HC Deb 21 February 1996 vol 272 c177W
Mr. Fabricant

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) on what basis she has not offered to all public service television broadcasters guaranteed capacity in the digital environment sufficient to enable them to provide new services; what steps she plans to take to ensure parity of treatment for such public service broadcasters; and if she will make a statement; [16167]

(2) if she will make a statement on her policy on the role that additional and teletext services can play in stimulating consumer demand for digital broadcast services; and what steps she plans to take to ensure that adequate capacity is available to existing public service broadcasters to fulfil this role. [16168]

Mr. Sproat

The Government judge that a quarter of a multiplex should be more than sufficient for a television broadcaster to reproduce an existing programme service to an acceptable level of picture quality in digital form. This minimum capacity will be offered to S4C and Channel 4 in Wales, so that both might have the widest possible coverage there. The BBC will be offered a whole multiplex, on which it would be required to broadcast its existing two channels. Channel 3, Channel 5 and, outside Wales, Channel 4 will be offered half a multiplex each; again, they would be required to broadcast their existing services on that capacity.

Digital broadcasting also offers new opportunities for data and other additional services, including "super teletext" services, business information services and home shopping. The Government recognise that these services will be attractive to consumers and the Broadcasting Bill provides that such services may occupy up to 10 per cent. of the capacity of any multiplex.

Teletext, holder of the public service teletext licence, has been offered capacity on the multiplex to be shared between Channel 3, Channel 4 and S4C. The Secretary of State recently met Teletext to discuss its digital service and is considering further its request for increased guaranteed capacity so that it, like the broadcasters mentioned, would have sufficient guaranteed capacity also to provide new services. No decision has yet been made on that request.