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TV Transmission
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimates he has made for the time when analogue television transmission will be discontinued, of the percentage of (a) the viewers of BBC1 who will have access to analogue but not digital equipment in their homes and (b) the viewers of S4C who will have access to analogue but not digital equipment in their homes. [97953]
Janet Anderson: The Government have set two tests to be met before switch over from analogue to digital television transmissions: first, at least everyone who currently receives analogue television signals should be able to receive digital signals; and second, digital receiving equipment should be affordable, so that at least 95 per cent. of UK consumers have access to digital equipment in the home. We believe that switch over could start to happen as early as 2006 and be completed by 2010.
The broadcasters estimate that 98.3 per cent. of the Welsh population have access to analogue terrestrial television services, with BBC Wales and S4C available to 97.6 per cent., and we will seek to ensure that at least the same proportion can receive television services in digital form in advance of switch over. At present, BBC Wales' and S4C's digital terrestrial services can be received by
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70 per cent. of Welsh consumers and the ITC, BBC and digital broadcasters will be planning the development of terrestrial coverage over the next few years.
The BBC and S4C already transmit their services, throughout Wales, on digital satellite and they plan to broadcast on digital cable, when it becomes available.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement in respect of his policy towards the percentage of home-produced material broadcast on SkyTV. [97590]
Janet Anderson
[holding answer 8 November 1999]: In line with all EU broadcasters, BSkyB has an obligation to comply with the requirements of articles 4 and 5 of the Broadcasting Directive so far as European and independently produced content is concerned. Sky has committed itself to steadily increasing the amount of UK produced material both in its general channels and in new ones. Sky One is this year aiming to have 50 per cent. UK content during prime time and 40 per cent. European content overall, and will spend £20 million in original home-produced production. Sky Pictures annually produces 10 films to be shown on Sky Premier, plus 40 hours of original drama and up to 40 hours of comedy. In addition, Sky sport channels, with 20,000 hours of programming each year, have a majority of home produced material. Sky News and Sky Sports News contain nearly 100 per cent. home produced material.
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many sports are currently supporting scholarships in higher and further education; and if he will list them. [97993]
Kate Hoey
[holding answer 10 November 1999]: I regret that it has not been possible to provide an answer before Prorogation. I shall therefore write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Key:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if people using the proposed new visitors' centre at Stonehenge who are (a) members of English Heritage, (b) members of the National Trust, (c) members of the National Trust for Scotland and (d) local people exercising their right of free access to the stones will be charged for (i) car parking (ii) access to the visitors' centre and (iii) access to the stones. [98047]
Mr. Alan Howarth:
The Stonehenge Master Plan sets out clearly that access to the Stones and the wider World Heritage Site will be free for all and that free transport will be provided from the visitor centre to the drop off point. The information pack circulated to bidders stipulates that they should provide free parking for: local residents with existing arrangements and for members of English Heritage and the National Trust. This includes members of other heritage organisations, such as the National Trust for Scotland, which have reciprocal arrangements. Proposed arrangements for admission to the Visitor Centre will be assessed in considering the final submissions received from bidders.
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Mr. Chaytor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is the total number of vehicles used by his Department and its agencies fuelled by (a) petrol, (b) diesel and (c) liquid petroleum gas; and what plans he has to increase the rate of conversion of those vehicles to liquid petroleum gas. [98210]
Mr. Chris Smith:
I regret that it has not been possible to provide an answer before Prorogation. I shall therefore write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my reply in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Chaytor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to set targets for the recycling of waste (a) paper, (b) cardboard, (c) glass, (d) metal, (e) plastic and (f) other products created by his Department and its agencies; and if he will make a statement. [98220]
Mr. Chris Smith:
I regret that it has not been possible to provide an answer before Prorogation. I shall therefore write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my reply in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many targets have been agreed since May 1997 between his Department and (i) local authorities and (ii) other bodies apart from his own agencies and non-departmental public bodies. [98319]
Mr. Chris Smith:
I regret that it has not been possible to provide an answer before Prorogation. I shall therefore write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will break down the press releases issued by his Department in the past 12 months by broad departmental responsibility. [98147]
Mr. Chris Smith:
I regret that it has not been possible to provide an answer before Prorogation. I shall therefore write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his answer of 5 November 1999, Official Report, column 362, what sums will be provided in 1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2001-02 to pre-eminent regional collections through the Designated Museums Challenge Fund. [98239]
Mr. Chris Smith:
I regret that it has not been possible to provide an answer before Prorogation. I shall therefore write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Libraries of the House.
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Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many Millennium Experience tickets have been sold to date in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) each of the English regions. [98126]
Janet Anderson:
I regret that it has not been possible to provide an answer before Prorogation. I shall therefore write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my reply in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Peter Ainsworth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what representations he has received from the BBC about the system of funding television licence fees by direct payment from the Department of Social Security; and if he will make a statement; [98377]
(3) what estimate he has made of net revenue in each of the next five years which may be lost to the BBC as a result of proposals to introduce a free television licence fee to people aged 75 years and over; [98374]
(4) what discussions he had with the BBC about proposals to introduce a free television licence fee for people aged 75 years and over; [98375]
(5) what estimate he has made of the percentage of BBC television licence fee revenues which will be funded by the Department of Social Security following the introduction of free television licences for people aged 75 years and over; [98376]
(6) what discussions he had with (a) HM Treasury and (b) the Department of Social Security prior to the announcement of proposals to introduce a free television licence fee for people aged 75 years and over. [98373]
Janet Anderson:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State discussed the proposal for free television licences for people aged 75 or over with my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer prior to the announcement. The Government have received no representations from the BBC on this proposal. Officials from my Department, the Treasury and the Department of Social Security are discussing with BBC officials the detailed implementation of the concession, including funding issues.
The estimated cost of the concession in the first full year is around £290 million, or approximately 12.5 per cent. of current television licence fee revenue. Costs in subsequent years will depend on the level of the licence fee and on increases in the number of households including a person aged 75 or over. Since the concession will be available to people over the age of 75, regardless of the age of other members of their household, ownership of television sets will not be at issue.
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(2) what safeguards exist to prevent transfer of ownership of televisions to people aged 75 years or over in households where there are people younger than 75 years in order to avoid payment of the television licence fee; [98372]
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