DUNIA dadd
e taken over by the domestic side of the BBC was not feasible
on financial grounds. Mr Ridley thought that all these ideas were
We did worth pursuing in the light of the Government's decision.
not want to see the end of the Transcription SService, but we could
no longer afford to subsidise it.
15. Mr Muggeridge asked if the BBC could look for other ways of
saving the required £2.4 million. Mr Ridley said that the decisions
on vernacular services were firm for political reasons. But we were
We open to suggestions, particularly on the Transcription Service.
were not absolutely inflexible, even on vernaculars. If the BBC
could think of better ways, even after 25 June, we were prepared to
listen. But we would take some shifting. Mr MacInnes reminded
Mr Muggeridge that savings must be achieved from revenue, not from
slippage of the capital programme. Mr Gregson commented that we
were in the same situation as in October 1979, and Mr Ridley said
that it was a pity that the Government's original proposals had not
been pursued then.
16. Mr Gregson accused the Government of robbing Peter to pay Paul.
It might now be a question of the BBC running out of services before
it ran out of equipment. Mr MacInnes pointed out that only 58 hours
broadcasting would be lost. Mr Muggeridge said it was not cutting
it was hours that was important, /cutting services. The cuts would be seen
as political decisions, They would have enormous impact on the BBC's
influence as an international broadcaster.
17. On the question of a possible relay station in the Seychelles,
Mr Ridley said that we had had a discouraging telegram from our High
Commissioner there. It was now not at all sure that the Seychelles
Government would agree. We were asking the High Commissioner for
further information. Mr Muggeridge said there was another
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CONFIDENT TAT
/possibility
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