduce legislation to enable a full inquiry to be held into the impact of the present television programmes upon all sections of society, especially children, and the need for greater supervision.

No, Sir. A Committee to initiate and co-ordinate research into the part television plays or could play as a medium of communication and fostering attitudes, particularly of young people, was appointed in July, 1963 by the then Home Secretary. It is under the chairmanship of Mr. Noble, Vice-Chancellor of Leicester University.

In view of the increasing number of people who have become anxious about programmes which are thoroughly offensive and feature a considerable amount of violence, will my right hon. Friend persuade the broadcasting authorities to examine this problem more closely, particularly in view of the increased amount of vandalism and crime and the need to ensure that these media do not increase or encourage crime?

What my hon. Friend says certainly confirms the wisdom of the previous Government in appointing this Committee. However, I greatly hope that we will have an opportunity of a short debate in the House, perhaps in response to the hon. Member for Bromsgrove (Mr. Dance), so that some of the difficulties can be more fully aired.

Is the right hon. Gentleman able to say when the Committee will report and whether its report will be purely for the B.B.C. or whether it will be published so that we can all see it?

With respect, that question should be addressed to my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. The first working paper has already been published and further documents will be coming out. I will make some inquiries on the subject and let the hon. Gentleman know.