§ Mr. EnnisTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people were prosecuted for non-payment of their television licences in South Yorkshire in the past 12 months. [49618]
§ Mr. FisherProsecutions for television licence fee evasion are not recorded separately from other offences under the Wireless Telegraphy Acts of 1949 and 1967, although the great majority of offences under these Acts relate to licence fee evasion. Provisional figures for 1997, the most recent year for which information is available, show 2,544 prosecutions under the wireless Telegraphy Acts in the South Yorkshire Police Force area.
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§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what would be the cost of introducing free television licences for all households containing a pensioner aged over(a) 70 and (b) 75 years of age. [48955]
§ Mr. Fisher[holding answer 6 July 1998] [pursuant to his reply, 8 July 1998, c. 552]: The estimated cost of providing free television licences for all 'pensioner only' households where at least one member has reached the age of 70 is £288 million, and the estimated cost of free television licences for all 'pensioner only' households where at least one member has reached the age of 75 is £198 million.