Lords reject B.B.C. cuts

Press, 3 August 1981, Page 6

Lords reject B.B.C. cuts

NZPA London Britain’s Conservative Government was defeated in the House of Lords. Parliament’s upper chamber, on Friday evening on its controversial plans to cut overseas services of the 8.8. C. The British Government plans to save £2.4 million ($5.4 million) by cutting seven foreign language service—the Italian, Maltese, Burmese, and Somali services and those to Europe in French and Spanish and to Brazil in Portuguese. Mr Peter Downes, the National Programme manager for Radio New Zealand, said the decision referred’ only to foreign language programmes of the 8.8. C. He did not know whether it plight affect the threat- .

ened cut of the 8.8.C.'s transcription service. The House of Lords, where the Government normally has a majority, voted by 82 to 45 for a motion by Lord Byers (Liberal) asking the Government to reconsider its plans. He said the Government’s proposals would mean much of the 8.8.C.’s world audience would turn to the Soviet Union for news- and comment. The British Foreign Secretary, (Lord Carrington), told the House: “There must be a continuous adjustment between various languages broadcast to take into account changing priorities arid political considerations. We do not have unlimited resources and we have to behave sensibly.”