HC Deb 28 March 2001 vol 365 cc625-6W
Mr. Willetts

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what specific information the BBC collects on applications for the concessionary television licence scheme. [155419]

Janet Anderson

TV Licensing administer the free licence scheme as agent for the BBC. They collect the information necessary to check the entitlement of applicants to the concession; to manage the concession within the general television licensing system; to satisfy the Department of Social Security and the National Audit Office that the sums claimed by the BBC represent free licences and refunds properly issued and legitimate administrative expenses; and to demonstrate the efficiency and value for money of the administrative arrangements.

Applicants for the free over-75 licence are requested to provide their name, address, date of birth and national insurance number. The first two pieces of information are required to run the television licensing database; the third and fourth are used to check entitlement to the concession by comparison with the information provided for that purpose by the Department of Social Security.