Current work

Our work in these areas has a particular focus on the needs of disadvantaged consumers.

• We keep a watching brief on how consumers can access the services that they need and want.
• We look at the extent of the choice that is available.
• We look to see if consumers have the information they need, presented in the way that they want to make informed choices.
• We work with industry bodies, the Scottish Executive, the Scotland Office, Ofcom (the regulator), consumer bodies and other stakeholders to ensure that the consumer perspective is highlighted in their policy- and decision-making.
• We also work in partnership at UK level with the National Consumer Council, the Welsh Consumer Council, the General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland and others to tackle cross- border issues and those that are reserved to the UK Parliament.

Internet Access

We will be following up the recommendations made in our report, “Freedom of Access.”  This is the June 2005 report of our research on public Internet access provision in Scotland.  The report examines how far the policy commitments made by the UK government and the Scottish Executive to achieving universal access to the Internet, either at home or by using a public computer terminal, have become a reality for consumers in Scotland, with a particular focus on those who are disadvantaged.

Digital TV Switchover

The UK government is committed to moving wholly to digital TV. However, it is not possible to fully introduce these services and continue broadcasting the current five analogue channels using the terrestrial system. Accordingly it will be necessary at some point during the rollout of these services to switch off the existing analogue transmissions in the switchover process.This is the process of switching off analogue signals in order to introduce digital services (digital switchover).It is currently planned that a phased switchover process will run from 2008 until 2012 and that the region currently served by the Borders TV service will form the first phase.

The Scottish Consumer Council will be working with stakeholders with the aim of identifying the issues for consumers that require to be addressed in digital switchover so that they recognise the benefits and are protected from the risks. This is our Digital Diary project.

The Scottish Consumer Council's Workplan 2005/06

For full details of all SCC's planned work for 2005/06, see our Workplan.