HC Deb 15 October 2001 vol 372 cc812-3W
Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the timetable is for granting concessionary television licences to sheltered and community accommodation. [7350]

Dr. Howells

Under the Accommodation for Residential Care concessionary television licence scheme, a £5 concessionary fee is already available for disabled people and retired people aged 60 or over living in residential or nursing homes or in sheltered housing which meets specific qualifying criteria. As announced on 9 April this year, we propose to introduce preserved rights to this concession for existing beneficiaries, in cases where changes to the social mix or the level of warden cover mean that the accommodation no longer meets the full qualifying criteria. Consultations between officials and the BBC about the necessary amendments to the television licence fee regulations are currently underway. We intend to bring forward these amendments as soon as we can but it is important that in doing so we do not create any new anomalies or unnecessary administrative burdens.