§ Mr. Wheelerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated cost of exempting by category (a) pensioners, (b) those in receipt of unemployment benefit, and (c) those receiving supplementary benefit from payment of the television licence at the £58 rate; and, in each category, what would be the cost of transferring the funding of each to the Treasury or to the other licence payers.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe estimated annual loss of revenue from exempting all households in the United Kingdom containing persons in those categories from payments of the current television licence fees and the associated increases in the fees required to recoup this lost revenue are as follows: 717W
Loss of revenue Additions to licence fees necessary to recoup loss* monochrome colour £ million £ £ Households with one or more pensioners 325 10 30 Households with one or more persons in receipt of unemployment benefit 50 1 3 Households with head of household in receipt of supplementary benefit 100 2 7 * Assuming that the increases are applied to monochrome and colour licences in proportion to the current levels of these licences. The estimates (particularly for those in receipt of unemployment and supplementary benefit) have been prepared using a number of assumptions and should therefore be taken as indicative of the amounts involved.
§ Mr. David Steelasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, when considering the arrangements for paying the increased television licence fee, he will consider introducing a provision enabling refunds to be obtained on unexpired months within a year.
§ Mr. Giles ShawWe have no present plans to do so.