HC Deb 08 March 2004 vol 418 cc1294-5W
17. Michael Fabricant

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media arid Sport what progress has been made with the digital television act on plan with respect to the dates for analogue switch-off in different regions; and if she will make a statement. [158933]

Tessa Jowell

We are working with the stakeholders, within the Digital Television Action Plan, to ensure that the availability and affordability criteria set for switchover are met so that we can, if we choose, take the decision to order the switching off of analogue terrestrial transmission by 2010. We expect implementation of this to be phased over four years, region by region. The exact timetable and the order in which regions will be switched has yet to be determined. We arc having discussions with the stakeholders and will undertake a public consultation before we announce the timetable.

Miss Kirkbride

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to encourage the sale of digital television sets; and if she will make a statement. [158718]

Estelle Morris

Consumers who are planning to buy a new television set should be able to make an informed choice between buying a television sot with digital decoder integrated into it, and a television set that will require a set top box to enable it to be used for viewing digital television broadcasts. Through the Digital Television Action Plan, we are working with broadcasters, manufacturers, retailers and consumer representatives to make sure that consumers have clear and consistent information, including helpful messages about the benefits of digital equipment.

Applicant Programme name Award amount (£)
ADUN Society Arts Capital Programme round 1 5,000
Afro Caribbean Resource Centre Ltd. Arts Capital Programme round 1 5,000
Almeida Theatre Company Ltd. Capital Programme One 1,000,000
Art Asia Trust Ltd. Arts Capital Programme round 1 3,500
Asian Music Circuit Ltd. Arts Capital Programme round 1 53,132
Asian Music Circuit Ltd. Arts Capital Programme round 1 100,000
Association of Black Photographers Arts Capital Programme round 1 4,535,450
Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council Arts Capital Programme round 1 50,000
Belgrade Theatre Trust (Coventry) Ltd. Arts Capital Programme round 1 2,741,000
Bernie Grant Centre Ltd. Arts Capital Programme round 1 50,000
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan; Institute of Indian Culture Arts Capital Programme round 1 150,000
Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre Trust Ltd Capital Programme One 1,000,000
Black Voices Limited Arts Capital Programme round 1 100,000
Bluecoat Arts Centre Ltd. Arts Capital Programme round 1 2,750,000
Bristol City Council Capital Programme One 2,060,000
Centre for the Children's Book Arts Capital Programme round 1 465,000
Chichester Festival Theatre Arts Capital Programme round 1 510,669
Chinese Arts Centre (CAC) Arts Capital Programme round 1 100,000
Colchester Borough Council Arts Capital Programme round 1 5,000,000
Creative Art House Arts Capital Programme round 1 970,000
Dance North Ltd. Arts Capital Programme round 1 700,000