§ Mr. WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether BBC Freeview digital television transmitted from English transmission sites to Wales will automatically carry Welsh regional channels. [140816]
§ Estelle MorrisDigital Terrestrial signals from English sites do not carry Welsh regional channels at present. The BBC broadcasts Welsh regional variations to all parts of the UK on digital satellite.
Mr. GamierTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many digital television transmitters are operating in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland; and how many people have access to digital television (i) in the UK and (ii) in Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland. [141505]
§ Estelle MorrisThere are 80 Digital transmitters serving the UK as a whole. In Leicestershire, there is one digital transmitter in Waltham, serving much of the central, north and east of the county. Some parts of the west of the county are also served by signals from the Sutton Coldfield transmitter.
In the UK, 98 per cent. of households have access to digital television by one platform or another and this figure is representative of the coverage in Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland. The Independent Television Commission are not able to provide area-by-area figures of total digital coverage.
§ Mr. GarnierTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans has she to increase free access to digital television in(a)the United Kingdom and (b) Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland. [141506]
§ Estelle MorrisThe Government are committed to ensuring that everyone who can currently receive analogue television signals will be able to receive them digitally after switchover. A Digital Television Action plan has been produced jointly with broadcasters and other stakeholders. This sets out a series of specific actions for Government and the stakeholders collectively to work towards to achieve the switchover criteria.
According to the Independent Television Commission (ITC), around 73.1 per cent. of households are currently able to receive all of the free-to-view channels available on the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) network. Broadcasters are committed to increasing DTT coverage, but cannot do so until digital switchover.
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§ Mr. CarmichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the number of pensioners over 75 who will be charged for the new viewing card. [141914]
§ Estelle MorrisThis information is not available as these figures are not currently collected.