Digital Switchover Help Scheme Extended By Local Mp

During the Third Reading Debate of the Digital Switchover (Disclosure of Information) Bill yesterday in the House of Commons, Paul Holmes, Liberal Democrat MP for Chesterfield argued for the addition of local authority information in the identification of people who should benefit from the Digital Switchover Help Scheme. Paul Holmes said:

"Local authorities are more likely to have more comprehensive data on those who are registered blind or partially sighted but who are not over 75 and not on benefits and so registered with the Government or the Department for Work and Pensions. A significant body of people would benefit from the switchover provision but would not be identified if we relied entirely on data held centrally by Departments … perhaps 60,000 people would fall into that category."

Commenting afterwards Paul Holmes MP added: "This issue was brought to my attention by the Royal National Institute for the Blind, Sense and the Disability Rights Commission. I am delighted that the Government accepted my arguments and have amended the Bill to make sure that the thousands of people in need of help but not registered with the Department of Work and Pensions will now be offered assistance by the Digital Switchover Help Scheme."

During the debate Paul Holmes MP received praise from all main political parties for his work on amending the Bill to take account of disability issues. Shaun Woodward MP, the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism said: "The hon. Member for Chesterfield (Paul Holmes), along with many other Members, raised this important issue on Second Reading and in Committee. All of them, including the hon. Gentleman, did so with distinction. In this case, there is no question but that the proposals and comments of Members, especially the hon. Member for Chesterfield, the work done on the proposals by the hon. Members for Wantage, for Bath (Mr. Foster) and for Poole (Mr. Syms), as well