§ Mr. Lewisasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he is aware that the payment of the present radio and television licence is a hardship for old-age 179W pensioners and those on limited incomes; and whether, in view of the profits being made by the various television companies, and the dividends being paid to shareholders in these companies, he will consider reducing the cost of the tax on the radio and television licence and replacing this by a special television tax on the operating companies;
(2) whether he will give an estimate of the amount of revenue which his Department would receive if a 10 per cent. television entertainment tax were placed on the undistributed and distributed profits of the various television operating companies.
Mr. AmoryThe hon. Gentleman will not expect me to anticipate my Budget statement, nor could I usefully make the arbitrary assumptions necessary to answer the hon. Member's hypothetical question.