§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to ensure that digital terrestrial television access is available in all areas of Northern Ireland before analogue services are switched off. [134157]
§ Estelle MorrisThe Government are committed to ensuring that terrestrial analogue broadcasting signals are maintained until: everyone who can currently get the main public service broadcasting channels in analogue form (BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4/S4C and Five) can 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 have access to digital equipment. A Digital Television Action Plan is already in place, designed to deliver these pre-conditions for switching off analogue terrestrial transmissions. A copy of the action plan is available at www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk.