Government Looks At Fall-back Option As Bbc Hesitates Over Switchover Help Scheme

摘要

UK government ministers are drawing up fall-back plans to run the national scheme to deliver targeted financial help during digital switchover amid fears that the BBC could pull out. The BBC has agreed in principle to run the scheme to help the elderly and disabled with digital switchover, and last week's licence-fee settlement included a ring-fenced ￡600 million for the project. But the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is mindful that the BBC Trust has still to sign a formal commitment to run the scheme. "Ministers don't want to do it [targeted help] but know the BBC could back out, so they're working on a fall-back," said a senior source familiar with the situation. The DCMS reiterated culture secretary Tessa Jowell's statement that it was still the government's expectation that the BBC would run the help scheme, but said: "With any government policy all things are taken into consideration."