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BROADCAST RELAY EXCHANGES

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33. The Broadcasting Committee recommended that the relay exchanges (which pick up programmes from broadcasting stations for distribution by wires to subscribers) should be left to private enterprise and that licences should be granted for a term of ten years in the first instance, with power to the Government to take over compulsorily then, or by two years' notice, on going concern terms. The present and preceding licences, dating back to 1930, have provided that the Postmaster General might, on determination of the licence, acquire compulsorily such portions of the plant and apparatus as he might specify for a consideration equal to the value thereof at the Įdate of purchase as plant and apparatus in situ exclusive of any allowance or compensation for loss of profit compulsory sale goodwill the cost of raising The Government intend to grant a fifteen- capital or other consideration." year licence with power to the Postmaster General to take over compulsorily then, or thereafter by two years' notice. The existing terms of compensation would be modified to provide that, if the Postmaster General should eventually take over a particular exchange or exchanges, he would be under obligation to acquire all that plant and apparatus and not part only. Like their pre- decessors, the Government accept the Broadcasting Committee's views that the clause in the present relay licences that only British subjects may be directors of the licensee companies should be discontinued and that in other respects the existing requirements of the licences should generally be maintained. The Committee also recommended that the B.B.C. might operate broadcast relay exchanges in areas where direct radio reception of sound programmes is poor; this recommendation will need to be studied in the light of the developments of higher frequency broadcasting.

EDUCATIONAL BROADCASTING

34. The Government agree with the views expressed on this subject in the White Paper of July 1951 (Cmd. 8291, paragraphs 39 and 40).

POLITICAL BROADCASTING

35. The Government propose to discuss the Broadcasting Committee's recommendations about political broadcasting with the Opposition and the

B.B.C.

III.-RECOMMENDATIONS

AND SUGGESTIONS FOR ACTION BY THE B.B.C.

PUBLIC REPRESENTATION SERVICE

36. As indicated in paragraph 13 above, the new Charter will make it a duty of the Corporation to take such steps as may appear to them necessary to bring their work under constant and effective review and to keep them in touch with outside opinion. The Government propose to leave it to the Governors to decide how this should be done."

STAFF CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

37. In fixing the salaries and conditions of the staff the B.B.C. should take account of the Government's general policy on wages and kindred

matters.

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38. The Government note that the Corporation have reconsidered the Staff Regulation dealing with the personal activities of the staff and that a revispth version haf 20 put to the Staff Association who are considering it. The Governors have also reviewed the Regulation about appeals from the staff to the Board. The Government agree with the Corporation that the procedure must depend on the eventual nature of the staff representation and the machinery established for that purpose. For the time being, there- fore, the range of appeals will remain unrestricted and the existing arrange- ments unaltered.

39. The Broadcasting Committee recommended that there should at all times be machinery in the Corporation for examining, independently and rapidly, charges of favouritism (or unjustifiable exclusion) brought to their notice by persons outside the B.B.C. The Government understand that the Governors have reviewed the existing arrangements in the light of this recommendation and that they are satisfied that no additional machinery is called for.

JOINT CONSULTATIVE MACHINERY

40. The Broadcasting Committee recommended that the Governors should consider methods of bringing into force joint consultative machinery. for improving the efficiency of the service. The Government are assured that the Corporation are in favour of having the most comprehensive system of consultation and information that may be possible and that the existing system provides for consultation both centrally and locally at various levels throughout the Corporation. The Government understand that further developments will be pursued in the light of the Broadcasting Committee's recommendation and that in the B.B.C.'s view it will be necessary to adapt the methods used to the form taken by the system of staff representation as it develops.

EMPLOYMENT OF ALIENS

41. The Government, like their predecessors, consider it to be essential that the employment of aliens by the B.B.C. should continue to be subject to such conditions as from time to time may be prescribed by the Postmaster General. Subject to that, however, the Government agree that the Governors should be free to decide whether aliens should be eligible for establishment within the Corporation, provided they are free from restriction under the Aliens Order, 1920, as to time of stay in Great Britain or in respect of the employment they may take.

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