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The Trust aims to complete the PVT by 19 December and is today publishing the application document which includes a full description of the service.

The Charter and Agreement requires the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ to offer appropriate provision of services in the UK 's indigenous minority languages. The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ management is responsible for developing proposals to meet this requirement, and the Trust – on behalf of the public who pay for and own the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ â€“ must decide in the interests of all licence fee payers if these proposals offer the best approach.

Jeremy Peat, ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ National Trustee for Scotland said:

"Today sees the start of a rigorous process that any proposed new ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ service must go through. The Trust is responsible for ensuring that licence fee payers receive value for money from distinctive and high quality ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ services. In considering the proposal for a new Gaelic Digital Service the Trust will listen to a wide range of voices across our audiences, seeking to understand all opinions and expectations. The PVT will be based in Scotland and the views passed to us through the consultation periods will inform our judgement."

The new Charter has enhanced the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ's independence by transferring to the Trust responsibilities previously held by the Secretary of State for deciding new service applications. A condition of this new Charter responsibility is that the Trust carries out a transparent and systematic process of scrutiny and evaluation prior to reaching its final conclusion.

The Public Value Test is how the Trust determines the potential value to the public of a new ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ service and assesses its impact on the wider market before reaching its decision. It has three main parts:

Public Value Assessment by the Trust

Market Impact Assessment by Ofcom

The Trust's decision

The process includes two periods of public consultation: the first three week consultation period begins today allowing contributions from interested parties about any issues the Trust should take account of; and a further period of consultation after the Trust publishes its provisional conclusions. The Trust is scheduled to reach its provisional conclusion in October and final decision in December.

If approved the new planned service would be co-funded by the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ and the Gaelic Media Service.

Ends

Notes to editors

1. Members of the public can contribute to the PVA consultation via the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Trust website

The following documents have been published by the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Trust today:

³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ management's application for a Gaelic Digital Service

The supporting evidence for this application

A service description

Questions for the PVA consultations

Administrative timetable for the PVT

2. Full timetable *(amended 25 September and 21 October 2007)

16 Aug 2007 PVT commences. Public Value Assessment (PVA) and Market Impact Assessment (MIA) representations open. Joint Trust/Ofcom stakeholder briefing.

7 Sept 2007 PVA and MIA representations close.

12 Nov 2007 Publication of PVA and MIA.

21 Nov 2007 Final date for publication of provision of conclusions and draft Service Licence. Public consultation period opens

19 Dec 2007 Consultation on the Trust's provisional conclusions closes.

28 Jan 2008 Latest date for publication of the Trust's final decision.