Last week, a plausible price tag was finally put on the nationwide move to digital television. The government’s uppermost estimate for the bill facing the UK taxpayer emerged as £14.25 billion — equivalent to an extra 3.8p on the basic rate of income tax. A sobering proposition.

The task of switching off analogue broadcasts starts in 2008, region by region, but, before it does, two questions need addressing urgently. How, exactly, is all this going to be paid for? And who on earth is in charge of managing the process known as digital switchover (DSO)?

Digital television undoubtedly brings benefits — better picture quality, more choice, interactivity — but because DSO is not voluntary, whatever the viewer is required to stump up while converting television sets, aerials and video recorders constitutes a tax. After much consultation, last week’s highly critical report from the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee called for transparency while placing the “average household” cost at anywhere between £80 and £570. The report also cited Doors’ own calculation, which put the average at £955 (see tinyurl.com/odvmz). We call this highway robbery because the analogue signal is going to be switched off whether we like it or not. The government is, nevertheless, doing everything in its power to avoid the dreaded word “tax”, even going so far as to bury the cost of “targeted assistance” for “vulnerable groups” in the annual licence fee. Some estimate the cost of such help to be £500m.

John Whittingdale MP, outspoken chairman of the select committee, believes that the definition of vulnerable groups — those aged over 75 or with severe disabilities — is way too narrow. He argues that many more people than expected may need help with DSO, potentially pushing the cost to £1 billion. As a social benefit, surely this should be paid for out of general taxation. Instead, the government has given the task of funding it to the BBC, thereby burying an unquantified tax hike within the annual licence fee in an underhand way. Some believe the licence fee could rise to £180 or even £200.

So, not only are we consumers paying to convert our own homes to digital, we’re also paying to convert other people’s homes — a double tax whammy. Not only is the government dissembling on the tax issue, it is also fudging its responsibility for DSO. The astonishing truth is that no single minister is steering switchover.

When the select committee called the government to give evidence, two junior ministers from different departments turned up. John Whittingdale told me: “When I asked them who was in charge, they replied, ‘We both are,’ but neither would take full responsibility. People expect strong political leadership, but we’re not getting it. There is too much fuzziness on this issue. If we don’t get this right, there will be real anger in the country.”

The venerable political game of passing the buck has begun. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport believes the BBC should play the “central” and “leading” role in DSO. The BBC says the lead co-ordinator is Digital UK, a not-for-profit consortium of public- sector broadcasters (including the BBC). This is the same Digital UK that Whittingdale’s committee believes will “lack the authority and resources” to manage the industry rivals when mutual self-interest threatens mayhem.

Heaven knows who will take charge of the revenues that may accrue from selling off the old analogue airwaves.

By fudging the costs, burying tax rises and shirking its responsibilities, the government threatens to undermine public support for DSO. We must not allow this to happen.

All you need to know about DSO: www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk

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