HC Deb 10 May 2001 vol 368 cc310-1W
Mr. David Stewart

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the opportunities available to Christian radio stations with analogue licences applying for digital licences. [160382]

Janet Anderson

[holding answer 8 May 2001]: Religious bodies are currently disqualified from holding digital radio licences and are therefore unable to apply for automatic renewal of their analogue licences, under the provisions of the Broadcasting Act 1996. The White Paper "A New Future for Communications" makes clear the Government's commitment to remove the disqualification on the ownership of local digital licences by religious bodies, and invited comments on relaxing the restrictions regarding the ownership of other licences by such bodies. We are currently considering the responses made.

Mr. Swayne

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if Premier Christian Radio's analogue licences will automatically be renewed; and if he will make a statement. [160396]

Janet Anderson

[holding answer 8 May 2001]: The Radio Authority is required automatically to re-advertise, in an open competition, all analogue local licences in areas where the number of persons, aged 15 years or over, resident in the coverage areas of that service exceeds 4.5 million. The only analogue services exempted from this requirement are those who broadcast, or are committed to broadcast, on a digital multiplex in the relevant area. As Premier Christian Radio is prohibited by current legislation from holding a digital licence, its analogue licence cannot be automatically renewed. The Government are committed to bringing forward communications legislation which would remove this prohibition.

Mr. Swayne

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to enable religious broadcasters to apply for terrestrial digital licences. [160395]

Janet Anderson

[holding answer 8 May 2001]: The White Paper "A New Future for Communications" announced that the Government will bring forward legislation to allow religious bodies to hold a local terrestrial digital radio licence. We invited views on whether the restrictions on ownership of other terrestrial licences by religious bodies should be relaxed, and are currently considering the responses.

Mr. Swayne

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if applications for remaining digital radio licences for London will be determined before changes can be made to allow applications from Christian broadcasters to be entertained. [160394]

Janet Anderson

[holding answer 8 May 2001]: I understand that applications for the third and final digital multiplex licence for Greater London have already been submitted, and the Radio Authority is expected to make the award in June. Legislation to correct the anomaly whereby religious bodies are prevented from holding local digital licences will be brought forward, but any such legislation could not be enacted by June.