§ Mr. WillsTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Bolton, North-East (Mr. Crausby) of 16 February 1998,Official Report, column 747, what was the basis of the calculation of the figure of £450 million a year with reference to the cost of extending the concessionary television licence scheme. [33502]
§ Mr. FisherThe figure of £450 million a year referred to in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, North-East (Mr. Crausby) relates to the estimated cost in lost television licence fee revenue of providing concessionary television licences for all pensioner-only households. These costs are estimated at £463 million in the case of free licences and £437 million for £5 licences.
§ Mr. WillsTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what would be the cost of introducing a concession of 50 per cent. on television licences for all pensioner households; [33468]
(2) what would be the cost of extending the present entitlement to concessionary television licences to all pensioners over (a) 75 and (b) 80 years of age. [33469]
§ Mr. FisherTo provide a 50% reduction in the licence fee for all pensioner-only households would cost approximately £232 million annually in lost television licence fee revenue. To extend the existing £5 concessionary television licence scheme to households where all members are aged 75 or over would cost an estimated £153 million a year; to extend the scheme to households where all members are aged 80 or over would cost approximately £79 million a year.