To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects the first payments from the scheme outlined in the Digital Switchover (Disclosure of Information) Bill to be made to older and disabled people. (138298)

Whitehaven will be the first area to begin digital switchover. Those eligible for the help scheme in Whitehaven have already been contacted and will begin to receive assistance once a contractor has been appointed to run the scheme on behalf of the BBC. We expect this to take place in the summer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what consideration she has given to the merits of providing support to pensioner households for the costs incurred in the switchover to digital television. (137928)

[holding answer 21 May 2007]: A substantial body of research has been carried out to inform the scope of the help scheme. This suggests that age and disability are the most important indicators of lower digital TV take up.

The DCMS Taking Part survey shows an adult take-up rate of 75 per cent. This falls very significantly for those over 75—just 45.6 per cent.—whereas the take-up rate for those aged 65-74 (65.6 per cent.) is much closer to the national figure. This shows that we are targeting our help on those who are most likely to need it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 4 December 2006, Official Report, columns 104-5W, on digital television, how many qualifying households in each parliamentary constituency in Wales will be required to pay a £40 fee to access assistance. (138148)

The information is not available in the form requested.

We estimate about 42 per cent. of Welsh households eligible for help will qualify for free assistance under the Digital Switchover Help Scheme; 58 per cent. of Welsh households eligible for help will qualify for assistance to which there is a £40 charge.