"Leave Wrights Radio To Do Digital Switchover", Öpik Tells Minister

11.39.38am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 11th Jul 2006

In the House of Commons yesterday, Lembit Öpik, MP for Montgomeryshire and Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, criticised the Government for misleading his constituents over digital switchover.

Lembit said that official literature which has been put out has given the impression that providers like Wrights Radio cannot handle the digital switchover. This is not the case- Wright's will carry on providing their current service beyond the digital switchover. The incorrect information which is being distributed has seriously harmed Wrights Radio's business, as many previous customers have made an unnecessary investment by switching to their own satellite dish and equipment.

Commenting today, Lembit said:

"Wrights Radio has been really suffering due to the misinformation and this is a needless problem, caused by a poor understanding by officials of what providers like Wrights can do. I hope this error will now be corrected, and that people will remain confident that sticking with Wrights is the right thing to do."

In the debate yesterday, Lembit said:

"Is the hon. Gentleman aware that there is an additional unnecessary cost in the switchover to digital broadcasting? In some areas, including mine, the local service provider—Wrights Radio in my area—has found a way to pipe digital network provision to houses that still have analogue television.

"Unfortunately however, some of the Government-sponsored materials that advise on digital switchover suggest that all that will be switched off.

"Does the hon. Gentleman therefore agree with me on the specific point that the Government must recognise that in areas where there is no barrier in principle to making a simple change on a central basis for digital switchover, they should save a lot of time and money, and prevent those businesses from going bankrupt, by giving accurate information to the local public?"