Page:Note of a meeting held on 21 January 1980 Welsh Language Broadcasting.pdf/2

2. public service input and that the simple solution would be to broadcast all Welsh language programmes on one channel, with the BBC sharing the channel for this purpose. He recognised that this arrangement would be costly in terms of lost advertising revenue but suggested that the revenue from ITV1 should be sufficient to fund the channel.

4. A note of warning was sounded on behalf of the Welsh Language Society, who argued that both Labour and Conservative Governments had promised Welsh language programmes and had assured the Society that they respected the rights of both Welsh and non-Welsh speakers; nevertheless the Government had now broken this pledge and this was seen generally as a cynical and dishonest manoeuvre which was likely to encourage further unrest on the part of young people in Wales.

5. In response to the points made by the delegation, the Home Secretary said that it was his intention to introduce as soon as possible a Bill on the lines set out in his September speech, and that rumours of delay were entirely unfounded; he recognised that when the Bill was discussed in Parliament, arguments in favour of using the fourth channel for Welsh language programmes would be put forward and he would of course listen carefully to these. If he was convinced that the case was a sound one, he would be prepared to change his policy, although at present he found it difficult to believe that the people of Wales would actually be better off with a fourth channel devoted to Welsh language programmes. He corrected Mr Morgan's assertion that such a channel had been promised in The Queen's Speech, although he accepted that it had been envisaged in the Manifesto. He pointed out that in the circumstances it would have been easier for him to adhere to the Manifesto commitment rather than announce a change of policy which he knew would meet with opposition; nevertheless he was firmly convinced that the arrangements which he now proposed provided the best solution. This was, however, a matter of judgement and he accepted that others held different views. Mr Roberts agreed with the Home Secretary and emphasised that the present plan offered a better deal for the Welsh language. He pointed out that the Welsh language would be treated on a par with the English language and that competition would therefore be created, causing the BBC and the IBA to put more resources into the production of Welsh language programmes. He also argued that if all Welsh language programmes were concentrated on one channel, there might be a danger that they would be scrapped in times of financial difficulties and that they would therefore be safer on two channels. Non-Welsh speakers also had to be considered and Mr Roberts pointed out that they would have cause for complaint if they did not get the benefit of a fourth channel.

6. Mr Thomas took issue with Mr Roberts on the question of competition and argued that while Mr Roberts' view might hold good for the United Kingdom as a whole, it did not make sense in Wales, /where, instead of