asked the Postmaster-General what action he is taking about pirate radio stations broadcasting to the United Kingdom.

asked the Postmaster-General how many radio ships are broadcasting programmes to Great Britain; what information he has as to the numbers listening to these programmes; and what is his policy with regard to these transmitter ships.

asked the Postmaster-General what action he is taking about pirate radio stations; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will now make a statement on pirate radio stations.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he is taking to deal with the problem of pirate radio stations.

At present there are four pirate stations broadcasting from ships to this country: I have no official figures about the size of audiences.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that this has been going on for a very long time and that legislation could easily have been introduced before if he had had his heart in it? Could he not be just a little more forthcoming about this and say whether he really means to stop them, or whether they are to go on indefinitely under a kind of truce?

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that our intentions are to fulfil our international requirements in this matter and I am as keen as he is to get this put right.

Will this legislation be designed, whilst dealing with wavelengths, and so on, to meet the demand for this popular type of programme which we are told is listened to by a very large section—perhaps one-quarter—of the adult population?

No, the legislation and the demand are two quite different things. The legislation is to deal with the problem of unauthorised broadcasting. The demand for popular music is in this sense not a local one but a national one and must be seen in the context of the review.

What urgent action does my right hon. Friend intend to take with regard to a new and extremely sinister development on which I have written to him? I hold in my hand a notice that announces the setting up of a political station called "Radio Freedom" which is due to open in August and which will pump political propaganda into this country.

I think the whole House will agree that as this type of development takes place it will indicate the dangers of unregulated radio.

Does the right hon. Gentleman recall that on 8th December last he urged the pirates to stop broadcasting or he would prosecute them under the existing law? Is he convinced that he has this power? If so, why has he not carried out this assurance to Parliament?

I have dealt with this. It is a matter of jurisdiction. It has not been possible to proceed in this way. In any case, it would have dealt with only a very small number of those concerned.

Would the Postmaster-General accept that the longer he delays action the harder it will be to take when the time comes and that what would have been possible a year ago will be very difficult in the months ahead?

Yes, I recognise this. The interference by these stations in Europe is creating mounting difficulties, and this is an international obligation. It is a matter of the timetable.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the musical profession and the record manufacturers are thoroughly dissatisfied at the prevarication of the Government on this? Although I believe that my right hon. Friend really wants to deal with this problem, may I ask him to try to bring more pressure to bear within the Government to get early legislation to deal with these pirates?

There is no difference of opinion as to the necessity for this. As I told my hon. Friend before, it is a question of the timetable.

Will the Postmaster-General take note that there is considerable feeling in all parts of the House about the urgency of this matter? Will he accept it from us that we will support him in any endeavour to get some of his colleagues to drop some of the more useless pieces of legislation in favour of this one?

As often with the right hon. and learned Gentleman, part of his intervention was very helpful and I shall take it back to my colleagues.

asked the Postmaster-General what reports he has had of the quality of picture produced by the new British Broadcasting Corporation's television booster between Bideford and Barnstaple, in the Bideford area.

The B.B.C. tells me that its Barnstaple relay station, which was brought into service earlier this week, is working satisfactorily; and that in general there should be no difficulty in receiving B.B.C.1 in the Bideford area if suitable aerials are properly installed.

While welcoming this statement, which I am sure the people in this area will be very pleased to hear, may I ask the hon. Gentleman if he will turn to clearing up all the other pockets where there is very poor reception in the South-West?

According to my information, the B.B.C. has checked the reception right throughout the Bideford area and elsewhere, and is quite satisfied that the reception is adequate.

asked the Postmaster-General when the Bideford area will obtain coverage of Westward independent television programmes.

The I.T.A. tells me that it hopes to open, towards the end of 1968, a low-power relay station in the Bideford-Barnstable arca to transmit programmes provided by Westward Television Ltd.

Surely it is the duty of the I.T.A. to provide these booster stations so that people in the area can have the type of programme that they want? Will the Minister bear in mind that we do not look towards South Wales or Bristol for our programmes? We look towards Plymouth.

I appreciate the hon. Gentleman's observations. I agree that the programme construction timetable is the I.T.A.'s responsibility, but the station at Barnstaple is one of 13 new stations which the Authority is to construct in the next three years and I think the hon. Gentleman will agree that a programme of this size is bound to take some time to complete.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will introduce legislation to impose restrictions on television advertising levelled primarily at young children during daytime viewing.

No, Sir. Parliament has placed on the Independent Television Authority the prime responsibility for the advertisements broadcast in its programmes; and the Authority's code of advertising standards and practice lays down conditions governing advertisements likely to be seen by large numbers of children. If my hon. Friend has any particular advertisement in mind, I am sure the Authority will be glad to have his views on it.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that young children are being subjected daily to the most modern of refined techniques of advertising and, quite apart from the moral point of view, is he aware of the financial embarrassment that this can cause to some of us who are too soft-hearted to say "No"?

Speaking as a parent, I am very well aware of this. As a matter of fact, this is not limited to television advertising. The I.T.A. does preclude advertisements which are likely to present physical mental or moral harm.

Is there any evidence to show that this television advertising does any harm to children?

As I indicated in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Blackley (Mr. Rose), it can be very expensive—I think that is the point that he was raising—and, to that extent, I suppose, the advertisers might think that it is a success.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will issue a direction under Section 14(4) of the Licence and Agreement to prevent the televising by the British Broadcasting Corporation of the film entitled "Matador".

asked the Postmaster-General if, in the public interest, he will direct the British Broadcasting Corporation, under Section 14(4) of the Licence and Agreement, not to send out television programmes which include the showing of nude women; and if he will make a statement.

No, Sir. Parliament has vested responsibility for programme content in the broadcasting authorities; and the Government do not intervene.

Does my right hon. Friend think that the British public want scenes of revolting cruelty on their television screens depicting the so-called sport of bullfighting, which is illegal in most civilised countries?

With great respect to my hon. Friend, it is not a matter of what I think at all. This is the responsibility of the B.B.C., and I really cannot be the censor of bullfights.

Is it not time that my right hon. Friend asserted himself in order to prevent any further debasement of moral standards in entertainment, and will he not agree that to include, as contemplated, the showing of nudes is an act of undiluted vulgarity? What is he prepared to do about it?

It would be quite wrong for me to get involved in any matters of broadcasting content, including the allegation that nudes are to be shown on television. I understand that the reports of striptease on television were completely denied, and I do not think that there is anything I should do about it.

Remembering how much money was abortively spent on "The War Game", which was not shown, can the right hon. Gentleman tell us whether "Matador" is in fact to be shown and what it cost?

I cannot, without notice. I am not sure that it is for me to give figures of programme costs in matters of this kind; otherwise, as the hon. Gentleman knows very well, I should be assuming gradually all the functions of the B.B.C. Board of Governors. But I am sure that, if he writes to the governors, they will give him any information he wants.

Will the Postmaster-General bear in mind that this is a free country and we all have the ability to turn our sets on or off?

I am grateful for that support, though it was put in a rather hostile manner.

asked the Postmaster-General when the White Paper on Broadcasting policy will be published.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) if he will make a further statement regarding the British Broadcasting Corporation's finances;

As I said in the debate on 3rd March, the B.B.C. has put to the Government proposals which, it believes, would enable the licence fee to be kept at the present level of £5 for the next two years or so. I am discussing with the Corporation the assumptions on which these proposals are founded. The other unresolved and major issues of broadcasting policy should be considered along with the problem of B.B.C. finance. We will announce our proposals to the House when the whole of our review is complete.

Is it not possible for the right hon. Gentleman to give a better approximate date as to when an announcement will be forthcoming, as the delay is holding back many developments in broadcasting? Does he recall that on 3rd March he said that the main problem holding back the White Paper was B.B.C. finance? Is it possible to make some kind of interim announcement?

I should naturally like to make an announcement as soon as I can, but I think that the hon. Member realises that hours of television broadcasting, local broadcasting and matters such as the fourth network are all very much tied to the question of B.B.C. finance, and I must ask the House to be patient a little longer.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that we are becoming increasingly mystified about this committee, about which he seems to know so little? Is he a member of it? We were promised this report, I think, in January. On and on we go. Can he say within six months when it may be published?

Yes, I give notice now.

asked the Postmaster-General what consulations he has had with the British Broadcasting Corporation with a view to improving the television reception on Romney Marsh.

In presenting Stage 5 of its plan to extend and improve the V.H.F. television services, the Corporation told me that it had considered the claims of Romney Marsh, in some parts of which reception is poor at times, but had had to give a higher priority to other places where reception was worse or non-existent.

Is not the Postmaster-General rather ashamed of the fact that within 70 miles of London the B.B.C. cannot give an adequate television service? Is he not collecting the licence fee under false pretences? Why can the Independent television service do it and not the B.B.C?

There is one point which the hon. Member, I think, overlooks. He says that the I.T.V. service is satisfactory in the area. The I.T.A., which provides and operates the station, is, like the B.B.C., a public corporation. From my information I understand that everything possible has been done in the siting of the stations, and I believe that the decision arrived at is the proper decision.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will introduce legislation to enable deaf persons to obtain television licences at a reduced fee.

I have considered with great sympathy the possibility of introducing concessions of one kind or another for various groups, including the deaf. But I have been forced to conclude that it would be impracticable to do so without creating serious anomalies.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that watching the picture without the benefit of sound somewhat reduces the value of television? [Interruption.] Since this has always applied to the deaf and is a rather serious matter, will my right hon. Friend reconsider his decision?

I have considered this very carefully. The difficulty is that it creates very large anomalies in the case of families living together, and deaf people without television would not benefit as a result of concessions given to others. There are other categories who are really deserving of special care. We have introduced a savings card to help and I am afraid that that is all I can do.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will seek power to enable him to supervise the application of the job grading system currently operating for the grading of staff posts in the British Broadcasting Corporation.

No, Sir. Full responsibility of the broadcasting authorities for the day-to-clay conduct of their affairs is an essential part of their independence.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the grading documents used by the B.B.C. for the grading of posts extend only to grade A1 and do not extend to the large number of posts at A2, A3 and above? Is he aware that there is very considerable dissatisfaction among members of the B.B.C.'s staff about this?

The hon. Gentleman and I are both ex-B.B.C. employees and we may know too much about grading. It is the responsibility of the management and I do not think that it would be right for me to intervene.

asked the Postmaster-General what booster stations are to be sited in Merioneth to assist television reception; where they will be sited; and when they will be operational.

Measures to improve the reception and extend the coverage of their services are a matter for the broadcasting authorities in the first place.

asked the Postmaster-General what progress he is making in the establishment of a colour television system in the United Kingdom.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement I made in the House on 3rd March.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what plans he has for the independent television companies to which he did not refer on that occasion?

I simply said at the time that we accepted the Television Advisory Committee's recommendation that colour should be on 625 lines only, and that this was without prejudice to the other questions, which are part of a much wider problem.

Does the right hon. Gentleman recall that the statement of 3rd March was made in something of a rush to get it done in time for the election? Now that he has more time to consider this, can he promise a larger allocation of hours of colour television than he could then?

It was not for me, as the hon. Gentleman knows, to promise how additional hours on television should be used. That is for the B.B.C. to do. I gave the number of hours for which programme material had to be prepared. The total number will be greater. The hon. Member cannot grumble if we come out early with a decision.