§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his answer of 11 January 1999,Official Report, column 31, what specific policies his Department intends to bring forward to improve the level of subtitling on cable and satellite television following the meetings his officials have held with broadcasters and subtitle providers. [69645]
§ Janet Anderson[holding answer 15 February 1999]: My officials have had a useful series of meetings with the cable and satellite broadcasters, those representing viewers with sensory disabilities and subtitling providers. I met the RNID on 20 January. We are now considering in the light of the information from those meetings how we can encourage the cable and satellite broadcasters to improve on a voluntary basis the current provision of subtitling on their services.
§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimates his Department has made of how long it will be before digital set top boxes are able to support subtitling. [69644]
§ Janet Anderson[holding answer 15 February 1999]: I understand from the Independent Television Commission that all services within the six digital terrestrial multiplexes are providing subtitles with the exception of a small number of ITV companies within the Channel ¾ multiplex who expect to commence very shortly.
§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if his Department intends to make recommendations to the ITC about how its annual targets for subtitling for deaf and hard of hearing people should be calculated, with particular reference to digital television. [69643]
§ Janet Anderson[holding answer 15 February 1999]: The Broadcasting Act 1996 requires the Independent Television Commission (ITC) to draw up a code on promoting the understanding and enjoyment of programmes by persons who are deaf and hard of hearing. The code must include specified minimum targets which are laid down in the 1996 Act, which also gives the Commission the power to set interim targets. Under the provisions of the Act, it is solely a matter for the ITC to draw up the code. The Act places a statutory duty on the Commission to consult those bodies or persons who represent the interests of people with sensory disabilities, before drawing up their code.
§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimates his Department has made of the proportion of subtitled programmes for deaf and 697W hard of hearing viewers (a) at present and (b) in five years time for (i) digital terrestrial, (ii) satellite, digital and analogue and (iii) cable television. [69642]
§ Janet Anderson[holding answer 15 February 1999]: For digital terrestrial services, the Broadcasting Act 1996 requires that by the tenth anniversary of the introduction of any digital terrestrial television programme service, not less than 50 per cent. of non-excluded programme hours broadcast in any service should be subtitled. The Act gives the Independent Television Commission the power to set interim targets and the Commission has set an interim requirement of 5 per cent. for the first year and 25 per cent. for the fifth year and no programmes are to be excluded. Existing broadcasters obligations on subtitling under the Broadcasting Act 1990 will of course apply to their simulcast digital services. The Commission will monitor broadcasters' progress towards meeting those requirements.
There are no similar statutory requirements on cable and satellite broadcasters to provide subtitling on their analogue or digital services. My officials have asked cable and satellite broadcasters their plans for provision of subtitling on their digital services and those who responded have indicated a willingness to transmit the subtitling commissioned for digital terrestrial television on other delivery platforms.