§ Sir D. Kaberryasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what instructions he has given to post offices, as his agent, in connection with issuing new colour television licences which expire after April next, or where users now desire to renew licences which may expire within April;
20W(2) why colour television users whose licences expire at the end of April 1975 cannot now surrender them and renew licences immediately for a further period of 12 months.
§ Mr. Alexander W. Lyon:When annual licences run from different months a situation in which some licence holders will have to pay a higher renewal fee earlier than others cannot reasonably be avoided; and the rate for the new licence fee was assessed on the footing that all new licences taken out, and all those falling due for renewal, after 31st March would be charged at the higher rate. It has, therefore, been necessary, by virtue of the discretion contained in the Wireless Telegraph Act 1949 as to the issue of licences, to ask the Post Office not to renew a licence until its full term has expired.