HC Deb 21 November 2000 vol 357 cc140-1W
Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will estimate the cost of providing free television licences for retired people over the ages of(a) 70 years and (b) 65 years. [138523]

Janet Anderson

The estimated cost of providing free television licences for everyone aged 70 years or over is £529 million a year, and providing free television licences for everyone aged 65 years or over would cost an estimated £714 million a year, excluding administrative costs in both cases. Estimating the cost of providing free licences only to people who are retired is subject to the difficulty of defining who is "retired". For example, someone may have retired from their main occupation but may still be in employment, such as part-time work. The costs have therefore been estimated for all people in the relevant age groups, irrespective of their employment status.

Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many pensioners will benefit from free television licences(a) nationally and (b) in Coventry South in 2000. [139080]

Janet Anderson

Television licences cover households rather than individuals. The estimated number of households in the United Kingdom currently entitled to the free television licence for the over-75s is 3.6 million. 2.8 million applications have been received to date. In addition, approximately 500,000 eligible households are beneficiaries of the £5 Accommodation for Residential Care scheme and will benefit from the free licence when their current licence is renewed. TV Licensing, which administers this concession for the BBC as Licensing Authority, is not able to provide geographical breakdowns of the number of free licences issued. However, estimates of the over-75 population based on the 1991 Census indicate that there were approximately 6,400 people aged 75 or over in the Coventry, South constituency.

Mr. Webb

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if residents of sheltered housing who are aged 75 years or above and who have hitherto paid £5 per year in television licence are entitled to free TV licences under his concessionary scheme for the over-75s; and if he will make a statement. [139062]

Janet Anderson

Yes. The directions issued by the Secretary of State to introduce this concession have the effect that on the issue or renewal of an Accommodation for Residential Care licence, no fee will be payable in respect of residents who are aged 75 or over.