§ Mr. David StewartTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if he will ensure that the proceeds from auctions of analogue spectrum are used to assist all consumers and communities in the United Kingdom to receive the same quality of digital television service; [58502]
(2) when the switch-off date will be for analogue transmissions; [58503]
(3) if he will provide financial support to households that currently receive analogue terrestrial television, but which cannot receive digital terrestrial television to enable them to receive the digital television service via (a) digital satellite television and (b) otherwise. [58684]
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§ Janet AndersonWe have not set a date for the switch-off of analogue terrestrial transmissions or yet taken a view on whether any spectrum so released should be auctioned and whether any direct Government measures should be taken to assist the migration from analogue to digital reception. These issues and others were raised in our consultation paper "Television: the Digital Future". We are currently considering the responses to that consultation exercise and an announcement on next steps will be made in due course.
§ Mr. David StewartTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what estimate he has made of the number of households which will need to purchase new antennae in order to receive digital terrestrial television; [58720]
(2) what estimate he has made of the number of households in the United Kingdom which will not be directly served by digital terrestrial television; [58733]
(3) what steps the Government intend to take to ensure that the digital terrestrial television network provides the same level of coverage as the existing analogue network; [58725]
(4) how many residents in the Inverness, East, Nairn and Lochaber constituency will not be directly served by digital terrestrial television; [58722]
(5) which regions will experience difficulties in being directly served by digital terrestrial television. [58723]
§ Janet AndersonThe launch phase of digital terrestrial television has been jointly planned by the BBC and Independent Television Commission so that the 81 transmitters used will reach around 90% of the UK population by the end of 1999 though the coverage of all six multiplexes will vary and in some cases be less. Extending digital services beyond the reach of the first 81 digital terrestrial transmitters was one of the issues raised in our consultation paper "Television: the Digital Future" the responses to which are currently being considered.
The Independent Television Commission published estimates of digital terrestrial television coverage by existing aerials in their Invitation to Apply for Multiplex Service Licences. For the first multiplex carrying the BBC's services, the ITC estimated that 81-87% of the UK population should be able to receive the service with their existing aerials.
I understand that digital terrestrial transmissions from the Rosemarkie transmitter are expected to cover the Inverness region. 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.