HC Deb 19 December 2003 vol 416 cc130-2W
Ross Cranston

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what information she has collated about the take-up of digital television broadcasting in(a) Dudley North, (b) the West Midlands and (c) England; and if she will make a statement. [143884]

Miss Kirkbride

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of households are converted to digital broken down by(a) ITV region and (b) constituency. [145507]

Estelle Morris

Take-up statistics are not presently collected for these areas. The ITC produces quarterly reports on take-up for the UK. Their most recent report stated that 45.5 per cent. of the UK had digital television as of 30 June 2003. OFCOM will now produce these reports.

Miss Kirkbride

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many(a) analogue and (b) digital transmitters there are in the UK. [145504]

Estelle Morris

There are currently 1,154 analogue transmitters in the UK, 80 of which have been converted to receive digital signals.

Miss Kirkbride

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the timescale is for achieving full analogue switch-off; and if she will make a statement. [145505]

Estelle Morris

The criteria set for switchover are that: everyone who can currently get the main public service broadcasting channels in analogue form must be able to receive them on digital systems; switching to digital is an affordable option for the vast majority of people; and as a target indicator of affordability, 95 per cent. of consumers must have access to digital equipment. The objective of the Digital Television Action Plan Project is to ensure these criteria are met so that we can, if we choose, take the decision to proceed to full switchover by ordering the switching off by 2010 of analogue terrestrial transmissions.

Miss Kirkbride

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made in the switchover to digital in the last five years. [145506]

Estelle Morris

Since digital television services were first launched in 1998, nearly 50 per cent. of households have switched at least one set to receive digital television broadcasts. The Government are working closely with broadcasters, manufacturers, retailers, consumer groups and other stakeholders through the Digital Television Action Plan to determine a firm timetable for digital switchover.

Miss Kirkbride

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will estimate(a) the number of households that have access to digital television, (b) the total number of television sets in use and (c) the proportion of television sets in use that have access to digital services. [145508]

Estelle Morris

The information is as follows:

  1. (a) The ITC produce quarterly reports on take-up for the UK. Their most recent report stated that 45.5 per cent. (11,286,961) of UK households had digital television as of 30 June 2003.
  2. (b) The Household Technology Survey 2003, carried out for the ITC in spring 2003, estimated that there were 55.4 million televisions in use in UK homes.
  3. (c) Indications are that around 30 per cent. of all televisions are converted to digital television, but no assessment has been made as to how many of those not yet converted are in use as a monitor (e.g. with a games console, VCR, DVD player) and not to receive broadcasts.

Miss Kirkbride

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which organisations have paid for the conversion of analogue transmitters; and how much each has spent in the last 10 years. [145509]

Estelle Morris

The transmission companies ntl and Crown Castle (who own the transmitter sites and provide transmission services to the broadcasters) have paid for the development of the current network of digital terrestrial transmitters around the UK. The digital multiplex operators (BBC, Digital 3 and 4, SDN and Crown Castle) pay these operators an annual fee for the use of these facilities. The exact amount paid both to develop the network and in broadcasters fees are commercially confidential.

Miss Kirkbride

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many households have transferred from analogue to digital television in each of the last five years. [145510]

Estelle Morris

Figures for digital take-up are as follows:

Digital households Source
June 2003 11,286,961 ITC Multichannel Quarterly
December 2002 10,232,829 ITC Multichannel Quarterly
December 2001 9,256,326 1—
December 2000 6,577,364 1—
December 1999 2,722,000 1—

1 Figures up to December 2002 are estimates from information on subscriber figures from platform operators to give an indication of the take up figures of digital pay television for different platforms, and from sales of terrestrial non-subscription reception equipment.