Mr. Michael Jabez FosterTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when regulations will be laid to bring into effect the television licence fee increases announced on 21 February and due to come into force on 1 April. [113952]
§ Mr. Chris SmithOn 21 February 2000,Official Report, column 1241, I announced that, from 1 April 1999, the fee for a colour television licence would increase from £101 to £104; the black and white licence fee will rise from £33.50 to £34.50. I have today laid before the House the regulations necessary to bring these fees into force.
The regulations also contain provisions in consequence of our proposal to introduce free television licences for people aged 75 or over from 1 November this year. Anyone aged 75 or over who needs to renew their licence between April and October will be able to purchase a short term licence at a reduced rate, based on the number of months covered. Similar provisions are included for people who, after 1 November, need to renew a licence less than 12 months before their 75th birthday.
We have also included in the regulations a provision to remove an anomaly of the existing concessionary licence scheme, for people in residential homes and sheltered accommodation. The effect of this is to include within the scope of the provision retired persons, whether male or female, aged 60 years or more.