§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the members of the viewers panel established to advise the Government on the consumers' view on digital switchover who have ceased their membership of the panel, indicating the reasons for the cessation. [33328]
§ Dr. HowellsThe information is as follows:
services. This guidance was last reviewed in 1997. We published on 11 December 2001 a consultation paper inviting views on the basis on which we should plan the use of the spectrum currently used for analogue television broadcasting once analogue transmissions cease. The closing date for responses is 12 March 2002.
§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for South Suffolk, of 25 January 2002,Official Report, column 1113W, on analogue switchoff, if she will 811W list (a) the names of the individuals and the Departments and organisations they represent who are conducting the comprehensive review of progress towards digital switchover, (b) the terms of reference of the review, (c) the dates on which meetings of the individuals conducting the review have been held and (d) the date on which the first review is expected to be sent to Ministers. [33414]
§ Dr. HowellsThe review will be taken forward by officials from my Department and from the DTI who are working on the digital television action plan project, with input from the individual task groups established under the action plan. A first report from the action plan project is due by 31 March 2002.
§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many(a) integrated digital and (b) analogue television sets have been bought by her Department in each of the last 24 months; and if she will publish the guidance given to officials making decisions on television purchases. [33242]
§ Dr. HowellsThe Department has not purchased any television sets in the past 24 months. We do not have any specific guidance on the purchase of television sets, but any such purchase would be subject to normal Government procurement rules. These rules are produced and published by the Office of Government Commerce.
§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on what dates the viewers panel established to advise the Government on the consumers' view on digital switchover has met; and how many panel members attended each meeting. [33327]
§ Dr. HowellsThe information is as follows:
Date of meeting Number of members attending1 27 November 2000 20 26 March 2001 18 22 June 2001 19 27 September 2001 21 1 This does not include DCMS officials who provided a chairperson and secretariat for the panel's meetings.
§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the television without frontiers directive. [33323]
§ Dr. HowellsDirective 89/552/EEC as amended by 97/36/EC "the television without frontiers directive" came fully into effect in the UK with regulations made under SI 2000 No. 54 on 19 January 2000. The Commission, as required under Articles 4(4) and 25a, are in the process of reviewing the implementation of Article 4; they are also further considering, as required by Article 26, any
further proposals to adapt the directive to developments in the field of television broadcasting, in particular in the light of recent technological developments".They expect to publish a consultative document in May this year.
§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many copies of the leaflet "Digital TV Information for Landlords" have(a) been printed and (b) been distributed, stating for each distribution whether it was (i) solicited and (ii) unsolicited. [33330]
812W
§ Dr. HowellsA total of 8,340 leaflets have been printed. Copies have been distributed to the organisations who were consulted over its production in the quantities agreed with them, as follows:
Organisation Number of leaflets distributed ASTRA Marketing Ltd. 10 BBC 50 BSkyB 50 Confederation of Aerial Industries Ltd. 50 Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 20 Department of Trade and Industry 50 Digital Television Group 6 Housing Corporation 4,175 Independent Television Commission 20 ITV Digital 30 Local Government Association 650 National Assembly for Wales 1400 National Housing Federation 200 Scottish Assembly 50 Welsh Local Government Association 22,400 1 200 in Welsh 2 1,200 in Welsh Note:
Further distribution is a matter for these organisations.
In addition:
Number of leaflets distributed Unsolicited copies Libraries of both Houses 6 Lower Press Gallery 15 Clerk of the Select Committee 1 Solicited copies Public requests to Department for Culture, Media and sport Less than 10 The leaflet is available on the website www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk.