To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the number of households which will qualify for the targeted assistance scheme for the digital switchover; and how many of those households are in Cheadle constituency. (132496)

Our current estimate is that 7.1 million households will be eligible for the Digital Switchover Help scheme (DSHS) nationally. For the Cheadle constituency, we estimate around 10 000 households will be eligible.

Notes:

Totals are rounded to the nearest thousand.

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.

The definition of a benefit unit is a couple and any dependent children. It excludes adults deemed to be non-dependants who, if eligible, will be able to claim assistance from the Help scheme in their own right.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures have been put in place to ensure that those eligible for the Targeted Assistance scheme for the digital switchover in Cheadle constituency are contacted by the most appropriate means. (132497)

Using Department for Work and Pensions and local authority data, the Digital Switchover Help scheme operator will write to all eligible individuals well in advance of switchover in their area. This will give options to enable them to continue to receive television services after switchover. Where the scheme operator has information about the particular communications needs of individuals, it will aim to tailor its communications accordingly. In addition, Digital UK will provide generic communications about the Help scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures have been put in place to ensure that those eligible for the Targeted Assistance scheme for the digital switchover in Cheadle constituency receive assistance that is appropriate to their individual needs. (132498)

The scheme will contact those eligible eight months before their regional switchover, explaining the choices open to them. It will run a free help line so they can obtain more information. Once a choice has been made, the equipment will be delivered and, if necessary, installed.