Written question asked by John M Taylor (Conservative) on Monday, 28 February 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 8 March 2005. It was answered by Baroness Morris of Yardley (Labour) on Tuesday, 8 March 2005 on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Dept for Culture Media and Sport

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 21st February 2005, 431 c237-8W, on Digital Broadcasting, if she will give details of the technical restraints on DTT transmissions from the Sutton Coldfield transmitter.

Answer: Mr. John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 21 February 2005, Official Report, columns 237-38W, on Digital Broadcasting, what the technical restraints on DTT transmissions from the Sutton Coldfield transmitter are. [219657] Estelle Morris: Viewers in Solihull will be receiving their conventional television signals from the main Sutton Coldfield transmitter. Sutton Coldfield does broadcast the full range of digital services, but congestion of the spectrum means that their coverage currently has to be limited to avoid causing interference to viewers of analogue television services. Although many viewers in the West Midlands are able to receive digital services from Sutton Coldfield, the coverage restrictions result in patchy digital coverage in and around Solihull. At switchover, these restrictions will be removed and enable the coverage of the digital services to be increased to ensure that everyone who can currently get the main public service broadcasting channels in analogue form (BBC 1 and 2, ITV, Channel 4/S4C and Channel 5) can receive them on digital systems.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 431 c1752-3W;431 c1748-9W; 219657
Session: 2004-05
Subjects: Digital broadcasting Broadcasting reception Television Sutton Coldfield Solihull
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk