Clwyd presses Brooke on Granada: ITV franchise dispute

PETER BROOKE, the Secretary of State for National Heritage, sought yesterday to defuse the row over allegations by Ann Clwyd, his Labour shadow, that Granada Television was not fulfilling its franchise conditions.

Mrs Clwyd told the Commons that the 'very senior Granada personnel' who had come to her and given her details of breaches of the licence terms were 'totally unconvinced' by the response of the Manchester-based ITV company.

Sir George Russell, chairman of the Independent Television Commission, said last week that there was 'no evidence' that licence conditions would not be met and said Mrs Clwyd's charge that the ITC was failing in its regulatory duties was 'unfounded and unsubstantiated'.

Challenging Mr Brooke at Question Time, Mrs Clwyd said he should admit that the Government and the ITC had made 'a complete mess' of the licence applications. There were now serious problems at Granada and at Yorkshire Tyne-Tees Television.

'If there is a secret and explosive document, and I know that there is, that is related to the financial viability of these companies, should it not be published so that we can see for ourselves whether the ITC has acted lawfully and with integrity, or is there something to hide?'

But Mr Brooke said: 'Mrs Clwyd has submitted a series of charges to the ITC. The ITC has responded to those charges and effectively disagreed with her.' In that respect, the ITC had fulfilled its statutory duty.

Brian Sedgemore, Labour MP for Hackney South and Shoreditch, said Sir George seemed determined to 'give in' to Granada's 'slippery and disingenuous' response to Mrs Clwyd's charges. The Labour spokeswoman had sent the ITC a dossier alleging that boardroom changes and cutbacks meant Granada could not provide the service promisesd in its franchise application.

But Mr Brooke dismissed Mr Sedgemore's 'extravagant language'. The phrase 'give in' was irrelevant since the ITC was fulfilling a quasi-judicial capacity, he said.