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Rh Information as to programme contracts etc.

Information as to programme contracts and applications for such contract.

27.—(1) Where the Authority enter into a contract with a programme contractor for the provision either of television programmes or local sound broadcasts to be transmitted from one or more stations, the Authority shall, on request made by any person and on payment by him of such sum (if any) as the Authority may reasonably require, furnish to that person such one or more of the following as may be specified in the request, that is to say—

(a) a copy of that contract;

(b) a statement of the number of applications (if any) received by the Authority for a programme contract for the provision of television programmes or (as the case may be) local sound broadcasts to be transmitted from that station or those stations in addition to the application received from the contractor with whom the contract is made; and

(c) subject to subsection (2), a copy of so much of that contractor's application for such a contract as related to the character of the television programmes or local sound broadcasts which he proposed to provide if his application were accepted by the Authority.

(2) The Authority shall not be required by virtue of subsection (1) to furnish to any person such a copy as is mentioned in paragraph (c) of that subsection until after television programmes or (as the case may be) local sound broadcasts provided by the contractor under the contract in question have begun to be transmitted by the Authority.

Powers of Government in relation to Authority

Government control over Authority as to hours of broadcasting.

28.—(1) The Secretary of State may from time to time by Government control over notice in writing give directions to the Authority—

(a) as to the maximum or minimum time, or both the to hours of maximum and the minimum time, which is to be given broadcasting. in any day, week or other period to broadcasts from any of the broadcasting stations used by them, and

(b) as to the hours of the day in which such broadcasts are or are not to be given;

and it shall be the duty of the Authority to comply with the notice.

(2) A direction under this section may be framed in any way, and in particular—

(a) may be confined to broadcasts from those broadcasting stations which transmit, or usually transmit, the same programme, or may be different for different broadcasting stations, or for different programmes broadcast from the same station;