HC Deb 28 June 1971 vol 820 cc57-8W
Mr. Stratton Mills

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications if he will make arrangements whereby old-age pensioners who live alone and have to spend a lengthy period in hospital or in a convalescent home can obtain a refund or credit note for the period during which their television set is not in use.

Mr. Chataway

No. In order to keep the licence system as simple as possible, successive Governments have followed the general policy of not giving refunds on television licences which are not needed for the full period of the licence. There would, I am afraid, be considerable expense involved in exempting from this policy any particular category of licence holders.