§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he proposes to adopt to give effect to the next increases in television licence fees; and when he expects the increases will come into operation.
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§ Mr. Merlyn ReesI have not yet made any decision about any possible increase in the television licence fees. When I announced the increases on 30th July 1977, I indicated that they were intended to last for at least a year. It may, therefore, be necessary to increase the fees before the end of this year and I take this opportunity of stating that any such increases will come into effect at midnight of the day on which they are announced, with the same procedure that I adopted last year.