§ 5. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Postmaster-General if he will allow old-age pensioners to pay a reduced television licence or to pay it in quarterly instalments.
§ Mr. BevinsI have carefully considered these suggestions from time to time but have decided against them. The grant of a cheaper television licence to retirement pensioners would be unfair because it would be indiscriminate. To allow the fee to be paid by quarterly instalments would add unduly to the costs of collection.
§ Mr. AllaunWhile believing that the real solution is an adequate old-age pension, may I ask the Minister how he thinks that a pensioner living alone, who would probably enjoy T.V. more than anyone else, can afford £4, or, as has been suggested, £5 to £6? If a car licence can be paid for quarterly, even if it is slightly more than the quarterly part of the charge to cover the expenses of administration, why cannot T.V. licences be similarly paid quarterly?
§ Mr. BevinsNot all retirement pensioners rely on the retirement pension. The great majority do not. There is no parallel between the quarterly payment 201 of the Road Fund licence and the television licence because, as the hon. Member knows, many motor cars are laid up during the winter.
§ Mr. W. R. WilliamsIn view of the fact that quite a large number of local authorities, and indeed some private enterprises and football and cricket clubs, try their best to do something to concede some privileges to these old people, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he cannot think of some way in which a big Government Department could do the same?
§ Mr. BevinsFrankly, I think that the only conceivable way in which it could be done would be on the basis of quarterly payments, as suggested by the hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Allaun), but, of course, this figure of £5 to £6 for a television licence which has been bandied about is pure speculation. I do not know what will happen, but if there were a change on that pattern obviously the case for doing something would be strengthened.