Central Lobby [Programme 089]

Description

Programme presented by Jon Lander. The first film report looks at the large amount of money paid out recently by the NCB in compensation to home owners affected by mining subsidence. Rob Whitehouse visits Mansfield where it is claimed some surveyors are making a lot of commission money in getting compensation from the coal board. We see a wide shot of Mansfield, views of houses suffering from cracks, an exterior shot of Sherwood Colliery and a view of Hobart House, the NCB headquarters in London. Whitehouse interviews: the Labour MP for Mansfield, Don Concannon; and Stan Hacking, the deputy director of the NCB's north Nottinghamshire area. After a report to camera in which Whitehouse mentions that some people have spent their compensation on cars or holidays we meet Alan Brentnall nick-named the 'king of the claims' in his office. He is interviewed about the allegations. Finally we meet a woman whose entire bungalow is under threat due to subsidence. At the end of the report it is revealed that the NCB now pay for repairs rather than hand-out cash compensation. The next film report is about the Conservative MP for Cirencester and Gloucester, Nicholas Ridley. After a library shot of Ridley opening a new road we see him at home working in his garden and he is interviewed about his horticultural hobby. The final item is a filmed performance from Ian Saville, the ‘Socialist Conjurer’ who will shortly be entertaining at the Labour party conference. We see Saville arriving in Birmingham, getting into a taxi with his Bertolt Brecht ventriloquist puppet followed by his left-wing satirical stage show.

Credits

Political Editor: Reg Harcourt
Production Editor: Bruce Grocott
Film Editors: Roland Brason; Judy Hooker; Adrian Tuck
Graphic Designer: Phill Dunn
Production Team: Rob Whitehouse; Mark Astaire; Margaret Mitchell; Alison Heaton
Directors: Richie Stewart
Editor: Mart Gottschalk

Notes

Production number 5219/85.