COMMUNITY CABLE TELEVISION PROGRAMMES

That this House expresses concern at the decision by Cable and Wireless to cut funding to local cable programmes in some of its franchise areas without informing or consulting the Independent Television Commission; regrets the inability of the Independent Television Commission to prevent this cutback in the provision of local programming; recognises the community value and quality of the programmes concerned; believes that the licence requirement on the part of Cable and Wireless to provide local services has been broken in spirit; and further urges Cable and Wirelss and the ITC to hold urgent talks with a view to restoring community programming in the areas affected at the earliest possible opportunity.