§ Mr. Michael BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will announce the television licence fees which will take effect from 1 April 1995.
§ Mr. DorrellFollowing a study by Touche Ross, my predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for City of London and Westminster, South (Mr. Brooke) announced on 4 November 1993,Official Report, column 309–10, that the Government had decided to link increases in the television licence fee with the retail prices index for the remaining three years of the BBC's current royal charter.
Licence fee increases are based on the annual RPI figure as at the previous September, in the same way as pensions and other state benefits. Application of this year's RPI figure of 2.2 per cent. for the year to September 1994 to the current unrounded figures produces new rounded totals of £86.50 for a colour licence and £28.50 for a black and white licence. The necessary regulations to bring these fees into force will be laid before the House in due course.