§ Mr. WatersonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what deadline the Government have set for NTL to build a new cable and digital network to broadcast the channels of the Digital Terrestrial Alliance; and by what date NTL will put into operation their new digital and cable network. [69073]
§ Dr. HowellsI have been asked to reply.
The award of digital terrestrial television multiplex is a matter for the Independent Television Commission. On 4 July, the Commission announced that it had made a conditional decision to award the licences to the BBC and Crown Castle and not to the Digital Terrestrial Alliance, whose bid included a rebuild of the digital network by NTL.