§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the competition policy implications of the establishment of a publicly funded digital broadcast service to support the GCSE curriculum. [65692]
§ Mr. Byers[holding answer 14 January 1999]: The Department for Education and Employment has invited companies with a broadcasting or transmission licence and experience in the provision of educational broadcast material to submit tenders on a competitive basis for the provision of specific digital broadcast services to support the GCSE curriculum. I understand that a copy of the invitation to tender is being deposited in the Library of the House.
I am not aware that there are any competition policy implications arising from this exercise. In the first instance any concerns of this nature should be brought to the attention of the Department for Education and Employment.