More political TV wanted

Press, 25 May 1985, Page 4

More political TV wanted

NZPA staff correspondent London

British viewers want television coverage of the House of Lords extended to the House of Commons, according to a recent survey. The survey, commissioned by the television and video company, Pye, shows that 59 per cent of people believe the six-month trial of televising the Upper House of the British Parliament has proved a success. They want the experiment which began in January, to continue on a permanent basis. The results of the survey are also seen as giving more impetus to the suggestion of televising members of parliaments’ business, an idea known to be supported by the Prime Minister, Mrs Thatcher. Regular screening seems to have improved the image and status of the Lords, with 49 per cent of those interviewed saying that the peers’ business was more important than they had thought. The survey does, however, show a marked difference between age-groups and various regions. People under 24 seem the least interested in watching poli- ; tical life at Westminster i while people in Midlands i and Scotland are more en- : thusiastic about the Lords

coverage than those in other areas.

Of the 76 per cent who agree to televising the Commons, 31 per cent want daily screening with the rest favouring special occasions only. "The Times” newspaper reported that the survey findings came as no surprise to peers or to television companies that have run the experiment. “They reflect the letters we have been getting ourselves,” said Lord Cledwyn, the leader of the Labour peers. “The volume of our correspondence has gone up. To put it crudely, it has revived me as a member of Parliament.” There had been disillusionment among some peers early on in the trial, but Lord Cledwyn said he hoped the cameras would stay in the Lords now that the television companies had learnt from their mistakes. The executive of Independent Television News reported that the survey reflected the encouraging audience response to its late night summaries of the con- | troversial debate about the abolition of the Greater London and other metropolitan councils.

These attracted about two [ million viewers in ; week. '