The government are still committed to analogue switchoff between 2006 and 2010, culture secretary Tessa Jowell has reaffirmed.

Appearing on the BBC's Breakfast With Frost this morning, she was pressed on whether a "third" pay TV system (alongside the "established" services offered by satellite and cable) will ever work, following the collapse of ITV Digital last week.

"The Government's role in the promotion of digital technology and digital television is twofold," she replied. "First of all to ensure the right kind of regulatory environment, and the second is to represent the interests of consumers by ensuring choice, which is why the switch off date between 2006, 2010, is underpinned by two very clear conditions. First the accessibility test - in other words that everybody who gets analogue at the moment will be able to receive digital - and secondly the affordability test, that the digital equipment is affordable. So the decision to switch over between 2006 and 2010 will be taken and between now and then kept under review in the light of those two tests."

When confronted with the possibility that there was "no hope" to accomplish switchoff by 2010, Jowell refused to accept it, adding: "Look, I understand how on this Sunday, so soon after the collapse of the commercial operator of the DTT platform, everybody is talking down the likelihood of switchover. I understand that. But we remain resolute in our determination to work with the industry broadcasters to secure switchover between 2006 and 2010, subject to the two tests that I have referred to."

Frost pushed the point regarding households having more than one television set, and that consumers may not be willing to upgrade all the equipment in their house to receive digital transmissions. To this, Jowell referred to the recent launch of the Pace DTV adapter, saying: "the second set issue...is one, is one where, you know, the technology is advancing all the time. I mean this year, we now have a set top box which enables you to convert your analogue set to digital for £99. The price of those set top boxes will come down and of course that will make them affordable for people to convert their second and third sets."

Jowell also reacted strongly to remarks made in the Telegraph by the Chairman of Carlton Communications, Michael Green, in which he said the Government had been "useless" over the digital switchover. Green commented that the Government should have taken a more pro-active role in the rollout of digital terrestrial; for example, by "turning up" the signal. Jowell responded: "...it's not the Government's job to turn up the signal. There are two responsible bodies, first of all the Independent Television Commission, which is the regulator, which tests the reasonable and safe limit at which the power can be turned up to - that they've done, they gave approval for the signal to be turned up. The decision about whether or not to turn up the power then sits with the broadcasters and the broadcasters have already taken action to increase the power in 25 per cent of the country. They're going ahead to increase it in a further 25 per cent of the country, but this is a decision - not for government - it's a decision for the broadcasters. And I'm very surprised that Michael didn't understand that."

Jowell commented that "for too long", issues surrounding digital switchover had been "a sort of private conversation between government, the industry and broadcasters", and that the wider public had not been "convinced of the benefits". She emphasised that ultimately, "the choice has got to be with consumers."