1925
709
AKK 2431
Written Answers
15 NOVEMBER 1979
cent. were untried and 38 per cent. were sleeping more than one to a cell.
I United Nations Commissioner for
Refugees A 211
Written Answers
the two television channels for which will be responsible.
7
32. Mr. Wigley asked the Secretary State for the Home Department if, in vie of the Independent Broadcasting Auth rity's decision to give priority to constru
Goodda asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the United Nations Commissionering new transmitters for the fourth chang in Wales, he will reconsider his decisi for Refugees.
not to allocate the fourth television cha nel in Wales for Welsh language pr grammes; and if he will consider separate control structure for this chann in Wales to answer the language requir ments of Wales.
Mr. Whitelaw: I have not so far met the High Commissioner but my hon. Friend the Minister of State had dis- cussions with him last month in Geneva. I expect to meet the Deputy High Com- missioner on Monday 19 November, and I met the High Commissioner's London representative on 1 November.
Local Authority Fire Services 25. Mr. Coleman asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether, notwithstanding the Government's policy the Government's policy of public expenditure cuts in respect of local government, he will make funds available to local authorities specifically to maintain fire services at least at the level they were on 3 May.
Mr. Brittan : No. As with other local government services to which the Gov- ernment contribute by way of rate support grant, it is for individual local authorities to decide on the proportion of their expenditure to devote to the
provision of fire vervices.
Mr. Whitelaw : The consideration which led the Government to conclu that all Welsh language programm should not be concentrated on the four television channel in Wales were explain in my message to the Welsh nation broadcasting conference-a copy of whi has been placed in the Library of House. They are not affected by decision of the IBA, which I welcome, give priority to Wales in its plans engineering the fourth channel. I inte to establish consultative machinery achieve complementary scheduling Welsh language programmes on the 18 and BBC channels, but I believe that it! essential to ensure that the responsibil for programme content of their respect programme services continues to rest wi the broadcasting authorities.