Digital Switchover (Disclosure of Information) Bill

I thank the Minister for his convivial summing up. I join him in congratulating everyone involved in bringing the Bill to Third Reading before we send it to another place. In particular, I am grateful for the effective help of the Minister’s officials, and grateful to the Committee Clerk, and the very experienced Chairman who guided me through my first Committee. As the hon. Member for Chesterfield (Paul Holmes) seems to be the only Member to receive singular praise and thanks, may I thank the hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Foster), who has been for me like a guiding uncle throughout the proceedings, or a guide through the jungle, pointing out mantraps and pits, some of which I have fallen into despite his guidance? As the Minister pointed out, the Bill is designed to help the most vulnerable in society take advantage of one of the most important events in the United Kingdom. It is no exaggeration to say that television is a friend to many people, particularly the most vulnerable. I commend the Government’s bravery in deciding to go for digital switchover. On Second Reading, it was telling that the Chairman of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, having previously been a sceptic, freely admitted that he had become a convert. Given the magnitude of the undertaking, and the importance of television to the most vulnerable people in our society, it is vital that we get the switchover process right. Several points are worth raising as the Bill speeds on its way to the other place. As the Minister is aware, we accept that the Bill is permissive, in that it allows the BBC to make a request and allows the DWP and the Northern Ireland Office to accede to that request, if appropriate. However, we raised serious concerns about the security of information in relation to Northern Ireland and we were content to accept the Minister’s assurances in Committee, so far as he was able to give them. We are also concerned about the timing of the Bill, which is a matter I attempted to explore through my sunset clauses. Clause 1 allows the BBC to establish a company to carry out switchover. Although that clause is in the Bill, we have heard nothing from the Minister about the state of negotiations or the likely nature of the company that will undertake the digital switchover proceedings. I hope that the Minister will return to the House when he concludes his negotiations on switchover with the BBC, update us on the progress of that joint venture, and allow, if not for a parliamentary debate, at least for enthusiastic Members such as my hon. Friends the Members for Ribble Valley (Mr. Evans) and for Poole (Mr. Syms) to inspect up-to-date documents in the Library. It is extremely important that Conservative Members should register our concerns about the punishments contained in the Bill for breaching its strictures and the criminal offences that lie within it. I place on record my extreme gratitude to the Minister, not only for not completely destroying me in Committee when my amendments went awry, but for a full and detailed letter in which he answered my points about the Official Secrets Act. I hope that he will place that letter in the Library for any constitutional lawyers who are interested in the reverse burden of proof contained in clauses 3 and 4. I have to say that that is something I would not want the Bill to contain, if I were responsible for it, but I fully understand the Minister’s reasoning. As we have said, this is a small, but important and perfectly formed Bill that is wending its way through Parliament. Although it shines light on a small part of this immense undertaking, I am afraid that it leaves us otherwise entirely in the dark because of its narrow focus. It is a matter of great concern to Conservative Members that Ministers remain utterly unaccountable to this House on the details of the scheme. As I have said on many occasions, we have been given a figure on the cost and told to like it or lump it. No estimate has been put before the House, or details of how the costs were arrived at—