§ Mr. KeetchTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list those categories of person entitled to concessionary television licences; if he will review the scheme; and if he will make a statement. [29274]
§ Mr. Fisher[holding answer 13February1998]:Entitlement to the concessionary television licence is determined by the accommodation occupied and the way it is provided or managed. Details of the qualifying criteria are set out in a leaflet prepared by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
The Government's Agreement with the BBC provides for a review of future funding arrangements prior to March 2002. We shall conduct that review in good time to allow decisions to be taken before then. It will include a detailed consideration of licence fee concessions. However, there are no plans for changes to the concessionary scheme in advance of that review.