To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether he plans to extend the Freeview contract beyond 2034.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of ending licenses for digital terrestrial television in 2034 on people who rely on Freeview as their primary means of accessing television.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate her Department has made of the cost to households on fixed incomes of switching from Freeview to broadband television.

Parliament has secured the future of freeview, also known as digital terrestrial television (DTT), until at least 2034 and no decision has been made about what happens beyond this. On 23 June the Government published a green paper, Watch this Space: A new strategic direction for UK media which consults on both 2034 and 2044 as possible timeframes to switch off DTT.

The Government recognises that millions of households continue to rely on DTT. At the same time audiences are increasingly choosing internet-based television services (IPTV), and maintaining a traditional broadcast infrastructure for a declining audience is becoming increasingly costly for our public service broadcasters.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is working closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, industry and consumer groups to understand the practical and affordability challenges audiences may face in the event of a transition to IPTV. A final decision on the future of TV distribution will be informed by this consultation which sets out that we want to ensure people can continue to access television affordably and are adequately protected so that no one is left behind.