§ Mr. Andrew BowdenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his most recent estimate of the number of people benefiting from £5 concessionary television licences.
§ Mr. RentonThe concessionary licence fee is now payable per household, rather than per individual. It is estimated that on 31 January 1989 about 808,500 people in 634,110 households were covered by the concessionary licence.
§ Mr. Andrew BowdenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the change in the number of people who would qualify for a concessionary television licence as a result of changes in the qualifying regulations effective from May 1988.
§ Mr. RentonIt is not possible to estimate the change in the number of people who may be able to qualify for the concessionary licence. No one who had the concession before May 1988 lost it as a result of the change in the regulations. Since May 1988 the number of people covered by the licence has increased by about 44,000.
§ Mr. RookerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how local authority sheltered housing provided from conversion of tower blocks into vertical warden schemes with a flat dedicated for communal use will be treated in respect of the concessionary television licence scheme.
§ Mr. RentonTower blocks are treated in the same way as any other sheltered housing schemes, and can qualify for the concessionary licence provided they satisfy the conditions set out in the regulations.