§ Mr. ToddTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans his Department has(a) to ensure maximum commercial access to opportunities for digital broadcasting and (b) to prevent monopoly control of (i) critical technology and (ii) customer data. [15826]
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§ Mr. FisherThe Government encourage commercial access to the opportunities for digital broadcasting via terrestrial, cable and satellite delivery by maintaining the lightest regulatory regime compatible with protecting the public interest and with the capacity constraints of each delivery platform. Those with proposals for digital television services may approach the digital terrestrial multiplex operators; companies holding cable franchises or operators of digital satellites. Authority to provide programme content on digital broadcasting services is via the appropriate programme service licences, which are available effectively on demand from the Independent Television Commission to any fit and proper applicant. Plurality of voice is underpinned by the requirement that no single person may control licences which together have more than 15 per cent. of the total television audience.
General competition law provides powers to act against the abuse of monopoly position or anti-competitive behaviour. The new Competition Bill will introduce two prohibitions which will prove a highly effective deterrent against cartels and abuses of dominance. The provisions of the Broadcasting Act 1996; the Advanced Television Service Regulations 1996 and the Class Licence for the running of telecommunications systems for the provision of conditional access services granted on 7 January 1997 by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry under section 7 of the Telecommunications Act 1984 collectively safeguard the use of critical technology and customer data.