§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will seek to ensure that the award of a franchise for creating a network of fibre optic links through South Cheshire and North Wales is conditional on the same proportion of homes in North Wales as in South Cheshire being offered the service; and if he will raise this matter with the Chairman of the ITC. [27292]
§ Mr. FisherThe award of licences for local delivery franchises, which enable a range of multichannel television and telecommunications services to be provided by cable, is a matter for the Independent Television Commission. Procedures for awarding licences are set out in the Broadcasting Act 1990. Under the terms of that Act, the licence for a particular area must normally be granted to the highest bidder, and the Commission must include in the terms of the licence, and thereafter enforce, the undertakings made by the successful applicant on the timing and coverage of the services provided.