§ Mr. RowlandsTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimates his Department has made of the percentage of viewers which will be able to obtain access to independent television and digital terrestrial services(a) in England and (b) in Wales. [63398]
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§ Janet AndersonThe BBC and Independent Television Commission are responsible for transmission arrangements for terrestrial television services in the UK. They estimate that analogue terrestrial television services reach 99.4 per cent. of the UK population and 98.3 per cent. of the population of Wales. The BBC and ITC estimate that the launch phase of digital terrestrial television will deliver services to around 90 per cent. of the UK population, and 70 per cent. in Wales, by the end of 1999. Coverage of each of the six multiplexes will vary and in some cases will be less. The BBC and ITC have jointly produced a CD-Rom containing coverage predictions for each multiplex for each transmitter site. Copies of the CD-Rom have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.