HC Deb 09 January 2001 vol 360 cc482-3W
Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people over the age of 75 years receive a free television licence. [144136]

Janet Anderson

To date, 2.76 million free television licences have been issued by TV Licensing. A further 236,000 applications from people giving their age as 75 or over are currently being verified. Up to 500,000 beneficiaries of the £5 Accommodation for Residential Care concessionary licence are estimated to be 75 or over and will receive free television licences as their current licence comes up for renewal.

Mr. Denis Murphy

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many pensioners in Wansbeck will benefit from the introduction of the free television licence for persons aged 75 years and over. [144289]

Janet Anderson

TV Licensing, which administers this concession for the BBC as Licensing Authority, is not able to provide geographical breakdowns of the number of free licences issued. However, estimates of the over-75 population based on the 1991 Census indicate that there were approximately 5,700 people aged 75 or over in the Wansbeck constituency.

Mr. Ruane

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many pensioners aged 75 years and over in the Vale of Clwyd qualify for a free television licence; and how many of those qualifying had received the licence on the latest date for which figures are available. [144458]

Janet Anderson

[holding answer 8 January 2001]: Everyone aged 75 or over is entitled to benefit from a free television licence, but licences cover households rather than individuals so households with more than one member over 75 need only a single free licence. TV Licensing, which administers this concession for the BBC as Licensing Authority, is not able to provide geographical breakdowns of the number of free licences issued. However, estimates of the over-75 population based on the 1991 Census indicate that there were approximately 7,100 people aged 75 or over in the Vale of Clwyd constituency.