City MP to tackle Jowell over digital switchover cost

Published on Monday 29 January 2007 11:52

A CITY MP is set to quiz Culture Minister Tessa Jowell today on thousands of Edinburgh residents entitled to help with the switch from analogue to digital television.

Ministers have told the BBC it must spend 600 million to help pay for digital switchover - which is due to take place across Scotland in 2010.

Edinburgh West Lib Dem MP John Barrett said research has revealed that almost 49,000 homes across the Capital will qualify for assistance in switching over to digital television.

He plans to quiz the minister in the House of Commons today on how the Government plans to help those residents - almost a quarter of all Edinburgh households.

He said: "It is vital that those people who are entitled to help with digital switchover get it. In just three years, people living across much of Scotland will no longer receive an analogue signal.

"The Government should be doing far more to help vulnerable groups prepare for switchover.

"I am far from convinced that placing the huge costs of switchover onto the BBC is the best way to proceed. Why should the Government dump the cost of its digital switchover policy onto licence fee payers?"

Under the current arrangements, only people over 75, those with serious disabilities and the poorest households will be eligible for assistance.