§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the purchases necessary to receive digital television in different areas of the United Kingdom. [157514]
§ Estelle Morris[holding answer 1 March 2004]There are four ways consumers can receive digital television today:
(a) Terrestrially
Consumers need to buy either a digital adapter (set top box) or an integrated digital television. While many people will be able to use their existing aerials, some may need to have new aerials or cabling installed to receive all services. Digital terrestrial television is now receivable in around 75 per cent. of the UK.
(b) Through Satellite
Consumers need to get either a digital satellite adaptor and connect it to their existing analogue TV set or a digital TV set designed to receive digital satellite signals. They will also need a dish installed outside their home. Digital satellite signals reach the vast majority of UK homes, but in a few cases reception may not be possible, because the line of sight to the satellite is obstructed, or because planning or property regulations do not permit householders to put up a dish.
(c) Through Cable
Consumers need a set top box provided and installed by the operator of the cable network which serves their home, if they live in a cabled area.
845W(d) Through Broadband DSL
A fourth digital platform is emerging through use of digital subscriber line technologies based on telephony network cabling. Today, this service is only available in Kingston upon Hull, and London.
More information is available on www. digitaltelevision.gov.uk.
§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what efforts her Department is making to ensure that all households that desire it have access to digital television prior to the analogue signal being switched off. [157515]
§ Estelle Morris[holding answer 1 March 2004]The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is working with stakeholders, within the Digital Television Action Plan, to ensure that everyone who can currently get the main public service broadcasting channels in analogue form (BBC 1 and 2, ITV, Channel 4/S4C and Channel 5) will be able to receive them on digital systems. However, this might not be possible before switchover for a small minority of consumers. Though Digital satellite signals reach the vast majority of UK homes, in a few cases reception or installation of the necessary dish may not be possible, either for topographic or legal reasons. We are reviewing these legal constraints to ensure they are minimal and proportionate. Any further extension of the digital cable networks is a commercial matter for the operators. As for terrestrial reception, it is not possible to extend it before switchover, as signals currently have to be transmitted at low power to prevent interferences with UK and foreign analogue signals. Only switchover will allow digital terrestrial television to reach the same level of coverage as analogue.
§ Miss KirkbrideTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the number of(a) analogue and (b) digital television sets bought in the last five years in the United Kingdom. [157772]
§ Estelle MorrisThe department holds figures for television sales in the UK up to December 2003 for the last four years only. These figures are:
Number (Thousand) (a) Analogue TV sets 18,775.8 (b) Digital television sets 395.9 These figures do not include sales of set top boxes, which allow viewers to receive digital television through analogue sets. They also do not include TV/VCR and TV/DVD combination sets.