The Department for Work and Pensions holds information on the vast majority of people aged 75 or above and on all those who have an award of disability living allowance, attendance allowance or an equivalent benefit under the industrial injuries scheme. The Veterans Agency holds information about people who have an award of constant attendance allowance or war pensioners' mobility supplement payable under the pre-2005 war pension scheme.
We estimate that around 20 per cent. of people who are blind or partially sighted do not qualify on grounds of age or an award of a qualifying disability benefit—around 60,000 people in all. Therefore they may not be identified through the provisions of the Digital Switchover (Disclosure of Information) Bill.
We are considering whether the Bill should be extended to include information held by local authorities on people who are blind or partially sighted.
[holding answer 8 January 2007]: A regulatory impact assessment was published in September 2005 setting out a detailed assessment of the impact of digital switchover on consumers, particularly the elderly and those with a disability. As a result, we have taken steps to address the disadvantages that these groups face as a result of switchover, primarily through the digital switchover help scheme but also through initiatives carried out by Digital UK with hard to reach groups.
A full equalities impact assessment will be carried out if further screening identifies a need.
The details are in the table
Constituency 1Households Devon East Devon 16,000 Exeter 13,000 North Devon 14,000 Plymouth, Devonport 13,000 Plymouth, Sutton 12,000 South West Devon 10,000 Teignbridge 16,000 Tiverton and Honiton 14,000 Torbay 16,000 Torridge and West Devon 14,000 Totnes 14,000 Cornwall Falmouth and Camborne 14,000 North Cornwall 15,000 St Ives 14,000 South East Cornwall 13,000 Truro and St Austell 15,000 1Defined as eligible benefit units. Notes: 1. Rounded to the nearest thousand. 2. Eligibility for help from the Digital Switchover Help Scheme will be by benefit unit rather than the whole household definition used by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) the Scottish Executive, the Welsh Assembly Government and the Northern Ireland Office to forecast future household growth. 3. The definition of a benefit unit is a couple and any dependent children. It excludes adults deemed to be non-dependents who, if eligible, will be able to claim assistance from the Help Scheme in their own right.
The matter raised is the responsibility of the Office of Communications (Ofcom), as independent regulator for the communications sector. Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the chief executive’s letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.