HC Deb 17 November 1971 vol 826 cc391-3
1. Mr. Golding

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications if he will take steps to reduce the television licence fee for the old and for the housebound.

12. Mr. Skinner

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications whether he will introduce legislation to allow all retirement pensioners free television licences.

16. Mr. Jeffrey Archer

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications whether, in view of dissatisfaction felt by retirement pensioners with the present regulations governing concessions to such pensioners in respect of broadcast receiving licences, he will seek to extend the concessions.

The Minister of Posts and Telecommunications (Mr. Christopher, Chataway)

No, Sir. However, I under- stand that local authorities have power to assist elderly and handicapped people with their television licences. It is, of course for the local authority concerned to use its judgment in providing this service.

Mr. Golding

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Post Office ever intends to publish, and whether he has seen, the study undertaken by the University of Essex into the problem of isolation amongst the disabled and elderly housebound? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in Wales the Post Office and the union jointly are experimenting with the provision of licences for the elderly housebound on a non-economic basis?

Mr. Chataway

As far as I know there are no plans by my Department or by the Post Office to publish the study to which the hon. Gentleman refers. I accept that television is extremely valuable to many elderly and sick people, but I do not believe that a concession of this kind would be the best way of meeting the need.

Mr. Skinner

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that all that old-age pensioners seem to get from his Government is compassion by the bucketful and great tidal waves of crocodile tears? All that is needed to provide this concession is about £35 million, which is substantially less than surtax payers will receive during the present financial year.

Mr. Chataway

The hon. Gentleman has his own manner of putting supplementary questions, but the fact remains that it has been the policy of successive Governments that concessions on the licence fee are not the best way of meeting this problem.

Sir H. Legge-Bourke

As my right hon. Friend knows, we have been in correspondence on this matter on more than one occasion. Would he at least recognise that an increasing resentment is building up at the discrimination between those who live on an estate where there is a warden and those who do not? I know that my right hon. Friend is not responsible for having introduced the present measures, but this is becoming increasingly unfair and the problem must be resolved very soon.

Mr. Chataway

As I have said to my hon. Friend, I recognise that wherever one draws the line there are bound to be difficulties. The difficulty stems from the fact that we license homes rather than sets and, therefore, a judgment has to be made as to what is a domestic household. Although the line where it is drawn now gives rise to difficulties, I believe that there is no satisfactory alternative.

Mr. Spriggs

Will the right hon. Gentleman appreciate that both sides of the House have from time to time shown that they would be prepared to make a concession, right across the board, to old people who live alone? The principle behind the Question is how we are to fight loneliness and give old people some companionship in their old age. Will the right hon. Gentleman have another look at this to see what can be done to provide free licences, right across the board, for all old people who live alone?

Mr. Chataway

I shall continue to consider these matters and any suggestions that are put forward, but if we were to issue a free licence to all elderly people the cost would be about £27 million. If that sum were financed out of licence fees, it would mean that another £2 on the licence fee would be payable by the rest of the community and that many who were less well off would be subsidisine those who were better off.