HL Deb 04 June 1997 vol 580 cc645-6

3.6 p.m.

Lord McNally asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they expect a decision from the Independent Television Commission on the licences to operate digital terrestrial television multiplexes.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My Lords, I am sure the commission appreciates both the complexity and importance of this decision and the need to complete and announce it as soon as possible.

Lord McNally

My Lords, I thank the Minister for that completely opaque reply. Word in the street is that the decision will be made on 13th June. Have the new Government made the ITC aware that they are as committed to quality, diversity and choice in broadcasting as were their predecessors? In the light of that, will the Minister suggest to the ITC that it would not be in keeping with those objectives for any individual or organisation to have the foot on the windpipe of both digital terrestrial and digital satellite broadcasting?

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My Lords, the commission operates according to the remit given to it by the Broadcasting Act of last year. We have hardly been in a position to introduce any amending legislation. Perhaps I may remind the noble Lord that the Broadcasting Act says that the applications have to be judged on the basis of the proposed coverage, the speed of rollout of the service, the ability to establish and maintain the service, the appeal of the programme services to a variety of tastes and interests, plans for promoting or assisting the acquisition of receiving equipment by viewers, and the applicants' plans to ensure fair and effective competition in their dealings with service providers. That is the remit which the commission has at present.

Viscount Astor

My Lords, will the Minister encourage the ITC to look carefully at the financial strengths of the two bidders bearing in mind that if digital television is to be a success there will also have to be a large financial investment in digital cable so that cable users can view digital television?

Will he also encourage the ITC to look closely at the amount of money that will be required by each bidder in their rollout programme to ensure that whoever wins the application can achieve that success?

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My Lords, the financial strength or otherwise of the bidders is of the greatest importance to the commission. It has obtained a great deal of detail from the bidders on that. The Government do not know some of that detail because it is commercially confidential.

Lord Taylor of Gryfe

My Lords, has the Minister's attention been drawn to the remarks in today's Financial Times by the commissioner responsible for competition in the European Union. He comments on the rival bids being considered by the ITC. Will the Minister explain the status of the European Community on this, and whether there will be any delay in responding to these bids as a result of that intervention?

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My Lords, my noble friend draws my attention to a very important article in today's Financial Times, in which Commissioner van-Miert expresses concern about one of the two bids. However, the issue as to who is to receive the contract is a matter for the commission and not for us. As I said, the ITC is required to take into account the whole question of the development of the market and competition issues; but those are a matter for the competition authorities, including the European Commission.

Lord Avebury

My Lords, is the Minister aware that the live showing the other day of the Poland versus England match was extremely popular? Do the criteria to which the ITC must pay regard include an attempt to break the monopoly of certain broadcasting entities on the live showing of important sporting fixtures?

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My Lords, there has so far been no time to review the issue of listed events. As the noble Lord knows, we had serious criticisms concerning the events currently listed.

Lord Lucas

My Lords, do the Government have full confidence in the ITC, or do they have their doubts?

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My Lords, if the Government had any doubts about the competence of the ITC I should hardly be likely to express them at the Dispatch Box today. If it is any reassurance to the noble Lord, the ITC, when it announces its decision, will be required to give the rationale for it as well as the decision itself. Any wish on the part of the Opposition Front Bench to seek a parliamentary occasion on which to debate these matters can be referred to the usual channels.

Lord Renton

My Lords, will the Minister be so kind as to explain to the House in plain English the meaning and significance of the word "multiplexes"?

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

Not in the time available, my Lords. There are six multiplexes available for digital terrestrial broadcasting; each can carry approximately four to six channels. That should at least give the noble Lord an idea of the extension of variety of choice that is possible from the introduction of digital terrestrial broadcasting.