§ Mr. DobbinTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many retirement pensioners in Heywood and Middleton aged 75 or over(a) will benefit and (b) will not benefit from free TV licences. [105198]
§ Janet AndersonFigures are not available for the number of people aged 75 or over in Heywood and Middleton. However, as my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his pre-Budget statement on 9 November 1999,Official Report, columns 883–91, everyone aged 75 or over will receive their television licence free of charge from this autumn. We shall announce full details of the scheme shortly.
§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will take steps to ensure that all pensioners receive free TV licences. [105414]
§ Kate HoeyAs my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced on 9 November 1999,Official Report, columns 883–91, from this autumn, everyone aged 75 or over will receive their television licence free of charge. The Government are introducing this concession for older pensioners because, as a group, they are more likely to rely on television as their window on the world and to be on low incomes. We have no plans to extend the concession to all pensioners, but we are considering the Davies report's recommendations on the existing concessionary television licence scheme in the light of responses to the public consultation and will announce our conclusions shortly.