Digital Switchover (Disclosure of Information) Bill

moved Amendment No. 16: 16: Clause 5, page 4, line 42, at end insert ““, whether by digital terrestrial, digital satellite, digital cable or any other platform and regardless of provider”” The noble Lord said: My Lords, this amendment was raised in Committee, where I was glad to receive the support of the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, who thought the amendment ““very sensible””. The Minister also supported the argument, stating that, "““there is absolutely no disagreement between us in what we seek to see occur””.—[Official Report, 22/3/07; col. GC 281.]" The Minister commented in Committee that, as the Bill is drafted, it is platform neutral. I accept what he says but, whereas he is confident that the wording in the Bill is adequate, I believe that it would benefit from being strengthened as suggested in the amendment. Platform neutrality means informing the public of all available services. Exemplary though the BBC is, it must inevitably be contrary to the BBC’s natural instincts to promote the activities of its competitors. The digital help scheme could be changed in the light of what happens at Whitehaven, and the BBC may well be consulted on changes. It would be valuable to include this modest amendment in the Bill to help to ensure that the present commitment to platform neutrality in the scheme is preserved. As it is government policy, I very much hope that the Minister will accept this amendment, which underlines that policy. I beg to move.